Friday, July 16, 2021

REVIEW: Full Bucket Music WhispAir. Freeware VST Wavetable Synthesizer Plug In.

 


Full Bucket Music Whispair: Powerful Wavetable Synthesis in a Single Page GUI.


Introduction.

 

Many of Full Bucket Music's synthesizer plug-ins are digital recreations of vintage Korg synthesizers, so it's no surprise that many of them have the dark blue stylings of late seventies/early eighties Korg keyboards. The MonoPoly and the Trident spring instantly to mind, with the same type of coloured switches with the built in LED lamps. 

But whilst WhispAir may have the looks of a vintage Korg synth, this is very much a new and original creation. 

I'll talk about how Whispair sounds shortly, once I've taken a tour of the controls, but what I also like about it is how everything takes place in a single screen, or GUI. This is quite unusual for a wavetable synthesizer. All the ones I can think of utilize a separate screen with a 'table' for modulation routings. I really like the way Whispair's modulation routings are all accessed via pull up menus on the same GUI which makes things quick, easy and accessible. Great for programming and sound creation.  

Looking at the bottom half of the GUI (graphic user interface) you have all the things you would find on a classic analog synthesizer; a filter, envelope generators and modulation generators (LFOs), but taking a look at the top section and the three oscillators and you'll immediately see that here we have something rather different. 

Rather than switches offering the standard waveshapes of virtual analog oscillators, each is a wavetable generator with multitudes of available wave 'groups' with additional variations within each group as well as starting phase from 0 - 359 degrees. So whilst 'standard' analog recreations are available there's a whole lot more going on here. 

In addition, oscillators 2+3 can be frequency modulated from 1+3 and 1+2 respectively. 

After the waveform generating section, things get a little more 'conventional' with the 'middle section' of controls offering an oscillator mixer, resonant filter with LP24/12 db/oct and HP 24 db/oct filtering with four stage envelope generator. Four stage amplifier EG and a Chorus effect. 

The third row of controls include two Modulation Generators (usually called LFOs) with 6 waveshape types and two more assignable envelope generators. 

The final row deals with keyboard modes which include poly and a unison for fat bass and lead sounds, and patch storing and retrieval. 

A vibrato section allows you to quickly add a little pitch modulation to sounds.


How Does It Sound?


Well in the brief opportunity I've had to have a play with WhispAir, I'd say pretty good. 

In a short space of time I was able to develop some fat, squelchy bass sounds, as well as some nice thick pads. 

Given the number of waveshapes, the complexity of the oscillators, and the number of them, I think it may take some time to get to know these, and to develop a sense of which combinations and  what functions produce the sort of results you are looking for. Time spent playing around with these I feel will be rewarded. 

The 'factory' presets offer a pretty god representation of what the synth can do. Other than the chorus, there are no on-board effects so it my be worth firing it up in your favourite DAW and adding some reverb and delay to some of these sounds. This might offer you a better idea of what it's capable of. 


Conclusion and Download Link:


Head over to Full Bucket Music and check it out via the link below. Whilst you're there you might want to check out their other products, some of which have become classic freeware products. 

If you do like WhispAir and use it in your music, then you may wish to consider a donation. 



 
Hope you like this post. 

Check out my Facebook Page for all the latest software synth reviews and news as well as free synth patches, sample libraries, loops and beats. 

Disclaimer:

The information contained within this blog post is offered on an informal basis and is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept no responsibility for outcomes arising from the mis/interpretation or use of this information and/or associated download files. Always download files via security/scanning software. 


 

Thursday, July 15, 2021

FREE SOUNDWARE: Club Sax. Samples and Patches for Zampler. Part of Project Zompler.

 




Club Sax. Free Sax Samples and Patches for Zampler. 


A collection of four sax patches for Zampler derived form the same sample set. 

Zampler is a free software VST sample player with synthesizer style editing available from Germany's Beat.de music technology magazine. I guess they call it 'magware'. It was developed in partnership with Synapse Audio. You can get your free copy here. You don't need a magazine subscription. 




You can download your free copy here;


In response to a lack of freeware 'Rompler', I'm developing an 'essential' sound collection for Zampler. A kind of software Sound Canvas if you remember those. 

Proteus VX is only 32 bit, Sample Science Player is no longer available, the free version of IK Multimedia's Sample Tank 4 has some great sounds but is not very 'comprehensive' and the same goes for the UVI workstation. The best free soundware collection is the 'Plugsound' AVID edition for UVI Workstation but this is only for Pro Tools! 

So I'm developing this soundware pack for Zampler for songwriters and producers who need a collection of essential sounds. Piano, bass, drums, e-piano, organs, etc. That sort of thing. Quality wise, it's probably a bit of a step up from something like the old Sound Canvas. I have a bit more memory to play with than the engineers of those kind of products. 

Zampler with this patch collection are also a great partner for freeware DAWs such as Soundbridge or Akai Pro MPC Beats. 

The patches are all 'mapped' and ready to use. There's no additional work required. of course, you may wish to edit the sounds with Zampler's synth editing and effects to develop your own creations, and you can save these with Zampler's patch management from it's main screen.

By my reckoning, the collection now stands at 83 patches/sounds with Piano/E-Piano, Bass Guitar, Rock Organ, Drums, Ambient Voices, Acoustic Guitar, Strings, Trumpet, and Pipe Organ patch groups.  So I'm getting nearer to the target 128. Then we'll have, hopefully, all essential bases covered. But I'll keep developing beyond that. 

Club Saxophone for Zampler Download Link. 

Use the link below and download the entire 'Club Saxophone' folder to your hard drive. 
The use Zampler's 'Load Patch' function to select the sounds. The sound patches are the .fxb files. 




I hope you enjoy these sounds, you should find the other Zampler patch groups/sounds by searching 'Zampler' in the search bar above. 

Once I've got to the 128 patches, I'll 'collate' all the sounds and links onto a single blog page. 

Why not like/follow my Facebook Page for more free Zampler sounds and generic sample collections, synth patches, beats and loops.  


Disclaimer:

The information contained within this blog post is offered on an informal basis and is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept no responsibility for outcomes arising from the mis/interpretation or use of this information and/or associated download files. Always download files via security/scanning software. 


 

FREE SOUNDWARE: Oboe Samples and Patches for Zampler. Project Zompler

 



Free Oboe Samples and Patches for Zampler. 


A collection of oboe sounds/patches for Zampler derived form the same sample set. 

Zampler is a free software VST sample player with synthesizer style editing available from Germany's Beat.de music technology magazine. I guess they call it 'magware'. It was developed in partnership with Synapse Audio. You can get your free copy here. You don't need a magazine subscription. 




You can download your free copy here;


There doesn't seem to be much in the way of a freeware 'Rompler' instrument anymore. So I'm developing an 'essential' sound library for Zampler. A kind of software  version of Roland's Sound Canvas, if you remember those. 

It's ideal for songwriters and producers who need a collection of essential sounds. Piano, drums, bass, organs, strings, E-piano, etc. That sort of thing. Maybe a bit of  step up from the Sound Canvas sounds, I've got a bit more memory to play with than hardware engineers in the 80s.

The collection is also a great partner for freeware DAWs such as Soundbridge or Akai Pro MPC Beats to provide a  kind of sound 'foundation' for learning these music platforms. 

The patches are all 'mapped' and ready to use. There's no additional work required. of course, you may wish to edit the sounds with Zampler's synth editing and effects to develop your own creations, and you can save these with Zampler's patch management from it's main screen.

I think I'm now at around 80 patches/sounds with Piano/E-Piano, Electric Bass Guitar, Drums, Voices, Strings, Acoustic Guitar, Rock Organ, Trumpet, and Pipe Organ patch groups.  So I'm getting nearer to the target of 128. Then we'll have the essential bases covered. But I'll keep developing more sounds and patches after that. 

Oboe for Zampler Download Link. 

Use the link below and download the entire 'Oboe' folder to your hard drive. Right click on folder, then select 'download'. 
The use Zampler's 'Load Patch' function to select the sounds. The sound patches are the .fxb files. 




I hope you enjoy these sounds, you should find the other Zampler patch groups/sounds by searching 'Zampler' in the search bar above. 

If you use and enjoy these sounds, perhaps you would like to follow/like my Facebook Page for more free sample libraries, synth patches, beats and loops.  


Disclaimer:

The information contained within this blog post is offered on an informal basis and is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept no responsibility for outcomes arising from the mis/interpretation or use of this information and/or associated download files. Always download files via security/scanning software. 


FEATURE: Buying Secondhand and Refurbished Computers for Music and Audio Applications

 



A Guide to Buying Secondhand Computer Hardware for Music Applications.


Please note: this is a general guide offered on an informal basis and based on my own experiences in the field. Please read the disclaimer at the bottom of the page. 


So in my last computer hardware post I looked at the sort of specs and hardware requirements you'll need to successfully run popular, modern music production software. Youcan check that out via the link below. 




In this post, I'll take a look at the secondhand computer hardware market for those looking at setting up their own computer music system on an extreme budget. We'll discover that the necessary computer hardware required for a pretty powerful music setup can start from as little as around £250. Add to this some of the amazing recording platforms and virtual instruments that can be downloaded completely free and you can have a system with endless creative possibilities for a few hundred pounds. 

You'll need a few other items such as an interface, maybe a mic if you're recording vocals and/or acoustic instruments, and some form of monitoring which could be as simple and inexpensive as a basic set of headphones. We'll take a look at some of these additional items and their availability on the secondhand market in a future post shortly.      

Why Buy Secondhand/Refurbished. 

Well I guess price may be the primary factor but there may be others. 

One useful tip I was given and always pass on when talking about computer music systems is the idea of dedicating a single computing device to your music. You may already own one or even several computers capable of running your required music applications but I've always found music systems work faster and more reliably if you don't have a hard drive filled with other stuff such as video, photos and documents plus all the editing software to go with them. 
If you're serious about your music then I really would recommend dedicating a single computer to it.  

So buying a computer to dedicate to your music endeavours may mean compromising a little on cost and so a secondhand or refurbished system may be the choice. 

You may, of course, rather like the idea of re-cycling and re-using computer hardware. The idea of giving a piece of tech a new life may appeal to you rather than using up more of the planet's resources on new hardware. I don't really consider myself any kind of eco-warrior, but I do like the idea of re-using previously owned tech. 

The secondhand market is also great for students, training and educational applications. You may be looking for hardware to run Pro Tools First as an educational career project so you can learn the basics of such 'industry standard' software. 

Certainly when we are talking about spending a few hundred pounds, you will have no choice but to go for secondhand. For music applications new budget devices like Chromebooks and Chromeboxes as well as budget Windows laptops are just not going to cut it. 

Basic Spec Requirements.

So going back to my previous computer hardware post, I concluded that we need something along the lines of a mid/late generation i5 processor (gen 4 upwards), minimum 8gb of RAM, and 240+gb of SSD mass storage. We need 64 bit Windows 10 and 3+ USB ports. USB 3.0 would be a bonus but 2.0 would work. 

Something that runs pretty quietly would also be a bonus. 

I'm going to assume that were not using it for busking so laptop battery life is not a factor. We're going to be somewhere there's a wall socket at all times. 

So on the basis of these requirements I went looking at both retail and private markets to see what I could find........

What You Can Get. 

The good news is there are now lots of tech sites and retailers supplying secondhand computers, so you really are spoilt for choice. More good news is that most of them offer limited warranties on their products so you also have some protection if your purchase 'falls over' within a certain period.  

Here are some sites you may wish to peruse:


So lets first take a look at some desktop options. 

Secondhand Desktop Computers for Music. 





Stonerefurb was particularly interesting as they offered upgrades to their machines. 

I found a Fujitsu Esprimo desktop computer with Core i5 4590 (3.3ghz), 4gb RAM, 500gb HHD, 4 USB ports and Windows 10 Home Standard for £81.25.  

However, their engineers would upgrade me to 8gb of RAM, a 240gb SSD, Windows 10 Pro, and an internal Wi-Fi card for logging on and total price came to £178.24. That seems like a lot of computer for the price and would massively outperform anything you could buy new for that. Let's face it, you're not going to get much in the way of a new computer at that price. 

A keyboard and mouse added another £20 and we would still need a monitor, but this system would outperform my current laptop hardware which has happily run any DAW I've tried. I could add a secondhand monitor and still have a handful of change from £300. 

A six month warranty is included so I at least get to find out f their engineers have successfully installed the upgrades and everything works OK. Don't know how noisy the fan would be. 

A very similar package was available featuring a HP Prodesk G1. Same upgrade path, almost identical price, slightly more and I got a 6th gen i5. 

Over at CEX I found a Dell Optiplex i5 6th gen, 8gb of RAM with a 128gb SSD, 2 x USB 3.0. 2 x USB 2.0. £180. Bonus here is that I get a 24 month warranty! 

Unlike Stonegroup, CEX don't offer any installed upgrades, but their site is pretty much teaming with suitable desktop computers that would take us a long way down the road in computer music from around £150, and they all seem to have 24 month warranties. 


Secondhand Laptop Computers for Music. 






Over at Laptops Direct, I found a cute little 12.6" HP Elitebook, i7 6th gen, with 8gb of RAM and a 256gb SSD. £324.97. Only a 30 day warranty here, but at least you get to check it's working when it arrives. 

Lenovo ThinkPads abound with i5 4th gen+/8gb/256gb SSD models starting in the early £300s. 

Stonegroup could offer me a HP ProBook 450 i5 4th gen 2.2ghz, 8gb, 256gb SSD with a large 15.6" screen for £329. 

So, I guess refurbished/secondhand laptop prices coming in at around a similar sort of prices to desktop packages with monitors. 

These are, of course, merely examples. Options abound in the secondhand laptop market including other models from Sony, Dell and Acer among others. 


General Tips On Buying Secondhand Computer Hardware.


The most important thing is that the computer is capable of doing what you need it to do and therefore has the required specifications. 

Ask questions. If your vendor is offering you an upgrade path, make sure with the engineers that the power supply will handle the upgrades. Probably not going to be a major issue for a bit more RAM or replacing mass storage drives, but if you'r adding graphics cards or additional drives it may be an issue. 

With laptops, ask about any missing keys and pixels!

Check that it has the operating system you require. A computer may look like a real bargain until you find out it has no Windows!

There are now many vendors specialising in secondhand/refurbished computers with at least short term or 'dead on arrival' style warranties such as those dealers we've mentioned, so it might be worth trying these first. If you can't find exactly what you require here, or you're really on a super tight budget then it might then be worth trying the private sales at Facebook Sales, Ebay, or Gumtree. 

Conclusion. 

So given our minimum requirements of i5 4th gen +, 8gb RAM and 256gb SSD mass storage it looks like were starting at around £200/£300 with monitor for a desktop solution and £300 - £350 for a laptop. 

All of the above mentioned PCs should happily run any major music production platform in a singer/songwriter setup including my favourite freeware packages such as Soundbridge or Akai Pro MPC Beats. Those looking for an educational project will find they can easily run Pro Tools First or Cubase on the above systems. 

Disclaimer:

The information contained within this blog post is offered on an informal basis and is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept no responsibility for outcomes arising from the mis/interpretation or use of this information and/or associated download files. Always download files via security/scanning software. 


Sunday, July 11, 2021

SOUNDWARE: Roland FA Series. Analog Workshop Vol 1. Patches, Drum Samples, Loops.

 




Analog Workshop Vol 1 For Roland FA-06 / 07 / 08.

64 great sounding synthesizer patches, 64 classic analog drum samples and 64 synthesizer sample loops inspired by the best in European electronic music. 



Introduction.

Analog Workshop Vol 1 features 64 synth patches, 64 classic analog drum machine samples and 64 synthesizer sample loops that will spark your creativity and have you writing electronic music hits in no time. 

This state of the art soundware pack digs deep down into the FA Series powerful features and massively expands on the standard factory sounds and capabilities. 

Like many modern instruments, the FA Series comes loaded with hundreds of factory presets, but they don't even come close to fulfilling the instruments potential in terms of usability, creativity and ........ 

So for just a few dollars you get..........


The Three Sound Collections:


FA Series Synthesizer Patches:


Using only the FA Series Super Natural 'analog' synthesizer waveforms, the sixty four synth patches feature synth basses that sit perfectly into your mixes, powerful polysynth sounds that add bite and colour, and synth lead creations that are as expressive and playable as they get!

Classic Analog Drum Samples:


Alongside the synth patches are sixty four classic 'analog' drum samples. Soft, thuddy kick drums, snappy snares, vintage toms and an assortment of electronic percussion sounds that will make your rhythm tracks sparkle. 




Synthesizer Sample Loops:


Finally, a collection of electronic synth arpeggio samples taken from the best selling 'Motorik City' collection of synth samples will take you on an inspirational journey through the best in Northern European electronic music. 






More About The Soundware Pack:


All my sound packs are 'genre specific' collections designed to help you get the most from your hard earned instrument. For just a few dollars you'll really start to squeeze every creative drop from your FA Series synthesizer workstation. Each soundware pack contains so many elements, it's like getting a new instrument!
And soundware pack that inspires you to dig deep into the FA Series true capabilities to develop your own sonic creations and become a real FA Series power user!



Bonus Soundware.



In addition to the Analog Workshop Vol 1 soundware pack you will also get 32 patches from the 'Widescreen Pads and Soundscapes' collection. 

These are a collection of moving, changing cinematic pads for FA Series. Check out the demo video for these sounds in the section below. 


Demo Video and Tracks. 


Check out the demo video for Analog Workshop Vol 1 below or at my Youtube Channel. 




Check out the demo video below for the bonus Widescreen Pads and Soundscapes Vol 1.  Patches for Roland FA Series. 




There is also a sales brochure and user guide available as a pdf. You can download that here. 

  
Why not subscribe to my YouTube channel for loads more demos, technical videos, and original music. 

Price and Downloading:


Analog Workshop Vol 1 for Roland FA Series can be downloaded from my Payhip store. Price is £6.
Payment and downloading is entirely automated and entirely secure via the blue button below. 


  


Thank you for checking out this soundware collection. Loads more soundware products already available and still to come for both hardware and software synths. Why not follow my Facebook Page for the latest updates. 


 

Saturday, July 10, 2021

FEATURE: What Sort Of Computer Do I Need For Music Production

 

What sort of computer do I need for music production?


It's a question I get asked.......a lot. 

As with most things in life the answer is not all that simple, but I can draw on some experience and share that with you as well as offer some general pointers with regard minimum computer specs and perhaps identify some common pitfalls. 

For the purposes of this piece, I'll look at the computer as the basis of a music production/songwriter system rather than more specialized applications such as live recording. 

I'll make no real distinction between desktop and laptop systems other than to point out that desktop processors tend to be a little faster due to the manufacturer not having to worry about battery life and power consumption, and there is greater potential for 'overclocking'. 

So there in itself lies our first point. If your system is not intended to be portable, and given that apart from the additional cost of a monitor, prices for equivalent desktop and laptop systems are similar, pound for pound a desktop PC is likely to offer you a bit more speed and power.  

Specs for music PCs.

Music applications, particularly music production platforms (or DAWs as they are commonly referred to) will place demands on a computer over and above general business or 'lifestyle' computing such as web surfing/publishing/photo editing so it's important to pay close attention to the major specs. 

These will include processor type/speed, hard drive type and size, RAM size and operating system. If you are looking for a portable/laptop computer, say, for busking applications, then battery life will also be a major factor to look for.

Processor Type/Speed.




In terms of processor manufacturer, you have two choices. Intel or AMD. A few years ago, most people would stick with Intel Core i-Series processors, but that changed with the introduction of AMDs Ryzen Series of CPUs and these processors are now often seen specified within very powerful computers designed for music applications. 

You really should stick to these processors for music and audio applications that can be taxing on your CPU. AMD non-Ryzen products will be a little too slow in my opinion and any Intel equipped computer that doesn't use a Core i-series chip (Pentium say) is probably going to be rather old now and not really worth consideration. 

If you're buying a new/boxed product then the CPU is likely to be among the latest generation of processors, so you don't need to worry too much about which 'generation' it is. In my next 'feature' computer hardware post I'll be taking a look at secondhand/refurbished computers, so we'll take a look at processor 'generation' then. 

For now, I would say that a late generation i5 or Ryzen 4000 series processor would be the minimum requirement. I started running music applications on an i3 (third gen) but did find that it started to reach it's CPU limit quite quickly as I built up tracks and used certain plug-ins, a problem which quickly disappeared when I upgraded to a seventh gen i5. Broadly similar performance is offered by the AMD Ryzen 4000 Series processors. 

As I said, I'm talking here of a typical singer/songwriter style setup with 1/2 track simultaneous recording. Applications such as 8/16 track simultaneous recording of live bands may require higher specifications. 

RAM Memory. 




The next link in the 'performance chain' for computer hardware is the RAM. RAM is high speed storage that a computer program uses to store and utilise temporary data. So it's the link between your software program and the computers hard drive, which is a more permanent storage device. The more RAM you have, the more information the computer and software can store before moving it to or from the hard drive (more on hard drives shortly). This plays a big part in the performance of audio programs and the more and faster RAM you have the better. 

I won't dwell too much on RAM types or speed, particularly if you're buying new, but I would suggest that 8 gigabytes would be minimum for a successful and capable music/audio system. But again, like all specs, if you're budget will allow for more, 16gb+, then go for it. It will mean more tracks, more plug-ins, and more processing, which means (possibly) better songs. 

Permanent Mass (Hard Drive) Storage.




Prices of SSD type hard drives has been falling dramatically over recent years since they were introduced into the computer mass market. The speed and reliability of these devices really means that for music production platforms it really is a 'no brainer'. HDD's, which use spinning disks and a 'transducer arm' to read and write data are really now considered 'legacy technology' and unless you wanted to store VERY large amounts of data, for example, if you were a DJ with thousands of songs needing storing, then you really should go for an SSD which uses 'solid state' memory technology with no moving parts or spinning disks. 

Writing and accessing an SSD is quicker and easier for a computer and therefore overall speed and system performance is generally better.

I would generally recommend 240gb as a minimum, and a 512gb if you can afford it. I bought my music computer a few years ago when SSD's were a bit pricier and so only got a 128gb. I do check out and review a lot of software, so I guess I was always going to run out of mass storage fairly quickly, but things like sample libraries can also eat up space so your probably going to need a bit more than 128gbs.

You can get additional internal drives for desktop computers, or external/USB types for laptops relatively cheaply these days, but using a computer with dual mass storage hard drive can bring some complications and inconveniences.  

Backing up your essential files and creations will be important, and for this you might find USB 'key' type memory devices very useful although 'cloud' storage is also becoming cheaper and very popular. 


So that's the three major performance factors covered. But there are one or two other things....

Other Things To Consider


Ports



Ports that allow our computer to communicate with external devices will be important for a music system. 

USB ports are used for most audio interfaces and input devices such as keyboards and pad/ controller devices, but we may also need them for external storage. I would recommend at least three. 

You can get devices that will 'split' your available USB port capacity but it is a rather inelegant solution which adds another external device to your system.

I was recently checking out the second hand market for a super-small 12" laptop and thought I'd found just what I was looking only to find it only had one USB port. 

Audio interfaces using other data transfer protocols such as Firewire and Thunderbolt are also available and obviously you'll need these ports if your using these types of audio interfaces. 


Operating System.

I would certainly recommend 64 bit versions of Windows for music applications. I think most relevant plug-ins are now 64-bit and a lot of up to date DAWs will now only run on 64 bit systems. Windows 10 32 bit is now discontinued, so, again, if you're purchasing new computer hardware it will more than likely be supplied with a 64 bit version of Windows. If you're buying refurbished/secondhand then check this out. It may be supplied with no operating system at all!

Wi-Fi. 

I still log into my programs and VSTs via the internet. Running an ethernet cable to my router would be a serious pain so Wi-Fi capability would be important to me and, I guess, for most people. Not a problem for any new or recent laptop, but some even 'not so old' desktops may not have it. 

Physical Noise.

If you're recording acoustic instruments or vocals from a microphone in the same room as your computer then you need to consider the physical noise your computer makes. Desktop computer power supplies are generally fan cooled and this may generate some physical noise. Microphone isolators will help with this problem but if you're buying a desktop you will need to consider physical/mechanical noise. 

 

Conclusion.

So I think that about covers it. A mid/later generation i5 processor with 8gb of RAM and a 240gb SSD hard drive will take you a long way. It's the system spec of my laptop (the mass storage configuration is slightly different) but generally it's much the same. 

I run Reason 9 as my primary DAW as a singer/songwriter type system, but I also regularly use it to test and checkout other software to inform this blog site. It runs smoothly and quickly and really does everything I ask of it. Occasionally, with a project using lots of tracks and several instances of Steinberg's Halion 6 plug-in it will produce a CPU error message which I have to work around, but apart from that it all works rather well and allows me produce my little works of art which only a select few people get to hear. But that's another story.......

   

Links:

If you found this article useful, then why not follow my Facebook Page for updates. There are technical articles, free soundware including sample libraries, synth patches, and loops/beats and software reviews, as well as the latest computer usic news. 

My Youtube Channel also features technical videos and soundware demos so you can check that out and if you like what you see, maybe subscribe. 


Disclaimer:

The information contained within this blog post is offered on an informal basis and is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept no responsibility for outcomes arising from the mis/interpretation or use of this information and/or associated download files. Always download files via security/scanning software. 


Tuesday, July 6, 2021

SOUNDWARE: ANIMAtronic Vol 1 for Steinberg HALion ANIMA Synthesizer



 

The first collection of ANIMA sounds/patches are now taking shape and almost completed.....and it now has a name: ANIMAtronic Vol 1.

The sounds will presented in two forms. As ANIMA patches and arpeggios that can be fully edited for owners of Halion 6 or the standalone ANIMA plugin. 
The arpeggios will also be available as a collection of samples. Not as flexible or editable as the patches but with capable sample editing software with time stretching and synth parameters, still a great sounding sample library pack. 

You can hear some of the patches/samples and a general discussion about ANIMA and the concept of the soundware pack on this preview video:



 
A fuller, more formal demo video will follow upon release, so stay tuned.....more information at the bottom of the page. 

A couple more demo 'vignettes' are also available via my hearthis account below. 

The video also includes a brief discussion of Steinberg's HALion 6 sound generating software and instrument suite, ANIMA itself, some of the other synths within HALion 6, one or two of my other favourite wavetable software synths, and a general discussion of wavetable synthesis generally. All interesting stuff, but I can ramble on a bit. 






Why not subscribe to the YouTube page or my Facebook Page for the latest soundware updates including the release of ANIMAtronica Vol 1 later this month (July 2021).

Disclaimer:

The information contained within this blog post is offered on an informal basis and is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept no responsibility for outcomes arising from the mis/interpretation or use of this information and/or associated download files. Always download files via security/scanning software. 


 

Saturday, July 3, 2021

SOUNDWARE: Ambient Voices for Zampler. Demo Video.

A short demo video is now published and ready to view for the Ambient Voices sound set for Zampler. 

Part of my Project Zompler soundware project. Project Zompler aims to provide an 'essential' set of sounds for Zampler which can be used with an 'entry level' DAW such as Cubase LE or Bitwig 8 track or maybe a freeware computer music platform such as the excellent Soundbridge. 

Giving the users of these platforms an excellent 'foundation' of essential sounds. 

There are currently 80+ patches in the library from a number of sets. Piano/E-Piano, Electric Bass, Strings, Rock Organ, Pipe Organ, Acoustic Guitar, Session Drums and Flute sets. Each set contains a number of patches. You'll find the all on this site. just search 'Zompler' in the search bar.    

Check out the video below. 



More information, instructions, and the download link for the sounds can be found at the main Ambient Voices Zampler post below. 

https://www.simonthompsonmusic.co.uk/2021/06/soundware-project-zompler-ambient.html

.....and please like/follow my Facebook Page for all the latest free soundware developments including sample libraries, synth patches, loops and beats, as well as lots of music technology articles, reviews, and news. 

SOUNDWARE: PROJECT ZOMPLER. Recital Trumpet. Free Trumpet Sounds and Patches for Zampler.

 

What I would describe as a 'classical' trumpet sound for Zampler
Great with lots of reverb for distant 21st century classical vistas!

Four patches as part of my Project Zompler designed to provide an essential sound library for Zampler VST sample player/synth. 

Ready to use patches. No keyboard mapping or other editing required. 

Demo video coming to the YouTube channel soon.  

Download Link


Download your free Trumpet sounds using the link below. 
Download the entire folder to your hard drive by right clicking on 'Recital Trumpet'.
Then use Zampler's 'load patch' function to load and use the sounds.




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Disclaimer:

The information contained within this blog post is offered on an informal basis and is correct to the best of my knowledge. I accept no responsibility for outcomes arising from the mis/interpretation or use of this information and/or associated download files. Always download files via security/scanning software.

SOUNDWARE: Magnum Opus. Rock Organ for Zampler. Demo Video.

Completed the demo video for Magnum Opus: Rock Organs for Zampler. 

Fairly 'off the cuff' and informal this one. 

Check it out.........




Here's the main page for the soundware pack with more information and the download link.


https://www.simonthompsonmusic.co.uk/2021/06/project-zompler-magnum-opus-free-rock.html


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