04-15-2017, 05:23 AM
I don't think SFZ will become popular enough to be "mainstream". The lack of a tight and system-agnostic UI standard and the anemic documentation makes developing for it difficult and using it (for beginner users) even more confusing and difficult (and for experts, too restrictive and inflexible). It is currently being led by Cakewalk and MakeMusic/Garritan, and while Cakewalk is making good progress with Sonar (which is now finally getting some reputation as a decent DAW), MM/Garritan is very outdated and outclassed technologically compared to competitors.
I think unless ARIA goes free or gets a lot better or someone makes a WYSIWYG editor for SFZ's and SFZ GUI's that isn't a PITA, SFZ will just sort of slowly fade away like sf2 has been going. I believe stuff like HISE rather has the promise to bring the future to virtual instruments by challenging Kontakt and other existing expensive samplers, as soon as it has proven its salt in the field.
I think unless ARIA goes free or gets a lot better or someone makes a WYSIWYG editor for SFZ's and SFZ GUI's that isn't a PITA, SFZ will just sort of slowly fade away like sf2 has been going. I believe stuff like HISE rather has the promise to bring the future to virtual instruments by challenging Kontakt and other existing expensive samplers, as soon as it has proven its salt in the field.
Sample library developer, composer, and amateur organologist at Versilian Studios.