Hiya Frank,
and there you had me thinking I'd save money by giving up buying keyboard after keyboard. Instead you keep whetting our appetite with all these wonderful software sound options. Now I'll have to get more memory for my laptop and an external hard drive
( haa haa )

Be great to hear how you go with this latest option.

I've been having a bit of a break from music, ( though I do check the synthzone forum) Just noticed Jammer has brought out version 6. Apparently can now create styles more easily including from midifiles. Be interesting to see if they work with Jammer Live. It's the only thing I had against the program, not enough variety of styles.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Frank L. Rosenthal:
[B]This could be the next enhancement to my software based arranger system. It could make it GM compatible (& flexible). I will certainly test it: http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?id=bandstand_us

I think the auto midi to style creation is the only main difference I saw with Jammer from vers 5 to 6 Rikki, but I'm not sure whether or not I'll upgrade. I understand that version 4 was a 16 bit app and 5 was a 32 and had a lot of added functions over 4, but I really miss the interface, simplicity and creative spontaneity that was available in version 4. I was and still am a bit disappointed with that upgrade.

frank, you can add AJ-2006 to that list, as my system continues to grow and evolve, once again largely thanks to the info I get from people like you, Rikki, Esh, and others. I am still looking for a better GM solution as well, so I will continue to read with interest.

Cheers,

AJ

Here's something interesting if you use MP3 files for backing...

I got the Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy2 ZS Laptop PCMCIA soundcard for my Acer Ferrari notebook computer. It has a nice clean sound and good specs, but what really was neat was that it came with several software programs including "Media Organizer". This media database program can playback MIDI, WAV and MP3 files, but it can also analyze the volume of your MP3 files and play them all back at relatively the same volume (handy!), and it has a real time control for adjusting file playback speed - so you can adjust the song tempo smoothly, live, without affecting the pitch, just like you can with a MIDI file!

I went from using Yamaha's defunct XG softsynth on my laptop to using MP3 files that I created by recording my MIDI files playing on my Yamaha 9000 Pro keyboard. The files sound very good and work great as backing when I play a client-supplied piano (I still use the 9000 Pro live when no piano is available). This tactic was meant as a stop-gap measure until I find the right GM softsynth, like Bandstand or similar, to play my MIDI files live and work with OMB as an interactive arranger on my laptop. Once I decide on an acoustic piano sample program for live use (NI's Akoustic Piano possibly) and get my CME UF8 controller (I'm selling my loaded Motif ES 8 later this month) then I plan to migrate from the 9000 Pro to using my "Esh2006" system fulltime.

I not only forgot about the AJ2006 but also the Rikki2006 software based systems.....and who knows there may be more.

Rikki when you make it big you can spend it big. A great deal of money in the after life is not of much value....don't you think???

Quick question.

How would a standard GM hardware module like the Roland SC-88pro Sound Canvas or Roland SD-90 Studio Canvas compare in sound quality to the Native Instrument Bandstand?

I found most commercial GM MIDI files to sound best through the SC-88pro.

Tapas

Taking the cue from Frank and Rikki, I think I am going to order Jos Maas’ OneManBand version 8.0.

I am curious to see how these Yamaha Style Files that I bought would work with OMB.
I downloaded all the Yamaha PSR Style Manager programs by Jorgen Sorensen and Michael Bedesem from:
http://home7.inet.tele.dk/js/musik/740pages/link7406.htm

It seems you can slice and dice, mix and match to your heart’s content with these nifty free tools.

Looks like Jos has added a lot of new features and this is a mature program. He has a new program called Busker that lets you quickly convert printed sheet music to MIDI simply by dragging and dropping matching notes and chords from a list.
http://www.1manband.nl/busker/index.htm

Tapas

Some more ponderings on the future of Software Arrangers…

I always wondered why programs like Band in a Box does not include an enhancement to allow chord input on the fly. Of all the zillions of improvements and features added through its history, I would suppose an auto arranger feature like One Man Band should be on top of the list.

What if commercial sequencers like Sonar, Cubase, Logic and Digital Performer added auto accompaniment features. For example, a very simple way to read a Standard MIDI file, find the melody and drum track, automatically compute the chord progression by analyzing the remaining tracks, and create a Yamaha XF format file that can be played back through an XF aware arranger like the Tyros.

There are so many third party tools to manipulate, revoice, merge and edit Yamaha PSR styles. What if all these tools are integrated into Sonar including the recognition of XF meta data. What if a company lays down the standard for creating auto arranger styles parallel to the GM standard for voices. So a standard style format will have specific tracks for chord1, chord2, etc. This universal style format will make styles readily transportable between different vendors.

Now USB controller keyboards are springing up like mushrooms. It gives the user a convenient way to control softsynths. What if someone designed a lightweight 88 semi-weighted keyboard with poly aftertouch with all the start, stop, intro, variation, ending, fills, registration and assortment of essential control buttons, knobs and sliders found on high end arrangers and offered a simple PC editor to map these to a software arranger like One Man Band. In essence, I am dreaming of a USB hardware controller tailored for a software arranger.

Think of the possibilities and advantages. All you have to carry is a slim laptop and a lightweight dedicated controller. You would never have to upgrade your hardware. You can download all the new styles from the net. You can download all the new super soft synth voices from the net. All you chords, lyrics, staff notes and text notes will scroll on your 15” laptop screen.

Software synths have come a long way since there humble beginnings. To hear the state of the art of Software Synthesis, just audition the Korg OASYS. There is nothing in hardware that can touch the pristine quality of the OASYS combis and programs further enhanced by KARMA2 Generated Effects. The entire OASYS is based on a Pentium P4 running a barebones Linux OS that occupies less than 70MB.

So what is preventing a music company from creating a parallel OS to Windows XP which is tailored from grounds up to be a music machine. One would setup a dual boot laptop to run XP to perform regular tasks, while a special MusicOS boot would launch something similar to OASYS and then the sky is the limit to the amount of voices, styles, registrations, one touch settings, music finder databases, sequencing programs, style editors, voice editors, one can think of.

Whenever a new product is announced, all the user would need to do is update the OS. There would be no need to buy another $3000 piece of hardware. Wouldn’t this convenience greatly expand the music market? Think of how many people dream of getting something like the Tryos2 but have to settle for a PSR1500 or a EZ250i.

I think most of us have bought multiple arranger keyboards over the years. It is like starting all over just to enjoy a few extra set of features.

Today the technology is there is make a revolution through software. The combination of USB controllers with softsynths like Native Instruments have proved to be a runaway success.

It is only a matter of time when a similar wave will forever alter the hardware arranger market. Who would be the first to step up to the plate?

Tapas

Hi Frank,
I'll be sewing my little fingers to the bone. I've gone back to making some teddybears, that's how I managed to earn enough pocket money for my last couple of keyboards. It's a pain when one hobby has to help support the other Haa Haa.

Actually maybe you can convince hubby of your philosophy.

I've still got my soundfonts for the time being, but I tend to think that converting the xg styles ( especially drums) to GM would be a good idea. I think they're more likely to come up with a great GM soundsource than an XG one.

best wishes
Rikki

Hi AJ,
I think you're right. I downloaded the demo. Haven't tried midi to style yet, but it seems a fairly simple process to create new styles from existing ones ie mix n matching.
Bass from one style, drums from another etc
etc. They also apear to work in Jammer Live, ( or at least to the same extent as Jammer 5 styles did). They're not 100% compatible , but they appear useable.
At this stage I'm not sure whether I'll upgrade either as it's Jammer Live that I use if anything.

best wishes
Rikki
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bluezplayer:
[B]I think the auto midi to style creation is the only main difference I saw with Jammer from vers 5 to 6 Rikki, but I'm not sure whether or not I'll upgrade.

Hi Tapas,
actually you can do all your psr style editing in OMB. Saves learning the other programs. One of the best editors I've come across. Bit of a learning curve at first, but well worth it if you intend to edit styles or create new ones.

I also have Busker. A great way of auditioning what styles and variations sound good for a variety of songs. Really quick way for creating backing track midifiles. Program can even be used if you don't read music. Just copy the single note melody line from a Busker/Fake book, and the chord symbols, choose a style and it plays it back.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tapas:
[B]Taking the cue from Frank and Rikki, I think I am going to order Jos Maas’ OneManBand version 8.0.