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01-29-09 / 11:44 PM : Omnisphere update / impOSCar 2 videos (cjed)
SonicState also released videos from Omnisphere update (new sounds, two times more than in the initial version) and impOSCar 2.
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01-29-09 / 11:16 PM : Roland V-Piano Behind Closed Doors (cjed)
SonicState provides a new video (high quality) featuring the Roland V-Piano, where we can hear more distinctly the sound, expression (and customization), than in the previous first official videos. Notably it seems more realistic than Pianoteq, less muded, and notably each note has its own distinct character (as on a real piano), instead just declining the same tone.
On that point we can read a very interesting comment at musicplayer forums :

I’ve got to say, I've been working with physical modeling since the VL1 (1995) and did heavy amounts of programming of that beast. Over the years, I think I demoed/bought nearly every PM synth (soft or hard) that I've come across. My conclusion is that PM is most successful when a) the waveform is simple and unchanging and b) the tone is expected to be the same note-to-note. Examples are VAs and organ clones. As the waveform gets more complex and is expected to evolve over time (e.g. brass, woodwinds, strings, pianos), PM, in my experience fails to deliver the goods. Also, with real EPs and acoustic pianos, each note has a somewhat distinct character. When adjacent notes sounds identical, my ears hear it as something is amiss, especially in chromatic passages. There is a nauseating sameness to the tone, because the notes are generated in the same fashion.

I would be more optimistic about PM if I had seen serious evolution in the past 15 years, but I can’t say I have. I do think PianoTeq’s piano model is noteworthy. I just don’t think it sounds accurate enough. When I play against QL Pianos or Bluthner Digital One there is no comparison to my ear.

I’m of the opinion the best solution might be a hybrid approach. Digidesign’s Velvet seems to use sampling for waveform accuracy but allows much of the control you’d find in a PM EP. The Trumpet is sample-based but allows the continuous control of timbre you’d find in a PM horn—but The Trumpet sounds infinitely better than PM trumpets.

A year ago at this time I was cautiously optimistic about the ‘modeled’ EPs in the new RD700GX. After working with the 700GX for a week I came to the conclusion the EPs offered nothing usable for me. Had they been on the level of Mr Ray 73 or Lounge Lizard, I’d probably own a 700GX. I am cautiously optimistic about the V-Piano and look forward to playing one (if I can find one).

I might well be in the market for a V-Piano IF it’s an outstanding instrument. It has to top my software pianos. But I’m expecting issues. Roland does have, IMO, a good track record for continuous improvements. The Fantom and V-Synth have had numerous, free updates.
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01-26-09 / 10:58 PM : NI Acoustic Refractions soundpack (cjed)
Native Instruments released ACOUSTIC REFRACTIONS, a new Kore Soundpack, based on ABSynth, FM8 and Kontakt (samples) KORE modules. The 100 included sounds are morphings from base elements created with ABSynth and FM8, and from 500 Mb original texture samples : ice instruments, spinning washing machines, traffic on the Golden Gate Bridge, carpets being ripped, underground parking garages, and rain on a car windshield. Then we are close to Omnisphere concept. The provided demos are great (notably Morning Lullaby and Train Wreck, whose bass line reminds a song from Myst 2/Riven).
It is priced 79$ (through download).
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01-26-09 / 10:42 PM : AF : Korg M-50 review (cjed)
Audiofanzine provides a full review of Korg M-50. However, globally, the provided samples are far more less convincing (except this arrangement) than the test made during Salon de la Musique. A D-50 does better, and even a D-20 for some sounds. We are very far from the JV and XV quality (notably for orchestral stuff, and even for electric guitars).
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01-23-09 / 10:10 PM : GForce impOSCar 2 (cjed)
GForce presented impOSCar 2, that brings le PWM (Pulse Width Modulation, as with the D-20 and D-50) on both oscillators, additional LFOs, new modulation and routing options, a pink noise generator, an enhanced arpeggiator, a revamped interface (3 sizes available), etc. Video demos are provided, and an upgrade plan from the first version of impOSCar is planned (no pricing yet, nor release date, but the MusikMesse timeframe is suggested).
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01-22-09 / 11:28 PM : EastWest SILK demos available (cjed)
Demos of SILK are now available on the description page at soundsonline. The first reviews about these are very positive (and the verb is PLAY :-)). Ethno World 4 still included phrases besides the playable instruments, in order to show the particular playing techniques.
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01-22-09 / 11:07 PM : EastWest PLAY 1.1.13 update (cjed)
EastWest provides a 1.1.13 update to PLAY. We can read the details here :
- added impulse responses for convolution reverb
- fixed doubling of drop down menus in Pro Tools 8
- fixed crash when turning streaming on/off with certain instruments
- PLAY window can be moved in Logic 7 at lower resolutions
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01-22-09 / 10:58 PM : Korg M3 Xpanded : original piano is back (cjed)
Quickly after the M50 release, Korg provided for free sounds/samples extensions for the M3. Now they add a 4th extension (EX-USB-PCM04), but it only includes (brings back) the original piano samples from the M3 1.0 verison, that had been removed (the free EX-USB-PCM03 extension added a larger 4 velocity layers piano).
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01-21-09 / 12:47 AM : Garritan World Instrument collection / AKAI EWI (cjed)
Finally Garritan presented a new library (ethnic), Garritan World Instrument collection, that includes the following instruments families : flutes (native American flutes, bamboo flues, Irish flutes, Chinese and Japanese flutes, Indian flutes, clay flutes, pan flutes, nose flutes), percussions (Taiko drums, Gamelan ensemble, Log drums, tablas, ewe drums, balaphon, Udu drum, talking drum, steel drums, Latin percussion), plucked and bowed strings (including Indian Sitars, Japanese koto and shamisen, African kora, Middle Eastern oud and santoor, and erhu). We also find a didgeridoo, Middle Eastern reed instruments, accordions, Tibetan bowls, harmonium.
The temperament can be adjusted, as well as the playing (dynamics, vibrato, tongue/slur techniques, airflow, auto legato, auto-variability, auto-portamento, trills), and wind instruments can be controlled using a breath controller like the new AKAI EWI USB one. Pricing will also be provided later.
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01-21-09 / 12:32 AM : Garritan Orchestral Strings 2 (cjed)
Garritan also unveiled Garritan Orchestral Strings 2, that will be available during the first quarter (pricing will be provided later). This library includes solo strings instruments (Stradivari violin, solo Pallotta viola, solo Gofriller cello, solo Amati double-Bass), sections (1st violin section, 2nd violin section, viola section, cello section, double-Bass section), and Full strings. Ther ARIA player offers a new dynamic morphing feature between articulations, that allows to control the amount of vibrato. Provided articulations are : sustains (many), staccato, marcato, spiccato, martelle, pizzicato, sautille, portamento, ricochet, col legno, tremolo, trills (many intervals), harmonics, altra corda, con sordino.
Some advanced playing effects are available (Penderecki), as well as advanced settings : bow position control (sul tasto and sul ponticelli), up and down bowing, realistic legato and portamento, body/sympathetic resonance behavior modeling, adjustable noise (bow, pluck and snap noise) and controllable loose/tight articulations.
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01-21-09 / 12:17 AM : Garritan Personal Orchestra 4th Edition (cjed)
Garritan presented during the NAMM Personal Orchestra 4th Edition, based on its new 64 bits ARIA player. It includes strings, brass, woodwinds, percussion, keyboards (including a Steinway piano), Stradivari violin (with controllable vibrato), brass sounds - new in GPO - derived from Project SAM library (solo and sections), concert harps, celesta, concert pipe organ, etc. It is priced 149$ (through download).
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01-19-09 / 11:47 PM : Cubase 5 : VST Expression / Cocoa (cjed)
Steinberg presented Cubase 5 (600 euros, and 400 euros for the Studio version). It includes new Loops and Beat tools (LoopMash, Groove Agent ONE, Beat Designer), pitch correction plugins (VariAudio for voice and PitchCorrect for instruments), a VST3 convolution reverb, and an easy articulations management for samples libraries thanks to VST Expression (a 90 days trial version of HALion Symphonic Orchestra is bundled). The included Expression Set 01 brings 14 new instruments that feature multiples articulations : Acoustic Bass, Electric Bass, Fretless Bass, Pick Bass, Nylon Guitar, Steel Guitar, Clean Guitar, Distortion Guitars 1&2, Solid Guitar, Tenor Sax, Solo Trumpet, Brass Section and Large String Section.
Finally the MacOSX version has been completely rewritten in Cocoa, paving the way for easy 64 bits management. The 64 bits support will indeed be added by a later 5.5 update.
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01-18-09 / 10:24 PM : Yamaha SY99 demo : still impressive (cjed)
We can watch at youtube a stunning demo of impressive patchs from the old Yamaha SY99 (shipped in 1991). I remember a man in a shop that demoed it (he also did great demos of the SY77 before, and YS200 and V50 even before, and SY85 later) !
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01-18-09 / 10:05 PM : EastWest RA PLAY version / Sillk (cjed)
The PLAY version of RA has also been announced for January, 26 (special price, 355$, 395$ later), and the crossgrade from the NI version is priced 99$ (149$ later).
From a soundsonline forums thread, it seems the common instruments (Erhu, Duduk) in the new Silk ethnic library offer more articulations than with RA.
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01-18-09 / 09:32 PM : Roland V-Piano (cjed)
Roland presented the V-Piano, that uses same principles as Pianoteq : full modeling of piano elements (no samples), leading to better expression (no sample layer switching). As with Pianoteq, completely original sounds can be created. Globally the V-Piano sound seems richer, with a rounder and more convincing attack. It features the new Progressive Hammer Action III Ivory feel Keyboard with Escapement, and includes a sequencer and additional GM2 sound module. The pricing isn't available for now, but considering the MIDI out, it could be a high end master keyboard.
Besides the 4 great Roland videos (in H.264/AAC), we can watch some demos from the NAMM (here and there). A dedicated site is being developed.
Then, is it the return of historic companies, that master integrating of hardware (keyboard, converters, DSP) and software (PCs processors are general purpose, so they can't provide the same power - ie the latency is higher and global performance isn't stable) ?
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01-17-09 / 02:10 AM : Roland VP770 / SuperNATURAL ARX-03 Brass (cjed)
Roland presented the VP770, that includes (besides original VP-550 strings and choirs ensembles) a new SuperNATURAL modeling (for Brass sounds). The SuperNATURAL ARX-03 Brass extension is also available for Phantom G (see details here).
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01-17-09 / 01:57 AM : EWQL Silk : extension to RA (cjed)
EastWest also presented Quantum Leap Silk, an ethnic library (PLAY based) that can be seen as an extension to RA (but doesn't require it). It includes 25 instruments (20 Gb of samples) and 5Gb of phrases. Among the instruments (persian, china, indian) we can find Erhu and Duduk, that were still present in RA. The library is priced 535$.
As expected the min requirement for mac is now a G5.
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01-17-09 / 01:48 AM : EastWest PLAY 2 / SC Play / SD2 Pro (cjed)
EastWest unveiled PLAY 2, that provides deep editing (mapping, scripts, etc.). A PLAY version of Symphonic Choirs is also available, that includes WordBuilder (features a slightly revamped interface).
Finally an extension to Stormdrum 2, SD 2 Pro, is available for 149$. It includes 2,5Gb of new samples and 1,5Gb of loops.
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01-17-09 / 01:38 AM : Spectrasonics Omnisphere sound update/Trilian (cjed)
Spectrasonics provides for free an update to Omnisphere, that brings 2000 new patchs (2000 initially).
The successor to Trilogy, Trilian, has also been presented. It is expected to ship in May, and is priced 299$.
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01-17-09 / 01:29 AM : NAMM : Ableton Live 8 (cjed)
Ableton presented Live 8 during the NAMM 2009 : new groove engine, new warping engine, looper, new effects, workflow enhancements. A video is available.
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01-13-09 / 11:32 PM : NI : announces and NAMM 2009 start January, 15 (cjed)
Native Instruments states that it will make three important announcements during the Winter NAMM 2009 opening, on January, 15 :Good things come in threes, so there will be news for producers, guitarists, and DJs alike, including one creativity-inspiring innovation you don't want to miss. About composers, we can still thank NI for having provided for free the Kore Soundpack Compilation Vol1 - 93 sounds -, and for some great sounds bundled with Kore Player (50 sounds).
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01-13-09 / 11:19 PM : EdgeSounds : Pipe Organ (cjed)
EdgeSounds presents Pipe Organ, a 4,2 Gb samples library (24bits/96 Khz) for Kontakt 2 and GigaStudio. It features a German pipe organ built in late 1970's (20 sound banks included). It is priced 99,95$. Audio demos are available.
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01-12-09 / 11:10 PM : EZDrummer Jazz EZX/Superior 2 crossgrade (cjed)
Toontrack presented a new expansion for EZDrummer, Jazz EZX. Audio demos are available. An EZDrummer crossgrade to Superior Drummer 2.0 (20 Gb of 24 bits samples - 1Gb of 16 bits samples in EZDrummer) is provided for 249$ (349$ base price). It requires a dual 1,25Ghz G4.
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01-10-09 / 12:48 AM : Sonart Yamaha C7 Grand Piano free ! (cjed)
Sonart provides for free at download, YAMAHA C7 GRAND PIANO. This piano library includes 800 samples (1,68 Gb, 20 velocity levels) and was previously priced 89$ (Kontakt 1 & 2.1, EXS24, Giga 2, Giga 3 and HALion formats). The provided rar archive weights 360 Mb and uses 2,5 Gb on disk once uncompressed (1,68 Gb for Kontakt format and 826 Mb for Giga format). Audio demos are also available.
That is the third gift for that new year, following NI Kore soundpack Compilation Vol1 and Ueberschall Season Greetings.
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