Just wondering:
Why when discussing instrument samples is it reduced to "a violin" or "a grand piano", but when the samples are drums it moves to the brand, model, size, shape, distance from mic, brand of mic, time of day, maiden name of drummer's mother-in-law, etc.?
People seem to be willing to devote more hd space on drum variants than they will an entire orchestra.
Question about drum samples
-
- KVRist
- 278 posts since 14 Mar, 2004 from I'm standing right behind you
http://www.retouchpro.com - The world's largest photo retouching community
-
- KVRAF
- 1981 posts since 26 Oct, 2003 from Toronto
Hmmm... I never got that Doug? Then again, I'm not really into samples all that much. But I agree that with the capability of samplers and music suites and all, it's kinda silly to have a Zildjan "17 Ride @ 2ft out in a wood room sample and drown it out with direct guitars and overpowering organs.
I would love an 'attack transient' CD of some of the great orchestral instruments. Not these $3000 'Vienna Symphonic Libraries' (which I'm sure are good!) But just good attacks with maybe enough tone after to loop. Different brands cones, sound boards, woods, age - that would be pretty serious stuff to work with and mold.
Oh-oh... we're in Instruments aren't we?
Yoink!
I would love an 'attack transient' CD of some of the great orchestral instruments. Not these $3000 'Vienna Symphonic Libraries' (which I'm sure are good!) But just good attacks with maybe enough tone after to loop. Different brands cones, sound boards, woods, age - that would be pretty serious stuff to work with and mold.
Oh-oh... we're in Instruments aren't we?
Yoink!
-
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 278 posts since 14 Mar, 2004 from I'm standing right behind you
I thought about that after I posted. But my question was prompted by BFD and some of the other drum VSTs.Steven West wrote:Oh-oh... we're in Instruments aren't we?
Yoink!
http://www.retouchpro.com - The world's largest photo retouching community
-
- KVRAF
- 4735 posts since 18 Jul, 2002 from London, UK
It's the same with guitars and amps... Les Paul or Fender Tele? Vox or Marshall? Tubes or solid-state? Single coil or humbucker? Acoustic or electric? Steel string, nylon or cat gut? Round-hole or F-hole? Regular or jumbo? Piezo pickup or mic? Large-diaphragm or SM-57? And don't even get started on pedals..!
When it comes to sampling, it has to do with the level of realism and the amount of work involved in sampling the instrument concerned. Because a sampled violin, for example, is never going to sound *that* close to the real thing (because of limits in articulation and how the instrument is modelled), there's little point in getting anal about the make and model of the instrument and who's playing it. In the case of pianos, it's just one hell of a lot of work to sample a single piano properly... I reckon a lot of people would buy a library with ten or more different pianos sampled at very high quality, but nobody's made one yet AFAIK. On the other hand, there are at least five large single-piano libraries out there, and they all sound very different.
When it comes to drums tho'.. well, drums are always used in combination, so there's always going to be room for mix-and-match; it's possible to sample most aspects of drums with a VERY high degree of realism, so it does become important what sort of drum is getting hit. And, most importantly, they do sound *a lot* different. Especially the snares. You can never have enough snares... and when it comes to cymbals, there are so many different basic types, that with only two or three of each you end up with a lot of drums. Take a listen to the snares on a bunch of rock records from the past 40 years or so - there's a whole lot of variation there.
When it comes to sampling, it has to do with the level of realism and the amount of work involved in sampling the instrument concerned. Because a sampled violin, for example, is never going to sound *that* close to the real thing (because of limits in articulation and how the instrument is modelled), there's little point in getting anal about the make and model of the instrument and who's playing it. In the case of pianos, it's just one hell of a lot of work to sample a single piano properly... I reckon a lot of people would buy a library with ten or more different pianos sampled at very high quality, but nobody's made one yet AFAIK. On the other hand, there are at least five large single-piano libraries out there, and they all sound very different.
When it comes to drums tho'.. well, drums are always used in combination, so there's always going to be room for mix-and-match; it's possible to sample most aspects of drums with a VERY high degree of realism, so it does become important what sort of drum is getting hit. And, most importantly, they do sound *a lot* different. Especially the snares. You can never have enough snares... and when it comes to cymbals, there are so many different basic types, that with only two or three of each you end up with a lot of drums. Take a listen to the snares on a bunch of rock records from the past 40 years or so - there's a whole lot of variation there.
This account is dormant, I am no longer employed by FXpansion / ROLI.
Find me on LinkedIn or elsewhere if you need to get in touch.
Find me on LinkedIn or elsewhere if you need to get in touch.