Chris Hein Guitars "Feature-Tour"

[Chris Hein]

As the count-down to the release of Chris Hein - Guitars and the special pre-release offer reach the end,
I'd like to give you a feature-tour with some details of the instruments:

No.01: "Center & Bridge Playing" "Up & Downstroke"

One of the biggest problems in sampling are the repetitions.
CHG uses a lot of different techniques to avoid the machine-gun effect and give more liveness to the sound.
Some of these techniques are:
- up to 13 velocities
- center & bridge playing
- up & down strokes
- alternative samples via expression

"Center & Bridge Playing"
Most of the tones in CHG are sampled twice: Once close to the bridge and once in the center.
Due to the perfect cut and tuning, it is possible to seemlessly blend between both playing techniques.
This feature simulates the position of a guitarists right hand.

Here is a little sound-example:
http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/centersmallsq.mov

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/CenterBridge.gif

"Up & Downstroke"
All plectrum guitars are recorded with individual up- and downstroke samples.
There are different modes to control the up- and downstrokes:

Strict: Alternates the stroke direction each note you play.
Automatic: Alternates the strokes in a certain time range.
Alternation Time: Lets you adjust a time range in milliseconds.
Notes being played in this time range alter the stroke direction.
After that time, stroke direction begins with downstroke again.
Downstroke: Only downstroke samples
Upstroke: Only upstroke samples
Via CC65: Lets you select the strokes manualy with CC65

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/alternation.gif

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/chglogo.gif
More infos (http://www.chrishein.net/guitar/chg_productsite.htm) | Order Now! (http://www.wizardshop.de/shop/index.php?language=en&XTCsid=0bbb4543af316a630be11f7bb1033d2b)

... to be continued.
Any questions and comments welcome.

[Journeyman]

Chris,

I've already ordered mine, and anxiously look forward to using it! )(~

[artsoundz]

Looks just awesome. I'm saving my dough.

[sirbellog]

Seems that in a few days,
many of us will stick to their keyboard and computer, in order to start discovering the gems that your lib will reveal....
Few sample libraries can try and come close to the real 6-string-thing, but CHG is surely among them !
I for one am expecting my copy with much anxiety.
Wishing you a big success with this....

[Chris Hein]

Thanks for your kind words. Here is more:

No.02: "Expression"

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/ExprBlues-screen.jpg
I've used the expression-slider (CC11) not for volume or synthetic effects,
but to provide different alternative keyboard-layouts within one articulation.
Most sustain, short, pick-up, hammer-on and pull-off articulations have 2-4 expressions with up to 8 velocities.
On E-guitar you'll find 5 expr. on sustain and 7 expr. on pickings.

The expression samples are different playing-techniques of the corresponding articulation.
They have a harder attack, feedback sounds and effects.

Some of the articulations switch and some blend between expressions.
You can use the slider in the GUI or an external midi-controller to switch between expressions.
The best way to control expression is a foot-pedal.

Expression used on sustain articulations:
http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/ExprSus_Large.mov
Hammer-on and pull-off provide a nice feedback sound on trills

Expression used on picking articulations:
http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/ExprPick_Large.mov
E-Guitar Mutes provide expressions from mute to open and some special strumming sounds.

Expression used in a solo:
http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/ExprBlues_screen_Large.mov
A BB-King style solo played with "E-Guitar Blues" without any external effects.
You could play the same with "E-guitar clean" and und use an amp-simulation.
The feedback expressions react in the same way.

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/chglogo.gif
More infos (http://www.chrishein.net/guitar/chg_productsite.htm) | Order Now! (http://www.wizardshop.de/shop/index.php?language=en&XTCsid=0bbb4543af316a630be11f7bb1033d2b)

... to be continued.
Hope you like it.

[Hardy Heern]

Hey Chris....this library is starting to interest me (although it's more money than I could justify on a solo instrument) having watched the, above, video demos. Very useful and impressive demos....especially the last one. There is such sound variety with, seemingly, easy and accessible control.

Looking good!:)

Frank

[sirbellog]

Wow, Chris those new movies are amazing :
yes, indeed, those cats are lovely, they seem to have a lot of fun, and they know how to behave in front of a camcorder !
Hollywood will want them for sure !
Too bad that we have to see this Kontakt screen and hear those guitar sounds a couple of minutes before the appearance of the real heroes.....
------
Joke put aside,
I'm more and more looking forward to getting your library : what can be done with so many variations at hand seems endless, and, at the same time, playabillity and logical approach seem to be preserved.
I dare to say that, looking at the demos and listening to the sound, at times I forgot that it was sampled guitar (I get ready to be called with many funny names, just for having said that, but....)
I just can add that, playing guitar very badly, I'll probably be able to get better results with your lib and my keyboard than with my clumsy fingers on a fretboard !

[scf3]

Does CHG require osx 10.4 or will it run on 10.3.9?

Thanks

[Chris Hein]

Does CHG require osx 10.4 or will it run on 10.3.9?
CHG and the included kontakt player2 run on osx 10.3.x

The upcoming versions of Kontakt2.2.x and Kontakt-Player2.1 require 10.4. but they also run on intel macs.

CHG is based on Kontakt 2.1.1.
When I discovered that my betaversion of the new K2.2 requires 10.4
I re-saved all the 240 instrument variations in K2.1 to keep it compatibly to 10.3.

So, you have all choices: OSX10.3.9 - 10.4 - 10.4 Intel.

Chris Hein

[geronimo001]

Great presentation...almost as good as your guitars.)(~

But my favorite part is the kitties. I'm a cat lover too...

[Raindog]

Great presentation...almost as good as your guitars.)(~

But my favorite part is the kitties. I'm a cat lover too...

I love cats too. Nicely prepared with some decent red wine :D (sorry Chris, couldn´t resist)

The videos are excellent. Although I know the library quite a bit there are always new tricks to learn (which speaks for the library)
best regards
RainDOG

[Chris Hein]

No.03: "Slide-Mode Solo-Mode"


Slide-Modes:
This video demostrates the slide-modes on steel-guitar in CHG:
http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/slidemode.mov

The Slide-Mode simulates a real guitarist, sliding his fingers across the guitar neck.

You can choose from two different Slide-Modes.
To enter Slide-Mode simply press the corresponding keyswitch.

„Slide Mode 1"(Keyswitch G#0)
Play a note in any articulation, press the keyswitch-key G#0 to enter the slide mode 1 instantly.
Now play another note, and the sound you'll hear slides from the first note to the second note.
Depending on the guitar, the slide mode 1 has a range of 1-7 or 1-12 half steps up and down.

„Slide-Mode 2"(Keyswitch A0 & A#0)
Press the keyswitch A0 to enter the slide mode 2 instantly.
Play a note, the slide starts immediatly. Play another note to stop the slide whenever you want.
A0 selects slide-mode2 up A#0 selects slide-mode2 down

The Slide Speed is adjustable through the user interface or cc 05.
In Slide Mode 2 you can decide wether the second note that stops the slide
is a sustain note or a hammer-on note, which has a softer attack.
http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/slide.gif


Solo-Mode:
This video demostrates the solo-mode on steel-guitar in CHG:
http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/solomode.mov

The Solo-Mode uses "Hammer-On" and "Pull-Off" samples to enable
smooth note-transitions when playing a melody-line.
To enter Solo-Mode simply press the corresponding keyswitch.

„Solo-Mode“ (Keyswitch F1)
Automatic hammer-on and pull off is provided by the solo-mode.
With Solo-Mode selected, play a melody-line. When you play the notes with a gap between the notes,
you will not hear a difference to the regular mode. If the notes overlap, CHG automaticly chooses the "Hammer-On" or "Pull-Off" samples.
If the second note is higher than the first, you hear the "Hammer-On", if the second note is lower than the first note,
you hear the "Pull-Off"
Solo-Mode is great for smooth solo-playing and realistic trills, especially in combination with expression.

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/chglogo.gif
More infos (http://www.chrishein.net/guitar/chg_productsite.htm) | Order Now! (http://www.wizardshop.de/shop/index.php?language=en&XTCsid=0bbb4543af316a630be11f7bb1033d2b)

... to be continued.
Do you want more?

[Chris Hein]

No.04: "Chord-Mode"


This video demostrates the Chord-mode in CHG:
http://www.chrishein.net/guitar/chg-video/CM2_CS-Off_NG_Blues_Large.mov

More Videos are here:
http://www.chrishein.net/guitar/chg_seiten/chg_videodemos.htm

One of the most innovative functions in CHG is the Chord-Mode,
The Chord-Mode is an easy way to play a realistic rhythm guitar.
To enter the Chord-Mode simply press the corresponding keyswitch.

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/chordmode.gif

"Chord-Mode1 Chord-Detection"
When you play a chord in the chord key area, the built-in chord detection recognizes
the chord you play and voices the chord in the way a real guitar player would do.
You don't have to hold the chord keys. Once pressed, the chord detection works, and you have your left hand free
to add some of the effects sounds here and there, or to use your expression slider.

"Chord-Mode2 No Chord-Detection"
Chord-Mode2 works exactly like Chord-Mode1, but without the chord-detection.
That means, the strumming keys play exactly the notes you play in the chord-key area.
This way you are free to use exactly the voicing you want, and it is possible to play small
intervalls and clusters, things that would not be possible on a real-guitar.

"Strumming Keys“
The strumming keys are available in 16 different articulations.
Additionally there are 6 single note keys, one for each corresponding guitar string.
These keys can be used for additional single notes or to play finger picking chord pattern.

"Chord-Keys On/Off"
This button lets you decide if you want the chord-keys to sound, or just the strumming-keys to produce the sound

"Strumming-Speed"
The strumming-speed is adjustable

http://www.wizardserver.de/chgad/chordstrumming.gif


... to be continued.

[sirbellog]

Chapter IV of your tutorial just makes me even more anxious to get the lib !
It's great that you started commenting the videos, it gives a better idea of what's coming on.
Well, J-4 for it to hit the street is not too long anyway.... So let's keep busy in order to keep patient !
A good thing too that your cat-fellows are still here to enhance the clips !