KVR Audio

JamminFool · Post by **JamminFool** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 4:46 pm

very cool. thanks steve.

dougsyo · Post by **dougsyo** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 7:53 pm

hollowsun wrote:I'm not sure I have them anymore so if anyone has the Kontakt versions and wants to send them to Wine, I'd have no objection.

I am now supporting the Alesis Fusion (which is excellent BTW if you are in the market for a good synth/sampler/workstation!) and the freepacks are in a proprietary format that is not compatible with any other sampler. And Translator does not (to my knowledge) allow you to convert Fusion material to any other format.

If the OP (or anyone else that wants them) will PM me with their e-mail address I will send the bowls and/or chimes zip files out.

I saw you were supporting the Fusion. I have given thought to that as an alternative to Yamaha/Korg/Roland when I replace my PSR-2000 with something that will take samples. You're really pleased with it, I take it? I'd like something that doesn't require a laptop or other computer to use. I just wish they had a 73/76-key model, I don't want piano-weight keys, but 61 just isn't enough...

Doug

hollowsun · Post by **hollowsun** » Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:43 pm

dougsyo wrote:I saw you were supporting the Fusion. I have given thought to that as an alternative to Yamaha/Korg/Roland when I replace my PSR-2000 with something that will take samples. You're really pleased with it, I take it?

Very much so.

Like any self-contained workstation thing, it's not without its quirks and it's had a lot of 'bad press' on the net due to some buggy initial releases but that's long behind us and the thing works pretty well now. It still has some minor 'issues' (what doesn't these days?!) but none are showstoppers and I find it an immensely satisfying and versatile piece of kit to play and use.

It has a very comprehensive VA synth with each voice having three anti-aliased oscillators, a wide range of filters, eight envelopes, eight LFOs and a comprehensive mod matrix. Oscillator sync, cross mod, ring mod, totally variable waveshapes for all waveforms allow a good range of noises to be made from the predictable to outright bizarre.

The sampler is very well integrated and not an 'add-on' like so many others and it uses the same filters, envs, LFOs and mod matrix as the VA synth. I guess the sampler is pretty much comparable with an Akai S5000.

The FM synth has six operators that are totally configurable (no fixed algorithms) but again can use the same filters, envs, LFOs and mod matrix as the VA synth.

The 'physical modelling' synth is probably the weakest of the synth engines but can make some truly weird and wonderful noises if you think beyond trying to create the perfect flute sound.

All four synth engines can be combined and split and layered in the MIX mode.

The effects are 'ok' - perhaps not as far reaching as the competition but very functional nonetheless and you can have two bus effects and four insert effects per program.

The sequencer is perhaps the quirkiest aspect of the instrument but it works and once you get used to it, can be used to lay tracks down pretty easily (though in fairness, many use their preferred software sequencer and then import the results as a MIDI file).

I think what appeals to me is that it is not another 'me too' workstation like the rest of the 'clones' (good though they may be).

It now ships with an 80Gb internal hard drive so is well 'future proofed' especially with regard to building a sound library.

My advice would be to try one if you can but.....

Don't make your decision based on flicking through the first few factory presets as you might be disappointed - some are (admittedly) weak but there is some good stuff in there. The way I see it is that competing products can blow you away with the first few presets but can be ultimately disappointing in the long term; Fusion is almost the opposite - it might not impress you immediately but spend some time with it and in the long term, will delight and surprise you.

dougsyo wrote:I'd like something that doesn't require a laptop or other computer to use.

It integrates relatively well with a computer (PC or OSX Mac) over USB and this is useful for getting sounds to and from Fusion. Alesis also provide a free PC/Mac convertor for converting WAVs, AIFFs, Soundfonts and Akai S1/2/3/5/6/Z-series samples to Fusion format. There is also a 'Pro' version (to buy) that can convert other formats. The translations are pretty good but some tweaking will be required once in Fusion.

As mentioned, some prefer to sequence on a software sequencer and import the results to Fusion's sequencer as a MIDI file.

In either case, once done and your samples/sequences are transferred across, you don't need to rely on a laptop/computer to use it - it is totally self-contained and you can switch your PC off!

dougsyo wrote:I just wish they had a 73/76-key model, I don't want piano-weight keys, but 61 just isn't enough...

Many have asked for this but to my knowledge, there are no plans. That said.....

The 88-note 'weighted' keyboard is a delight to play (IMO... and others') - heavy enough for good piano work but not so tiring for normal synth playing. I was wary of having a weighted 88-note keyboard as well but now I wouldn't use anything else!

If you want to hear the thing in action, there are some pretty good audio demos here:

http://www.alesis.com/index.php?id=58,88,0,0,1,0

I didn't want to hijack this thread but you did ask

If you have any other questions, feel free to start a new thread or email me.

dougsyo · Post by **dougsyo** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:39 am

hollowsun wrote:
It now ships with an 80Gb internal hard drive so is well 'future proofed' especially with regard to building a sound library.

My advice would be to try one if you can but.....

Don't make your decision based on flicking through the first few factory presets as you might be disappointed - some are (admittedly) weak but there is some good stuff in there.

The stores locally are wanting to run out their stock of 40gb models first - bleah. And yes, compared to the Yamaha and Korg keyboards, it struck me as weak - but I also that some of those keyboards are so "glossy" they don't sit well. The fact the sampler is integrated better is a plus.

I don't know that I'd use the internal sequencer to write music - that's what I use a computer for - but if I want a backup track it'd be nice to have. I'd probably sequence on the PC and transfer it over. Question: is it GM-compatible?

dougsyo wrote:I just wish they had a 73/76-key model, I don't want piano-weight keys, but 61 just isn't enough...
Many have asked for this but to my knowledge, there are no plans. That said.....

The 88-note 'weighted' keyboard is a delight to play (IMO... and others') - heavy enough for good piano work but not so tiring for normal synth playing. I was wary of having a weighted 88-note keyboard as well but now I wouldn't use anything else!

My present keyboards are a Hammond A-105 and aforementioned Yamaha PSR-2000 (both with 61 "playing" keys, although the Hammond has two manuals of 61 each, plus 25 pedals). I took a piano class at the university I work with - I was fine on the classroom computerized pianos (they had a light touch) but the final performed on a "real piano" with a stiff action was really tough.

Getting back on subject, I've e-mailed out zip files to two people so far that asked.
Doug

playmuzic · Post by **playmuzic** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 8:15 am

Ethno World 2 has some sweet "big Tibetan Singing Bowls" samples as well as some other bell instruments.
Not free stuff though...
goto http://www.bestservice.de/detail.asp?ui ... 09&flg=grp
and check out audio demo 7 (Belltype instruments)

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:08 am

So does Silk Road:

http://www.mtlc.net/products/2671/SONiV ... nstruments

bit cheaper (in fact you can get it much cheaper if you shop around)

hollowsun · Post by **hollowsun** » Mon Sep 11, 2006 10:44 am

dougsyo wrote:The stores locally are wanting to run out their stock of 40gb models first - bleah. And yes, compared to the Yamaha and Korg keyboards, it struck me as weak - but I also that some of those keyboards are so "glossy" they don't sit well. The fact the sampler is integrated better is a plus.

Fusion isn't weak per se but some of the original factory presets were (though some were great). LOTS of new sounds have been added since that might cause you to change your opinion.

dougsyo wrote:I don't know that I'd use the internal sequencer to write music - that's what I use a computer for - but if I want a backup track it'd be nice to have. I'd probably sequence on the PC and transfer it over.

That's what many Fusion users do... and other workstation users.

dougsyo wrote:Question: is it GM-compatible?

Yes.

dougsyo wrote:I took a piano class at the university I work with - I was fine on the classroom computerized pianos (they had a light touch) but the final performed on a "real piano" with a stiff action was really tough.

By "computerized", do you mean 'digital'? If so, Fusion quite probably has the same keyboard as those.

dougsyo wrote:Getting back on subject, I've e-mailed out zip files to two people so far that asked.

Great!

brewt · Post by **brewt** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 2:17 pm

Where to get samples? Ebay.

Look up Tibetan Singing Bowls, and start wading through the sales. Several of the vendors of these things post example sounds of the bowl they are trying to hawk.

Now, they tend to be 8-bit and a bit noisy, but the noise is very consistent and therefore something you could filter out with Audacity, up the bit-rate, and voila, a roll-your-own Tibetan Singing Bowl sound library that is unique and extensive.

All you do is just.

-bjc

SingingBowl · Post by **SingingBowl** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 7:49 pm

AUTO-ADMIN: Non-MP3, WAV, OGG, SoundCloud, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter and Facebook links in this post have been protected automatically. Once the member reaches 5 posts the links will function as normal.

I am very excited about this forum. What a great source of information.

Many people have asked about my new website offering some detailed information about different spiritual products from Nepal and Tibet. You can learn more about Tibetan Singing Bowls, Temple Gongs, Meditation Bells and Dorje, Buddhist Tingshas, Tibetan Prayer Flags, and even Herbal Tibetan Incense.

You can actually listen to each bowl on my pages.

Please feel free to email me with questions.

Peace,

Jeff
http://www.silverskyimports.com (http://www.silverskyimports.com)
silverskyimports@gmail.com (mailto:silverskyimports@gmail.com)