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

The Bandstand could be my auto accompaniment and kontakt continues to be used for the lead or melody voices.

I think this would be sufficient upgrade or change to call it the flr2006 arranger system. Well I got to do something to stay well ahead of the Tyros II stuff....don't you think???

I guess I better get to the big boring job of converting my styles to the GM standard especially the drums.....oh well....I am an old man with no future.....it fills up his time while he waits for the grim reaper....

Good Luck Frank...........keep us informed of your progress...sounds very interesting for sure!!

Yep, looks good. I guess this is new - I hadn't seen it before. I'd like to hear a demo and find out the price.

I'm moving towards my own "flr2006" system, using my Acer Ferrari 4000 laptop and most likely a CME UF8 controller w/Firewire interface. The laptop and the controller will match and look impressive on stage: both are black with red end caps.




When I play an acoustic piano then the laptop will go solo, which is what I do now but with MP3 files rather than MIDI files. I've used GM softsynth packages on laptops in the past but they never sounded as good as the hardware counterparts... that might change with a 2GB sound library to work with.

GM has stood the test of time... it seems that it'll be the sole "quasi-universal" format for sometime to come so formatting your midi files to be compatible with it makes sense.

BTW: I've been working with Colossus, which is a "big brother" to Bandstand with a 32GB sound library. It too is GM-compatible, and features some of the most impressive sounds I've ever heard. But it's a little too "bulky" for live use - the samples take a little too long to load (fine for studio though).

Esh, it is good to see you and others well ahead of me in the use of software/hardware based solutions. You certainly have an interesting and good looking system....no doubt about that!!!

I too as you know have Colossus but can't get the GM/program change mode to work well with kontakt. However, once that is accomplished and you use DFD (disk streaming) with a fast hard drive the loading time will become less of an issue. I am still working on this as well. If the sound quality is good in Bandstand then Bandstand will be the answer for GM (Auto Accompaniment & midi). In addition, if you can change out any of the instruments you do not like with better ones then Bandstand will be worth its weight in gold (not much weight...).

Again, it is good to see some of you taking the software (or software & hardware) route for your arranger and performance systems. I am in deed becoming to frail to make much of a difference anymore and look forward to your leadership and advice.

Have a good musical journey....

Jim, nice looking gear for sure good luck with your new setup....let us know how it sounds & works out for ya.

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 10-08-2005).]

Passing the torch, Frank? I don't post much (don't have much to say) but it was your tirelessly insightful comments (gleamed from evesdropping on your conversations with Rikki etc.) that introduced me to this whole software-based approach, and I've no regrets other than the fact that I'm (almost!) going to have to rob a Brinks truck to be able to afford everything on my wish list, which now includes the Muse Receptor/Colossus package, Garritan's Jazz & Big Band, as well as a whole new rig built around 64 bit architecture and oodles of TBs of RAM...

...I too would be interested to know what the Bandstand costs, (NI stuff can be pricey) and hope they soon post some demo mp3s of the library, because the interface looks great, and could potentially really simplify things.

Good luck with the flr2006. Looking forward to hearing how it works out. Please enjoy robust good health for many years to come, because you still da man! Thanks again, Frank, for placing so much sonic wisdom into the public domain.

Michael

PS: Can anyone recommend GM compatible banks that have very high quality sounds, just not quite 32 gigs worth? Been checking out stuff like this:
http://www.manytone.com/mslink.html

It's certainly an affordable VSTi set, and the guitars sound pretty good, but I'd rather focus on having great "bread & butter" sounds as opposed to all the techno-style ambient stuff.

Frank, I just purchased M-Audio's Key Rig..It has 4 modules..Stage piano,Synth, Organ and GM..
Last week I played the M-Audio stage piano[hardware], and was not impressed..
This software is better than the hardware unit..
It is 312megs in size..I just installed it to use the GM module and I am surprised how good it sounds..It is designed to run 4 modules at a time..this allows you to replace the GM piano with the Stage module sound, the GM organ with the Organ module[with lelie], and any synth sound from the GM with the Synth module..
Street price is $99..
http://www.m-audio.com/products/en_us/KeyRig-main.html

[This message has been edited by Fran Carango (edited 10-08-2005).]

Frank: Disk streaming is essential - the best performance I have been able to get from Colossus has been with an external 7200 RPM hard drive via Firewire, but actual program/sound loads still take longer than I would like for live use. I agree with you on all points otherwise. Bandstand's 2 GB of sound samples should allow faster loads and should surpass the sound quality of any hardware GM module.

Fran: M-Audio's Key Rig is indeed getting very good reviews (including a Key Buy award in the current issue of Keyboard) and looks like a good value. I was disappointed to see that you still need a sequencer or some sort of SMF playback program with Key Rig to take advantage of the GM module with MIDI files. Although there is a variety of ways to address this, I like the interface and integrated SMF player in Bandstand. Also, I have read some hands-on reports that the acoustic piano in Key Rig is just passable so I'm holding out to see what NI's "Akoustic Piano" sounds like since that's my primary interest. The "Steinway D" piano of Colossus is outstanding and is now my favorite piano sound - if Akoustic Piano is comparable then that's my choice.

First of all Quasar thanks very much for your kind comments. I have purchased Garritan's GPO and am looking at his Jazz & Big Band libraries. He certainly makes high quality virtual instruments....even GPO and Jazz & Big Band with the lower bite size (and more affordable) are amazingly high quality.

Now going with Muse Receptor, Colossus, Jazz & Big Band and others is definitely taking the cadillac of music for a drive. This will definitely sound amazing....especially if you also add effects of equal quality...wow!!! And yes this will cost some dollars but if you can afford it do it. There is nothing more exciting then high quality instruments to use in your performances.

I am not aware of any other GM modules. In fact I was not aware of the one that you just pointed out. Oh my....I can't keep up.

In addition, Garritan's libraries are designed to be fully load into memory so that calling up the instruments should be instantaneous. You can use disk streaming if you like...in the event you would like to use a very high quality piano at the same time as having these instruments on call. Esh, this might also work for your system.

Fran, I am really happy to see you using software synths. You will get use to it and never look back. The only thing is you might lose all your friends UD, DNJ, Travel'easy and so on. Then you will be left with only the echos of your mind. Especially, if you also trade in your G1000. Thanks for pointing out these synths. I was not aware of them....asleep at the switch....oh well.

In closing it looks to me that there are a number of new and innovative software/hardware based systems being developed:

Esh2006
Quasar2006
Fran2006
DNJ2006

It also seems like these systems may be orders of magnitude better (effective, efficient, flexible) than any of the new crop of arranger keyboards. Plus if you go for something less expensive it could cost less than such keyboards....it seems to me.


[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 10-08-2005).]

Jim,the Key Rig piano has good tone, it lacks some dynamics as the hardware Stage Piano from M-Audio..You can layer the acoustics and this does help..
The best softsynth acoustic piano I have is Roland/Edirol Super Quartet piano. It is a little better than my HyperCanvas piano..

Frank, I am not getting rid of the G1000...If I decide someday not to use the sounds[doubtfull], it will still be a great controller for me.