Thanks Frank. I was beginning to get concerned because NI still doesn't have any MP3 demos online of Bandstand. I'd like to hear it play something, anything.

I am also still a little curious as to how playable the stand-alone piano sound is in Bandstand (GM Patch #1)? Also, have you had a chance to notice how CPU-intensive Bandstand is? I noticed that it includes convolution reverb which often takes a lot of processor power to run.

FYI: Keyboard magazine has done a review of NI Akoustic Piano in the newest edition (Dec. 2005). Here's an interesting quote:

"There's no question Akoustic sonically surpasses hardware stage pianos, for example, the S90 ES used as a test controller, whose "Natural S" patch is certainly no slouch...".

We have been saying that you could get a better piano from softsynths than hardware and Keyboard has officially vindicated this. Keyboard further goes on to compare Akoustic with Ivory, basically saying that Akoustic is more in-your-face while Ivory is more intimate, and that Ivory seems to be less CPU-intensive... Akoustic's convolution reverb and 10-layer samples suck the juice out of a computer apparently and the reviewer said there aren't enough "lite" options to make Akoustic less hungry, which is why it did not get a Key Buy award apparently. They did not definitively say whether Ivory or Akoustic was better (of course) but the review for Akoustic was glowing except for the CPU aspects.

Esh, I haven't had a chance to test instruments on an individual/lead basis. On my computer everything seems to work ok in terms of load and RAM use. In fact, I have everything loaded (forte, Audio IN/OUT, Antares, DecaBuddy, B4 II, Kontakt, Bandstand and Sonitus Effects. CPU usage sits somewhere around 45 to 50% with about 750 Megs of 2GBs of RAM still available. This includes loading 8 large instruments into Kontakt.

Esh, thank for pointing out some of the issues concerning NI's Akoustic Piano. There are some issues remainging with kontakt 2, B4 II as well as Bandstand. In fact, in my Bandstand package there is a notice of an update for it on there web site to correct some problems. I have yet to find this update.

I have still not found my periodic distortion I am getting from Bandstand. The loading of instruments for styles is fast but not instant. This could be my buffer setting....I have not found the answer as of yet.

There is no doubt once everything will be up and running (and I think it will) it will be a good sounding system.

I still get excited over all this new stuff. Progress is being made on all fronts for the benefit of musicians and their customers.

Forgive me if I seem a little slow these days I am old and sick. At best I can work at my computer for only an hour or so. But I will get there.

[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 11-23-2005).]

Thanks for the review Frank. I always read your (and all) posts on software arrangers.

Rikki, What are you using now for your accompaniment voices? Are you using SGM180? I think you purchased something from Reason (I think).
Starkeeper

Frank: thanks and feel free to take your sweet time with this stuff. This should all be about reducing stress, not causing it. We're all a little anxious to know how your progress goes just because it's exciting but noone here is in any hurry.

Some more info:

This month's Keyboard on p14 under their "rumors" section is hinting that Yamaha is about to buy another "European software powerhouse" which could "consolidate the market even further". They go on to hint that Yamaha is about to "get it's software act together in a very big way" and that laptop musicians made suddenly find themselves suffering from "option overload". None of this is said directly but it's all phrased in such a way that you get the idea.

You may recall that Yamaha bought Steinberg and thus acquired VST technology, but have as of yet to release any softsynths. Also, I noticed on the last page of Keyboard that there is an ad for CME keyboards which says "distributed exclusively in the US by Yamaha America" (the mLan capability of the CME's was a clue but this is the first confirmation I'd seen of the Yamaha/CME partnership).

So I'm hazarding a guess: Yamaha has bought somebody like Native Instruments or Zero-G and will announce a major set of softsynths to go with it's fleet of controllers and proprietary synth technology at Winter NAMM. I think this will have major implications for all of our "flr2006" systems.

Esh, my those are exciting rumours/news concerning the emerging world of Yamaha. I for one can't wait for the day that the big guys get into this in a big way and get the job done right. I would galdly see my flr2006 become obsolete and embrace a better new world in music making devices and support.

I have done some more testing of individual instruments in NI Bandstand and find they sound every bit as good as those in any top of the line hardware based keyboards including the pianos. I think the pianos are sampled by NI in fact. However, it is not as good as Ivory or Akoustic. You know when you sit down and play one of these virtual acoustic instruments .... it feels & sounds so close to the real thing. It feels so good to play such instruments with high quality accompaniment of drums (brush), bass, piano and say trumpet ensemble. It is really really really good. I am excited about all of this and the news or rumours you provided....how exciting.

An interesting aside, I can't load these instruments into kontakt. It reminds me to get a newer version of kontakt....I have the newest version. The first sign that one may not beable to replace instruments within Bandstand.

It turns out I have one or two of the following problems in my system with NI Bandstand:

Midi loop between Live-Styler and Bandstand or...

Note off messages required by Bandstand in all cases within the Auto Accompaniment.


I did not have any of this with LiveSynth Pro and Live-Styler. I will get to work with the various parties and get this solved. I will try OMB later on and see if it suffers the same fate with Bandstand. You know I want Bandstand to work within my system. It makes for a consistent, elegant and high quality system of hardware and software. Again, I think it will happen!!!!


[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 11-23-2005).]

What? Now this is very exciting news.
Starkeeper

Frank,

Seeing this part of your message brought such a smile to me, that I had to respond.
That is what this is all about I think, the happiness and joy that the gift of music brings ( sorry if I sound like "Estaban.. lol ).

I may have been a little guilty of hijacking this thread when I responded initially, but there were some definite positives in using the AJ2006 in a live stetting as well. I sometimes think of you when I play on it, because I don't think the system would be anywhere near what it is right now without all of the helpful advice and guidance you have provided here. Thank You for that, because it has meant a lot to me.

Now, as I mentioned, the positives: The Friday night gig was at a party with my coworkers, many of whom have seen me perform in the past. A few are also musically inclined and play at various levels. The response I received from playing "Real Guitar" and Prosounds Fretted electrics was almost one of disblelief. Disbelief in that the sounds were not coming from an actual guitar.

Ditto when I let out a few sounds from the Arturia Moog module and B4. A couple of the guys who have some synth knowledge couldn't believe how B4's organs came across. Imagine if I had a pair of Leslies...

I will probably wind up with a Tyros 2 in the near future, and I'm sure I'll be very happy with it, but nothing in today's hardware ( in my mind and opinion of course ) can match the brilliant lead sounds that come from the AJ2006. Since my laptop goes just about everywhere that I play, even with the PA80 or OMB as my backup band, I think I'm already pretty well set no matter what I get from here..

AJ

[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 11-23-2005).]

Starkeeper & AJ, thanks for your comments. I just want to make sure I am not being misinterpreted with my quality comments. The NI Bandstand is good quality .... as good as say the Tyros but not nearly as good as say the NI AKoustic Piano, B4 II, Garritan Strings, VRSound Sax and so on. In fact, I would say that Garritan's GPO and Jazz & Big Band are of better quality then the NI Bandstand. However, Bandstand will be well good enough for live performances but not quite up to studio work.

I just like the Bandstand & kontakt combo. I have the full quality range under my thumb with the same sampler engine and effects. It is not perfect....in fact there are some irritating bugs but these will be fixed no doubt.

Going back to Esh's comments....it would be nice if corporations such as Yamaha and others picked up their socks and built keyboards with the appropriate control surfaces and giving us the flexibility to install the sounds, effects and styles of our chosing. The day will come.....

[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 11-23-2005).]

Hi Esh,
that would be truly exciting, whether that means we'll end up with a softsynth that works with our styles, we'll have to wait & see.
Something new to look forward to.

best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Esh:
[B]
This month's Keyboard on p14 under their "rumors" section is hinting that Yamaha is about to buy another "European software powerhouse" which could "consolidate the market even further". They go on to hint that Yamaha is about to "get it's software act together in a very big way" and that laptop musicians made suddenly find themselves suffering from "option overload".

Hi Starkeeper,
at the moment nothing,I've gone off on one of my tangents.
Currently I've got a bunch of gm/gs/xg fonts, that I'm totally pulling to pieces.
First part of my project will be to try and put together a drum set that works with my psr styles. I hope to use which ever one of the 2 keyboards I'm considering, as a reference, ie a bit of editing, and if neccesary sample some of the drums.

Next if the above works , I hope to put together a library of drum tracks
( midi loops) that can be used in omb styles ie start with
edited drum soundfont next collect drum style tracks in assorted genres (these will have already been edited to work with the drumfont). Idea is to be able to replace an existing drum track ( one that may not be working properly) with one that does.

Crazy idea, probably yes, but it's a project I tried to do many years back, but the software for storing & importing tracks into styles, didn't exist back then.
Nowadays it can be done in OMB, so I thought I might give it another go.
Drums have always been a pet peeve of mine. Whenever I used to convert styles from one format to another, the drums nearly always caused the biggest hassle. Most other instruments were fairly easily tweaked to sound good. Maybe it's just me that has drum problems , come to think of it, you don't see that many female drummers Haa Haa.

Actually I'll probably get my font all fixed up the way I want , and Yammi will bring out the perfect softsynth for us. haa hha ( I wish)

How are you going with your software arranger setup ? have you got it all up & running?? I ended up with an audigy for my laptop for fonts as well as my software setup.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Starkeeper:
[B]Rikki, What are you using now for your accompaniment voices?