Which Sampler Should I Get?

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matto
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Re: Which Sampler Should I Get?

Post by matto » Sun Nov 27, 2005 12:22 pm

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
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Re: Which Sampler Should I Get?

Post by johnnydean1 » Sun Nov 27, 2005 7:11 pm

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.

matto
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Re: Which Sampler Should I Get?

Post by matto » Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:39 pm

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

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