Ult. Orch. Perc. (a good feeling)

[Francis Belardino]

I really feel that there is some truth in what was said in the, \"A lesson learned\" post.

On the one hand, I is a bit harsh that you cannot return something you dislike ... but, I agree that there is nothing stoping someone from copying all of the samples before returning. East West, makers of Prosamples may be on to something for a mere,
$44.00.

My feeling on all of this is the factor of price. I do feel that some CD sets are priced too high. (Or should be reduced due to age)

I would like to use, Ultimate Orchestral Percussion as an example for all sound developers.

If you study this CD set ... you will notice
that it was one of the first to take true advantage of Giga. The audio is spotless.
The control is awesome.

There are four CD\'s and great tech support
and yet it cost only, $300.00...not, $624.00 or $995.00.

My bottom line. When DSSoundware comes out with a String or Woodwind set... I am there!!

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Francis Belardino
Sound Designer
Audio Visions, LTD.
Wilmington, DE.
www.audiovisionsonline.com

[Thomas_J]

It\'s not that simple. The kitchen group isn\'t exactly the most demanding thing to sample and both producers (Donnie and his mate Sean) are professional percussionists. This is clearly an advantage as they will save money on musicians and rental of gear, hall space etc... I\'m sure the recording of the library was pretty inexpensive.

Now think of the costs of making a string library. You\'d want at least 40-45 musicians. And even though Donnie and Sean might have many friends, I pretty much doubt they have a full string orchestra of friends playing for free. Then there are all the little things that can go wrong when you\'re recording string instruments. The kitchen group are just reading their cookbook and striking their pans and pots, no? Any fool could do that http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif Hey I might release a new sample library: \"Thomas J\'s Ultimate Pots & Pans\". Instruments include:

Multisampled egg-glass at 16 velocities. Struck with knives, spoons, fingernails and forks.

Special effects, like \"mom dropping plates\".
Choose from 1 to 16 layers of plate dropping.
\"mom dropping pans & pots\", Use modwheel to control the altitude at which the pans & pots are dropped (thus control the amount of noise on impact)

With these samples, spread across 10 cds I could easily get $600. Don\'t you think? http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif Of course people would have to buy it first and realise how bad the samples were, only then it would be too late.

Really, this is just a complaint to all of you who make libraries without the proper competence, solely for profit. Take www.vrsound.com\'s (\"http://www.vrsound.com\'s\") string library. Now, the last thing I would want is to insult people who\'ve recorded the library, but that mp3 demo of mozart\'s nachmusik piece sounds like an amateur teens string orchestra, at best. Its proper library name should be \"Amateur Youth String Orchestra\". \"Guaranteed to make you cringe at the very thought\". It is obvious to me that either they are going for the quick bucks, or they have no idea what they are doing. Either way they should concentrate on doing libraries within limits of their \"doubtful\" competence. Unless they want to be laughed at, that is.

Thomas

[This message has been edited by Thomas_J (edited 08-05-2001).]

[donnie]

Francis,

Thanks for the kind words.

A couple of quick things....number one just wait about 1 month from now. We are going to be releasing something and doing something in cunjuction with the release that has never been done before. This should totally blow people away!

Secondly, I\'m not sure that I buy the fact that the \"kitchen group\" is the easiest to sample. If that were true then we never would have needed to exist http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Try A/B\'ing our stuff with AO or Miroslav. But then again try A/B\'ing our old stuff with whats coming next month and see what you think too!!!!!!

Donnie

[IOComposer]

I totally agree with you on the DS percussion. Out of all of my orchestral samples, they sound the most convincing. I\'m looking forward to DS\' next release. Any hints Donnie??
-J

[Thomas_J]

Donnie, I really hope you realize that I was just in a good mood http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif I really think you have contributed greatly to the sample library market with your percussion set and I surely didn\'t intend to diss your work in any way! I haven\'t sampled percussion as extensively as you have and therefore I am in no position to judge whether it is an easy or hard task, compared to recording other instrument groups. I would think it is easier than the rest of the instruments in the orchestral family though. Correct me if I\'m wrong!

As for you Francis, I never doubted your qualifications. Maybe you could share some useful information to sample library developers that would help them in their search of more realistic samples?

Thomas

[donnie]

Thomas: no harm done http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif It\'s just that I hate when people think for reason that it\'s any easier to get realistic percussion sounds than anything else. Like I said before that was the whole reason for us getting started in the first place!

Anyway, here\'s a hint....it goes crash, boom, bang, just to name a few http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

Seriously though, this is a whole different ball game with this library. Our goal was to make it the most realistic library----period. Not the most realistc percussion library but the most realistic library in any class of library. IMHO I by George I think we\'ve done it.

Donnie

[IOComposer]

agreed.
http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif

[Francis Belardino]

Donnie,

It is my pleasure!

Again, I just want to reiterate that my stand is simply on customer care and satisfaction.


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Francis Belardino
Sound Designer
Audio Visions, LTD.
Wilmington, DE.
www.audiovisionsonline.com

[Francis Belardino]

Rather condescending reply, don\'t you think?

I make my living by recording and mastering several symphonies and choir groups within the tri-state area ...

yes, I do understand the involvement of a string library. I also understand the story behind, DSSoundware.

I still believe the price tag on some libraries is a bit high.
Especially when there is no guarantee on customer satisfaction.

Not to mention, that by next week another library will surface and make the other a joke!

Hats off to DSSoundware, for making the best
\"Pot\'s and Pan\'s\" library in existence.



------------------
Francis Belardino
Sound Designer
Audio Visions, LTD.
Wilmington, DE.
www.audiovisionsonline.com

[Jamieh]

AArgh, I HAVE to get more memory for my machine so I can get the Orch Percussion Library. I can\'t fit it into memory right now with a full orchestra loaded. And here I thought I\'d be styling with 512MB. http://www.northernsounds.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif

[Simon Ravn]

512MB not enough? Odd, what libraries are you using? Besides Ultimate Orchestral Percussion isnt that memoryhungry, except for a few patches. I have 1GB of memory and am up to about 40-45% usage in a project right now where I use 60 MIDI channels, several patches from UOP, Ultimate Timpani, Garritan Orchestral Strings, Quantum Leap Brass etc. OK Granted I only have a few sustained strings but still around 80 patches loaded. Are you using AO for Giga? That could be real memory hungry since it has keyswitching as the only option if I recall.