Cheez
Moderator
Personal history - started on keyboards, moved into modules, moved into sequencing, moved into softsamplers, sold all my hardware. Now, I'm basically using softsamplers for years doing sequencing.
But I'm considering moving one more step further - into live-performance using software. I know I've been posting this for many years. And I've performed live with my softsamplers many times. But one thing was amiss - all my arrangments were pre-sequenced. I can play live on my instruments, but softsamplers have limited capabilites for real-live applications. This has changed in the recent years. Now, I believe it is possible. Not only possible, but software provides MORE control real-time than keyboard synths or workstations. And it also provides more realism than any hardware available (which we already know).
OK. Here are the alternatives. Before I start, I want to show what it means to be using software live using real-time control that you cannot achieve using hardware. Demo by none other than Jordan Rudess himself using MOTU Ethno Instrument (if you guys haven't already watched it - thing to watch for is keyswtiching and crossfading which is a very standard thing in software we use all the time):
http://www.motu.com/products/software/ethno/videos.html
You can watch their MOTU Symphonic Instrument - video also by Jordan Rudess. OK. Now the news is this - MOTU instrument is really the lower end of the virtual instruments out there. It sounds good basically because Jordan was playing them. There are better ones. Ready....
1. East West Colossus. ( http://www.soundsonline.com/Quantum-Leap-Colossus-pr-EW-164.html ) In the past, I made a comment saying this product is a flop. Now I had to take my word back. It is not. If you look carefully, it has 32 GB (not MB) of samples ranging from everything you have in a hardware module/synth + purchaing other hardware expansion cards. This is 595USD but can be worth something like an XV module full SRX expansion cards - and still more powerful, more polyphony, more realism, more control, and more sounds. Uses Kontakt engine.
2. MUSE ( http://www.sonivoxmi.com/ProductDetail.asp?Item=CDMuse ) This has 38GB of samples, also ranging from everything you ever need in a hardware. Check out the video and see how simple it is to stack and layer instruments. It uses Gigastudio virtual instrument engine (GVI). If you want to program crossfading or keyswtiching of different instruments for live performance, it's as simple as a few clicks. Also 595USD.
Either one of the above 2 will give you something like Roland XV + all expansions cards or Yamaha MOTIF XS + all expansion cards or Triton + all expansion cards - except of course it is more powerful and playable/controllable than hardware. However, if you think you need more analog sounds, my suggesions is something like:
Arturia Analog Factory. (http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/products/analogfactory/intro.html)
This combines most of the sounds you would use from their minimoog V, moog modular V, prophet V, ARP 2600 V and Prophet VS. So you get most of Arturia's analog sounds in a simpler interface and lower price (249USD).
As a keyboard player, I'm pretty sure programmability and controllability are some of the main points in live performance. I can still remember the good old days with my modules, and I had to program my A70 with different performance patches, each with multiple zones and each zone with different controllers (complete with both expression pedal, switch pedal, mod wheels and faders control) so I can play percussion, strings, keys and other lead instruments live without sequencing. My standard ballad performance patch looks something like this: piano sound from piano module (midi channel 1), e-piano from another module (midi channel 2), strings from module (midi channel 3) - strings volume controlled by expressin pedal; G7 is suspended cymbal roll (on my 76 note controller), F#7 is wind chimes, E1 is tympani rolls.
Now I believe this can be achieved with software live without prior sequencing. And it will cost less than S$2000 - the price of a module.
Comments?
But I'm considering moving one more step further - into live-performance using software. I know I've been posting this for many years. And I've performed live with my softsamplers many times. But one thing was amiss - all my arrangments were pre-sequenced. I can play live on my instruments, but softsamplers have limited capabilites for real-live applications. This has changed in the recent years. Now, I believe it is possible. Not only possible, but software provides MORE control real-time than keyboard synths or workstations. And it also provides more realism than any hardware available (which we already know).
OK. Here are the alternatives. Before I start, I want to show what it means to be using software live using real-time control that you cannot achieve using hardware. Demo by none other than Jordan Rudess himself using MOTU Ethno Instrument (if you guys haven't already watched it - thing to watch for is keyswtiching and crossfading which is a very standard thing in software we use all the time):
http://www.motu.com/products/software/ethno/videos.html
You can watch their MOTU Symphonic Instrument - video also by Jordan Rudess. OK. Now the news is this - MOTU instrument is really the lower end of the virtual instruments out there. It sounds good basically because Jordan was playing them. There are better ones. Ready....
1. East West Colossus. ( http://www.soundsonline.com/Quantum-Leap-Colossus-pr-EW-164.html ) In the past, I made a comment saying this product is a flop. Now I had to take my word back. It is not. If you look carefully, it has 32 GB (not MB) of samples ranging from everything you have in a hardware module/synth + purchaing other hardware expansion cards. This is 595USD but can be worth something like an XV module full SRX expansion cards - and still more powerful, more polyphony, more realism, more control, and more sounds. Uses Kontakt engine.
2. MUSE ( http://www.sonivoxmi.com/ProductDetail.asp?Item=CDMuse ) This has 38GB of samples, also ranging from everything you ever need in a hardware. Check out the video and see how simple it is to stack and layer instruments. It uses Gigastudio virtual instrument engine (GVI). If you want to program crossfading or keyswtiching of different instruments for live performance, it's as simple as a few clicks. Also 595USD.
Either one of the above 2 will give you something like Roland XV + all expansions cards or Yamaha MOTIF XS + all expansion cards or Triton + all expansion cards - except of course it is more powerful and playable/controllable than hardware. However, if you think you need more analog sounds, my suggesions is something like:
Arturia Analog Factory. (http://www.arturia.com/evolution/en/products/analogfactory/intro.html)
This combines most of the sounds you would use from their minimoog V, moog modular V, prophet V, ARP 2600 V and Prophet VS. So you get most of Arturia's analog sounds in a simpler interface and lower price (249USD).
As a keyboard player, I'm pretty sure programmability and controllability are some of the main points in live performance. I can still remember the good old days with my modules, and I had to program my A70 with different performance patches, each with multiple zones and each zone with different controllers (complete with both expression pedal, switch pedal, mod wheels and faders control) so I can play percussion, strings, keys and other lead instruments live without sequencing. My standard ballad performance patch looks something like this: piano sound from piano module (midi channel 1), e-piano from another module (midi channel 2), strings from module (midi channel 3) - strings volume controlled by expressin pedal; G7 is suspended cymbal roll (on my 76 note controller), F#7 is wind chimes, E1 is tympani rolls.
Now I believe this can be achieved with software live without prior sequencing. And it will cost less than S$2000 - the price of a module.
Comments?
