sfz and New Opportunities

[Bassballjg]

Due to recent controversial events about a very good sampler that has just become freeware, my attention as a developer to the sfz format, both creative and economic, has been sharpened. I am very aware of the buzz surrounding the sudden availability of Highlife as a powerful creative tool, as well as enthusiastic about learning to use it for my own musical projects. I have also been very attracted to Cakewalk's Dimension and Rapture, both of which are deep synths with rich sound-shaping resources. So it's time for dBu to get serious about sfz support.

To this end, we need your feedback to determine the best course to take in this new direction. Since the purchase of the cakewalk synths won't be happening until next year, the immediate question is how to handle Highlife. Do you all want direct support with creative use of its synth engine and sample editing parameters, or do you just want sfzs to DIY with. In other words, do you want sfz libraries for general use, or do you want native Highlife libraries, or some combination of both. The big-picture idea being that the sfz work at the sample level will be laying the foundation for the Cakewalk synth support but that this would also be a resource for Highlife users.

So vote, and please do post with expository remarks on your vote, and any suggestions you may have.

[ouroboros]

I voted sfz, simply because at this point in time, it seems like a surer bet. Perhaps things will be clearer in the near future, but with sfz, you are assured that whatever you do will be relevant and out of confusion's way.

[synthgeek]

I voted sfz, for pretty much the same reason as ouroboros. Of course, both is a fine option too.

[shamann]

I personally like having sfz format, since I can use it in several different samplers. But if you have something good going with the Highlife synth engine, I see no reason not to go with that.

[Sahul]

And Kontakt 2.2, which is about to be released very soon, will have sfz import too.

[druid]

I voted sfz, because it has a wider audience (despite that, at least right now, Highlife is free). I don't use Highlife, and am not that interested in it, but I do have the free rgc:audio sfz player. Well, I think it's a little out-dated, I don't know if Rapture and Dimension support newer formats that are incompatible with sfz (the VST), but if not, I can't use them if they're Highlife.

Despite the hype, I did download Highlife but subsequentedly deleted it. I'm not that fussed over it personally. Maybe I will be later if it's still available and once I get used to the other synths and fx I have, which I have not spent enough time with yet.

[Bassballjg]

And Kontakt 2.2, which is about to be released very soon, will have sfz import too.

This is the second reference I've seen to K2.2 in the last few days, but I've heard nothing from NI, and see nothing on their site.

And thanks to everybody for thier votes and comments. Keep 'em coming.

[JamminFool]

check the NI forums.there is an official post in the Kontakt section regarding the upcoming 2.2 release which mentions sfz support.

so yeah, this is another good reason to go with sfz.

[Spe3D]

sfz sfz sfz

[Bassballjg]

check the NI forums.there is an official post in the Kontakt section regarding the upcoming 2.2 release which mentions sfz support.

so yeah, this is another good reason to go with sfz.

Thanks. We have something coming for Kontakt soon too. It was scheduled for December, but now it looks like late January. sfz import would be nice.

[ionized]

Voted both. Priority for sfz (for reasons stated above) but also some work with Highlife - to take advantage of the extra functionality for those of us who are synthesis challenged

[SampleScience]

I voted Highlife, because I prefer to have full instants presets than just plain sfz files I have to adjust the ADSR & effect to be playable.

[grymmjack]

And Kontakt 2.2, which is about to be released very soon, will have sfz import too.

Cool!

[Bassballjg]

Voted both. Priority for sfz (for reasons stated above) but also some work with Highlife - to take advantage of the extra functionality for those of us who are synthesis challenged

The winner, is of course "Both" because that is what will happen, eventually, for all the reasons herein discussed. The purpose of the poll is to set priorities in terms of time and resources by measuring the level of interest and finding out what is important to potential users. So please keep voting, and sharing your thoughts.

If there is sufficient demand, something can be released very quickly. The dBu sample pool includes several gigabytes of soundsets ready for conversion to any of several formats, so it is possible that a raw sfz set could get out by the end of this month without messing up work on SonicScapes too badly. Native Highlife will take longer, of course. Anyone intersted?

and don't forget to check this out:

http://www.dangerousbear.com/freeware.html

for a free soundset in sfz. It's a sampler of instruments that are being used in some of out newer projects. See the Thread here:

http://www.kvraudio.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=156952

[pljones]

I think there's a danger in treating sfz format as "just" a way to package up raw samples, rather than as a serious sound design tool. Most of the import/export routines I've experienced for sfz have serious problems with anything beyond the simplest files (I've had many of my mappings get rejected as "invalid format"). And one big benefit of sfz format is that it's so easy to read: you don't need some analogue-esque "front-panel" to adjust things, just use your favourite text editor. (So I voted "Fish": if you're going to do it, do it right! )