KVR Audio

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:40 pm

Not at all

UltimateOutsider · Post by **UltimateOutsider** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:44 pm

godly wrote:Halion is not so good as I see?
But Sampletank indeed can be intresting

I don't know why you don't think HALion Sonic would be good. It has a huge library, is very configurable and easy to use, combines both synth and sample content, and has a number of unique synth "modules" for different specific kinds of sounds. Hardly any third parties make content for it though. If you get it, you're mostly stuck with what it comes with (but it comes with a LOT of sounds, and it's far more than any workstation synth I've ever seen).

Omnisphere also mixes samples with synthesis, with a huge library of layered, complex sounds. I prefer HALion in terms of usability, but a handful of third parties are making Omnisphere content, so there are probably more sonic options available here.

Xpand2 does have a nice soundset but nowhere near as big a library as HALion, not as configurable, and is a lot less fun to browse/search for sounds.

Except for some aspects of HALion, none of the above are really known for "realistic" sounds in terms of playability; recreating the articulations of real instruments. (Same goes for most workstation keyboards.) For that sort of stuff, Kontakt is king, while there is some nice stuff like that for the UVI sound engine (UVI workstation, MOTU MachFive, Falcon), although Kontakt is the true market leader in terms of available AAA-level first-party/third-party commercial content. But unlike HALion/Omnisphere/Falcon, Kontakt is purely sample-based.

godly · Post by **godly** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:47 pm

aMUSEd wrote:Not at all

good good

just pitty you can't really edit the sounds as I see it?

godly · Post by **godly** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:48 pm

UltimateOutsider wrote:
godly wrote:Halion is not so good as I see?
But Sampletank indeed can be intresting
I don't know why you don't think HALion Sonic would be good. It has a huge library, is very configurable and easy to use, combines both synth and sample content, and has a number of unique synth "modules" for different specific kinds of sounds. Hardly any third parties make content for it though. If you get it, you're mostly stuck with what it comes with (but it comes with a LOT of sounds, and it's far more than any workstation synth I've ever seen).

Omnisphere also mixes samples with synthesis, with a huge library of layered, complex sounds. I prefer HALion in terms of usability, but a handful of third parties are making Omnisphere content, so there are probably more sonic options available here.

Xpand2 does have a nice soundset but nowhere near as big a library as HALion, not as configurable, and is a lot less fun to browse/search for sounds.

Except for some aspects of HALion, none of the above are really known for "realistic" sounds in terms of playability; recreating the articulations of real instruments. (Same goes for most workstation keyboards.) For that sort of stuff, Kontakt is king, while there is some nice stuff like that for the UVI sound engine (UVI workstation, MOTU MachFive, Falcon), although Kontakt is the true market leader in terms of available AAA-level first-party/third-party commercial content. But unlike HALion/Omnisphere/Falcon, Kontakt is purely sample-based.

I only heard these keyboards but they don't seems that bright to me?

Omnisphere looks promissing also, but the price is way to high?

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:50 pm

Yes that's the main limitation, it really is meant as a rompler so you can layer sounds and have limited editing but no scope for creating sounds from scratch or using your own samples. Halionsonic also doesn't enable you to use your own samples but has deeper editing of individual patches via the different sound engines, it's also very good.

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:55 pm

UltimateOutsider wrote: Except for some aspects of HALion, none of the above are really known for "realistic" sounds in terms of playability; recreating the articulations of real instruments. (Same goes for most workstation keyboards.) For that sort of stuff, Kontakt is king, while there is some nice stuff like that for the UVI sound engine (UVI workstation, MOTU MachFive, Falcon), although Kontakt is the true market leader in terms of available AAA-level first-party/third-party commercial content. But unlike HALion/Omnisphere/Falcon, Kontakt is purely sample-based.

Kontakt synth engine is superior to almost all the workstations out there. Only the most recent ones, (basically Korg Oasys and Korg Kronos) will beat it, but those are in a class of their own.

godly · Post by **godly** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:56 pm

aMUSEd wrote:Yes that's the main limitation, it really is meant as a rompler so you can layer sounds and have limited editing but no scope for creating sounds from scratch or using your own samples. Halionsonic also doesn't enable you to use your own samples but has deeper editing of individual patches via the different sound engines, it's also very good.

Hm no fun :-/
Is it that hard to combine some synth workstation functions into the software? I don't think so.
All we ask is a rompler with some ADSR en filter functions, right?
And importing some samples would be nice.
Add that into a host that is capable of adding other VSTs and you have a killer?

BERFAB · Post by **BERFAB** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:57 pm

godly wrote:VI ONE?
http://www.vir2.com/instruments/vione/

VI ONE has been around forever. I've owned it forever. While it IS good, there are many better alternatives that have a better (and more modern) workflow. IIRC, I bought it when I first got Kontakt 2, so it is quite long in the tooth at this point.

Plus, you need Kontakt to run it.

-B

godly · Post by **godly** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 2:58 pm

Still looking for a decent host for PC also.
Can some smart programmer please fill in the Mainstage gapp???

http://www.apple.com/benl/mainstage/

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 3:01 pm

godly wrote:Still looking for a decent host for PC also.
Can some smart programmer please fill in the Mainstage gapp???
http://www.apple.com/benl/mainstage/

Cantabile?

godly · Post by **godly** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 3:03 pm

aMUSEd wrote:
godly wrote:Still looking for a decent host for PC also.
Can some smart programmer please fill in the Mainstage gapp???
http://www.apple.com/benl/mainstage/
Cantabile?

I asked Brad today on his request forum this question

Cantabile is not usable for my needs.
I now use Intone 1, has some bugs, crashes after a while, but does the job.
You can select presets by numeric keyboard.

When I tried Cantabile, it had some bugs and the vst windows changed places per preset and some other problems with layers. I'm not sure if it's solved in the new version, but not many progress in the interface as I see it.

chris-mm · Post by **chris-mm** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 3:06 pm

+1 for Xpand!2
It´s my daily workhorse. Full and warm sound (a bit like Roland JV imho).
And it has a relative small memory footprint - so you have instant program changes! This is very important for me.
I don´t want to load (and wait for) 40GB librarys just for a nice layered workstation sound.

Calliope from sonic cat is also a very good sounding (and affordable) multilayer rompler workhorse.
It´s a Kontakt instrument, but it can be used with the free Kontakt player.

And.... of course..... the one and only..... the original..... A MUST HAVE (for oldschool keyboarders like me).....
Korg M1 legacy VST. The best rompler ever - period!

ATN69 · Post by **ATN69** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 3:54 pm

aMUSEd wrote:I don't have a standalone on my Mac, maybe it is on Windows?

It is quite some time since I installed it but if I remember correctly there was options at installation for Mac users, Windows and some drivers for stand alone. It was one of the first plugins I installed ever so I installed all the files

..even the ones for Mac. Rookie mistake! And at that time I could open it outside of my DAW.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 4:24 pm

godly wrote:
aMUSEd wrote:Yes that's the main limitation, it really is meant as a rompler so you can layer sounds and have limited editing but no scope for creating sounds from scratch or using your own samples. Halionsonic also doesn't enable you to use your own samples but has deeper editing of individual patches via the different sound engines, it's also very good.
Hm no fun :-/
Is it that hard to combine some synth workstation functions into the software? I don't think so.
All we ask is a rompler with some ADSR en filter functions, right?

It does have some of those via the 6 macro knobs per part and another 6 global macros - these usually have at least some filter and envelope functions the user can edit themselves, but they are programmed by the developer and you can't get any deeper than that.

Of course if you could import your own samples and program patches completely it wouldn't really be a rompler anymore.

pdxindy · Post by **pdxindy** » Wed Mar 23, 2016 6:25 pm

godly wrote:I forgot to mention:
It must have low CPU and quick loading for live use.
I don't see Kontakt capable?

low cpu... the Korg stuff... M1 and Wavestation

Best VST alternative to a Workstation synth?