Our plans
Hi all,
it perhaps the right time to talk about Samplemodeling plans, in view of the experience gathered with Kontakt-based virtual instruments, and of the recent availability of Stefano’s SWAM new engine.
KONTAKT:
Althought Kontakt became popular as a sampler, basically a sophisticated player of sample collections, named libraries, it was subject to a constant process of refinement, making it a suitable platform for developing virtual instruments.
The deep differences between a traditional sample library and a virtual instrument are sometimes overlooked. A virtual instrument is a program that implements the functions of a real instrument by computer, sensors and actuators capable to modulate and shape articulations in real time.
Development of realistic virtual solo instruments was the aim of Samplemodeling. In this respect, Kontakt proved to be a quite suitable platform. In fact, our next instruments, French horn and Tuba are developed, and will be released on Kontakt 4.2.
SWAM:
Stefano’s acoustic modeling engine was developed to create plugins of solo instruments suitable for several hosts. Strictly speaking, it’s not a platform, since it cannot be programmed by developers or users. Hence, it cannot load, nor import, instruments created on different platforms.
The philosophy behind this engine is somewhat different from our previous instruments. It aims at reconstructing articulations by exploiting physically oriented techniques, rather than complex sample modulation. As a consequence, the instruments are intuitive to play, but may require some knowledge of the physical behaviour of the real instrument, and may be slightly more CPU intensive.
Stefano’s line was conceived to join, and not to substitute Samplemodeling Kontakt-based instruments. For this, and the technical reasons discussed above, we do not plan to “update” our previous instruments to the new engine.
An exception might concern The Sax Brothers. Although developed on Kontakt, using an unconventional engine, they suffer from a slight jitter problem, caused by the internal clock working in microseconds rather than synchronized to the sample. That’s why better result are obtained by setting the audio card at 88.2 kHz. The new SWAM engine clock is synchronized to the sample, so that this problem does not occur.
While it might be worthwhile (and sweet)
to recompose the whole Sax Family using the new engine, please be assured that Samplemodeling will always value and protect your investments, as we demonstrated by providing several free major updates. A crossgrade plan at a very reasonable cost will be offered to all our sax customers. Future customers may take advantage of sax-bundles exploiting both platforms.
On a different note, the SWAM (Synchronous Wavelength Acoustic Modeling) engine may open new avenues for the development of exceptional solo strings. Also, Stefano works really fast...
Thus, lovers (and enemies) of the Stradivari and the Gofriller may expect exciting news.
Best regards,
Giorgio & Peter
it perhaps the right time to talk about Samplemodeling plans, in view of the experience gathered with Kontakt-based virtual instruments, and of the recent availability of Stefano’s SWAM new engine.
KONTAKT:
Althought Kontakt became popular as a sampler, basically a sophisticated player of sample collections, named libraries, it was subject to a constant process of refinement, making it a suitable platform for developing virtual instruments.
The deep differences between a traditional sample library and a virtual instrument are sometimes overlooked. A virtual instrument is a program that implements the functions of a real instrument by computer, sensors and actuators capable to modulate and shape articulations in real time.
Development of realistic virtual solo instruments was the aim of Samplemodeling. In this respect, Kontakt proved to be a quite suitable platform. In fact, our next instruments, French horn and Tuba are developed, and will be released on Kontakt 4.2.
SWAM:
Stefano’s acoustic modeling engine was developed to create plugins of solo instruments suitable for several hosts. Strictly speaking, it’s not a platform, since it cannot be programmed by developers or users. Hence, it cannot load, nor import, instruments created on different platforms.
The philosophy behind this engine is somewhat different from our previous instruments. It aims at reconstructing articulations by exploiting physically oriented techniques, rather than complex sample modulation. As a consequence, the instruments are intuitive to play, but may require some knowledge of the physical behaviour of the real instrument, and may be slightly more CPU intensive.
Stefano’s line was conceived to join, and not to substitute Samplemodeling Kontakt-based instruments. For this, and the technical reasons discussed above, we do not plan to “update” our previous instruments to the new engine.
An exception might concern The Sax Brothers. Although developed on Kontakt, using an unconventional engine, they suffer from a slight jitter problem, caused by the internal clock working in microseconds rather than synchronized to the sample. That’s why better result are obtained by setting the audio card at 88.2 kHz. The new SWAM engine clock is synchronized to the sample, so that this problem does not occur.
While it might be worthwhile (and sweet)
to recompose the whole Sax Family using the new engine, please be assured that Samplemodeling will always value and protect your investments, as we demonstrated by providing several free major updates. A crossgrade plan at a very reasonable cost will be offered to all our sax customers. Future customers may take advantage of sax-bundles exploiting both platforms.On a different note, the SWAM (Synchronous Wavelength Acoustic Modeling) engine may open new avenues for the development of exceptional solo strings. Also, Stefano works really fast...
Thus, lovers (and enemies) of the Stradivari and the Gofriller may expect exciting news.
Best regards,
Giorgio & Peter
Comments
Happy New Year to all of you and we appreciate and anxiously await your latest creations. (my dream is a clarinet and flute... hint... hint. I actually lost a gig yesterday because the client wanted clarinet. They thought my (Sample Modeling) Sax was absolutely believable, but insisted on a clarinet...)
Dan Rad
An exception might concern The Sax Brothers. Although developed on Kontakt, using an unconventional engine, they suffer from a slight jitter problem, caused by the internal clock working in microseconds rather than synchronized to the sample. That’s why better result are obtained by setting the audio card at 88.2 kHz.
so that's the reason. I thought it was because the samples were recorded in 88.2 kHz.
Thanks for the info, it gets more clear now.
my dream is a clarinet and flute
we share the same dream. But I'm very happy with what I have already got.
Pat
Jim
it's all about non-linear behavior of instrument, I think Mr. Tommasini will confirm my words.
1) complex sound radiation pattern
2) within-sample timbral inhomogeneity
3) multiple-takes timbral inhomogeneity
4) water-in-the tubings noise artifacts
A task for Samplemodeling.....
(It already sounds fantastic !)
Giorgio
In short, SampleModeling are the first within my recollection, who thoroughly investigated and 'deconstructed' real instrument into separate important pieces and behavior patterns, and then they reconstructed it again, using sampling and rather complicated programming/modeling.
It's fundamentally different from the usual & widespread method of creating of virtual instruments, when you just record samples of each articulation (say, marcato or legato) in several layers - from pp to ff. And that's why they make the only one instrument group per year. This is insanely long and complex work!
The more nonlinear (and difficult to predict) behavior of the instrument and the more playing details you have to take into account, the more difficult to reconstruct it in virtual form.
Mr. Tommassini has already said above, what the kind of the new problems (compared to the trumpet and trombone), they had to solve at this time.
I too would love to get woodwinds...but if the strings are more important to you i´ve got some questions:
a) will there also be a double-bass?
b) will it possible to play authentic double-stops and open strings?
c) are you planning on making the bow-position controllabe (so i can smoothly go from sul ponticello to sul tasto)?
d) speaking of sul pont: are you planning on recording/programming enhanced playing techniques? bowing the brigde, playing with enormous pressure so the instrument sounds like a wooden ship etc.?
Thanks and good luck, can´t wait for the Horn and the Tuba!
And by the way: the Ms. Sax-demo sound absolutely amazing. One more reason to pray for a clarinet (and the rest of the wood-family).
will it be possible to control the bowing? To create realistic "on the bow"-legato and bow-change-legato?
I know, these are complicated wishes...but i can´t imagine how a plugin should produce realistic solo strings without taking care of all these problems (and if you think about water in the horn...as somebody else said: if somebody can do it, it´s samplemodeling).
Quite agree. I don't know if SM will do all of your wishlist, but I'd like it too very much. All I know exactly is that SM are crazy and scrupulous guys!
Wind controllers require both hands and mouth leaving only the feet free for controller manipulation.
Perhaps violin for WC will take two players working in precise collaboration -one to play the WC, and another to play with foot pedals and perhaps a small keyboard (used only for some parameter control). A job for twins!
Still, I hope an attempt will be made for Wind Controller players to allow us to play some limited version of solo strings. I've enjoyed violin and cello samples with my EWI in spite of the fact that much of the expressiveness was (bowing force, direction, etc) were unavailable. It was and is still better than nothing at all.
Thanks,
Dan
And my computer wouldn't like having something like 30 solo strings playing together
I would, of course, like to see flutes and double reeds as well, but would definitely like to see strings first!
I Think have more interest with some more ethno instruments like a good duduk, ethno flutes, etc.
There are so much strings to get today, and i'm not a great fan of such ensemble sound. Ethno strings ? yes ! like irish violin, or mongolian strings, but simple string...
Just an opinion :P
Nevertheless, I think nearly everyone would buy new woodwinds, whereas more ethnical instruments would be at least as much hard work, for less sales at the end (well, i would buy them personaly, but as far as statistic goes... don't know).
I can be wrong, of course ^^
My opinion is different. Comparing VSL Clarinets and Brass with SampleModeling Clarinets and Brass - difference is endless - VSL seems to be uncontrollable! (i respect vsl team... vienna ensemble pro is unique and very good software)
In the comparison thread "Too real, or not too real, that is the question" webmaster wrote:
"...Which instruments? Most likely the double reeds (oboe, english horn, bassoon.. ). When will they be available? Most likely a question of a few months..." Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013.
I believe that these instruments will be sold very successfully!
(I will also buy the new saxophones although i nearly never need them. I bought Mr. Sax T years ago for a specific job and the update for me seems to be a no-brainer.
Ms. Sax S could be used as some kind of strange clarinet and the Bari could be a good option to play along with low brass instruments (in an orchestral, film music context))
But real woodwinds from SM, especially double reeds, are a dream coming true. On the other hand i really don´t need Solo or Orchestral strings as i do own nearly all libraries on the market and with the new Spitfire Sable Strings a really great and versatile small section is out.
I will check SM´s approach on strings out when it´s there nonetheless, but strings are the least problem out there i´d say.
What about a Pipe Organ.
This seems like a perfect candidate for the Swam engine. A Swam pipe supposedly will sound a lot more "expressive" than a sampled one. I suppose additionally, Swam technology will be able to allow for realistically model the intermodulations that occur when a pipe is playing in the modulated air-pressure field of active pipes nearby. Sampling can't do this.
Of course a single PC will not be able to power the necessary some 20 Swam engines at the same time, but regarding the cost of a Pipe Organ or the loudspeaker system necessary to reproduce a sound field similar to that of a real Organ, using multiple PCs does not seem inappropriate.
Did you ever contact or have been contacted by Cameron Carpenter, who is known to be about to get/build the perfect virtual pipe organ for himself (and who supposedly is able to invest the necessary resources to trigger your interest).
-Michael