EMUSIC-L Digest Volume 65, Issue 09 This issue's topics: another sampler question... Samplers (13 messages) Your EMUSIC-L Digest moderator is Joe McMahon . You may subscribe to EMUSIC-L by sending mail to listserv@american.edu with the line "SUB EMUSIC-L your name" as the text. The EMUSIC-L archive is a service of SunSite (sunsite.unc.edu) at the University of North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 15:08:18 -0400 From: John Sweeney Subject: another sampler question... I do not own a sampler now, but like some other people here, I am hoping to buy one. Now what I want to do is make my own samples, with some of them being pretty darn strange (hope fully =). Now, is there a program for, say, Windows, that will let me edit samples recorded on, say, some sort of Akai brand sampler, and then upload them back to the sampler for use? IOW, I'd record samples on the Akai, edit them in Windows (with a program like Wave) and then upload back to the Akai to use. Is this possible? Thanks a bunch! =) john ---- john sweeney jds@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu binary sound(imprints) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 5 Jun 1994 10:32:29 +0200 From: Tommy Anderberg Subject: Re: Samplers If you have PC, have a look at the Roland Audio Toolworks (RAP-10). The cost is not painfully higher than that of a Sound Canvas, and you get both an SC-7 on a card AND a stereo sampler. - Tommy Anderberg (can't afford either a Sound Canvas or a RAP-10...) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 5 Jun 1994 11:35:30 EDT From: Ed Arszyla Subject: Re: Samplers If you really want the best of both worlds (i.e. sampling and sample-playback together) look into a Kurzweil K2000S keyboard or the K2000RS rack unit. This is about as good as you can get, short of buying a Synclavier.(much less expensive, too!) ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 5 Jun 1994 22:35:26 EDT From: VictorB25@AOL.COM Subject: Re: Samplers I'm not sure what you are wanting to do but this may give you an idea of what is out there concerning "samplers". The RAP-10, SB16, etc. are digital audio recorders. They are pretty much just like a cassette tape on disk. You CANNOT play these sounds back through a MIDI keyboard. You can, however, embed them in sequencer programs like Cakewalk Pro for Windows or QBase. These programs will play the wave file as it was recorded, wherever you want it in the song but you cannot edit wave files from within these programs. The cheapest sampler I could find is the Sample Cell II which is a card that fits into your computer. It's file format is .wav. It can't record but you can record a wave using the RAP-10 or SB16(8) and then manipulate it from Sample Cell. These you CAN play back through your keyboard. As far as the sound canvas goes I have a SCC1 (an internal sound canvas card for your computer) and love the sounds on it. FYI- Roland has just lowered their prices. The RAP10 is going for about $350 and the SCC1 is about $320 while the Sample Cell is $1400. Hope this helps, Victor ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 00:48:47 -0500 From: "J. Michael Roach" Subject: Re: Samplers > If you have PC, have a look at the Roland Audio Toolworks (RAP-10). The cost > is not painfully higher than that of a Sound Canvas, and you get both an > SC-7 on a card AND a stereo sampler. Keep in mind, the SC-7 has no means of expansion. The RAP=10 setup, however, has full MIDI in\out\thru. Just of bit of information you may want to know. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this. j. michael ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 09:01:04 BST From: Philip Jones Subject: Samplers Whilst on the subject of samplers, I am interested in purchasing a sampler and wondered if anyone could recommend which out of the Akai S01 and S950 is the best to buy as I've had no previous experience with samplers and both of these seem to be available second hand for around 650 UK pounds. Thanks Phil Jones (pj02@ee.ic.ac.uk) ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 11:04:44 +0200 From: Tommy Anderberg Subject: Re: Samplers >> If you have PC, have a look at the Roland Audio Toolworks (RAP-10). The cost >> is not painfully higher than that of a Sound Canvas, and you get both an >> SC-7 on a card AND a stereo sampler. >Keep in mind, the SC-7 has no means of expansion. The RAP=10 setup, >however, has full MIDI in\out\thru. Just of bit of information you may >want to know. Please correct me if I'm wrong on this. > >j. michael That is essentially correct. You get MIDI IN and OUT (NOT THROUGH, though) if you buy the optional MCB-10 expansion box, which connects to a port on the card and also gives you a joystick port. The SC-7 has only MIDI IN, so you can not expand a "system" built around it. The Yamaha CBX-T3 on the other hand has a full MIDI implementation, more sounds a and costs you less... but that's beside the point! - Tommy Anderberg ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 11:13:16 +0200 From: Tommy Anderberg Subject: Re: Samplers >I'm not sure what you are wanting to do but this may give you an idea of what >is out there concerning "samplers". The RAP-10, SB16, etc. are digital audio >recorders. They are pretty much just like a cassette tape on disk. You >CANNOT play these sounds back through a MIDI keyboard. You can, however, >embed them in sequencer programs like Cakewalk Pro for Windows or QBase. >These programs will play the wave file as it was recorded, wherever you want >it in the song but you cannot edit wave files from within these programs. At least in Sweden the RAP-10 is sold with Windows software called Roland Audio Toolworks, consisting of a Wave/MIDI-mixer, the so-called WAMI Track Sequencer, a Session Manager, a "Wave Composer" which lets you merge up to 16 wavefiles, and a graphical Wave-editor with extensive waveform manipulation facilities. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 09:01:16 EDT From: "william.b.fox" Subject: Re: Samplers > To: Recipients of EMUSIC-L digests > Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 08:12:56 -0400 > From: att!AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU!owner-EMUSIC-L > Subject: EMUSIC-L Digest - 15 May 1994 to 6 Jun 1994 - Unfinished > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > Date: Sat, 4 Jun 1994 23:19:18 EDT > From: Jim Phillips > Subject: Samplers > > I am considering expaining my setup and have thought about adding a sampler. > I am tryying to justify the extra cost as compared to a sample-playback unit > such as Sound Canvas. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on the subject. > > Thanks, > Jim > ------------------------------ > End of EMUSIC-L Digest - 15 May 1994 to 6 Jun 1994 - Unfinished > *************************************************************** Please let me apologize to the readership in advance for such a gear-head type answer. I'll try to include some technique info to redeem myself. Hi Jim, May I suggest that you get a sampler instead of a sample playback unit. Sound libraries, both through the manufacturer and third parties, are quite vast for just about any of the samplers currently on the market. But you also have the ability to make your own samples. Sample everything: Your old monophonic analog synth becomes polyphonic in your sampler. Your old EX800 or Juno-106 becomes velocity controllable inside your sampler. Throwing various body parts against the wall become exotic percussion instruments in your sampler. You get the idea. Here's a tip I haven't tried but I know somebody who swears by it. First, sequence your song as usual using everything except your sampler. Then invite in that fabulous vocalist in your area who is unknown and willing to do some tracks free or cheaply. Only don't use tape. Record the vocals on the sampler. Set up your keyboard map with vocal phrases and add this to your sequence. Now rearrange the song without having to splice tape or bring back the vocalist. Get a sampler that can have its memory expanded out to 32 Meg. That's about apop song's worth of stereo at 44.1 kHz. There's at least one out there I know of and it's only one rack space tall! Bill Fox ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 12:14:04 -0400 From: "Keith C. Perry" Subject: Re: Samplers >Whilst on the subject of samplers, I am interested in purchasing a sampler >and wondered if anyone could recommend which out of the Akai S01 and S950 >is the best to buy as I've had no previous experience with samplers and both >of these seem to be available second hand for around 650 UK pounds. > >Thanks > >Phil Jones >(pj02@ee.ic.ac.uk) I have an S01 and I absolutely love it. It's great if your going to be doing "bear bones" sampling. There are not are any major editing features to rave about. You would probably want to take a closer look at the S950 for more if you need more editing ability. My major use of the S01 is for sampling background sounds that I may need to trigger or loop in a composition. Ocassionally, I do using it for Hip-Hop/House tracks too. However, before the S01, came along I couldn't justify spending so much money for a "normal" sampler. Like I said I love it. Hope this helps :) Just my 2 cents- change is accepted... Keith C. Perry - (800)-836-4599 ************************************************************************** * * *Floor Supervisor / Senior Consultant - Drexel University CRG, OCS Group * *Owner / Studio K Productions * * * * " To be or not to be... THAT AIN'T A QUESTION ! " * * * ************************************************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 6 Jun 1994 12:39:35 -0500 From: Joe McMahon Subject: Re: Samplers >I am considering expaining my setup and have thought about adding a sampler. >I am tryying to justify the extra cost as compared to a sample-playback unit >such as Sound Canvas. Does anyone have any thoughts or ideas on the subject. It depends heavily on both where you are now and where you intend to go. If you are interested in doing your own sampling, or have your own vision of what sounds you want that are "non-standard", you'll be better served with a sampler. If you just want sampled sounds that pretty much cover a basic set (e.g., string, brass, woodwinds, drums, some waveforms), then a sample player will probably cover it quite adequately. Be aware that few samplers (the K2000 and SY99 being notable exceptions) don't let you do much with the sounds other than crossfade them or loop them. Not many will let you do a lot in terms of synthesis with the sampled waves. Sample players tend to have somewhat better support in this area, but still not much. What are your plans for your added capacity, in terms of your musical goals? That should guide your choice more than any other consideration. --- Joe M. -- "Will somebody get the cat off the fender Rhodes?" (MST3K) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 7 Jun 1994 23:49:26 +0100 From: Nick Rothwell Subject: Re: Samplers >Whilst on the subject of samplers, I am interested in purchasing a sampler >and wondered if anyone could recommend which out of the Akai S01 and S950 >is the best to buy as I've had no previous experience with samplers and both >of these seem to be available second hand for around 650 UK pounds. S01 is available *new* for about that price. With good reason: it's a toy. Nick Rothwell CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance nick@cassiel.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 10 Jun 1994 16:43:58 +0200 From: "Wim.Rouquart" Subject: Re: Samplers > S01 is available *new* for about that price. With good reason: it's a toy. Nick Rothwell CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance nick@cassiel.com ----- End Included Message ----- If it's a toy, then why is it so highly rated by all the leading e-music maga- zines (FUTURE MUSIC : 92 %). I own one myself and have use it live, and it's ok. OK, it's low budget, meaning you can't edit and you have a fixed sample rate of 32 kHz, but that's the price you pay for paying less. (btw HAVE YOU EVER USED ONE). Bye, Wim Salabim ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 11 Jun 1994 00:19:28 +0100 From: Nick Rothwell Subject: Re: Samplers >If it's a toy, then why is it so highly rated by all the leading e-music maga- >zines (FUTURE MUSIC : 92 %). Ah, yes, the UK music press. Don't you love it. Actually, FM I have some respect for. My complaint with the S01 is that it has very basic specs for the price, such that you can get a LOT more functionality for little more money. The S01 has a 7-segment display, only one audio output, no SCSI sample transfer, floppy disk storage only, and if I recall correctly, no SDS and quite limited RAM expansion. And this for a price which is not far below (say) the Peavey SP (20x2 display, 2 x stereo out, SCSI SDS + disk storage, decent performance architecture, 32MB RAM via SIMMs). Or for that matter, a second-hand Akai of a higher spec. >OK, it's low budget, meaning you can't edit and you have a fixed sample rate of >32 kHz, but that's the price you pay for paying less. 33kHz only. On well. It would be a lovely machine for 300 quid. Basically, Akai have priced it wrongly, and (from me) bring comparisons with more powerful units. >(btw HAVE YOU EVER USED ONE). No. Please don't shout. Nick Rothwell CASSIEL Contemporary Music/Dance nick@cassiel.com ------------------------------ End of the EMUSIC-L Digest ******************************