ST2 XL...oboe schmoboe

[kovacs]

I just got my Sonik Caspules group buy package today (1 week through Norwegian customs...cost me an extra $60).

So far I have installed the SampleTank XL upgrade which I also bought and am starting (slowly) to find my way around it. There is a good number of great sounds in this tank.

But I have one BIG gripe. The oboe sounds horrible. Compared to Kompakt...which I *sold* just to get this deal...the oboe sounds thin, plain...and the B note even sounds like a mallet striking metal rather than anything resembling a woodwind instrument.

I have tried to use some FX to clean it up but the oboe frankly sucks (IMHO). I downloaded a SF oboe and it was much, much better.

Can anyone please help me get a better oboe out of ST2? Squids...will there be a new oboe when the esoundz patch store goes online?

(Why oboe, I hear you say. Well, it happens to be my favorite instrument...apart from my guitar).

[kovacs]

And before someone thinks I'm slamming ST2 here...I am *amazed* at the beauty of this piece of software. I am already layering midi tracks and using the groove capsule to lay down beats. This really is a "workstation"!

[Kim Lajoie]

If you registered ST2XL recently, you're entitled to the sound upgrade for 2.1 - for which the entire soundset is being redone. So you'll probably get a better oboe in there.

Forever,




Kim.

[kovacs]

Thanks Jeez - yes, I got my ST2XL registered today (purchased it last week from esoundz).

I did download a lot of free extra sounds for XL users and there was a bassoboe in there which actually sounded much more oboe-like than the oboe patch so I am a bit happier now.

[flugel45]

Kovacs,

I've always liked the oboe and English horn from the EMU Proteus 2 Orchestral sound module. These are now available in E-III/IV sampler format and possibly, soundfont as well.

A few years ago I purchased a five CD set of soundfonts from E-MU called Module Mania which has all the presets from their Pop-Rock, Orchestral, Vintage, World, and Hip Hop sound modules, for $80. Well worth the price if you can still find it.

EMU still sells the same soundsets - now called Protozoa - in their E-III format for considerably more money, but if you can find a discounted disc on Ebay, and have a sampler that can read this format (or use a conversion tool), that's another way to go.

Bottom line, you can't expect one sample library (or rompler in this case) to cover all the bases. I recommend doing some gold-mining among the "lower tier" or "forgotten" sample formats (soundfonts, Akai, EMU, etc) to try and fill in those few weak areas in Samp2.

Personally, I use sfz+ (for SF and a few GIG) in conjunction with Samp2XL, with all the Sonik Capsules, and I don't feel like I'm missing out at all by not owning any of the "ultra high end" sample libraries (Though I'm not doing film scores either - mostly just pop/rock).


JD

[Squids]

I am looking for a Flugel horn that sounded like it was recorded off of a 45 record.

Hey, good advice everyone. We'll also have some downloadable oboes coming soon too on www.esoundz.com

[kovacs]

Grrrrreat.

Those drum kits on the studio drum capsule are stunning.

[benjamind]

Hey, I'd love to see a Euphonium, a Sarrusophone, some baritone, bass and contrabass saxophones, a Cornet, and a few other awesome brass/reed instruments like the Cimbasso and Mellophone and Serpent and Sousaphone. I'd also like to see Celtic pipes, scottish pipes, and uillean pipes.

Pan pipes, Renaissance Lutes, Baroque Lutes, and South American guitars and percussion would be sweet!

[Squids]

Hey, I'd love to see a Euphonium, a Sarrusophone, some baritone, bass and contrabass saxophones, a Cornet, and a few other awesome brass/reed instruments like the Cimbasso and Mellophone and Serpent and Sousaphone. I'd also like to see Celtic pipes, scottish pipes, and uillean pipes.

Pan pipes, Renaissance Lutes, Baroque Lutes, and South American guitars and percussion would be sweet!

Some of those I've sampled and some of them I haven't and would really like to (especially the Serpent wind inst which I'd also like to own if I could find one).

Cimbasso and Mellophone eh? Sousa good to me.

[Rellik]

Yeah, you kind of just have to live with the really crappy instruments ST2XL sometimes has.

You can find better free SF2's for many if not most of the areas that ST2XL covers - I wouldn't be reluctant to rely on free SF2's for all kinds of sounds, they get a bad rap as if they can't provide professional results, but the truth is, they can

I think you've already realized that the beauty of ST2XL is that it has a lot of really awesome instruments, and covers most areas competently. I suppose that's why they call it "Jack of all Trades, Master of None", although I'd have to say it's a master of pianos, acoustic drums, and electric guitars. I would say loops also but you can't get them into WAV format for slicing actually it's more like "Jack of a lot of trades, master of a couple, and disappointing in a few" (strings brass wind and synths for example).

Anyway, point of my post is that if you've got the Florestan Oboe, or some equivalent, then I don't see why you're concerned about Sampletank 2's oboe at all

[Kim Lajoie]

strings brass wind and synths for example.

You're going to really dig Philharmonik.

Forever,




Kim.

[Squids]

strings brass wind and synths for example.

You're going to really dig Philharmonik.

Forever,

Kim.

nice oboe too

[kovacs]

strings brass wind and synths for example.

You're going to really dig Philharmonik.

Forever,

Kim.

nice oboe too

Weeeee.

[Arglebargle]

I don't like the ST2 oboe either.

Then again, I play the oboe, so I'm a discerning bastard. Samples just can't compare to the real thing.

[kovacs]

I don't like the ST2 oboe either.

Then again, I play the oboe, so I'm a discerning bastard. Samples just can't compare to the real thing.

I'd love to play the oboe. Due to a severe asthma problem it is not an option for me, so I'm forever doomed to use samples...