SampleTank 4 on the way

[Oberheim 8000]

Does ST4 contain some World Isntruments? I mean some chinese, like flutes, strings or historical instruments? Is there some instrument list for ST4? I can't find. If yes which version contain this kind of instruments?

Another question is, Can I install only selected instruments? For example when I am not interest in to pianos or synths etc..?

[Burillo]

Peter, i still can't figure out whether SampleTank 4 MAX is a "bigger SampleTank 4" (as in SampleTank 2 vs. SampleTank 2 XL), or is it a SampleTank 4 full + all expansions? other bundles with MAX in their name (e.g. Amplitube MAX) are product + expansions, so i'm assuming SampleTank 4 MAX is a bundle as well.

SampleTank 4 MAX contains a huge amount of new sounds (not existing expansions or similar).

IMO you should've kept the XL naming convention. naming the bigger version "MAX" confuses things, because other products with "MAX" in their name are bundles of stuff, not versions of product.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Does ST4 contain some World Isntruments? I mean some chinese, like flutes, strings or historical instruments? Is there some instrument list for ST4? I can't find. If yes which version contain this kind of instruments?

Another question is, Can I install only selected instruments? For example when I am not interest in to pianos or synths etc..?

Yes, you can see the categories of sounds at https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/s ... nfo#sounds - I don't have the specifics of every sound in each version but will provide any information I have and get as it becomes available but yes each version will represent each category but to a differing degree of course.

[Saukar30]

5. Can we save the mod matrix as a preset(s) to use in other instruments?

Not at this time but it can be done in future updates.

6. In ST3, the ability to save effects combis was unable to load user combis from the browser. Is this fixed or has that feature been erased from ST4?

Please provide more details here, are you talking about effects chain presets? If so, those are available and also are already available in SampleTank 3.
[/quote]

Thanks for answering my questions, Peter.

About the effects chains presets, yes its in ST3 but isn't operational for user presets. I put in request for a fix earlier last month so hopefully it will work with ST4 as it should.

As far as saving the mod matrix, please put that consideration in for the team. With that type of functionality it could make ST4 really seamless as far as working with all of the instruments if each person has a different type of work flow or has a setup rhat they like and want to use for everything.

Im really excited for this update amd Im glad IK is giving Sampletank some much needed love. But as others have stated, giving long time users like myself some kind of special initiative would be great especially since I've been on Sampletank since 2002.

[Oberheim 8000]

Does ST4 contain some World Isntruments? I mean some chinese, like flutes, strings or historical instruments? Is there some instrument list for ST4? I can't find. If yes which version contain this kind of instruments?

Another question is, Can I install only selected instruments? For example when I am not interest in to pianos or synths etc..?

Yes, you can see the categories of sounds at https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/s ... nfo#sounds - I don't have the specifics of every sound in each version but will provide any information I have and get as it becomes available but yes each version will represent each category but to a differing degree of course.

Thanks for answer. And what about installing only selected instruments, it is possible? For example can I install only Ethnic, Acoustic Drums and Bass category from page you provide?

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Does ST4 contain some World Isntruments? I mean some chinese, like flutes, strings or historical instruments? Is there some instrument list for ST4? I can't find. If yes which version contain this kind of instruments?

Another question is, Can I install only selected instruments? For example when I am not interest in to pianos or synths etc..?

Yes, you can see the categories of sounds at https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/s ... nfo#sounds - I don't have the specifics of every sound in each version but will provide any information I have and get as it becomes available but yes each version will represent each category but to a differing degree of course.

Thanks for answer. And what about installing only selected instruments, it is possible? For example can I install only Ethnic, Acoustic Drums and Bass category from page you provide?

I'm not 100% sure how the installers will be finalized so please stay tuned.

[zzz00m]

Thanks for answer. And what about installing only selected instruments, it is possible? For example can I install only Ethnic, Acoustic Drums and Bass category from page you provide?

If the sound library downloads are presented like with ST3, I'm not sure how easy it would be to narrow down which sound installer contained which instruments.

ST3 has the download files listed as generic "SampleTank 3 Sound Content Part x", where x is 1-8.

If there is a cross reference it would be helpful to know what content installers one could skip if desired.

[Oberheim 8000]

Ok, thanks all for answers.

[Burillo]

i don't think you should expect quality of samples in ST4 to be on par with halfway-decent Kontakt/UVI libraries in terms of authenticity and being able to emulate actual human performance. the scripting ability of SampleTank engine is just not there to handle it.

that said, they do sound good IMO. think of it like this: if you're doing music for a mobile game, chances are no one is going to pay attention - as long as it doesn't sound like outright shit, you're OK to use them. SampleTank sounds, to me, are like that - they're great for demos and for creating sounds that sound great but have no requirement to fool people into thinking they weren't samples.

As far as expectations, one should expect that these are at a much higher quality than you mention. I know the product isn't released yet so it is speculation so I understand how you might be skeptical but we did SO much both under the hood of SampleTank 4 and with the sampling of these sounds by our Italian team (plus the extremely talented Erik Norlander) with such meticulous care that you'll definitely want to use them for more than just demos or similar use cases you mention. They sound incredible, the piano demos are an exemplary example of that, you can hear them here https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/s ... hp?p=media

This one is the first one and sounds great but there are more modern styles and such that follow and are also great: 01 - Classical Intro C Grand close mics - by Luca Zabbini

with all due respect, that's not really a representative sample of what i was talking about. pianos in SampleTank were already passable, because pianos are easy - there are no complex articulations or legato samples to do for painos. not so with guitars - with ST3, guitars sound fine until you start attempting to get a convincing performance with them. whether it's programming or the fact that ST3's engine doesn't really provide such depth of scripting Kontakt/UVI does - i don't know, but the fact is, performance wise, Kontakt/UVI guitars sound far more convincing than ST guitars (that i've tried anyway).

in fact, if you listen to "MetalHeadz" or "Playing for 7" demos, it's obvious that the guitar sounds are not an actual guitar. in fact, all of these examples sound electronic, they don't sound like a recorded band, and that's the point. convincing synth/electronic sounds are much easier to pull off than acoustic ones. whenever there are acoustic samples (like the "Funk Brass" demo), they don't sound all that convincing. do they sound good? sure. they fit the track, they sit well in the mix, they sound punchy and powerful. that's what SampleTank was already good at, and i imagine ST4 will be even better. but they don't sound like the actual acoustic instruments they're made after. that was the point i was making. i'm not saying SampleTank sounds suck - on the contrary, i love them for what they are. it's just that anyone who is considering SampleTank (3 of course) should know that there's only a certain amount of depth that you can get from SampleTank, and if the goal is utmost authenticity and deeply sampled guitar sounds - they better go elsewhere.

now, you have a dedicated "keyboards" demos. how about guitars and basses? that would be what i am most interested in to hear, because ST3 sounds have a looooong way to go in that department.

[David]

Are all the listed Player tools (arpeggios, guitar strums, MIDI patterns, and loops) available at every level, or are they limited in some ways in the SE version? Thanks!

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

We'll have to agree to disagree as there is a ton of depth and these sounds compete directly with what you feel are better, Burillo. You'll have more examples as time passes and certainly when you and others can use SampleTank 4 and truly see, hear, feel, and create what we're talking about here. It was no small endeavor and I'm 100% confident it will show and many will wish they took advantage of the savings offered today.

There are also many who feel our guitars and basses (not just American Acoustic which is indeed a masterpiece though) are already great and very realistic and use them that way since SampleTank 3's release. You may have heard them somewhere, but didn't realize if it wasn't specified as ST3 so there would be no chance for preconceived notions

Edit - also note that on some guitar parts the strummer may not be used and/or the performer in some cases CHOSE a more "electronic" type of approach to suit the material.

[Peter - IK Multimedia]

Are all the listed Player tools (arpeggios, guitar strums, MIDI patterns, and loops) available at every level, or are they limited in some ways in the SE version? Thanks!

The SE version is not limited, no.

[Bombadil]

Will definitely pass on this. I only use S3 for Sampletron as is. Other than that, it is my least used VI. The articulations barely work in Logic's Articulation setup, and is the only VI I've had a problem with in that regard.

I wonder if the 'singers' are as good on S4 as on S3?

[Silaris]

I really wish there was a better upgrade option for previous owners of ST or a ton of other products. People have been asking this for years but it seems like old customers get lumped into the same boat as someone who bought two Syntroniks three months ago.

It would need to be a single 99.99+ purchase. The pricing for upgrade for existing SampleTank 3 users and 99.99+ qualifiers is the lowest we'd be going. You're not being denied a better price, we merely extended the upgrade/crossgrade pricing to another group of users as well.

The issue I have with this line of reasoning is that one group (present SampleTank owners) are paying the same price for incremental benefits compared to another group ($99.99+ qualifiers) who are receiving the full benefits of the purchase, which is actually makes the upgrade less attractive for me as a SampleTank 3 owner.

Overall, IMHO, the upgrade and crossgrade discounts should be at different tiers.

Nevertheless, in spite of IKM's upgrade/crossgrade price strategy, I am glad to see the new release. SampleTank 3 is one of my most used VST instruments.

[dandezebra]

Bingo