bigcat's random stuff

[bigcat1969]

And I'm known (sort of) for digital instruments and I keep seeing adds that GE is a digital company and some new refrigerators are on the internet of things. It all adds up.

[Otto Halmén]

Soundcloud:

• doesn't embed into Facebook.
  
• has a horrible MP3 codec.
  
• has a buggy player.
  
• has a buggy comment system.
  
• ...which isn't exactly intuitive to begin with.
  
• doesn't let you monetize.
  
• has no casual listeners.
  
• has a problem with spammers.
  
• charges you for extra space.
  

However, Soundcloud:

• has lots of musicians.
  

...so I suppose it's not that bad for virtual instrument and plugin developers.

[bigcat1969]

Yup many things drive me nuts about Soundcloud, but it does seem to be OK for what I need.

Thoughts on a simplified GUI with just reverb and attack and release? Does anyone ever actually use the EQ or the rest of the envelope setting on an instrument?

[Otto Halmén]

Embedding effect processing in instrument plugins is largely a matter of taste. Personally, I'd only keep envelopes and the filter, especially if it's a variable filter (e.g. velocity sensitive, key following, ADSR). Basically anything that can't be accomplished with an effect plugin. Pretty sure some people like their embedded channel EQs and reverbs, though.

[bigcat1969]

Getting back to randomly found freesound samples, bass for Kontakt...
http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/20...sound.html

Also a random freebie site with SFZ instruments...
http://michaelpichermusic.wixsite.com/composer/free

[bigcat1969]

Starting to get more serious about VSCO2 Community V2 for Kontakt. I hear rumors that this modwheel cross fading thing is catching on... Also peaking at Sam and companies cool kontakt instruments (quite impressed actually) and trying to mimic at least the convo reverb.
http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/20...ntakt.html

Any thoughts? I'm out of pocket for a couple daze so don't be offended if I don't respond right away.

Update: I see you weren't offended.

[bigcat1969]

Part two in the bigcat is nuts piano series...
http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/20...piano.html
Part one was...
http://bigcatinstruments.blogspot.com/20...piano.html

https://soundcloud.com/bigcat1969/legato-piano
https://soundcloud.com/bigcat1969/surprise-piano

Bah I forgot noone except Sam has Kontakt!

[bigcat1969]

Is it worth doing Maize Sampler VSTis? The more I do, the more complaints I get that they won't work. Just got a Facebook complaint that a guy downloaded 90 from me and none worked. Can't blame him for being mad really. 'Romplers' won't work in Reaper. Newer vstis won't work with XP. Ableton Live seems to have some problems though they work fine for me when I tested on it. I don't have a Mac so I can't test those. Some complaints that they won't work in older versions of FL. Lots of folks who just can't figure out anything that doesn't come with an installer. Unzipping into the VST directory is too confusing...
I'm glad I did VSCO2 Rompler with help from the mighty Sam and Simon and did a partial GM list of VSTis. I was thinking of doing a 'Heart of Rock' Rompler, screw it I think I'll just go back to my first love Kontakt. Messing with the Sammeister's orchestra and its great looking GUIs makes me want to work with Kontakt GUI program I bought and see if I can't make purdy instruments. Plus the whole crossfade script thing, understanding WIPs legato, convo reverb and other stuff, lots to do inside Kontakt and if people can't figure out how to install or update they can go complain to NI.

[Samulis]

Maize will always have people who don't understand it complaining about how files are missing when they simply failed to read the instruction to keep the .instruments folder with the .dll... I think complaints simply come with making anything. I've never had an issue with a customer being unable to use my products after some troubleshooting (usually resulting in user error). Then again, I've been using older versions of Maize before they updated to the most recent JUICE library or whatever it is they run it on... the thing is, the DLL is the only thing that has changed since version 2.0 so you can take any Maize 2.0 instrument and run it in any Maize 2.0 .instruments folder with any 2.0 .dll file.

The Maize instruments easily triple or quadruple the audience I reach compared to Kontakt, in particular with freeware and the like.

[bigcat1969]

Thanks Sam. That's a good perspective. I do attempt to explain how to do the setup or others explain it especially on VST4Free. Maize seems is a bit less compatible than it used to be. I think some DAWs are using VSTs slightly differently for instance Maize 'Romplers' result in crashes in Reaper as it can't seem to read the correct mse on reloading a project and the project crashes. Not that XP is really viable as an OS any more, but new Maize won't run in XP. I just don't really trust it anymore.

I can see it is useful for the free market (is that an oxymoron?) much like SFZ. Speaking of which you SFZ guys amaze me for what is essential non-graphical music assembly / coding, there are some nice instruments coming out in the format.

Thanks for the rec on Newgrounds, that was very kind. It also reminds me I want to get more of the Taylor synths done.