I think I will call it a day on my flr2007 arranger system. I am still waiting for Garritan's GM for the Auto Accompaniment instruments....it is what it is!!!

Well, I have started with my flr2008 software arranger system with the purchase and installation of NI Kontakt 3. It provides a more usable interface, enhanced effects and 33 GBs of new instrument sounds. Some of these sounds are from the VSL Libraries....very good indeed. This means my software system has more than 100 GBs of instruments. In general, I am satisfied with the quality of the sampled acoustic instruments:

Auto Accompaniment:
NI Bandstand GM (one of my preferred)
SGM180 Soundfont GM (one of my preferred)
Titanic SF2 GM
Papel Media SF2 2006 GM
Sonic Implants GM
sYnerGi GM/GS
Many other SF2 GM Wavetables
Future: Garritan GM Wavetable

Lead instruments:
Garritan GPO, JABB, Strings
Kontakt Libraries - selected instruments
E-W Colossus GM
Bardstown Accordions, Jazz Guitars and Bosendorfer Piano
Art Vista Vibes
Dan Dean Woodwinds, Brass
VRSound Sax, Organ

In addition, I had to remove my 80 GB hard drive containing the samples and replace it with a 250 GB version to accommodate the above noted instruments. This will also allow me some room for the Garritan GM and other libraries and instruments that may be of interest somewhere in the future.

Some future updates include NI Bandstand and forte Ensemble. I just don't know why I am doing all this stuff or need all this stuff. I am just entertaining myself. Some call me 'The Idoit'....oh well.

I am just so happy that my software arranger system is so good!!!

I hope it works out for me!!!

Frank,
you probably don't "need" those instruments, but if your pocket can "bear the load", and it doesn't subtract money from your food, so be it !!!! You don't have to justify it.

I am interested to hear what the flr2007 system sounds like. I don't need live playing, a midi file playback, with what you think are the most suitable sounds, would be enough.

Can you do something like that on your spare time? Or am I asking too much?

Hi Frank
Have you tried the True Pianos VST http://www.truepianos.com as it takes up little memory and is pretty CPU efficient, as well as producing some great sounds.
It also has the advantage that it doesn’t require disk streaming, (It uses sound modelling techniques I believe) which means you will have more capacity available for other sounds.
You can download a 40 day trial from the site.

Bill

Trident I am not a good enough musician to provide meaningful examples of my software arranger system. Should a professional musician come to my house and agree to provide an example of the quality of my system, I would be more than happy to share it with you.

To provide an example using SMF would not show the overall quality to well. I would need to use NI Bandstand or SGM180 GM Wavetables to produce mp3s. The sounds in these wavetables are not nearly as good as the instruments I use for lead instruments.

Another alternative is to go to the web sites of the libraries I use and take a listen to their demos. Some of them have discussion groups with demos of their work, e.g., Northern Sounds, East-West, Garritan, etc. Here you will see what the people who earn the big bucks sound like.

abacus, I have not tried the True Pianos VST. It certainly looks interesting. I will investigate it.

[This message has been edited by Frank L. Rosenthal (edited 10-08-2007).]

Thank you Frank.

Looks like a new version of Live - Styler is available. I have downloaded it and will install it. Version flr2008 is slowly evolving!!!

Frank,

Have you tried this yet? http://www.wallanderinstruments.com/

Vquestor, no I have not tried it. I did not know that it existed. It looks very interesting indeed.

At the moment I am still waiting for Garittan to come out with their GM Wavetable for use with my auto accompaniment. It could be while given they plan on using their own sample player vs Kontakt.