Somebody 'splain about sample libraries, please

[ncc1701]

OK, after reading backtalkunlimited's thread, I've convinced myself that it's time to purchase a sample library. I'm probably going to get EWQL Silver for budget reasons. I use Sonar 5 Studio Edition for my DAW.I'm a reasonably intelligent person, but there's a bunch I don't understand yet about how the sample libraries work. If someone's got some time on their hands, would you mind clearing a few things up for me?1. These sampled voices - are they audio files or MIDI data? I understand from something zircon said that you can play an instrumental line using General MIDI and then switch the voice to a sample instrument after it's recorded. True? (Not that I doubt zircon! I just want to make sure I get it through my head.)2. I see with EWQL instruments that they use the Kontakt player. That's just another "virtual synth," as Sonar calls it, right? A plug-in? Not another DAW?3. What will I need as far as processor speed and RAM for one of these libraries to work? Right now I'm not at my studio computer - don't remember what its specs are - but it can't handle playing more than 2 or 3 tracks of audio at a time without dropping out. It handles MIDI like a charm.4. What's the learning curve on being able to utilize these samples? How long did it take you guys to get proficient with the articulations, expressions, etc.?Tack så mycket,Kathleen

[hummingbird]

I just Silver at the end of Feburary... so I will take a crack at answering your questions:1. These sampled voices - are they audio files or MIDI data? I understand from something zircon said that you can play an instrumental line using General MIDI and then switch the voice to a sample instrument after it's recorded. -- the instrument samples are "plug ins". In other words, you drop the VST Silver plug in onto the track, choose an instrument, and it will play as you play your midi keyboard. You can change instruments easily. If you already have a midi track ready, again, you just plop in the plug-in and choose the instrument you want. If some notes are too high or low for that instrument, those notes won't play. You can also use Silver as a stand alone but I just use it as a plug-in.2. I see with EWQL instruments that they use the Kontakt player. That's just another "virtual synth," as Sonar calls it, right? A plug-in? Not another DAW?Yep, a plug-in.3. What will I need as far as processor speed and RAM for one of these libraries to work? Right now I'm not at my studio computer - don't remember what its specs are - but it can't handle playing more than 2 or 3 tracks of audio at a time without dropping out. It handles MIDI like a charm.Okay, there's the problem. I bought myself Silver for Christmas but I knew my existing computer couldn't play it. I thought about upgrading, but after costing it all out I thought it would be better to get something new. I got a custom built audio computer with 2mgs of Ram and 3 SATA drives. 80 GB is the home drive, I have a 170GB drive to store the samples on, and another 320GB to work on stuff with. You don't need a seperate drive for the samples with the Silver library, but I got it anyways as I expect to expand up. In your case, the Ram and a decent size drive will be necessary.4. What's the learning curve on being able to utilize these samples? How long did it take you guys to get proficient with the articulations, expressions, etc.?That I am still working on. However, I have had a couple forwards with music I've created on the new system, using Silver, so I must be doing something right. I think Silver is limited in how much it can do, but it certainly has moved my music to a new level.Hope that helps. There are some happy Gold members here who remember their Silver days, so perhaps they can talk about articulations and expressions in Silver... I'd like to know more about that too cheersHummin'bird

[elser]

Hi Kelysian, simply put a "Sample" is any piece of audio material(stress audio). A sample can be as small as a single Piano note or as large as an entire song. Common uses of the word 'sample' include a sampled instrument, for instance a piano or bass guitar which has been recorded note by note over it's entire range and then created into a 'software instrument' that can be played using a 'sample player' such as Kontakt by using your midi keyboard to play it. O.K, take short a pause to absorb that.............Now, the second most common use of the word 'sample' is that of a sampled loop, for instance a 1 bar drum beat which will repeat perfectly. You can take this 'loop' and place it in your DAW and make a drum track or you can put in your sample player and press down a key on your keyboard and it will play over and over again and sound like a real drummer. Hope that helps, Jon

[zircon]

I'm just going to chime in about the computer real quick...www.avadirect.comCall these guys up and tell them you are looking for an audio workstation. Give them a budget and explain as best you can what features you want, and they will walk you through. They're VERY courteous and knowledgable overall. While they won't know specifics about, say, EWQLSO or Akoustik Piano, they know how to skim down on "gaming components" while beefing up what you DO need, and making the whole thing as silent as possible. My most recent DAW was built by these guys and I'm 110% happy with it. As for as actual specs, I recommend;* 2GB of RAM* Windows XP Professional (NOT Vista)* Two hard drives, 80gb and 250+gb (one for windows, one for samples/audio)* 1.86ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor or better. The 2.4ghz e6600 processor is currently your best bet.* A decent soundcard, eg. an EMU 0404 INTERNAL PCI card

[backtalkunlimited]

Reply to fretnoise: In your message, you stated: "You can take this 'loop' and place it in your DAW and make a drum track or you can put in your sample player and press down a key on your keyboard and it will play over and over again and sound like a real drummer. "In fact, a large part of the problem that I have faced as a would-be producer lies in my use of drum loops, usually in conjunction with Cakewalk's Project5. No REAL drummer plays the same figure over and over again throughout an entire song (or even through one chorus). Thus, the use of a short (1-4 bar) loop is a tipoff to the listener that the performance isn't "live". This is one of the (many, many) lessons I've had to learn the hard way.In such cases, I have learned that the use of varied drum "fills" at the end of phrases can help to mitiigate the tedum concomitant with the use of short drum loops.Although I haven't really tried it yet, perhaps the use of a longer, more complex loop, maybe 8 to 16 bars, will be less obvious to the listener. As an aside: I thought that maybe I knew a little bit about what I was doing until I started reading these posts seriously and also began to communicate with the REAL experts (e. g., mazz, matto, hummingbird, et al.) who contribute their knowledge and expertise to discussions on TAXI proboards. Now, I know better; ve grow too soon oldt und too late schmardt.-Alan (backtalkunlimited)

[backtalkunlimited]

(backtalkunlimited continues...)Shortly after I submitted the preceding post, I found a related thread, "confused re drums":http://taxi.proboards27.com/index.cgi?b ... 528Therein, I found a cogent response from mazz to Vicki (hummingbird) that contains his "take on drum issues".Mazz sez it all.-Alan

[hummingbird]

Quote:As an aside: I thought that maybe I knew a little bit about what I was doing until I started reading these posts seriously and also began to communicate with the REAL experts (e. g., mazz, matto, hummingbird, et al.) who contribute their knowledge and expertise to discussions on TAXI proboards. Now, I know better; ve grow too soon oldt und too late schmardt. Thank you for including me your list of excellent experts (and nice people to boot), but I don't think I qualify (yet). I am Silver, they are Platinum. ;Dxxoo

[backtalkunlimited]

Hummingbird: Based on the content of your recent postings, I still think that you qualify!-Alan

[ncc1701]

Thanks everybody, especially zircon and Hummingbird for the computer specs. I'm excited to get started with some better-sounding instruments.

[elser]

reply to backtalkunlimited, ya of course your right, a single drumloop repeated over and over again does not sound like a real drummer, but if you take a drum loop library like Backbeat by Spectrasonics which includes variations on the beat and drum fills you can make a pretty convincing drum track. My post to kelysian was very incomplete, the topic of sampling and how to use sample libraries is pretty huge, but I felt that a simple clarification of what a 'sample' is, might be a good start into learning about sample libraries. Best, Jon