Esh, thanks for the link to more information on Bandstand. I will make the investment as soon as it becomes available.

If you use Bandstand as a VST Instrument within a host such as forte Ensemble you can then add any effects you like (reverb, chorus, delays, equalization and so on). In recent times I have used the effects that come with Cakewalk Sonar, namely Sonitus Effects. I would consider these effects of moderate quality but better than anything you would find on an arranger, workstation or module. Also when you use it as a VST you can also load other VSTs (kontakt) for say your lead or melody voices.

Thanks a million Frank, Michael, Rikki and Esh.

Wow! I am book marking this thread. A treasure trove of information on Sound Fonts, VST instruments, software samplers, and arrangers. Thanks for sharing your research and expertise.

Fran,

I've been looking at the M-Audio Key Rig, which BTW received a very favorable review in the Oct Keyboard mag. How's the organ voices, any idea how they might compare with the B-4?

Glenn

Hi Tappas,
here's some more fonts
http://bennetng.kc-studio.com/AnotherGS/AnotherXG.html
Round 32 mb's ( Free) http://www.sf2midi.com/index.php?page=sdet&id=5038
Nice one at around 120 mbs ( Free ) http://www.guraydere.com/soundfonts/sfdetails.aspx?kat=1
Try the Clavinova Grand Piano 2 ( 24.5mb) It sounds great in piano styles. ( Free)
http://www.reasonbanks.com/provitamin_map1.html
Reason Provitamin appears to have xg drum mapping. It's fairly large and it's not free.
I have a 512mb laptop and an Audigy USB Soundcard. It won't load the provitamin bank . The largest I'm able to load is about 140mb when using my external Audigy. So be careful just in case there's size limitations on your card also.
I also have Papalmedia but it's even larger than Provitamin.
I also have Sonic Implants & Synergi.
Some of the freebies are really quite good.
I also think size doesn't neccesarily make them sound better.

Best part is you can modify them to suit yourself. I gather you have Vienna Soundfont Editor, it would have probably been part of your Audigy setup??

I'd been in the process of trying to set up an xg font, but I've changed my mind. I think I may be better off converting the styles to gm instead. It appears I'd be more likely to get a good gm soundsource one day ( when I decide to upgrade from the fonts). XG doesn't seem to be supported in softsynths.

best wishes
Rikki

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tapas:
[B]

Glenn, NI has come out with a new version of the B4....B4II: http://www.nativeinstruments.de/index.php?id=b4ii_us.

The NI B4 is of very good quality. The update sounds like it should build on this.

Rikki, you can also use Alive to modify SF2 wavetables and individual voices: http://www.soundfaction.com/alive/

Here is another GM Wavetable, namely the GM500 for GigaStudio:

https://www.globalfulfillment.net/gfsnet/giga/10Expand.aspx?ProductCode=GM150

In fact, I often used the instruments in this library, converted them to SF2 and installed them into sYnerGi GS, e.g., Nemsys Yamaha Pianos.


[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 10-10-2005).]

I had a quick looksee at the new NI module Frank and I'm quite interested to hear comments on it from other users and to be able to test a demo when released.

I find OMB to be quite playable in a live setup, and for right now, using my slightly modified sgm180 sf, it's at the very least a good backup to the PA80. It can even take the forefront when I want and it might sound even better with this module, as long as patch changes work well.

AJ

[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 10-10-2005).]

Glen, the B4 is still the king...Key Rig does not come close to the B4..

It works..but if you own the B4,that is what you would go to when you need a "real" B3 sound..

Hi Frank,
I have Alive also. It's great. Only reason I mentioned Vienna is that it's free and I think part & parcel of Audigy soundcard ( at least it was with mine).