Roland D-20 / Yamaha YS200 Kontakt libraries

[jdenanot]

Hi,

I'm editor of emotuned.com music / samples store platform.

Linear Samples released two new/unique Kontakt samples libraries, based on renewed 80's 4OP FM synth (Yamaha YS200) and Linear Arithmetic synthesis (Roland D-20).

The provided instruments cannot be reproduced by other hardware synths nor virtual plugins : YS200 relies on its unique reverb and fast LFO with sample&hold, not available with FM8 and others, while Roland D-20 custom patches rely on its unique sounding resonant filter (both warm and precise, a finer grain that the D-50 can't reach).

The included sounds are also very long sampled/looped (up to 20-30s per note, and up to 180 MB per instrument) and really cut through the mix, with deep bass and well captured filter sweep.

Since I use these I don't need other synth virtual plugins (that sound thinner), you can check through the demos (more on the site) :


ItemD (D-20 custom instruments except drums)
ItemD (ogg version for Firefox)


Blizzard (YS-200 custom intruments)
Blizzard (ogg version)

Jerome

[irvg]

How many instruments on the D-2? Any extra controls on the GUI?

[jdenanot]

Linear D2 contains 15 multi-sampled instruments (about 540 MB), while YFM includes 38 multi-sampled instruments.
More will be added for free, that may use Kontakt 5 synth features (improved filters, etc.) to provide new derived ones (using these as base textures for additive synthesis).

For now no UI editing is provided as Kontakt 4's filters couldn't reach the sonic quality of the sampled instrument (and may make these samples sound harsh). The libraries are compatible with Kontkat 4 (full version) and later.

Compared with other larger libraries you get fewer sounds, however they sound fuller and unique (no other hardware or software synth can reproduce these, and the programmed patches - sysex data - aren't available for purchase), you may use all of them.
These two libraries may merge with a third - unreleased yet - one, as to provide more various additive options (and thus instruments count), however you can still benefit from existing/on-progress ones.

[irvg]

You could still provide controls for envelope and effects - that wouldn't compromise the quality of the sound.

These two libraries may merge with a third - unreleased yet - one, as to provide more various additive options (and thus instruments count), however you can still benefit from existing/on-progress ones.

Not clear about the sales plan here - you speak of "merging" and "adding" - is this like a subscription model, or payment for each discrete product?

[jdenanot]

You could still provide controls for envelope and effects - that wouldn't compromise the quality of the sound.
Not clear about the sales plan here - you speak of "merging" and "adding" - is this like a subscription model, or payment for each discrete product?

There are specific slow envelope sampled instruments for filter envelope (can't be reproduced by Kontakt filters), and volume envelope controls may not be usefull (these still are available from Kontakt editing parameters - full version). Use of convolution effects may be added besides Kontakt 5 new synthesis features.

It isn't a subscription model as you pay once per product, it is more like crowdfunding approach (you get free updates related to each product). The third product will be a separate one. The merging product will replace the previous three libraries once completed (and will be priced higher - $79), however it will be free for customers of these three ones, and will bring additional instruments (based on merging samples/textures from these libraries).
As it may take time you can still get the two available libraries (that will get updates). This evolving approach has been used by another "famous" Kontakt library, the Kontakt Project (samples from Fairlight and other legacy synths).