Pre-sales questions on Overdrive

[Jess]

Hellou,

This is my first post here.

A bit of background. I've been doing a few recording with my ESP guitar using POD 2.0 and sometimes directly to my sound card and use Guitar Rig...but, well, the sound is just not good enough....and also, I'm not a good guitarist, so there are some guitar works that are beyond me.

Some kind folks in KVRaudio recommended me to use some Giga libraries such as Overdrive, Prominy LPC, and many others. Unfortunately, this needs GigaStudio... which I've purchased (bet on!). So, I'm quite a new bie to GigaStudio and have yet to determine which library fits the bill.

Overdrive is good as I need low C sound (as I want to simulate DROP C tuned guitar). (Prominy LPC don't have that).

Questions: -
1. I heard there's a need to install a special software called Performance Tool. Prominy need not this. Was wondering what's the main reason another software is required?

2. My music would probably have little or no solo (less complexity?). Sound aftered are hardcore and nue metal. How can one lay out a chord progression and some palm mute here & there via the MIDI keyboard?

3. Where can I get information on ensure that I've anti machine gun effect. Yes, playing with diff velocity is one...but how about playing up and downstroke? Can someone pls explain how is this setup?

[Martin]

Hello Jess,

the Performance Tool is the application that manages incoming MIDI data and creates realistic legatos (ie., fluid transitions from one note to the next one) or repetitiions (no machine gun effect). With GigaStudio and HALion, the Performance Tool is an external application, running between the keaboard/sequencer and the sampler. The Performance Tool is a plug-in in Logic/EXS24 (it's the same application but there's need to launch it in addition to the sampler), and its algorithms are also incorparated into the all Horizon Series' programs for Kontakt 2.
You'll get a short overview of the way the Performance Tool works here (including Repetitions - you don't need to work with different velocities since up to nine consecutive repeated notes have been recorded and the individual notes are triggered by the Performance Tool as you play in real-time):
http://www.vsl.co.at/en-us/68/331/211.vsl
Overdrive also includes a wealth of chords (which can also be played in Repetition Mode).

Best wishes, Martin

[Jess]

Thanks for your response.

Just 2 follow-up questions: -

1. How easy is it to layout chord progressions that has some palm mutes here and there?

2. How about simulating down and up stroke? Is this part of 'Repetitions' or require some manual key switching?

Thanks.

@Martin said:

Hello Jess,

the Performance Tool is the application that manages incoming MIDI data and creates realistic legatos (ie., fluid transitions from one note to the next one) or repetitiions (no machine gun effect). With GigaStudio and HALion, the Performance Tool is an external application, running between the keaboard/sequencer and the sampler. The Performance Tool is a plug-in in Logic/EXS24 (it's the same application but there's need to launch it in addition to the sampler), and its algorithms are also incorparated into the all Horizon Series' programs for Kontakt 2.
You'll get a short overview of the way the Performance Tool works here (including Repetitions - you don't need to work with different velocities since up to nine consecutive repeated notes have been recorded and the individual notes are triggered by the Performance Tool as you play in real-time):
http://www.vsl.co.at/en-us/68/331/211.vsl
Overdrive also includes a wealth of chords (which can also be played in Repetition Mode).

Best wishes, Martin

[Paul]

Hi,

you find different power chords already provided (4ths and 5ths), and you can decide which tones you put together for a chord, be they muted or unmuted.
Up and downstroke is automatically simulated in all Performance Modes. The most interesting Legato Mode for me is the hammer on - pull off Mode you can hear in some of the demos.

Best, Paul

[Lake]

Hello all!

I['ve already got the performance tool for the pro edition running on Logic with the EXS samples. Do I need to still download anything for overdrive?
THANKS!
David

[Paul]

Hi Lake,

there is a special mapping applied for all guitars, but you should have the correct version of the Performance Tool. Please makes sure you registered overdrive, this is the correct version of the Performance Tool waiting for you:

Performance Tool 1.08 for all Editions EXS24 mkII on MacOS X

and you can find it here:

http://vsl.co.at/en-us/68/157/58.vsl

Best,

Paul

[Lake]

I should be good then -- tho does it make any difference that I down loaded the Performance Tool before I had Overdrive (so it coudn't read that I had a registered copy, etc.) In otherwords, I got Overdrive and registered it after I got the Tool (oh, and I do think I've got the current update as I only got the Pro Ed a month or so ago).

Thanks Paul!

David

[Paul]

I´d say, try it out.

there are Tools for the Pro Edition only, and there are Tools for all editions.

best, Paul

[Jess]

@Paul said:

Hi,

you find different power chords already provided (4ths and 5ths), and you can decide which tones you put together for a chord, be they muted or unmuted.
Up and downstroke is automatically simulated in all Performance Modes. The most interesting Legato Mode for me is the hammer on - pull off Mode you can hear in some of the demos.

Best, Paul

Probably side tracked, but what is a 4th or 5th power chords in the guitar world?
(I know what is a standard power chord as a novice guitarist )

[Lake]

Paul:

Thanks -- I'll give it a shot as is and let you know if I have any issues. The first project I have for Overdrive is a Trans Siberian Orchestra piece. Why mess around, eh?

Ciao!

David

[Lake]

Jess:

When you hear any musician speak about chords or notes with regard to a number, they are talking about the note on a musical scale. 1 would be the first note of the key you are playing in (for example, if you're playing in "E", then E is your "root" or 1. Now, you'll never see a "1" in a chordal structure as it is presumed (tho you will see it often when referring to a chordal progression, such as a 1-5-1-4-1 progression. in E, that would be E-B-E-A-E). Starting with 1, just count up the scale and you'll get the corresponding note (or chord, if that's what's relevant)
I am not a guitar player so don't have all the ins-and-outs here, but I'd presume that 4th would be some variety of suspended power chord (4ths typically resolve to 5th or 3th, hense the reference to them as being "suspended" until they resolve). Guitars typically play in 5ths and 3rds are not a part of what you are doing, so I'd bet that the 5th they are referring to are the simple power chords you already know. Again, I'd invite a guitar player to chime in here to confirm all of this -- I'm just relaying a little music theory 101 from a traditional perspective.

Good luck!

David