I have a large collection of multi-samples from <mumble> but I don't like the player. I have EXSC, VSampler, sfz, sfz+, and Wusik. This is strictly for my own use, not for distribution.
My question is "what should I convert them to?"
If I choose soundfonts, then I can use a lot of different players (sfz+ is my favorite), and to this point soundfonts have been my multisample format of choice.
The other format options for me are Wusik (I have WS, TSW, and VoxD, and considering MS) and sfz format (does sfz+ play sfz files? or just sf2?)
Doug
Which format to convert to - soundfont, sfz, or Wusik?
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- KVRAF
- 3476 posts since 9 Apr, 2003 from NE Ohio, USA
Last edited by dougsyo on Sat Apr 30, 2005 2:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 3139 posts since 6 Sep, 2002 from United Kingdom & Opinions Will Travel :O)
Convert to Wusik or SFZ if you have at least 24 bit - Wusik will give lots of options in sound design imo.
Best regards,
Spe3d
:O)
Best regards,
Spe3d
:O)
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- KVRAF
- 7412 posts since 8 Feb, 2003 from London, UK
I don't know Wusik, so voted sfz.
On the downside, sfz will leave you needing lots of RAM and tied to sfz. sfz+ currently doesn't support sfz (no saying when it will) and won't do direct-from-disk on sfz format files (according to René). On the upside, sfz gives you bags and bags of sound design options, including the "undocumented" FIR filter and Waveguide synthesis. Take a look here. It's also dead-easy to convert to and play with the mapping file.
sf2 restricts you to 16 bit (for portable ones).
On the downside, sfz will leave you needing lots of RAM and tied to sfz. sfz+ currently doesn't support sfz (no saying when it will) and won't do direct-from-disk on sfz format files (according to René). On the upside, sfz gives you bags and bags of sound design options, including the "undocumented" FIR filter and Waveguide synthesis. Take a look here. It's also dead-easy to convert to and play with the mapping file.
sf2 restricts you to 16 bit (for portable ones).
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- KVRist
- 411 posts since 2 Jun, 2004 from Colorado
I would go Wusik just because of its synth capabilites if you dont want to use them just as samples...later on you could use them for the base of many a new sound.
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- KVRAF
- 4878 posts since 13 Jun, 2002 from Montreal
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- KVRAF
- 3139 posts since 6 Sep, 2002 from United Kingdom & Opinions Will Travel :O)
EXTranslator – AWStudio or another app that was posted in the wusik forum, maybe a link to it in the manystation forum too.Beardedone wrote:How is there a way to convert to Wusik?
Best regards,
Spe3d
:O)
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- KVRAF
- 4878 posts since 13 Jun, 2002 from Montreal
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 3476 posts since 9 Apr, 2003 from NE Ohio, USA
Interesting... after 12 hours, the interest has petered out (ehh, it happens) but the overwhelming recommendation so far is Wusik, with more votes than sfz and soundfont combined...
Doug
Doug
Logic is a pretty flower that smells bad - Spock, in "I, Mudd"
For a good time click http://www.belindabedekovic.com/video_fl_en.htm
For a good time click http://www.belindabedekovic.com/video_fl_en.htm
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- KVRian
- 1327 posts since 8 Nov, 2003 from DC
I voted for Wusik arbitrarily, but what I think best in this case is to go from whatever it is that you've got but don't like format to sf2, and thence to Wusik, you may as well do both and then your library will be available for all your players and you may take advantage of each of their own unique flavors.
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- KVRAF
- 3345 posts since 8 Nov, 2003 from Amsterdam
I voted already yesterday, but thought I'd add my experience as well:
For converting simple samples (and probably soundfonts), ESC works very well. However when you start converting more complex samples sets, e.g. Kontakt or Giga, then ESC doesn't work for me, but it's not ESC's fault: For a single instrument you can get a lot of wusiksnd banks, because ESC splits into Left and Right (Wusik requires mono), and if there are alternate mappings (as is common with Giga or Kontakt), then you get a whole set of wusiksnd files. Since Wusik doesn't support random choosing notes from different mappings, you get a lot of files that are not very useful (IMO).
I don't think this problem will occur when you convert SF2 files to wusiksnd, because that's a more simple format (maybe I'm wrong, it could be the quality of my SF2's).
My solution - when I see that ESC starts generating too many wusiksnd files - is to export all the waves (using ESC), and build the wusiksnd set by hand, mapping the velocity layers and different keys.
Of course this is a lot of work to do for every single sample, but I think if you pay (a lot of) money for good samples (e.g. I use some of Donnie Christian's samples and the Vintaudio guitars), it's really worth the investment to do it by hand instead of automatic. (A lot of money: compared to the Wusikstation pricing, every single sampled instrument you buy for $10 or more already seems expensive
).
Before you ask: I just convert the L and R samples to mono, although it could be more appropriate to create an L and R wusiksnd set. Mono because a) I always read (and believe) that instruments (guitars, vibes, piano) should be recorded in mono, and b) because I also read that pro mixing / mastering engineers prefer mono tracks anyway so they have freedom to position the different sounds. (Although I'm a very long way from using pro's, it changed my way of working with mono/stereo, e.g. using mono samples and use wusik presets to position the sound)
Oops... not all of this is related to the original question, but still related to why and how wusikstation and ESC
For converting simple samples (and probably soundfonts), ESC works very well. However when you start converting more complex samples sets, e.g. Kontakt or Giga, then ESC doesn't work for me, but it's not ESC's fault: For a single instrument you can get a lot of wusiksnd banks, because ESC splits into Left and Right (Wusik requires mono), and if there are alternate mappings (as is common with Giga or Kontakt), then you get a whole set of wusiksnd files. Since Wusik doesn't support random choosing notes from different mappings, you get a lot of files that are not very useful (IMO).
I don't think this problem will occur when you convert SF2 files to wusiksnd, because that's a more simple format (maybe I'm wrong, it could be the quality of my SF2's).
My solution - when I see that ESC starts generating too many wusiksnd files - is to export all the waves (using ESC), and build the wusiksnd set by hand, mapping the velocity layers and different keys.
Of course this is a lot of work to do for every single sample, but I think if you pay (a lot of) money for good samples (e.g. I use some of Donnie Christian's samples and the Vintaudio guitars), it's really worth the investment to do it by hand instead of automatic. (A lot of money: compared to the Wusikstation pricing, every single sampled instrument you buy for $10 or more already seems expensive
).Before you ask: I just convert the L and R samples to mono, although it could be more appropriate to create an L and R wusiksnd set. Mono because a) I always read (and believe) that instruments (guitars, vibes, piano) should be recorded in mono, and b) because I also read that pro mixing / mastering engineers prefer mono tracks anyway so they have freedom to position the different sounds. (Although I'm a very long way from using pro's, it changed my way of working with mono/stereo, e.g. using mono samples and use wusik presets to position the sound)
Oops... not all of this is related to the original question, but still related to why and how wusikstation and ESC
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- KVRAF
- Topic Starter
- 3476 posts since 9 Apr, 2003 from NE Ohio, USA
An interesting turn of events - I just picked up Project5 V1 for a good price, and was able to get in on the free upgrade to P5V2. This puts Dimension (sfz format on major steroids) in my toolkit as well, at least once it arrives.
Based on the poll and comments above, I'm inclined to go with Wusik format for converting samples.
Thanks for everyone that voted and the valuable feedback!
Doug
Based on the poll and comments above, I'm inclined to go with Wusik format for converting samples.
Thanks for everyone that voted and the valuable feedback!
Doug
Logic is a pretty flower that smells bad - Spock, in "I, Mudd"
For a good time click http://www.belindabedekovic.com/video_fl_en.htm
For a good time click http://www.belindabedekovic.com/video_fl_en.htm