I still like Hyper Canvas a lot..of the others that I own and tried..the overall winner to me is Hyper Canvas..I am referring to GM playback mostly...There are favorite sounds I like in my other Soft synths..piano from Super Quartet, as an example..My KeyRig[M-Audio] is nice, but does not compete with HyperCanvas...If I didn't own HyperCanvas I would be thinking KeyRig is the Total winner...at any rate for the money, you will find it hard to beat KeyRig...but for a little more $, I'm glad I have Hyper Canvas.

The other thing I did not mention is the need for a good control surface. Now some things are happening but again they are happening for the studio (Cubase & Sonar) where the hardware is being built to match up with these sequencers. We need something like that for our style players and soft synths.

There are some choices out there that have everything in a keyboard (Windows, soft synths, HDs, soundcards, etc.)....but still way to expensive. I guess my preference would be to have some company build a keyboard that has nothing in it but the operating system and all the keys, knobs, faders one needs to get the job done. This could at minimum meet or exceed the GM2 standard. In this case the customer goes out and buys the soundcards, HDs, soft synths and anything else needed to get the job done. This bare GM2 based keyboard should be costed at somewhere around say $1k. With another $1k you could get the rest for a total of say $2k. What's wrong with that....it is flexible and completely satisfies customer needs.

Alternatively, build the same keyboard but don't include the operating system and rather buy an external computer to do the rest. This would be my favorite approach...very flexible....cost effective???

Fran, I agree with you that HyperCanvas is great out of the box but once you tune up Bandstand it does not do so well. Bandstand has higher quality samples and effects, e.g., convolution reverb, etc. However, it costs more and is harder on the CPU. If you want to use soft synths for live performances then something like HyperCanvas or SGM180 are good alternatives. I still think you need something better for lead or melody voices. I find even Bandstand is not good enough for this and will continue to use kontakt and sample libraries such as GPO, GJ&BB, Colossus, B4 and so on.

I think NI will solve major sound and operating issues with Bandstand and it will become the go to sampler for things like style or midi files. We shall see. I currently use Bandstand and have converted my most commonly used styles to the GM format with the great help from M. Bedesem's MidiPlayer II.


[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 01-16-2006).]

trident, to use Bandstand you can setup all your CC# stuff in your midi or style files. I think you can do the same thing by sending it SysEx messages. When it comes to effects, volumes, levels, etc. Bandstand is GM, GM2, GS and XG compatible.

So with a little work you can get Bandstand to sound pretty good. Oh, and you need to make sure that all the drum channels are merged to Channel 10. In addition, that you select the appropriate drum instruments within each kit. I used M. Bedesem's MidiPlayer II for this.....fast and easy.

I would hazard a guess that in 3 or 4 months Bandstand will have no competion. If on top of everything they allow you to use any other instruments, SGM180, GM500, kontakt, etc. then it becomes a very simple useful sample player. I would still like to have kontakt around for tweaking samples and performing the very high qaulity stuff.

Hi Theo,
if you want to try soundfonts with a midifile , try downloading synthfont,
doesn't require a creative soundcard, or any other software to play fonts
http://www.rundt.de.vu/

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by trident:
[B]

As for the sound itself, hmmmmm...... never tried SG180 and such,

Hi Frank,
some great suggestions.

Be great if one day sounds will be replaceble within a program like Bandstand, the same as you can do in a soundfont. If you're not happy with a sound, you just replace it.

I know one function I'd really luv to see in a software arranger, the use of audio drum loops that can sync in time with a style.
I discovered I have this function in my sd1+.
No more worrying about converting drums , wrong velocities etc find a great sounding loop ( groove) replace one of the drum tracks in the style, and use the other to add a few extra drums.

Also wondering if I wanted to use my SD1 to play the actual styles, could a sampler like Kontakt ( or whatever) be used to play the melody/lead voice?? Not asking whether the sd1 is capable of doing it, just what sort of setup is required on the softsynth side of things.


best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Frank L. Rosenthal:
[B]AJ here are some of the recommendations I left with NI on their Bandstand forum:

Rikki, you are way ahead of me.....and I can't help but feel abandoned in my soft synth world.

Yes, you can use your SD1 to play lead or melody voices while using it to play the SD1 styles at the same time. All you need to do is set up the Channels you wish to use for this purpose and load in the appropriate instruments in kontakt and away you go. If you are going to use very high quality instruments then keep in mind it takes some 30 seconds or so to load a 2 GB Piano, etc. In a case like this you would preload such instruments in the channels of your choice and then change channels on your SD1 to call them up and play....instantly. As another alternative you could set up a multi in kontakt and then use program change numbers to call up the instruments you require. This may work best in your example of using the SD1 for both purposes (auto accompaniment and soft synth lead voices). Again you would preload all the instruments you require.

Rikki I trust you know that you can use Sonar or Cubase to play drum loops in sync with other things. I haven't checked but there could be VST instruments which may do the same thing....worth a check.

Hi Frank,
I'm still using OMB as well as the sd1. I've got some Yammie styles that i really like, & I'm not sure whether it's worth the hassle of converting them over to the sd1. Plus I like the idea of virtually having 2 keyboards.

Loading time for a lead instrument wouldn't be that big a hassle for me, just handy to know it can be done.

The loops in cubase & sonar, I assume that's only for midifiles/songs, they couldn't be used in realtime with OMB ( ie replacing the drum track & playing a loop instead.

That's the beauty of the sd1 drum track 2, it syncs the loop to the style, it's just as if you were playing a normal drum track.

best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Frank L. Rosenthal:
[B]