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sfz is an amazing thing.
It's power seems hidden but is actually in plain sight in the form of the sfz format. The sfz format is a series of simple easy to read text opcodes that allow you to do all of the cool stuff. You can find all these opcodes here: http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfzformat.htm
Basically, how you tap into the power of sfz is to put your raw samples in a folder and write a plain text file that 'maps' the samples. This file can assign them midi note numbers, can assign velocity layers, can assign filters (it has a variety of resonant filters) assign EG and LFO (each of which can modulate pitch, filter or amplifier), assign loop points, or do just about whatever else you would ever need to do with a sampler. All using simple bits of plain language code. This code is simple. Much simpler than html or css and infinitely simpler to read than 'real' code like C++.
Now this might seem weird at first: using words instead of knobs to control a sampler. But once you get used to it, it takes no more time than changing screens on a hardware workstation.
As this code is more or less the interface, and it is easy to understand, I gave the ui rating at 5: weird, but usable.
So why go through this trouble? Well The most blatantly impressive thing about this totally free player is the quality of its interpolation algorithm. There have been numerous tests demonstrating its quality, but the simplest test is just to take some ambient pad sample, drag and drop it onto the gui, and play it up and down your keyboard. Even when the formants are completely 'munchkinized', the sound quality of the sample is remarkably smooth.
The creative power of being able to alter and harness sound in this manner, using only a free piece of software like this is almost incredible. Especially when one thinks of the excitement generated just 20-30 years ago by the first Fairlights ($40,000) and Emulators ($10,000) and then ponders that their powers are quite literally miniscule compared to this amazing piece of freeware.
Mssr. Rene, I salute you.Read Review
It's power seems hidden but is actually in plain sight in the form of the sfz format. The sfz format is a series of simple easy to read text opcodes that allow you to do all of the cool stuff. You can find all these opcodes here: http://www.rgcaudio.com/sfzformat.htm
Basically, how you tap into the power of sfz is to put your raw samples in a folder and write a plain text file that 'maps' the samples. This file can assign them midi note numbers, can assign velocity layers, can assign filters (it has a variety of resonant filters) assign EG and LFO (each of which can modulate pitch, filter or amplifier), assign loop points, or do just about whatever else you would ever need to do with a sampler. All using simple bits of plain language code. This code is simple. Much simpler than html or css and infinitely simpler to read than 'real' code like C++.
Now this might seem weird at first: using words instead of knobs to control a sampler. But once you get used to it, it takes no more time than changing screens on a hardware workstation.
As this code is more or less the interface, and it is easy to understand, I gave the ui rating at 5: weird, but usable.
So why go through this trouble? Well The most blatantly impressive thing about this totally free player is the quality of its interpolation algorithm. There have been numerous tests demonstrating its quality, but the simplest test is just to take some ambient pad sample, drag and drop it onto the gui, and play it up and down your keyboard. Even when the formants are completely 'munchkinized', the sound quality of the sample is remarkably smooth.
The creative power of being able to alter and harness sound in this manner, using only a free piece of software like this is almost incredible. Especially when one thinks of the excitement generated just 20-30 years ago by the first Fairlights ($40,000) and Emulators ($10,000) and then ponders that their powers are quite literally miniscule compared to this amazing piece of freeware.
Mssr. Rene, I salute you.Read Review
