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The full version of Kontakt is required to play the Black Grand. This issue was discussed recently in the Northern Sounds forum here: http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69693

Greg.

Sampletekk needs to put this notice on their web site. Actually I would never buy a library in any encrypted format.

But they do offer "Black Grand" and all their work in format other than NI's Kontakt. The "Giga" format is well supported (or it will be as Garritan has bought Giga)
and Sampletekk offers samples in EXS24 too so that should cover everyone.

Thanks, FogVilleLad. Maybe I wasn't very clear when I spoke. No, there is not a chance that I'm going to construct my own software piano. These things are best left to the experts. I would be happy enough if I could fiddle with available software.

Ok, understood.

Re the fiddling, hv's posts re convolution are tough slugging for technoignoramuses. I've heard that aspect of sampling in action but still can't completely understand what he's saying. Since you seem to be willing to continue to expand your knowledge, I'm going to suggest a way to *experience* that aspect. (This is how I have to do it;-))

One of the developers of proaudiovault's company authorized Bluthner Model One is an expert in this area. One of the distinctive characteristics of this piano is that it is actually intended to be used with convolution. To experience convolution, click on the DEMOS button on proaudiovault's site. In the left pane, click on "Classical." Scroll down to "Here is the BDMO out of the box with no processing" and click on the link. This piano was exceptionally close miq'd in an exceptionally quiet recording studio. The tone will be exceptionally percussive.

Now scroll down to the para immediately below. "The aria but with Custom TI no. 6. (custom section). The BDMO timbre has been adjusted so it sounds like an 1863 Blüthner owned by Kasimoff-Blüthner Piano Co. (Los Angeles). Serge Kasimoff is at the piano." and click the "Play demo" link. What you're hearing is the same raw samples you just listened to, but with timbre and tones transformed by impulses. (That "TI" which I bolded stands for Timbrel Impulse.)

If this whets your appetite, scroll up and click on "Jazz." Under Demos - Jazz, scroll down to the last para, "The song Skylark with a larger dynamic range 65% dynamic range patch,* reverb impulse number 13 at -5db and sustain impulse number 6 with the original Blüthner piano sound (no Ti used) and click 'Plan [sic.] demo.'" This is how the Bluthner Model One might sound when played at home. Again, same samples as the Aria, but modified differently.

The developers include examples of modifications which can transform the Model One's basic timbre and make it sound like other makes of piano. To my ears these impulses are much less successful. Your ears may very well vary.

* Another way to express the "65% dynamic range" is to say that these samples use 35% compression. Compression makes the samples sound more full, but reduces dynamic, i.e., volume, range. Forty-five percent would probably be used in a mix.

I have an old full Kontakt2 that I play Sampletekk libs with. I see they've beat up on the K4 player over on vi too:
http://vi-control.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14627
Probably best to clarify directly with Sampletekk.

Sorry about going so far out on the IR/convolution thing. Suffice it to say its exciting stuff that seems to combine elements of sampling and physical modeling to emulate just about anything. Be it whole pianos or their materials or parts. Even different microphones, other gear, and physical spaces. I mentioned Altiverb software earlier but my fav on the PC is Pristine Spaces... if you want to get into VST effects and processing, you should check out their web site (Voxengo); they have a large number of free plug-ins there.

Howard

Howard, your presentation was fine. The problem is that some of us are not sufficiently technically oriented. So we - I at least - have to back into understanding technical subjects by starting with the finished product. That's not saying anything bad about either perspective, it's just a matter of acknowledging that different people will have different skills.

In a way, this is no different than the conversations which piano techs have with their clients. On the acoustic forum you can sometimes see posts from techs re the necessity of their learning what their clients' words actually mean. For example, one person's "mellow" may be another's "dull." This is just an example of technical and non-techinical people having to learn to communicate with each other.

No biggie, and certainly not a reason to not present material from the point of view of someone who actually understands it;-)

Thanks, FogVilleLad. It's a tad too technical for me at the moment. I really need to gain mileage on getting my hands on the few VSTs first.

The lapse in reply is because I was up in the air. Just arrived in Bangkok 2 days ago, and the Internet was down.

I managed to do some shopping in Bangkok, and the 13" Macbook caught my eyes. Going at 37K baht, which is about USD1,120. The speed of the processor is about 2.2 GHz, but the speed of HDD is 5400. Maybe ChrisA can advise on this? Must the speed of HDD really be at 7200 as suggested by Alden Skinner ?

As for my current iMac, which remains in Bangkok (and I will have to try means to get it on board a plane), the specs are as follows:

Model Name: iMac
Model Identifier: iMac7,1
Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed: 2 GHz
Number Of Processors: 1
Total Number Of Cores: 2
L2 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 2 GB
Bus Speed: 800 MHz
Boot ROM Version: IM71.007A.B03
SMC Version (system): 1.20f4

Nothing mentioned about the HDD speed though.

Apple's everyday list price here in the US is $999 for the 13" macbook or $1199 for the13" Macbook Pro. Which one can you get for $1120?

The MBP has some extras that might be worth the extra $200
Max RAM goes to 8GB rather than 4GB
Firewire 800 port
Optical audio input and output. rather than just output only
Aluminum "unibody" construction.


The RPM on the disk is a compromise for battery life, heat and acoustic noise. I think the new drives have the bits packed very dense. What determines the data rate is the arial bits density times the tangental velocity of the disk platter. Bit densities have become very high making even a 5400 rpm drive fast. If you get the MBP it has a FW800 port which allows you to connect a very fast desktop class external disk.

For audio recording the data rates are very low. For video editing, get the external FW800 disk.

Thanks, ChrisA.

$1,120 is the price of 13" Mac Book, not the Pro model. Pro is going at 50K baht, which is $1,515.

What is the purpose of optical input, if I may ask ?

Maybe you'd like to record something that has an optical output. I think the Roland v-paino has an optical out. Many CD players and digital tape recorders have optical outputs. As do most flat panel TV sets.

Optical fiber output is more important because people use that to drive a 5.1 surround sound speaker system.

I guess the price of the MB must include some kind of local tax. Apple's list price is $999.

Can you tell me what model of tweeters/subwoofers you use and what type of driver? I just got a Roland FP4. Has great sound, but would like to try to give it some more base.

Dewster, Can you tell me what model of tweeters/subwoofers you use and what type of driver? I just got a Roland FP4. Has great sound, but would like to try to give it some more base. Thanks

NB: The link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvQ2F-wLLxw appears to be private and does not work.