Hey everyone,
New to this game. My PC is dead and am planning on getting a mac (when i soon return home i am living abroad). I have Pro Tools and am making hip hop and other sorts of beats. I planning on combining some sort of drum software (maybe GURU or something like this) with a sampler ran as a VST in PT. What are your suggestions?
Id like the ability to sample to "make instruments" in the sense of mapping a sound, adding effects, and playing it like a softsynth and ALSO cutting up a sample from a record, pitch change or time stretch or otherwise mess with the sound, and then resequence the samples though MIDI.
I used ShortCircuit for a short time when I had my PC and that seemed to fit what I needed really well. As far as I know, they dont make that for the mac, correct?
With the HUGE array of software out there and varying capabilities and features, its difficult for a newbie to get a grasp on any sense of a starting point when thinking about a purchase... Any suggestions would be REALLY appreciated! Thanks for the help.
Starting point- what sampler?
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- KVRist
- 74 posts since 27 Nov, 2006
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- KVRian
- 1209 posts since 11 Jan, 2006 from Pittsburgh
The current issue of Keyboard (Jan 08 issue, Justin Timberlake is on the cover) has a comparison of a bunch of software samplers. You may want to check it out when it hits the stores.ThePizzer22 wrote:Hey everyone,
New to this game. My PC is dead and am planning on getting a mac (when i soon return home i am living abroad). I have Pro Tools and am making hip hop and other sorts of beats. I planning on combining some sort of drum software (maybe GURU or something like this) with a sampler ran as a VST in PT. What are your suggestions?
Id like the ability to sample to "make instruments" in the sense of mapping a sound, adding effects, and playing it like a softsynth and ALSO cutting up a sample from a record, pitch change or time stretch or otherwise mess with the sound, and then resequence the samples though MIDI.
I used ShortCircuit for a short time when I had my PC and that seemed to fit what I needed really well. As far as I know, they dont make that for the mac, correct?
With the HUGE array of software out there and varying capabilities and features, its difficult for a newbie to get a grasp on any sense of a starting point when thinking about a purchase... Any suggestions would be REALLY appreciated! Thanks for the help.
Personally, I find Kontakt to be perfect for my needs, but you should check out the features on all the other options. If you're using Pro Tools, you may want to look at Digidesign's Structure. MOTU's Mach Five 2 also looks promising.
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Reverend Rhythm Reverend Rhythm https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6041
- KVRAF
- 2859 posts since 21 Feb, 2003 from Woodstock, GA USA
I have Kontakt and I don't think you can go wrong with it. But SampleTank has a lot to offer too.
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- KVRian
- 679 posts since 6 Aug, 2004 from Cyberspace
If possible stick with Shortcircuit. Its incredibly flexible. Macs can boot to windows these days cant they?
X2 is pretty insane for what it can do...
The feature I love best doesn't get much press; the filter designer. You'd never have to buy one again!
The Beat Munger might be useful to you. It loops samples like Live with transient splits. X2 treats each split as a sample so each slice has the full power of the X2 behind it. Here's a review...
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug06/a ... atorx2.htm
X2 is pretty insane for what it can do...
The feature I love best doesn't get much press; the filter designer. You'd never have to buy one again!
The Beat Munger might be useful to you. It loops samples like Live with transient splits. X2 treats each split as a sample so each slice has the full power of the X2 behind it. Here's a review...
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug06/a ... atorx2.htm
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion,
It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed,
The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning,
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.
It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed,
The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning,
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.
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- KVRian
- 1354 posts since 6 Jul, 2004
definitely check out a demo for kontakt. It just clicked with me recently, as I've been going back and forth between that and Shortcircuit. Shortcircuit was such a blessing, as it taught me how to incorporate a sampler into my workflow, and I've since translated that into the beast that is Kontakt (it eats way more CPU though).
If you want to save some money, I would advise looking into purchasing Komplete (especially if you can get an academic discount). Not only would you get Kontakt 3, but also Battery 3, which is the only thing I use for drums, really (unless I want some bizarre glitch modulation, in which case I use Shortcircuit's microgate, or Kontakt's KSP).
I had tried a demo for GURU while it was on sale, but it just didn't seem to fit my workflow. That's just my opinion, though, as we all work differently. Buy your Mac first, then download demos and work from there.
Also, as a P.S., keep your eyes out for an OSX version of LiveSlice (at least I had heard a rumor there would be). It is my absolute favorite VST for loop chop and f**k-uppery (and the primary reason why I didn't go with GURU).
If you want to save some money, I would advise looking into purchasing Komplete (especially if you can get an academic discount). Not only would you get Kontakt 3, but also Battery 3, which is the only thing I use for drums, really (unless I want some bizarre glitch modulation, in which case I use Shortcircuit's microgate, or Kontakt's KSP).
I had tried a demo for GURU while it was on sale, but it just didn't seem to fit my workflow. That's just my opinion, though, as we all work differently. Buy your Mac first, then download demos and work from there.
Also, as a P.S., keep your eyes out for an OSX version of LiveSlice (at least I had heard a rumor there would be). It is my absolute favorite VST for loop chop and f**k-uppery (and the primary reason why I didn't go with GURU).
Michael, Developer at Unfiltered Audio:
http://www.unfilteredaudio.com
http://soundcloud.com/the-february-thaw
http://mhetrick.github.com
http://www.unfilteredaudio.com
http://soundcloud.com/the-february-thaw
http://mhetrick.github.com
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- KVRian
- 1354 posts since 6 Jul, 2004
Oh, one more major heads up. Pro Tools doesn't support VST. It uses "RTAS". You can buy a VST to RTAS adapter from FXPansion. A lot of high-end plug-ins (all of Native Instruments' stuff... Does GURU?) come with an RTAS version that will save you the headaches.
Michael, Developer at Unfiltered Audio:
http://www.unfilteredaudio.com
http://soundcloud.com/the-february-thaw
http://mhetrick.github.com
http://www.unfilteredaudio.com
http://soundcloud.com/the-february-thaw
http://mhetrick.github.com
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- KVRAF
- 3476 posts since 9 Apr, 2003 from NE Ohio, USA
For mac-compatible streaming samplers, the big names are Kontakt, Halion and EXS24 (the latter a part of Logic and Mac-only). I have Kontakt2, the library for Kontakt 3 is about twice the size. You need a streaming sampler if you're going to use some of the libraries like Vintaudio or Sampletekk's pianos, and Kontakt is the "de facto" format for third-party samples.
For non-streaming (RAM-based) samplers, the popular ones are Sampletank and DimPro. Sampletank has a traditional sampler interface, less complicated than Kontakt. You just missed on a great group buy for Sonik Synth2 + Sampletank engine + lots of goodies, I have ST2XL + SS2 + Philharmonik. The Sampletank format is not as well-supported as some others outside of IK and SR, but it's supported by EXSC and Chicken for creating additional samples.
DimPro, on the other hand, is more of a "sample-based synth" with a synth-type interface but it does a respectable job as a sampler, and the sfz format is very flexible. It's my "go to" sampler, at least to get started with. Besides the bundled content, there are two free downloadable upgrades plus several add-ons from multiple vendors.
Kontakt is available for RTAS. I believe DimPro is too, not sure about Sampletank.
Doug
For non-streaming (RAM-based) samplers, the popular ones are Sampletank and DimPro. Sampletank has a traditional sampler interface, less complicated than Kontakt. You just missed on a great group buy for Sonik Synth2 + Sampletank engine + lots of goodies, I have ST2XL + SS2 + Philharmonik. The Sampletank format is not as well-supported as some others outside of IK and SR, but it's supported by EXSC and Chicken for creating additional samples.
DimPro, on the other hand, is more of a "sample-based synth" with a synth-type interface but it does a respectable job as a sampler, and the sfz format is very flexible. It's my "go to" sampler, at least to get started with. Besides the bundled content, there are two free downloadable upgrades plus several add-ons from multiple vendors.
Kontakt is available for RTAS. I believe DimPro is too, not sure about Sampletank.
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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Reverend Rhythm Reverend Rhythm https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6041
- KVRAF
- 2859 posts since 21 Feb, 2003 from Woodstock, GA USA
SampleTank comes in RTAS as well.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 74 posts since 27 Nov, 2006
Wow great, thanks for the replies
Quick question- would you guys really suggest Kontakt for someone who really used a sampler before? As I said, the only sampler I ever used was SC and it was for literally 3 weeks! I really have a lot to learn even about the basics of sampling and Kontakt seems like a complex sampler to start with, plus I heard there are a lot bugs, is quite CPU intensive, and dosent have great support or manual (which would be tough for me). Do you think a simpler sampler would be better for me?
Read the review on X2, seems like its simpler and fits my needs...
thoughts?
Quick question- would you guys really suggest Kontakt for someone who really used a sampler before? As I said, the only sampler I ever used was SC and it was for literally 3 weeks! I really have a lot to learn even about the basics of sampling and Kontakt seems like a complex sampler to start with, plus I heard there are a lot bugs, is quite CPU intensive, and dosent have great support or manual (which would be tough for me). Do you think a simpler sampler would be better for me?
Read the review on X2, seems like its simpler and fits my needs...
thoughts?
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 74 posts since 27 Nov, 2006
sorry, thats "a person who has NEVER used a sampler before"
thanks
thanks
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- KVRAF
- 16154 posts since 2 Dec, 2003 from Nashville, TN
Just to throw another option out there, but Digidesign has a sampler now, and they have a free version with a bunch of samples. You could try that out to get your feet wet.
I always recommend Kontakt, but that's because I own it. And it IS great, and the most advanced sampler that I know of.
But if you're not that familiar, look around and be patient in deciding. A sampler can be so powerful. One thing to keep in mind is how many third party libraries are available for each format. Kontakt has the most of any of them. So that may sway your decision as well.
Brent
I always recommend Kontakt, but that's because I own it. And it IS great, and the most advanced sampler that I know of.
But if you're not that familiar, look around and be patient in deciding. A sampler can be so powerful. One thing to keep in mind is how many third party libraries are available for each format. Kontakt has the most of any of them. So that may sway your decision as well.
Brent
My host is better than your host
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Reverend Rhythm Reverend Rhythm https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6041
- KVRAF
- 2859 posts since 21 Feb, 2003 from Woodstock, GA USA
I think KoolKeys idea is worth serious consideration. Around here (kvr) we don't usually give pro tools much attention, but if that is going to be your host.... BTW, Keyboard Mag went ga-ga over Digi's elec. pianos.
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- KVRAF
- 16154 posts since 2 Dec, 2003 from Nashville, TN
MusicTech magazine also has the Digidesign sampler free version on it's cover disk this month. I'm in the US, so it may actually be last month's. But it seems hefty for a freebie.
Brent
Brent
My host is better than your host
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- KVRian
- 679 posts since 6 Aug, 2004 from Cyberspace
Try these for starters...ThePizzer22 wrote:Wow great, thanks for the replies
Quick question- would you guys really suggest Kontakt for someone who really used a sampler before? As I said, the only sampler I ever used was SC and it was for literally 3 weeks! I really have a lot to learn even about the basics of sampling and Kontakt seems like a complex sampler to start with, plus I heard there are a lot bugs, is quite CPU intensive, and dosent have great support or manual (which would be tough for me). Do you think a simpler sampler would be better for me?
Read the review on X2, seems like its simpler and fits my needs...
thoughts?
http://www.kvraudio.com/wiki/?id=Sample ... +Beginners
http://www.tweakheadz.com/software_samplers.htm
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec05/a ... cience.htm
http://www.dancetech.com/aa_dt_new/index.cfm
Something else worth considering, Live is a sampler
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion,
It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed,
The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning,
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.
It is by the beans of Java that thoughts acquire speed,
The hands acquire shaking, the shaking becomes a warning,
It is by caffeine alone I set my mind in motion.