KVR Audio

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Sun Apr 01, 2012 8:37 am

UncleAge wrote:
standalone wrote:
UncleAge wrote:I have no idea where they got the inspiration for hooking up the ins and outs. It really is the most involved and unintuitive setup I have ever come across. I do like the flexibility you have afterwards to customize the many-to-many relationships, but there has to be a better way to do that. I remember that part more than I remember how the demo performed.
Andre has the vision of a Synfire-centric system where his app is able to control different Daws in a network of different computers at the same time. An Über-Daw. He wants his program to be used for big orchestration work mainly.
I have no doubt that he imagines such a thing. Still a horrible setup imo. Great functionality once it is all in place though.

I agree with you. It would be a lot simpler if Synfire could work as a Vst client inside any Daw, like FL Studio does. But Andre is very passionate about Synfire and he always aims higher.

The new 'drones' system in Synfire is even more complex (and powerful) than the previous midi+rewire setup.

Boydbob · Post by **Boydbob** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:14 am

Well, after playing with the SynFire Pro demo for 3 days, I ordered it.

It took a while to figure out how to get VSTi's working with it, but the rest wasn't too bad once I figured that out.

I took a simple but pretty song I wrote, loaded the midi, and quickly transformed it into something much more beautiful and interesting than the original.

SynFire Pro allows you to test out new ideas in ways I could only dream of before.

Once I get the fully licensed software and have a chance to work with it, I'll try to post some examples.

Boyd

homer simpson · Post by **homer simpson** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 12:23 am

hello i need help, i want use synfire with fl , but how i can? someone use it with fl studio??
thank you

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 4:57 pm

homer simpson wrote:hello i need help, i want use synfire with fl , but how i can? someone use it with fl studio??
thank you

This is your better option to find the right answer:

http://www.synfire.com/forum

homer simpson · Post by **homer simpson** » Tue Jul 03, 2012 7:45 pm

standalone wrote:
homer simpson wrote:hello i need help, i want use synfire with fl , but how i can? someone use it with fl studio??
thank you
This is your better option to find the right answer:

http://www.synfire.com/forum

i cry everywhere i can lollllll
because this is my dream to use synfire with fl
thanks

Numanoid · Post by **Numanoid** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 4:19 pm

Once you collected a critical mass of musical expressions in your personal libraries, the possibilities of using them in different projects are almost limitless. For a quick start, Synfire can also import everything MIDI you can get hold of and create phrases for you automatically. This way you can learn from traditional composers and popular songwriters and get inspired by their work.

The same phrase renders new music, depending on where it is being placed. Intuitive transformations can be applied that allow for easy motif development and musically sensible variation. Every composer who is worth his salt knows that building a piece from recurring motifs is key to an enjoyable listener experience. It makes a composition believeable and sound.

This is excactly the kind of programme I've been missing, a shame it is so expensive...

HiEnergy · Post by **HiEnergy** » Thu Nov 01, 2012 10:40 pm

Cognitone now offers a 'light' version of Synfire with slightly reduced featureset and limits on amount of instruments and container nestings.
The price of the Synfire Express is 449 Euros.

http://www.cognitone.com/products/comparison/page.stml

gabebrunogarza1021 · Post by **gabebrunogarza1021** » Fri Nov 02, 2012 2:59 am

I have Harmony Navigator but the thing that I liked on the Synfire Pro video was how they said you could take and drop any MIDI file and how Synfire Pro can change to a different chord progression yet use the performance of the MIDI (velocity, positions of notes) and create a whole new song.

With that idea in mind and after learning The Environment in Logic 9 and saving the money, I got my own version
http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=356292

phobik · Post by **phobik** » Sun Dec 02, 2012 5:28 pm

Just watching the demo made me cringe. It reminded me of a video about UX case-studies I saw on youtube. It definitely needs less bells and whistles and to be more user friendly e.g. get rid of 2/3 of the setup/workflow hassle, improve the UI, etc.

gabebrunogarza1021 · Post by **gabebrunogarza1021** » Sun Dec 02, 2012 7:39 pm

Boydbob wrote: I took a simple but pretty song I wrote, loaded the midi, and quickly transformed it into something much more beautiful and interesting than the original.

Taking the Debussy piano performance from this video

I created a new melody using customized Logic 9 Environment Macros
(you can still hear the mouse clicks too)

annalee21 · Post by **annalee21** » Sun Dec 30, 2012 11:14 pm

Anyone here has cognitone (SynFire, HN2) coupon please? Thanks!

gabebrunogarza1021 wrote:
Boydbob wrote: I took a simple but pretty song I wrote, loaded the midi, and quickly transformed it into something much more beautiful and interesting than the original.
Taking the Debussy piano performance from this video

I created a new melody using customized Logic 9 Environment Macros
(you can still hear the mouse clicks too)

gnosis123 · Post by **gnosis123** » Sat Apr 11, 2015 11:40 am

(2.5 years later...)

Any of you guys still using Synfire?

I just bought it, as it is the only composition environment I've found that mirrors how I work: build up a library of short phrases and play with them, generating longer sections, or working top-down with containers if I want. Separating the form and content lets me reuse a melody with different harmonies, rhythms, etc.

It does have a learning curve, which is unsurprising given its complexity. But I already feel much freer than with the clip-based approach of Live/Bitwig, which expects and encourages music to fit in cubes, N bars long.

dsan@mail.com · Post by **dsan@mail.com** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:07 pm

I was hoping someone would have replied to you here gnosis123.

I'm very interested in Synfire and also would like to know how those that purchased are getting along with it.

The ONE thing stopping me is that iLok. Wish he had gone with another type of protection. Bad experiences with PACE in the past and not all hippity-hop on going down that road again.

Your final statement though puzzles me, "But I already feel much freer than with the clip-based approach of Live/Bitwig, which expects and encourages music to fit in cubes, N bars long."

Are the containers in Synfire not the same thing? Cubes (or more like rectangles) for fitting N bars long?

The software is really overly complex. I mean, it looks great to do what it does, but it could be MUCH more simplified. Actually, it looks like it has been simplified a bit since its conception. Or maybe now I get it

Anyway, if any one has something to add please do!

Happy Musiking!
dsan

elassi · Post by **elassi** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 3:31 pm

I have Synfire Express (upgrading from HN2) and share mixed emotions.

While the AI is brillant (2ct) the instrument section is the most complex and thus horrible instrument organisation mankind has ever seen in a DAW or sequencer. The idea is - at least to my understanding - that you can play a midi file with it's determined instruments (a flute is a flute, a piano is a piano, etc.) no matter what synths you have. Sounds reasonable but in practice here the Synfire hell breaks loose. I won't elaborate on that because my opinion might be influenced by personal workflow and the synths I'm using (i.e. you can't include Omnisphere in this General-Midi-dictatorship of SF because of the lack of program change control in Omni. Furthermore you have no luck with midi-arps and the like because there's no kind of routing inside SF whatsoever).

Good to know that you can work without the mentioned instrument implementation though. Precisely: you can work with so called "drones" in your DAW of choice. Then, SF is a lot of fun and a great tool to either compose, remix or just learn. The editing functions are also nifty once you got used to them (because, again, it's not exactly what you know from a DAW).

dsan@mail.com · Post by **dsan@mail.com** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:03 pm

Thanks elassi!

That was helpful. I'm using HN2 also and thinking (drooling

) about the upgrade because of the feature set.

I got used to the instrument hassles in HN2 and although Andre did do some work in this area to simplify it somewhat, you are correct - it is a mess! I understand what Andre was trying to do here but like I said earlier - WAAAY to complicated

.

To overcome the obstacles I just created a fake instrument and route it to the DAW via virtual MIDI cables, where I can put the data to any instrument track I want. I'm not a fan of program change and instead use multi's, utilizing all 16 channels (8 in the case of Omnisphere). Set up multiple virtual ports (I use loopMIDI by Tobias Erichsen) and you can route each SF (HN2) instrument to the sound you want then.

You may want to consider arping in the opposite direction for best results. Play your arp in the DAW and send it to SF for manipulation. I really can't see SF as a great arp tool. I don't think that's what it is designed for.

Thanks again for contributing!

Happy Musiking!
dsan

Considering purchase of MPS/Synfire