Has anybody compared IRCAM solo instruments with VLS:
http://www.umdistribution.com/IRCAM-Solo-Instruments.html
http://www.guillaumeroussel.com/
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IRCAM solo instruments?
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Ahh man! What a disappointment! [:(] I grew up learning about IRCAM as the premiere center in the world for the composition, performance and research of new music. It's too bad they're so far behind the times in the software and sample development of their solo instruments library. Although....some of the contemporary sounds are quite intriguing!
I'm still waiting for VSL to release a Stefano Scodanibbio Solo Double Bass library! [;)] Now he can get some crazy sounds out of his bass like nobody else! [H]
Brian
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@William said:
X-sample is very old and tiny. It is not representatitve of a current sample library. Also, it does have some brass - trumpet and horn. But it is totally obliterated by VSL in any version.
William, you're talking about the OLD Xsample library that was shipped on 10-12 CDs (It think it was Gigastudio patches?) And, your'e right, that's an old library. I haven't used this myself but the demos I've heard wasn't convincing.
The Xsample library I was refering to is the new Kontakt 2 library that was released this summer (only two months ago). It's called Xsample Chamber Ensemble (and contains NO brass).It's 14 GB with only new samples.
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I'm not sure what's the VSL policy for this forum regarding discussions about other sampler libraries. If someone from VSL has any objections, please let us know if we are violating any rules.
I also have a question that someone from Vienna might be able to answer: Are there any plans for sampling more "contemporary" techniques? Not even the Cube has techniques like "pizz behind bridge", "scratch tone" etc. I do not consider myself an avantgarde composer by any means, but for a composer of concert music, it's nice to have these options. Maybe a "Vienna Instruments Contemporary Edition" could be an idea?
Albert
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I for one would be extremely grateful for a SE Plus Plus or other package of "modern" articulations. Since on many occasions it is not the complete accuracy of pitch that counts it won't be a monumental undertaking (although I take it the company has only held orchestral recordings once in 2004 no matter how many products it keeps offering - I could be wrong); I also am aware of the multitudinous technical issues involved (ex. which multiphonics will be available depends on instruments and players etc.) and that some effects are more "effective" in solo or chamber than orchestral settings; whatever the case and issues involved, I would certainly be prepared to buy stereometrically should something like this materialize with the usual meticulousness and comprehensiveness we have come to expect from VSL.
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"Are there any plans for sampling more "contemporary" techniques?" I would also like to know. Now seems like a good time to plan on a "Vienna Instruments Contemporary Edition". Xsample has proven that there is a high demand for extended techniques. I hope VSL look to composers such as Toshio Hosokawa(Japan's most important living composer)& others for what can be done musically with these techniques. Dom
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Albert S
This new xsample libary looks like a tweaking/reprogramming of many of their old samples - which included many of these particular instruments such as bass flute, basset horn and oboe d'amore - with some new ones. I have the entire old one and these new instruments suspiciously feature the same articulations and is about the same size.
Though they have a few new instruments, such as toy piano. hey! VSL needs to do a 12-velocity full-modeled toy piano. Enough of this Appassionata Strings stuff. I need a proper toy piano to go with the tam-tam ensemble on my new concerto in 12 movements.
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No need for irony William, we are all different composers with different needs.
I work with Finale every day. My main concern is to have decent playback of my scores when I'm working on a new piece. Having a large palette of available techniques is a big plus for me.
I do hope that Vienna would consider sampling some more "obscure" playing techniques. Why not as separate download instruments?
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I got the Ircam library. As I wrote in Northernsounds it's a nice palette, and even the mainstream composer can succesfully blend it with any existing library and/or virtual instrument, VSL included, whenever he or she needs some dirty, grotesque, sarcastic, unusual or rough "contemporary" mood: with the Ircam lib you get tons of really uncommon and flawlessly recorded sounds, their demos give an exact idea of how it sounds right out-of-the-box and the library has nothing to do with VSL or EW. At the present time, it's not a VSL competitor: it's a (serious) contemporary solo instruments library, not an orchestral-FX one. Their UVI player works, but, to be honest, it's not exactly a state-of-the-art piece of software. I guess (and hope) it will be improved... :-)
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Actually, I think the IRCAM library is really exciting! Not to be used on its own, I don't think, but to fill out the missing articulations in the VSL stuff it's brilliant. I've been popping in requests for these techniques to VSL for years... I wonder if we will see them at some stage?
J.
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At first I was disappointed, but I've been searching the internet and found a preset list for the IRCAM Solo Instruments. They've sampled a lot of extended techniques, many more than XSample Chamber Ensemble and they sound better too. They even have transition samples, like playing a sustained note that moves from sul pont. to ord. etc. I agree that when it comes to ordinary performance techniques VSL is far superior, but for extended techniques I've never seen a library like this and it's not that expensive, almost half the price of XSample. My only concern with using it is getting it to blend seamlessly with the VSL samples.
http://www.ultimatesoundbank.com/uviscp1.html?doc=overview
Brian
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Yes, I totally agree on all points. But they sound to me as though they've been recorded in a very dry environment, so combining them may not be too bad, particularly since the IRCAM stuff would probably be used only for the extended techniques (and the transitions!), and thus would be expected to sound different, to an extent. I'm about 95% sold on this set, as I think it would be a great addition to my composing set-up. I used to make more use of extended techniques in my concert music, before I started using VSL regularly -- this is basically a coincidence, btw; I wrote primarily on paper before I started using VSL -- and I've often felt concerned about these colours sort of disappearing from my vocabulary. So just having access to these techniques in my composition rig would be a real benefit, I think. The only thing that's sort of holding me back is that I already feel burdened down by the job of selecting articulations... I know VSL has made a best-possible solution for this with the VIs, but it's still a chore, and adding more fuel to the articulation-selection fire may just push me over the edge!
J.