KVR Audio

saulc12 · Post by **saulc12** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 7:04 pm

Trusty wrote:Wow, funny I should run across this today. I bought retro-gs01/02 from you (JOHNATHANPRITCHETT@yahoo.com) awhile back and finally sat down, TODAY, and messed with them.

I loaded a sequence into my MV-8000, and decided to see what they can do. Decided to NOT use any of the sounds I had for the track (drums included) and just midi out to the computer. The beat had 10 tracks and I easily ran 6 01's and 4 02's and ran up to like 17% cpu and that was it.

The song was sounded nothing like my original except for the notes...but you know what, I am going with the new version. I am just adding effects and that all it needs for the music.

I was extremely pleased with the quality. And I have a lot of killer commercial softsynths in my set-up...but this is the first time I EVER used two synths for all my tracks. Since the song had already been composed, I mainly spent the day tweaking the synth for the different parts and was extremly hapy with the results. It wasn't that it was a SID emulation that sold me, it was the default sound (with a lttle added reverb) that makes for a nice angry growling bass line. That was enough for me to see what else it could do...

You did a great job. The only thing I'd like to see added is some arpeggio patterns...but I got effects for that I guess. I am suprised that sales haven't been high for this set. Spook keys and the shepard are great too. Spook keys suprisingly makes a great sub bass when in a hurry for something needing bottom end and not tax the cpu. I'll gladly buy what ever you may come out with next...if only to send more money for the exceptional, yet underpriced retro-gs synths.

When I get done with my track, I'd be happy to send it to you to use for demo's or whatever (it is a hip-hop song, so you can tap into all the broke FL producers with the next great "hip-hop" synth because they always ask 'what is a good "hip-hop" synth' ).

Okay, enough jock-ridin'...Anyway, don't listen to the haters...keep up the great work. I'll post a review here soon.

P.S. Is there anywhere to get patches for Retro-GS01?

I would really love to hear your tune when it is finished and may very well use it as a demo on the site (with your permission of course) as I am always on the look out for good demo tunes

saulc12 · Post by **saulc12** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 7:09 pm

knockman wrote:spook keys is fantastic seems capable of huge frequency range - seriously concerned about it in fact i'd like to say it's capable of faithfully reproducing the theremin sound, but i don't have the hardware anymore to qualify that plus i suspect spook keys is capable of more.

anyhow, i find it eminantly usable. i don't want to use this thread to show my music but if anyone's interested, here's a link to a track that uses it - (still working on the vocals/mix) spook keys comes in at about 1:11 min and 2:50 min:

http://wildchurch.com/11-04-knockman-the_vessel.mp3

thanks for this excellent instrument, i'll be checking out your other work in due course.

regards

Just downloaded your track and gave it a spin and this is a really nice track - made me think of Autumn for some reason - excellent production. Thanks

Ackelito · Post by **Ackelito** » Sun Jan 16, 2005 7:52 pm

saulc12, dont listen to the small talkers, if they dont like it why should you care to please them when they come with a bad attitude.

anyway i just recently downloaded The shepherd and Spook keys, wanna know what? i love them, im working on a tune and the shepherd fitted perfect in this tune, some reverb, filter, gate and delay and im good to go, thank you very much!

spook keys might need some work on automating the xy thingy as of now both axles are namde 0 and that can make some confusion, also im not to keen on the way it handels knob movements, it feels slow and like it lags..

im hoping for a update =)

great job keep it up!

saulc12 · Post by **saulc12** » Mon Jan 17, 2005 10:35 pm

Ackelito wrote:saulc12, dont listen to the small talkers, if they dont like it why should you care to please them when they come with a bad attitude.

anyway i just recently downloaded The shepherd and Spook keys, wanna know what? i love them, im working on a tune and the shepherd fitted perfect in this tune, some reverb, filter, gate and delay and im good to go, thank you very much!

spook keys might need some work on automating the xy thingy as of now both axles are namde 0 and that can make some confusion, also im not to keen on the way it handels knob movements, it feels slow and like it lags..

im hoping for a update =)

great job keep it up!

Just to prove I take note of peoples comments I am considering bringing forward the development of the second version of spook keys and I will probably pay some attention to the x/y controller while I work on it amongst a few other things I wanted to do to make it both more authentic and more flexible

In the meantime it is really reviews in the KVR database I was hoping for as currently only retro-gs01 and retrogs-02 have been reviewed by anyone and it would be useful for me to have some more structured and formal comment to inform my development process. It would also let people know what other people think of the free instruments.-

Steven West · Post by **Steven West** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 4:38 am

I like this synth too Saul. Kinda reminicent of old Roland vocoders and Mellotrons, but also very unique as well. My big bane though is it's pretty CPU intense - which is the reverb fault no doubt. But other than that, this is a pretty sweet unique new sound!

Thanks a bunch Saul, and keep up the great work!

uncadave · Post by **uncadave** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:38 am

i use string thing all the time....i love it. i'll do a real review later when i have time. i use it in places i usually use plucked string (orion) for a bit different sound. i don't usually use it dry, tho. it's a good insrument for auditioning new effects, and i use it as a backup guitar with a standard battery of effects ie amplitube or tubebaby, other freeware effects like guitar suite (in console) or the mda stuff. very happy with the sounds i get. it would be nice to have glide functions and that sort of thing, adsr, i guess, but for an all around workhorse? very cpu friendly, simple, nice little work horse for the sorts of things i use it for. don't need all the bells and whistles on everything, do we?

i really appreciate the work you guys do making freebies available...which reminds me that i'm supposed to be looking thru my collection and donating when i should be, my new years resolution. this would be one of the ones i should pay a bit for. i'll be visiting your site soon....thanks, man.

Lunch Money · Post by **Lunch Money** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 5:40 am

As I often say in threads, I don't use MIDI much (hence, rarely use VSTi), but ANY time I'm curious about whether a theremin-like sound would work for a song, I bust out Spook Keys. It's unbeatable. I've used a few other similar VSTi, but this is the one I recommend to people.

I also love the sound of The Shepherd, though I also haven't used it in a completed song yet.

SOOooo... my 'review' isn't constructive, but trust me your plugs have been noticed.

I've seen Spook Keys recommended on a number of occasions, both here and at CM/FM forums.

Greg

saulc12 · Post by **saulc12** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:42 pm

still begging...

please...

vtx · Post by **vtx** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 2:54 pm

I tried the spook keys cause I needed a theremin thingy, but the fact the cursor keeps jumping back to home position makes it too much of a hassle,but it sounds and looks great,or did you change that?
I'll try and check the others out..

Ed

saulc12 · Post by **saulc12** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:46 pm

vtx wrote:I tried the spook keys cause I needed a theremin thingy, but the fact the cursor keeps jumping back to home position makes it too much of a hassle,but it sounds and looks great,or did you change that?
I'll try and check the others out..

Ed

I didn't change it in spook keys, but may give the option of it springing back or holding in super spook keys (that won't be completely free though).

You can of course play spook keys via midi and very effectively too - that's what the key in key values are all about and you can set it up to work with an external joystick in which case it doesn't spring back if the joystick doesn't.

vtx · Post by **vtx** » Thu Feb 03, 2005 4:55 pm

saulc12 wrote:
vtx wrote:I tried the spook keys cause I needed a theremin thingy, but the fact the cursor keeps jumping back to home position makes it too much of a hassle,but it sounds and looks great,or did you change that?
I'll try and check the others out..

Ed
I didn't change it in spook keys, but may give the option of it springing back or holding in super spook keys (that won't be completely free though).

You can of course play spook keys via midi and very effectively too - that's what the key in key values are all about and you can set it up to work with an external joystick in which case it doesn't spring back if the joystick doesn't.

thanx saulc12 I did try it, my joystick springs back
I just think it would be cool to move it around then if I wanted I could leave it in a spot where I like it and play with the filter or mod.
I'll most certainly try super spook free or not its sounds so good.
great job

begging for reviews