Which Sampler Should I Get?

[gongchime]

Also, since sampling isn't as simple as I imagine, maybe I'm better off with a sequencer and gamelan sound library. Is this a better solution? How much does the computer sampler solution run and how much does the sequencer library solution cost in a ball park kind of figure?Gongchime

[matto]

Quote:Also, since sampling isn't as simple as I imagine, maybe I'm better off with a sequencer and gamelan sound library. Is this a better solution?I can't tell you if it's better, that depends on your personal taste; it will definitely be easier, obviously.The two Gamelan libraries I'm aware of are Propellerheads' "Complete Gamelan" and Spectrasonics' "Heart Of Asia" (which has a wide assortment of Asian sounds in addition to the Gamelan samples, including percussion, vocals and wind and stringed instruments).Both are distributed by Ilio http://www.ilio.com/ in the US. Both come in AKAI CD-ROMS which virtually every soft sampler can import (although I'm not sure if any of the freeware samplers out there can do it). The commercially available soft samplers run from about $100 to $400. These days, many audio interfaces come bundeled with sequencing/recording software (such as e.g. Cubase LE) which will be more than adequate for what you're trying to do, so depending on which interface you get you may not have to purchase a sequencer.matto

[nomiyah]

Gongchime,Maybe this is old school but I love my Akai MPC2000XL more than any other equipment I own. With a computer system, the MPC is not necessary but I still use it. It is stand alone sequencer and sampler, a classic used by all kinds of artists with no problems. It comes with a library of sounds and can be used with other sound generators (for example, I use an old Korg Trinity Rack). The thing I love about the MPC is that it plays like a percussion instrument.Nomi

[gongchime]

Dear Matto,I have a cd of samples called "Heart of Asia" but I wouldn't call it a sound library. I think it's intended for sampling sections/phrases of the music and then looping it behind other stuff. I have never used a sound library before in any keyboard or other situation so I definitely don't know what I'm talking about. I was given the Heart of Asia cd and just played it in my cd player to hear what they sound like. I don't really see how I could easily use it in a sequencer. I'd have to isolate individual notes which seems to be too difficult. Why? because it doesn't have samples of someone playing the full range of each instrument. And the individual notes are not played slowly enough so that each note could be isolated for playback on a keyboard or in a sequencer.I looked at the Propellerheads gamelan sample cd before but never listened to it. Their literature makes it sound like just the right thing I'm looking for though.Matto mentioned ring times. Well, you're supposed to stop the note with your hand in most cases when the next note starts. Usually the beginning and the end of the note are quite close together, not far apart. But not in every case such as with the gongs which I could just record in the normal manner.Also, you mention soft samplers. Is that a shortened version of software? If so, I don't know why you're mentioning it. I already said I don't have a computer and that they would be difficult for me to acquire and am looking for a hardware solution. What is a "soft" sampler?In any event I tried to find out how much the system would cost to run Cubase LE but I couldn't find out about a PC system. I saw the Mac version requires a G4 which I know is REALLY expensive!!!Confused GongchimeP.S. Gongchime

[matto]

Quote:I have a cd of samples called "Heart of Asia" but I wouldn't call it a sound library. I think it's intended for sampling sections/phrases of the music and then looping it behind other stuff. I have never used a sound library before in any keyboard or other situation so I definitely don't know what I'm talking about. I was given the Heart of Asia cd and just played it in my cd player to hear what they sound like. I don't really see how I could easily use it in a sequencer. I'd have to isolate individual notes which seems to be too difficult. Why? because it doesn't have samples of someone playing the full range of each instrument. And the individual notes are not played slowly enough so that each note could be isolated for playback on a keyboard or in a sequencer.Greg, the AUDIO CD VERSION of "Heart Of Asia" only has phrases (= performaces), the CD-ROM VERSION also has the individual notes sampled and layed out across the keyboard so you can play whatever you want. That's why I recommended the CD-ROM VERSION.Quote:Also, you mention soft samplers. Is that a shortened version of software? If so, I don't know why you're mentioning it. I already said I don't have a computer and that they would be difficult for me to acquire and am looking for a hardware solution.In your previous post you ask: "How much does the computer sampler version run?", so I'm giving you an answer to that question.Look, you asked for opinions and advice here, so that's what you get. I'm not gonna recommend a system I believe will not allow you to do what you want to do or give you the professional results you require (you previously stated that you want to record a CD and have retained the services of a producer, so I have to assume you're looking for professional results).You're more than welcome to ignore my advice, but arguing about it isn't gonna change it .Quote:In any event I tried to find out how much the system would cost to run Cubase LE but I couldn't find out about a PC system. I saw the Mac version requires a G4 which I know is REALLY expensive!!!Any reasonably current P4 based PC should work fine, they're quite inexpensive over here but of course I don't know about Korea. Check this website for some ballpark figures.http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/default ... o&s=genBTW the reason the dialog boxes are in the Korean is that the OS is in Korean. You should be able to have an English OS installed instead.matto

[johnnydean1]

Quote:Quote:I have a cd of samples called "Heart of Asia" but I wouldn't call it a sound library. I think it's intended for sampling sections/phrases of the music and then looping it behind other stuff. I have never used a sound library before in any keyboard or other situation so I definitely don't know what I'm talking about. I was given the Heart of Asia cd and just played it in my cd player to hear what they sound like. I don't really see how I could easily use it in a sequencer. I'd have to isolate individual notes which seems to be too difficult. Why? because it doesn't have samples of someone playing the full range of each instrument. And the individual notes are not played slowly enough so that each note could be isolated for playback on a keyboard or in a sequencer.Greg, the AUDIO CD VERSION of "Heart Of Asia" only has phrases (= performaces), the CD-ROM VERSION also has the individual notes sampled and layed out across the keyboard so you can play whatever you want. That's why I recommended the CD-ROM VERSION.In your previous post you ask: "How much does the computer sampler version run?", so I'm giving you an answer to that question.Look, you asked for opinions and advice here, so that's what you get. I'm not gonna recommend a system I believe will not allow you to do what you want to do or give you the professional results you require (you previously stated that you want to record a CD and have retained the services of a producer, so I have to assume you're looking for professional results).You're more than welcome to ignore my advice, but arguing about it isn't gonna change it .Quote:In any event I tried to find out how much the system would cost to run Cubase LE but I couldn't find out about a PC system. I saw the Mac version requires a G4 which I know is REALLY expensive!!!Any reasonably current P4 based PC should work fine, they're quite inexpensive over here but of course I don't know about Korea. Check this website for some ballpark figures.http://www1.ap.dell.com/content/default ... o&s=genBTW the reason the dialog boxes are in the Korean is that the OS is in Korean. You should be able to have an English OS installed instead.mattoI complimeted Mr Gong on one of his pieces recently and his response was to complain!Needless to say I removed my post.J.

[gongchime]

I hear you guys saying that you can hear irritation and frustration in my post. I'm not complaining about you, really. Yeah, I'm complaining I realize that, but it's not you guys I promise. If I'm a complainer it's because I was raised by wolves so I can't pull enough money or resources together to make my music happen even now that I'm 41. My mother was a drug user, my father was abusive and drank too much, I got into a lot of trouble when I was younger and people just looked the other way when I needed help. Now I'm not even a has been. I'm a "never was" and I'm bitter O.K.? You would be too, to watch every opportunity just whiz on by and to know there is little or nothing you can do about it. I'm not very mindful. I didn't realize that I had asked how much it cost previously so that's why I didn't understand why you were still talking about the computer. Now looking back on that post it was to compare the two solutions the cost of the keyboard sequencer et al or the computer sequencer et alAnyway, I didn't say, "You are bad!" I just asked, "why are you asking?"I don't know much about computers and wouldn't know how to change my operating system. Sounds like something really difficult to me. I'm tired of F^cking around on this stuff. I want what I want and I want it yesterday. Why does everything have to be so difficult? Nick gave me a solution but when I said that solution might not work for me he just dropped me like a bad habit I guess. Maybe it's just the easiest thing in the world for him to go down to the corner store and whip out more than $3,000 (which is all I have in savings or anywhere else) or whatever for a computer, software and interface and can't understand why I can't make that happen.If I'm wasting my time trying to get some company to mail me a computer then maybe I could send the money to someone in America. You guys have family and friends who might help you if you were in my situation. I don't. I told off my family a long time ago. I count myself lucky just to have a job let alone a girlfriend. I've got ProTools LE with digi001 and a Mac G4 which was like sweating blood to get but it's sitting in my mohter's house and no one gives a F^ck about me in my family and they never did which is why I ended up like this.I really appreciate Matt taking the time to tell me about some of the other options. After looking at them, I still don't know what to do. If I buy something along the line of a used Motif keyboard, I'll still be stuck interfacing with that little screen trying to program a shitload of music. The Cubase solution looks so easy but that's only if you've got a computer and the software up and running. Without a computer it just looks like another obstacle blocking my path which I am just sick of. I want to get passed dicking around all this knob tweaking bullshit that I friggin' hate and start selling music.You say I should be able to have the OS installed instead but I tried that before and it doesn't work so easily when you're buying a used computer. They already said they couldn't do that. All I could do was roll my eyes and say, "Typical, another problem!" If I want to do that I'll either have to buy a new computer or travel to Seoul like I've got time for that.Again, my problems are 1 no credit card 2 live overseas3 Korean operating system4 buying a used computer5 brain damagedSo, the Cubase LE costs a couple of hundred bucks and the Heart of Asia sampled cd rom is a couple of hundred bucks. Do I need an interface, if so, how much is that? I'm still trying to find the price of a Pentium III but I'm not finding that online. They never give the prices for computers anymore.And as far as the sequencing keyboard option I still don't know how much they cost or what's the best route in that option. A keyboard that does it all or a dedicated hardware sequencer controlled by a cheap midi compatible keyboard. My eyes are going bad and I'm making them worse searching page after page on google for prices that are not listed.Every direction I try to go just looks like a new way for me to spin my wheels for the next 6 to 8 months instead of getting the production happening in a jiffy.Gongchime

[matto]

Greg,I'm sorry to hear about your predicament. Try to remember that taking your frustrations out on complete strangers that you're asking for free advice isn't usually going to help you get any answers ....making an exception here .The software solution: Get a reasonably recent PC. I don't know if buying used makes any sense when you can get a new desktop for as little as $350 in the US (I know you're in Korea but that's not my fault...). Plus if you buy new you should be able to get Windows (XP please!) in English installed on it.Beyond that, your best solution IMHO is to buy the Emulator X. This is a software package that includes a sampler, an audio interface and Cubase LE recording and sequencing software plus additional goodies. It costs about $300. This is all you need, plus the Gamelan CD-Rom (if that's the route you decide to go). Well, you need a little keyboard too I guess. Sell the Boss unit you have to help pay for this stuff, as you won't need it anymore.The hardware solution:I don't think there is one to be honest, and here's why:Sampler/Sequencers, and even hardware rackmount samplers, haven't been made in years. Back when they were popular, memory was expensive, so they all come with little RAM. They also don't come with CD Rom drives. So even if you were able to find a used Ensoniq ASR-10 for example (which is among the last sampling keyboards with built in sequencer made), you couldn't load the gamelan CD-Roms. Nor could you sample your own because it wouldn't have enough memory. And if you were willing to compromise your own samples enough to somehow make do with the 16MB Ram (Heart of Asia's Saron alone is 32MB) the ASR maxes out at (assuming you could find a fully expanded unit...) you would still need a way to lay these tracks to your Boss unit in a synchronized fashion.Which would cause you to go insane.Plus, you would need to save the samples themselves, since the Ram gets flushed each time the sampler is turned off. So you would either need a stack of floppies (if these can even still be bought); or you would need to find an ASR with a built in SCSI option and get some kind of a SCSI drive (if those can even still be bought).The cheapest I've seen ASR's on ebay is about $350.This is just an example of one hardware unit but it's all about the same.You'll end up with a heap of hopelessly outdated junk, get a compromised final product, loose all your hair in the sampling and recording process, and after you get all the little gadgets and widgets you need to get all the stuff to work together you probably won't save any money at all (remember you need to keep the Boss in this scenario).So...(surprise!) I would (for one last time) recommend the software solution. A fully integrated and expandable system that allows you to produce complete CD quality recordings in one box. If you can't afford it now save up until you can.matto

[gongchime]

Dear Matto,thanks for that. It helped me make up my mind. I'll make that happen as quickly as possible and just keeping trying to push through on any barriers I might come up against until I break on through to the other side. This has been really getting on my nerves because there are several good people who want to play on my stuff and they're tired of waiting as am I.Gongchime

[mani]

Gong,Are there no recording studios where you are? Just curious.