MOTUnation.com

Well, I just bought Plugsound Pro. After waiting years for Mach V 2, I was going crazy scoring this horror film and reading about all the things Plugsound Pro could do, AND it's Intel compatible. When I logged onto their website and looked @ it, the inerface looks JUST like MOTU's (I've been a loyal user of MOTU software and hardware for well over a decade). Right down to the spinning balls when a sound is loading. What I learned is, UniversalSoundBank actually developed the UVI engine, so I guess this sort of functionality and look is part of their development, and then possibly MOTU used it for plugs like MSI and Ethno Instrument...? Anyway, it doesn't matter, I just hope Mach V 2 blows it away, but in the mean time, I need someting now, and the Extreme FX soundbank looks perfect for what I need to finish this score. Now watch, next week MV2 will come out, and I will get a free upgrade and not need the other one... but isn't that the way it always goes with computer-related stuff?

JP

joelmusic wrote:... I just hope Mach V 2 blows it away...

Yeah, me too.

joelmusic wrote:Now watch, next week MV2 will come out, and I will get a free upgrade and not need the other one... but isn't that the way it always goes with computer-related stuff?
JP

Dude, you should have done us all a favour and bought it 2 years ago.

OK, I know PSP wasn't available yet, but still... the principle's sound.

monkey man wrote:Dude, you should have done us all a favour and bought it 2 years ago.

The wit and the wisdom are incredible.
Yes, we need a time machine to wormhole v2 our way by...uh, next week.

Joelmusic,
Congrats on PSP.
It covers a lot of ground in style.

I'm currently checking out the RetroOrgans (Charlie) demo. Some reviewer had issues with the sampled leslie, but the organ sound is downright soulful. It's on my shortlist.

I'm kind of on the fence with SynthAnthology. The 'how it was made PDF' indicates much attention to detail. I guess I would prefer something more like the Hollow Sun samples that are the unprocessed sound of the instrument. I'd rather add my sauce

flashgerkin wrote:I'm currently checking out the RetroOrgans (Charlie) demo. Some reviewer had issues with the sampled leslie, but the organ sound is downright soulful. It's on my shortlist.

I use and like the Retro Organs. The only problem with the Leslie, IMO, is that it doesn't ramp up to speed. Rather, you crossfade to it. Other than that, it's great.

I'm kind of on the fence with SynthAnthology. The 'how it was made PDF' indicates much attention to detail. I guess I would prefer something more like the Hollow Sun samples that are the unprocessed sound of the instrument. I'd rather add my sauce

I have Synth Anthology and a bunch of the Hollow Sun samples. I prefer SA more often than not. Once you turn off some of their preset effects you find they're not that processed. And they often sit in a mix really well. The Hollow Sun samples are cool because they're as flawed as the instruments they were sampled from -- and that's great sometimes, but not all the time.

joelmusic wrote:What I learned is, UniversalSoundBank actually developed the UVI engine, so I guess this sort of functionality and look is part of their development, and then possibly MOTU used it for plugs like MSI and Ethno Instrument...?

Yes, this is the case. It's also the likely reason why M5 2 hasn't seen light of day (as well as Trilogy and Atmosphere for Spectrasonic). PSP is, for all practical purposes, M5 2 without the sample extraction and editing tools. It's theorized by some that a Universal Binary version of the UVI-Extract tool is the problem, either because of incomplete deveopment or licensing issues (legal stuff).

In any case, Spectrasonic is telling their customer not to expect a UB Trilogy or Atmosphere until Fall at the earliest. I'd expect similar delays for M5 2.

chrispick wrote:Spectrasonic is telling their customer not to expect a UB Trilogy or Atmosphere until Fall at the earliest. I'd expect similar delays for M5 2.

Yeah, I think there is something very difficult about UVI and Intel, and I don't blame anyone for being late (although 2 NAMMS ago is a bit much from MOTU!). They want it out as much as we do. I am looking forward to the Plugsound Pro + X-Treme FX - should arrive in 2 days from Sweetwater. I have been using Atmosphere & Trilogy in VSTack on my Mac Pro, and it is very unstable. Always crashing. However it does work, but beware - it is a very fragile work-around if you want to go that route.

JP

Hmm, this brings up an interesting point: does anybody know if Spectrasonics' choir library is up for a UVI treatment? As it is expensive, I am hesitant to buy it unless I think it will either import well into Kontakt 2 or will be delivered either as a native standalone VI or as a Mach Five library.

We might consider that all the Sampler App's have characteristics that operationally and sonicly make them much like children in a large family. Each one has characteristics that make it unique and suitable for tasks the others might not perform as well.
A guitar player may have a Dumble, a Boogie and a Fender Bassman.
A vintage '57 Strat, an all original '60 Les Paul.
We have software.
Looking at this, I think the guitar players won again.

garymadi wrote:We might consider that all the Sampler App's have characteristics that operationally and sonicly make them much like children in a large family. Each one has characteristics that make it unique and suitable for tasks the others might not perform as well.
A guitar player may have a Dumble, a Boogie and a Fender Bassman.
An vintage '57 Strat, an all original '60 Les Paul.
We have software.
Looking at this, I think the guitar players won again.

YES!

USA! USA!

In your face, accordian players!

chrispick wrote: I use and like the Retro Organs. The only problem with the Leslie, IMO, is that it doesn't ramp up to speed. Rather, you crossfade to it. Other than that, it's great.

Are you using any other approaches for the leslie effect?
The basic organ sound of R.O. is the best I've heard to date.
I think that DP's Sonic Modulator was designed as a leslie-type effect but I haven't tested that out yet. It's an amazing plug-in for tremolo.

I have Synth Anthology and a bunch of the Hollow Sun samples. I prefer SA more often than not. Once you turn off some of their preset effects you find they're not that processed. And they often sit in a mix really well. The Hollow Sun samples are cool because they're as flawed as the instruments they were sampled from -- and that's great sometimes, but not all the time.

Chrispick,
That's very useful information as I'm actually very interested in the concept of SA.

chrispick wrote:
YES!

USA! USA!

In your face, accordian players!

I throw one change of pace softball, it hangs, and you have accordian players doing the National Anthem behind Ozzie @ Wrigley as the ball sails over the fence before the game starts.

Nice job.

flashgerkin wrote:

chrispick wrote: I use and like the Retro Organs. The only problem with the Leslie, IMO, is that it doesn't ramp up to speed. Rather, you crossfade to it. Other than that, it's great.

Are you using any other approaches for the leslie effect?
The basic organ sound of R.O. is the best I've heard to date.
I think that DP's Sonic Modulator was designed as a leslie-type effect but I haven't tested that out yet. It's an amazing plug-in for tremolo.

How do the organs in Synth Anthology compare to N.I.'s B4? Now that I have PSP, It's giving me ideas... also, I have so many third party plugs that I sometimes forget about DP's - the SA organ + DP's Sonic Modulator could be the money combo.

Thanks.

joelmusic wrote:
How do the organs in Synth Anthology compare to N.I.'s B4? Now that I have PSP, It's giving me ideas... also, I have so many third party plugs that I sometimes forget about DP's - the SA organ + DP's Sonic Modulator could be the money combo.

Thanks.

Cannot answer that, but I CAN tell you to check out the Kurzweil PC2x. It has a dedicate organ section (I susoect the rack version does as well). Really fantastic.

OK, back to topic...

PSP. One of the best investments I've made in years.

Holy Moley, I just downloaded the PDF of all the presets, and this thing covers more breadth and depth than any product of its kind that I can think of. I am especially impressed by all the rare niches it covers in many genres, including many types of harpsichords and even urban styles.

I am still too new to the software world (vs. hardware world) for sample libraries to remember without direct comparisons what are considered small vs. adequate to large sample sizes per instrument, so will compare those specs to Vienna and MOTU Ethno for a reality test later tonight.

At the right price, PlugsoundPro could help retire my remaining hardware synths, and also prevent me from having to buy any one-off specialty sample libraries for some time (such as harpsichord, or even vocal choirs).

At $299 though, it better sound good! Fortunately, there is now a demo version to download and try (with roughly 30% of the full retail version's sounds). If I get my taxes done, hopefully I can try it out this weekend...

mhschmieder wrote:At $299 though, it better sound good! Fortunately, there is now a demo version to download and try (with roughly 30% of the full retail version's sounds). If I get my taxes done, hopefully I can try it out this weekend...

It does sound good in general. As always, there are a few sounds that are better represented in outboard modules or keyboards. Being a pianist, I am very picky about keys and always defer to my Kurzweil PC2 or PC88 - and even then, it is NOT a real grand! Some other patches leave me cold, in partuclar woodwinds and horns. But the ethnic instruments are generally good as are the percussion and fretted strings. Strings (vln to bass) are not the greatest, but servicable in most non critical applications.

The SFX card (it's actually a disk, but they call it a card) is also worth the price if you want to do sound design or add unusual elements.

Chrispick turned me on to these and we're still friends (I think?) So that speaks well of it. The last short film I scored was excelusively using PSP and it was scored in record time. Something like 50 minutes for a 10 minute film - in the can! (All ethnic sounds and instruments.) Paid for itself right there...