Quick Qs abt SampleTank

[flippya2000]

Hi,

1. Is it possible to have 2 copies of the SampleTank2.x.dll, each having different names? The reason I'm asking, is because (if possible) I'd like to have one dll pointing to my entire sound library & another pointing to my current project. The reason for this, is that it would make saving, creating new instruments, starting new projects, etc - a whole lot quicker..

2. Is there a way of just saving one instrument preset - ie NOT a multi big with sound files - to a user specified location? (atm afaict, when you hit the red save button ST save it in the parent location, rescans the entire library, then lists it under the parent folder - this is v.slow, when u just want to save 1 fxp-like file)

3. Using the MIDI CTL button - is there any way to link pitch bend to a cc# ? (Sometimes I don't have a controller, so must use my host's software controllers to assign it a cc# manually)

Thanks for reading, especially like to thank all the eSoundz crew for the consistently great deals they offer & excellent support

[Kim Lajoie]

1. Is it possible to have 2 copies of the SampleTank2.x.dll, each having different names? The reason I'm asking, is because (if possible) I'd like to have one dll pointing to my entire sound library & another pointing to my current project. The reason for this, is that it would make saving, creating new instruments, starting new projects, etc - a whole lot quicker..

I don't know, I haven't tried it. I don't think it would be very practical though. You'd need to duplicate your SampleTank2 library, and remove all the instruments you're not using. Anytime you want to add an instrument, you'd have to find it in the original library, copy it across, get ST2 to relist, and then load it. You'd also have to maintain a separate ST2 plugin and library for every project. I don't know about you, but if I had to do this I'd go insane!

True ST2 can take a little while to load (opening a project for me usually takes about ten seconds or so I think), but it's quick once you're working.

2. Is there a way of just saving one instrument preset - ie NOT a multi big with sound files - to a user specified location? (atm afaict, when you hit the red save button ST save it in the parent location, rescans the entire library, then lists it under the parent folder - this is v.slow, when u just want to save 1 fxp-like file)

If I remember rightly, it only relists the first time you save a child preset in that session. The next time you save a child preset in the same session, it should be instant.

Regarding the user-specified locations... child preset always appear under their parent, but you can reorganise the parent presets however you like. I've actually got my main ST2 library organised by different sound categories, not by source library - it's a mix of Sonik Synth 2, Squids' Tron Collection, Studio Drum Capsule and Miroslav Philharmonik, with a few extra bits and pieces, and they're all kinda mixed up together. When I look for sounds, I prefer to browse by sound type rather than library.

Just remember if you're doing this that each ST2 instrument actually has three or four files associated with it, plus one file for each child preset. You have to make sure you keep them all together.

3. Using the MIDI CTL button - is there any way to link pitch bend to a cc# ? (Sometimes I don't have a controller, so must use my host's software controllers to assign it a cc# manually)

I don't think so. Your sequencer might have that function though. For example, I'm pretty sure Cubase's logical editor can do this.

-Kim.

[flippya2000]

Thanks for ur answers Kim

Re Q1: I understand that once ST's up + running it's all good, but still, it can be a pain, when - for example - I'm using SampleTron, that loads sooo quick! Then I have to go back & use ST..The pc I'm using now is abt as fast as urs (10secs to load ST), the other I'm using takes a good 30secs!

Btw, I didn't mean having a dll for each project - that would be insane! I meant having one dll pointing to the whole library, another pointing to just the instruments I'm in using in my current project - Once I'm finished with that current project (which I cut out of my current project folder, & paste into my finished projects folder), I'd use the dll that points to the whole library, pick out the instruments I want for my new current project, use the backup button & dump them in the location that the other dll points to. Hope that makes sense. That way I have the best of both worlds - access to my entire library with one dll (but takes a while to load), AND extremely quick access to my current project & its relatively few instruments..I don't know if this is possible, but like I say that would give me the best workflow..

Re Q2: Again, this is still quite time-consuming for me. Ie, say I have 3 instruments loaded into the top 3 slots, fwiu, if I alter the top preset & save it, it will relist, then if I edit the other 2 slots & save them it will still relist a further 2x - What ur saying is, if I then go back to any of these 3 instruments (in the same session) & reedit & save, then it wouldn't relist - but this still isn't that helpful to me. My host lets me save multis as fxps/fxbs, but they always load into the same slots, & if u already have instruments loaded into those slots they would be killed

Re Q3: Thanks for this & yes there's a workaround in my host (FLS8) involving midi outs for each midi channel used in sampletank, its useful, but it would be alot tidier to assign a cc to a software controller (1 gui, containing 16 sliders for instance) as opposed to having 16 midi outs (each having their own gui) for 16 instruments.

Thanks again for ur answers

[Kim Lajoie]

Thanks for ur answers Kim

Re Q1: I understand that once ST's up + running it's all good, but still, it can be a pain, when - for example - I'm using SampleTron, that loads sooo quick! Then I have to go back & use ST..The pc I'm using now is abt as fast as urs (10secs to load ST), the other I'm using takes a good 30secs!

Btw, I didn't mean having a dll for each project - that would be insane! I meant having one dll pointing to the whole library, another pointing to just the instruments I'm in using in my current project - Once I'm finished with that current project (which I cut out of my current project folder, & paste into my finished projects folder), I'd use the dll that points to the whole library, pick out the instruments I want for my new current project, use the backup button & dump them in the location that the other dll points to. Hope that makes sense. That way I have the best of both worlds - access to my entire library with one dll (but takes a while to load), AND extremely quick access to my current project & its relatively few instruments..I don't know if this is possible, but like I say that would give me the best workflow..

I don't know, that just sounds... weird. Come to think of it, I don't think it'll work because SampleTank2's preferences (including the library location) are stored separately to the DLL. The two instances will probably get confused.

-Kim.

[DarkStar]

ST2 uses a fixed location for the Library whenever it starts. It's not stored in your project file. Here, it's stored in the file ST2Pref.txt in the folder C:\Program Files\IK Multimedia\SampleTank 2.5\Preferences. So all instances of ST2 will use the same Library.

I have been known to edit ST2pref.txt before starting ST2.

---------------------
You could look at restructuring your Library
- as long as you keep the presets (.stip) with their instruments (.sti, .stw and .sth) they will be Ok,
- move any unused instrument groups into another folder, outside the Library,
- keep the Libraries for each product separate - if you need to combine, say, some SampleTank and SampleTron instruments, then duplicate the SampleTron files inside the SampleTank folder.

--------------------------------
Here's an outline of the Library organisation here (yep, I'm an addict):

Code: Select all

N:\IK MULTIMEDIA
+---Miroslav Philharmonik

+---SampleMoog

+---SampleTank 2
|   +---Bass
|   +---Brass
|   +---Drums
|   +---Ethnic
|   +---Grooves
|   +---Guitar
|   +---Orchestra
|   +---Organ
|   +---Percussion
|   +---Piano
|   +---Strings
|   +---Synth
|   |   +---SampleMoog
|   |   +---SampleTron
|   |   +---Sonik Synth 2
|   +---Vocals
|   +---Winds

+---SampleTron

\---Sonik Synth 2

- each IKMM product is normally pointed at its own Library,
- I have moved some instruments into "N:\IK Multimedia unused" to get them out of the way,
- when I want to access the whole Library I point ST2 to "N:\IK Multimedia",
- when I have used instruments from different libraries in an ST2 combi, I copy the files, into, for example "N:\IK Multimedia\SampleTank 2\Synth\SampleMoog".

HTH

[Edit: typo]

[flippya2000]

Cheers Darkstar!

That was exactly the info I needed! I'm gona create a shortcut to the ST2Pref.txt & just edit the library line whenever needed.

Again, thanks again, gr8 help

[harmony gardens]

Just as another option to think about, you can save your custom patches as a combi, rather than as a child setting, which elmimates the need to relist each time.

[BERFAB]

IIRC, this issue came up when ST2.5 first came out and some people (me included) were worried about losing tunes that used 2.0 patches that weren't in 2.5.

And, I BELIEVE that the workaround was to rename the .dll so that both versions could co-exist. I may be completely out to lunch on this, but I thought that this was doable.

Cheers
-B