DC'12 - soundware, any thoughts on competing? + Poll

[3ee]

Hello,

So, this edition of the KVR Developer Challenge features a soundware section.

Any sound designers interested in maybe taking part?

I'm also thinking to make something but I found it tough to decide if I'll do a patch bank or a sample pack.

The thing is:

patch banks are very flexible since they are made using synthesis but they would be available only for those who got the specific synth that was used (unless it's freeware and available for all major platforms).

sample packs are (pretty much) less flexible but almost everybody should be able to use them.

Please, vote and discuss!

Cheers,
3ee

[RunBeerRun]

I would love some non-payware, I mean I can't personally test out a Reaktor ensemble. Same for patchbanks I guess.

[enroe]

In the category "soundware" the best would be to create a sample-pack, which can be used by anybody who has a sampler.

That means: Just wavs - perhaps with a suggestion of how to map these wavs.

The mapping suggestion could possibly be a sfz-file. Most samplers can import sfz-files. And if a sampler cannot import an sfz-file, you just need to the open sfz-file with any editor and read out the mapping data.

With a soundpack as a bunch of wavs everybody here - no matter if he uses OS or windows or Linux or android - can take advantage of such a sample-pack. And collectivity of voters will be tremendously bigger.

[stanlea]

+1 for sfz - Kontakt format has become like Fort Knox

[JJBiener]

I am thinking about submitting a sample pack to the contest. By reasoning is like what others have said here. Anyone can play a sample pack without having to add anything either free or purchased. I suppose someone could produce a patch pack for a specific synth, but even a free one might require installing something new. I think that would discouraging votes.

So here is my question. How many sounds would you include in a sound set? 32? 64? It would have to have enough to be useful, but not so many that the people evaluating it will get bored listening to it.

What are your thoughts?

[jobromedia]

Sample packs might be useful, however rather bulky to download. I my self wouldn't mind to create a free bank for reFX Nexus. But, that's just my dream. So I might just stick to my current plan to come up with a decent plugin instead.

[enroe]

So here is my question.

How many sounds would you include in a sound set? 32? 64? It would have to have enough to be useful, but not so many that the people evaluating it will get bored listening to it.

What are your thoughts?

Hello JJ Biener!

It depends!

If you want to create a sample set of a synthie or special fx or noises only a few samples - say 16 or 32 could be enough for a pretty good result.

If you want to sample a "real" instrument - say a piano, guitar or an organ - you will need one sample per key. If you add any articulation the number of samples will increase. What counts is the result: How does it sound if I play this sample set on the keyboard?

... but even a free one might require installing something new. I think that would discouraging votes ...

I don't think so.

If you name the samples according to "their" key, for instance "long heavy sus guitar C1.wav", then it is very easy to map these samples: All big samplers (Kontakt, Halion) do this automatically - it's only a single mouse-click! Very easy.

With the free sampler "shortcut" of course you have to do the mapping manually. But given convenient labelled wav-names it is done in a few minutes.

I value a sample set by playing some single wavs first. In most cases this gives me a good impression of how a sample-set would be in the end. The next
step is the "mapping": One mouse-click and there it is!:D

[3ee]

So here is my question. How many sounds would you include in a sound set? 32? 64? It would have to have enough to be useful, but not so many that the people evaluating it will get bored listening to it.

What are your thoughts?

sample set? well, if simple, one shot samples, I'd say at least around 100.
loops around 50 maybe? ... and multi-sampled instruments around 5 ?
...have no idea atm

[wehkah]

Samples + Patches both are nice, the samples will give you a quick overview of how the plug sounds, the patches are great to start with in the first days of use.

Maybe a DC contributor needs beta testing and sounddesign/patches for his entry, so feel free to write me a line.

cheers
T

[Krakatau]

Would a sample pack be size limited for this contest ?

[soundnaut]

Honestly I don't know how much a sample pack would benifit the comunity. I sample stuff for myself. A sample pack isnt really inovative or creative, and practically anyone can make them (Im 16 and I could make one, especially if it was only wav format). I would rather see people making plugins. That being said, if a developer wanted to make a sample pack and make it stand out from the other entries, it would probably have to be bigger than all the others, and it would have to sound good too. I would want instruments rather than loops and one shots.

[3ee]

Honestly I don't know how much a sample pack would benifit the comunity. I sample stuff for myself. A sample pack isnt really inovative or creative, and practically anyone can make them (Im 16 and I could make one, especially if it was only wav format). I would rather see people making plugins. That being said, if a developer wanted to make a sample pack and make it stand out from the other entries, it would probably have to be bigger than all the others, and it would have to sound good too. I would want instruments rather than loops and one shots.

I think that sample packs can still be creative and useful.

I guess that almost everybody has less of some things... if the majority have less of something than you can do that.. + also get a bit creative!

Personally, I almost never use sampled instruments (and I'm talking about creative stuff not usual acoustic instruments like strings, piano or acoustic guitars) I'm talking about "creative" and unique stuff most likely done with synths to begin with.

I rather use synths every time I want something creative.
With sampled instruments I would have way less flexibility, more of that "sampled" feel in some cases, will take way more amounts of ram and quality is limited (that would be more important if you want to heavily process the sampled instrument, 32bit float is something, but again, ram and all that hard work.

A sample pack isnt really inovative or creative, and practically anyone can make them

That's the challenge as there are many of sample packs out there already. Anyone can make a sample pack but not anyone can make one that's creative and great!.

[wehkah]

At DC'12 it is allowed to contribute soundpacks/presets?! I've totally overlooked/misunderstand this.

What are the boundaries? I think its very hard to get the crowd pleased at the most with presets. Will there are 2 different voting options avail then?

What is allowed? Reaktor ensembles, plugin presets or sample packs?

Cheers
T

[3ee]

At DC'12 it is allowed to contribute soundpacks/presets?! I've totally overlooked/misunderstand this.

What are the boundaries? I think its very hard to get the crowd pleased at the most with presets. Will there are 2 different voting options avail then?

What is allowed? Reaktor ensembles, plugin presets or sample packs?

Cheers
T

Well, it isn't very clear but yes, this is the 1st DC edition to have a soundware "section"

The "KVR Developer Challenge" is for anyone who develops Audio Plug-ins or Applications and, new for this year, Soundware. The challenge is to create and release a brand new free audio plug-in, application or sound library / pack / set that will benefit the community at large.

Reaktor ensembles will probably dock as a soundware but not sure... might be more info on that here: http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=351709

[highkoo]

(For some reason I have always wanted percussion samples made from various wood covered with various cloth being hit with various things...)

Anyway,
Imo, for a sample or preset pack to be in the DC, it should be something pretty special. And, pretty accessable to all. Many sample packs do not appeal to every musician.
Imvho creating a sample or preset pack does not usually compare to the effort required to create the apps. Nor does the usefullness of the tool in the end, usually. So to have them be on similar stages feels perhaps shitty to hard working devs?
Another vho is that allowing a multisampled instrument sample pack is pushin it. I see that as minimal effort in and minimal payoff to the community. I dont know. Maybe I am wrong? People still talk about soundfonts.

Im also surprised/disappointed that there isnt more talk of people submitting crazy .ens instead...
Last I knew Reaktor was doing well no?