Hi. My friend plays viola and will be crashing on my sofa next week. I figure this is age eat opportunity to use Kontakt and MachFive for something more than playback.
My friend hasn't stopped asking me how we will do it so I'm looking for video tutorials which explain the entire process in excruciating detail. Then perhaps I can have a moment to think of how I'll break news of her visit to my wife.
I'm asking KVR because my search terms yield nothing like I seek. Thanks
DIY Sample Libraries
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 581 posts since 25 Jun, 2003 from Seattle
And the beat goes on...
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- KVRAF
- 2475 posts since 6 Jul, 2013
You want to think articulations - what playing styles will you need to yield a playable instrument at the end.
If you have limited time you need to limit the notes you sample - it's nice to get chromatic samples of every note (ideally more than one) but you may not have enough time to get every note, multiple times, for every articulation - and you'll need to check pitch, as well as basic good recording standards (good mic techniques, good room, whether you are sampling with a multi-mic setup, and so on.
Think and prepare in advance, ideally make a checklist of each articulation and note required that you can tick off during recording to make sure you have everything you planned for.
And then once you've got your raw samples, you've got the fun task of editing, looping and mapping them (I'm a *huge* fan of Keymap Pro and won't use anything else for this, it makes the process *almost* pleasurable) but doing this with just Kontakt and a sample editor will be rather painful.
What are your requirements for the final results?
If you have limited time you need to limit the notes you sample - it's nice to get chromatic samples of every note (ideally more than one) but you may not have enough time to get every note, multiple times, for every articulation - and you'll need to check pitch, as well as basic good recording standards (good mic techniques, good room, whether you are sampling with a multi-mic setup, and so on.
Think and prepare in advance, ideally make a checklist of each articulation and note required that you can tick off during recording to make sure you have everything you planned for.
And then once you've got your raw samples, you've got the fun task of editing, looping and mapping them (I'm a *huge* fan of Keymap Pro and won't use anything else for this, it makes the process *almost* pleasurable) but doing this with just Kontakt and a sample editor will be rather painful.
What are your requirements for the final results?
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- KVRAF
- 7137 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
A perfect thread for the Samplers, Sampling & Sample Libraries forum 
.
I think beely has given a good summary.
Search for: "Recording a viola solo" - no video, but a Sound On Sound article tops the results.
Search for "How to record samples of acoustic instruments" - another Sound On Sound, second, is where I'd start reading... Oh, and it's "Part 3", so the other parts are probably well worth a read (search "The Lost Art Of Sampling Sound On Sound"). One word of caution here. The article says
.I think beely has given a good summary.
Search for: "Recording a viola solo" - no video, but a Sound On Sound article tops the results.
Search for "How to record samples of acoustic instruments" - another Sound On Sound, second, is where I'd start reading... Oh, and it's "Part 3", so the other parts are probably well worth a read (search "The Lost Art Of Sampling Sound On Sound"). One word of caution here. The article says
Unless you're not recording multiple dynamic layers, I'm against normalisation. If you have multiple dynamic layers, you have to explain to the sampler how to get the dynamics right whether you normalise or not. It's easier, in my view, if you can tell the sampler "at this velocity, do no volume adjustment" and ensure the output is the same as the unnormalised sample. If you then want all layers louder, you can then just raise the overall output gain for a consistent result.By normalising your samples, you ensure that you're getting maximum signal level and dynamic range from your sampler. However, be aware that normalising raises the noise floor along with everything else in your sample, so if the sound is noisy to begin with, it may become unacceptably so after normalisation.
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- KVRAF
- 2357 posts since 24 Nov, 2012
HI, depends on your aims. If you are wanting to make a standard sort of library then obviously you will not be able to compete with existing products but you will be able to learn a lot. If you want to make something unique then maybe - depending on your friend's skill - you can explore extended techniques in some detail. Or make up your own
eg http://annelanzilotti.com/extended-techniques/
if you go this route then you just need to record everything and get in to cutting the recording into interesting pieces and assigning those pieces to a key or range of keys. That is pretty easy and a good starting place to learn. Some of those pieces could be one-shot samples, that just play from start to finish, others you might want to loop
eg http://annelanzilotti.com/extended-techniques/
if you go this route then you just need to record everything and get in to cutting the recording into interesting pieces and assigning those pieces to a key or range of keys. That is pretty easy and a good starting place to learn. Some of those pieces could be one-shot samples, that just play from start to finish, others you might want to loop
Last edited by woggle on Tue Aug 09, 2016 9:56 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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- D.H. MOD
- 16424 posts since 21 Jun, 2008
Yep. Moved.pljones wrote:A perfect thread for the Samplers, Sampling & Sample Libraries forum
No longer a moderator.
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- KVRAF
- 40265 posts since 11 Aug, 2008 from clown world
You could think about what might be useful to you in your own music. Something that doesn't already exist on the market. Once you're focused, then you and 'your friend' can get on with the project. Wanting to know everything about creating sample libraries seems a mighty big task.
If it was me, I'd be aiming for an instrument with a fast attack. I don't think there are too many libraries like that. That would be my angle.
Keep it simple. Can you keep the samples consistent if you make a lot of layers etc? Even the best sample guys fail at that sometimes.
If it was me, I'd be aiming for an instrument with a fast attack. I don't think there are too many libraries like that. That would be my angle.
Keep it simple. Can you keep the samples consistent if you make a lot of layers etc? Even the best sample guys fail at that sometimes.
Anyone who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 581 posts since 25 Jun, 2003 from Seattle
Great info guys. Any video links to share?
I'm beginning to lean toward capturing riffs and one shots. Probably have her play over country tunes as we record.
I'm beginning to lean toward capturing riffs and one shots. Probably have her play over country tunes as we record.
And the beat goes on...
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- KVRian
- 1367 posts since 30 Jul, 2013
The main thing really is to get the samples recorded while you have her there. You can mess with the samples forever after you have them recorded. In my little experiments close mic is the only usable way to do recording unless you have a room built to be somewhat sound proof. Most if not all mics will pickup way too much background noise in any 'normal' setting when you are very far away from an acoustic instrument.
I would try to record something before she shows up to make sure that everything is recording right and you are ready to go, nothing worse than thinking you are recording and it isn't working. I've done that.
What are you planing on recording on to? My thought is that Audacity is better than recording straight into a DAW.
If you are going Kontakt, you are welcome to use the shell I use.
http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/2 ... b-pad.html
I would try to record something before she shows up to make sure that everything is recording right and you are ready to go, nothing worse than thinking you are recording and it isn't working. I've done that.
What are you planing on recording on to? My thought is that Audacity is better than recording straight into a DAW.
If you are going Kontakt, you are welcome to use the shell I use.
http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/2 ... b-pad.html
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- Banned
- Topic Starter
- 581 posts since 25 Jun, 2003 from Seattle
Thanks. We'll be recording in Cubase. I'll run 3 mics (ribbon, condenser, and dynamic) at different positions in addition to the built in pickup. I plan to use preamp/limiter amp on all but the condenser channel which will have a cloud. The room acoustics will be fine tuned with rugs and reversible absorbtion/reflection panels.
It sure would be nice if she could watch a video depicting the process. Any links?
It sure would be nice if she could watch a video depicting the process. Any links?
And the beat goes on...
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- KVRAF
- 2141 posts since 20 Sep, 2013 from Poland
How many hours of recording do you think you can get in? You can plan the amount of detail, number of articulations etc. to fit that.
I've done some sampling of strings, and there are two things I recommend. An easily visible chromatic tuner (running on a tablet) to make intonation easier. And multitrack recording with some previous notes recorded for the same articulation, in a channel that's visible and muted - so you can see if the new notes are the same sized-waveforms as the earlier ones. Of course the high register won't be as big as the low/middle, but you can at least see that it's staying consistent.
I've done some sampling of strings, and there are two things I recommend. An easily visible chromatic tuner (running on a tablet) to make intonation easier. And multitrack recording with some previous notes recorded for the same articulation, in a channel that's visible and muted - so you can see if the new notes are the same sized-waveforms as the earlier ones. Of course the high register won't be as big as the low/middle, but you can at least see that it's staying consistent.
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- KVRAF
- 4290 posts since 31 Oct, 2004
If you have the money, the Sampling Handbook explain in details how to do this:
http://www.thesamplinghandbook.com/
You can get the solo edition which covers what you're looking for (creating custom Kontakt library from recording it to making the instrument itself in Kontakt).
http://www.thesamplinghandbook.com/
You can get the solo edition which covers what you're looking for (creating custom Kontakt library from recording it to making the instrument itself in Kontakt).
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- KVRian
- 1367 posts since 30 Jul, 2013
Wow you have it all sorted out mic and roomwise, Grats. I hope it goes well.
Recording Strings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em4b9eq54mE
Recording a Violin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3QdjXUbDB0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uMl7thISeA
If she wants to know what you do, editing in cubase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5G6sna0k-c
Creating a Kontakt instrument
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om-aKoLS58U
Recording Strings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=em4b9eq54mE
Recording a Violin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3QdjXUbDB0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uMl7thISeA
If she wants to know what you do, editing in cubase
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5G6sna0k-c
Creating a Kontakt instrument
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om-aKoLS58U
