Dan Dean Solo Strings update: it rules!

[apessino]

Hello,

just a quick note to congratulate Dan Dean on his new site, and especially on the updates to his Solo Strings library which he made available for download yesterday.

I can\'t believe how much better the DDSS library is now! Its samples have always been extremely expressive, but playability suffered because of the long attacks on sustained notes and the limited number of articulations.

Until yesterday I was forced to layer staccato and sustained samples and then tweak phrases one by one as needed to simulate additional articulations. The update completely removes the need for such tedium, adds a bunch of other useful playing techniques, including a great sounding and very clever \"ensemble\" mode (I can\'t wait to see how that works with the Solo Brass!), and fixes some serious issues with a few samples in the low range of the violin.

Even before the update the DDSS had the best sounding instruments, IMHO. The samples have a tenderness and sparkle which I haven\'t heard in any other library; lyrical lines really \"sing,\" in all ranges. That was reason enough for me to use it over the XSample solo strings, the Miroslav or the Adv. Orch offerings, in spite of the playability problems.

With these updates the DDSS has become the clear winner when it comes to solo strings, and it smokes the competition in the \"bang-for-the-buck\" department. Highly recommended! http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Thank you Dan for continuing to improve on your already released products, as well as releasing new ones!

All the best,

A-

--------
Andrea G. Pessino (not female, just Italian)
Blizzard Entertainment

apessino@blizzard.com

[IOComposer]

Are you at liberty to post an example of what you can do with this library? The demo on the DDwebsite is not exemplary of the new features.
-J

[apessino]

Well, Dan\'s timing couldn\'t have been more perfect for me, as I am currently working on a string quartet commission which will be performed by live players at the end of September in Santa Barbara, CA.

I am putting together a rehearsal guide/sketch for the players, using exclusively the DDSS. So far, it\'s sounding really good to me (and this was before getting the update), but I am not really trying to achieve \"super-realism\" with this (again, it\'s just a sketch, not a production piece), yet it could be a good demo of what\'s possible to do with this library without too much manual labor.. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif

I should be done the first week of September.. if the results are not too embarrassing, I\'ll certainly share it with whomever might be interested. Actually, it might be a great exercise for me to see how much I can improve on the realism of the piece given feedback from experts such as yourself.

Take care,

A-

--------
Andrea G. Pessino (not female, just Italian)
Blizzard Entertainment

apessino@blizzard.com

[dandean]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by apessino:
[B]Hello,

just a quick note to congratulate Dan Dean on his new site, and especially on the updates to his Solo Strings library which he made available for download yesterday.

Hi Andrea (not female, just italian...),

I\'m very pleased that you like the DDSS update. I think it adds quite a lot to the playability. I also think the \"ensemble\" patches are amazing. I am happy to offer it as a free update to the Solo Strings so that all of you can enjoy some fresh new features after the fact. It is seldom that you\'re able to buy something and enhance it AFTER the purchase. I really appreciate your comments and hope that the word gets out to all of the DDSS users that there\'s a free update.

I might add that the Solo Woodwinds update is similar in that it adds a lot of features and fixes some GS edit induced bugs. After the update, the DDSWW play better.

Thanks again,
DD

[nycbhh]

Hi, Dan. I\'m a newbie to the world of samples and have just gotten Giga. I am now trying to figure out how to go about building my library. As far as orchestral sounds go, I was thinking of going with AO, (Garritan OS is going to be way out of my range if I don\'t preorder and after purchasing my GigaDAW, I don\'t have the cash to preorder.) Now that I\'ve heard about this update of your strings, I\'ve decided to ditch AO for now and go with your libraries. I\'m looking forward to hearing the \"ensemble mode\" sounds. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

One question, when I buy your strings collection, will these updates be incorporated, or will I need to download and apply the updates?

Thanks for giving those of us who aren\'t made of money such high-quality options http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Brad

[dandean]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by nycbhh:
Hi, Dan. I\'m a newbie to the world of samples and have just gotten Giga. I am now trying to figure out how to go about building my library. As far as orchestral sounds go, I was thinking of going with AO, (Garritan OS is going to be way out of my range if I don\'t preorder and after purchasing my GigaDAW, I don\'t have the cash to preorder.) Now that I\'ve heard about this update of your strings, I\'ve decided to ditch AO for now and go with your libraries. I\'m looking forward to hearing the \"ensemble mode\" sounds. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

One question, when I buy your strings collection, will these updates be incorporated, or will I need to download and apply the updates?

Thanks for giving those of us who aren\'t made of money such high-quality options http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Brad<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Hi Brad,

I haven\'t made provisions to ship the articulation files with the DDSS, but I would be happy to put them on a disk and send them to you with the DDSS. They sound great.

Thanks,
DD

[nycbhh]

Actually, downloading them won\'t be a problem. I was just curious as to whether I would need to do it or not. Thanks for getting back to me. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Brad

[Jamieh]

Nice work on the update Dan!

The ensemble patches for the short staccato stuff and the trills sound fantastic! The arco ensemble patches have a slight \"chorus\" effect--they sound good but if you listen it does sound like one patch using a lot of chorus. I will have to see how it fits into the mix.

The new articluations are nice too. I now love the solo viola almost as much as the cello! Good choice of patches too with both the keyswitch and velocity swith for short/long notes.

Should I be concerned that when I applied the violin articulation patch I got a warning saying something like only 83% of the waveforms matched or something like that? I didn\'t get any messages on the cello or viola.


[This message has been edited by Jamieh (edited 08-17-2001).]

[Haydn]

I received the same error message when I applied the Violin Articulation file. Is there a problem or is it because I had applied an earlier articulation file?

NCCBHH,

Please note that Dan Dean\'s Strings are just solo strings. You will still need a string orchestra library. I highly recommend saving for Garritan\'s Orchestral Strings.

[EternalBlue]

Out of curiosity, how much additional value do the new updates add to the package. I was leaning towards my first sample cd,one of the Xsample cds 5 or 10, but from what I\'m reading here, it seems like DD SS is a better choice? Any opinions?

Cheers,

[Jamieh]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Is there a problem or is it because I had applied an earlier articulation file?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

No, I hadn\'t applied the earlier patch and I still got the message. I tried going back and applying the patches in order and it was still there.

Blue, I can say without question that the Dan Dean solo strings are worth every penny of their low price. It certainly won\'t be the only string library you need, but I think the solo cello alone is worth the money. Now with the update, the solo viola is awesome too. I didn\'t get a chance to really play with the violin last night.

I can\'t tell you if it is better or worse than XSample because I don\'t have that. But I do know that the library is easily worth it\'s low price.

[This message has been edited by Jamieh (edited 08-17-2001).]

[Damon]

When I downloaded the update, I got all of the new sounds and articulations but noticed that on some of the patches, there was no velocity sensitivity. All of the notes on the viola or violin pizz and staccato played at the same velocity whether hit hard or soft.
Has anyone else noticed this? I can\'t remember exactly what patch, but I know it was one of the pizzicatos and staccatos.

[This message has been edited by Damon (edited 08-17-2001).]

[gigagagga]

can\'t get to the DanDean site! link just says the server can\'t be found. anyone else have this problem?

thanks
gigagagga

[Jamieh]

Yeah, I could get to Dan\'s site last night, but not now. I\'m sure it will be up again soon.

[dandean]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jamieh:
Yeah, I could get to Dan\'s site last night, but not now. I\'m sure it will be up again soon.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I can\'t get on right now, either...this happens from time to time. Try again in a few minutes. I think we\'ll have new .mp3\'s posted tomorrow.

DD

[ritzdegato]

I was up until four in the morning last night working out a good Cakewalk template to use my AO solo violin and solo viola and the DD solo violin and solo viola together (DD\'s for the notes that didn\'t need a fast attack). Today, I decided to check out this site for the first time in about three months and I saw that Dan\'s got these free updates. Sweet synchronicity!

I downloaded them, unzipped them, added the .art files in GS editor, and saved each one. I don\'t have a clue, however, how to access the new features. I thought that there would be more keyswitches but there weren\'t. Do I have to setup the keyswitching? If so, are there any new tutorials in the last few months to explain how to do this because the last couple of times I tried (using the nemesys tutorial and other thread advice) to understand and do this I failed miserably. Thanks.

[Jamieh]

Ritz, most of the functionality was gained through the addition of multiple new patches available for each instrument. You have to select the proper instrument patch to get the features you are looking for.

For example, one new patch allows you to control the attack speed with the mod wheel. Another one changes the note type (legato vs staccato) by veloctity. Another one changes it via a keyswitch. The ensemble patches allow you to control the amount of ensemble sound with the mod wheel.

I didn\'t see a tutorial, but it is pretty easy to figure out if you just load the different patches into Gigastudio and play with them for a few mintues. The patches are named descriptively. Dan will probably put togehter a document at some point describing exactly how things work, but I imagine he is really busy getting the solo brass out the door.

[This message has been edited by Jamieh (edited 08-17-2001).]

[ritzdegato]

Ahh, cool! That makes sense. Guess my brain not functions too good with little sleep. I\'m going to check it out now http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

[Damon]

How can I assign the new instruments to be velocity sensitive in the Giga editor after I unzip the art.file? Before they were all just playing at the same velocity.
Thanks!

[Dis]

Damon: First, select all the samples of instrument you want to be velocity sensitive in GS Editor. Then in \"Response\" menu set Velocity response curve to Nonlinear, Release velocity response curve to Linear, both Dynamic ranges to the middle, Release trigger decay to one point from the middle to the left. Then you must apply it to all samples. That s all.

[Damon]

Thanks for your help Dis. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif

[Bill]

> I got a warning saying something like
> only 83% of the waveforms matched

Dan,

Can you comment on this? I get the same message.

[zquarles]

I would like to bump this up to see if anyone figured out the 83% bug...I just got DDSS (which i absolutely love, nice job Dan!) and put on the art files to the other instruments but did get the
\"Note: the instruments you are importing were saved from a file whose wave pool does not exactly match the current wave pool. (About 83% of the waves in the two pools match.) message.

[KingIdiot]

Id say it was from the fact that Waveforms could have been slightly edited or moved when the art file was made.


More than likely the ART file and the 83 percent bug doesn\'t mean a thing. Its a waveform ID error and not so much a waveform error.

If this is the case the ART file could...and knowing Dan\'s track record for caring, should work fine.

This is to say that I only own Dan Dean SB and WW and haven\'t even updated the, but he makes sure that if soemthing is REALLY broke... to fix it.


then again maybe I should break his libraries http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif he\'ll prrobalbly hate me for that.. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

------------------
Really...I am an Idiot

[zquarles]

okay - i went ahead and applied the art file after I posted just to see if anything exploded and I continued to play with violin-y goodness afterthat.
DDSS = http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

[UKSimon]

Are these updates on a new Dan Dean website? I can\'t find them on the DDPro site.

If it is on a new site, please can you post the URL

Cheers

Simon

[PeterRoos]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size=\"1\" face=\"Verdana, Arial\">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by UKSimon:
Are these updates on a new Dan Dean website? I can\'t find them on the DDPro site.

If it is on a new site, please can you post the URL<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Simon, this was an old topic, bumped to the top of the list by Zquarles, referring to an older issue with updates.

Cheers,

Peter

[Robert Raguel]

UKSimon:

These updates are dated October 2000, so they\'ve been around for a while. But if you own DDSS and haven\'t downloaded the updates, by all means do so ... here\'s the link where you can find them:
http://www.dandeanpro.com/main.htm (\"http://www.dandeanpro.com/main.htm\")

-- Robert

[This message has been edited by Robert Raguel (edited 03-07-2002).]

[Deep White]

I\'ve applied the update and e-mailed Dan my opinion. Since someone started this topic I\'d like to know what other people think:

IMHO, the update of the DDSS improves from its original version, but after doing a sequence with it, I changed all the patches back to Miroslav\'s solo strings.

I did an A/B test on DDSS & MV. DDSS DID sound better, thicker & clearer, but MV was just more playble, and the sequence by MV was just more musical than that by DDSS. I don\'t have a reason why. Maybe it\'s because DDSS still doesn\'t have any detache patches, while MV has 2 or 3 or 4 for each solo string part. DDSS still sounds stiff to me.

Any other opinion on this one would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

------------------
Arys Chien
Composer & Musician
Deep White Studio
Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

[kiddy]

I agree that DDSS are some nice sounding samples. But is it just me or my system, but all of the sounds/samples have digital noise inherent in the signal (i.e hissing) particularly in the upper registers. I don\'t think it\'s the system as most other samples of other libraries are crystal clean. Anyone else have similar experience?

[kiddy]

Dan,

It could very well be the bow noise. And yes, it is more apparent in violin and viola.
I\'m so accustomed to synth strings that I suppose my ears could be playing tricks on me.

Thanks for the reply. BTW - I picked up DDSS in December 2001. Would that disc have the upgrades mentioned in this thread or would I have to download upgrades. If so, how exactly are samples modified with GS editor. I can\'t seem to find in menu the load articulation command. Using LE currently. I assume GS editor is the patch editor. Help appreciated.

[dandean]

This is a question I don\'t fully know the answer to...Do you have Gigasampler LE? If so, I don\'t think there\'s a way to apply an articulation file. Gigastudio allows this feature. Anyone else want to chime in on this?

Also, the production run of this disk does not include the update.

Thanks,
DD

[dandean]

Are you sure what you\'re hearing isn\'t the natural sound of the bow over the string? Is it specific to the Violin, or do you hear it throughout all the instruments? There is a sonic component to the bow noise which resembles hiss or white noise, most evident in the Violin.

There will be a new product (which I haven\'t started yet) designed specifically for Giga which will have numerous articulations and layers as found in my Brass and WW\'s. I will probably get to it this summer. It will not replace the DDSS, but will be a separate product of 5 disks or so.

Thanks,
Dan Dean
Dan Dean Productions