East West Software?

I'm totally new to the world of sample libraries and things like that. Is there a good website I can go to that could explain it all to me? Do you compose through a program like Finale and then just play everything through the sample library? Thanks!

Sampling is quite an easy process. It will take some time to make something sound good, but it is quite easy. The first thing to know about samples is that they are created based off of the articulation (legato, staccato, ect.). With that being said you can not just link a midi file for an instrument in to a single sample and expect it to sound good. You must break the instruments notes up in to which kind of articulation is expected to be played. The way you connect a midi file with the samples is by using the sample player as a plug in. The most common plug in "standard" is VST. This is just how the sampler communicates with another piece of software "Sibelius 5, Finale, or most sequencers". For example you would bring the plug in into your sequencer and then connect each "midi instrument line" to an instrument in the sampler. Then when you play your song the samples will be generated and will sound. After tweaking and setting everything just right you will here a very professional sounding recording. I hope this helps. I really am new to sampling also but I can say that it is really easy processes and if you dedicate some time to making the recording you will get some great results!!! If you go East West, you will not be disappointed.

-Joe Poch

I've been dying to get my hands on the East West Symphonic Choirs but it's expensive as hell.. And huge, it's like a... +30 gb library.

At 595$ from Soundslonline.com and 535$ from audiomidi.com and sweetwater.com I wouldn't say it's expensive as hell really... Depends on where you live though... :-/

turnkey.co.uk , dv247.com : 299

At 595$ from Soundslonline.com and 535$ from audiomidi.com and sweetwater.com I wouldn't say it's expensive as hell really... Depends on where you live though... :-/

turnkey.co.uk , dv247.com : 299

Fair enough, but you can't say that 500$ is "expensive as hell". That's why I commented on the price. I do understand what you mean though, perfectly well. :glare:

It's not expensive.. But if you consider that it is a COMPUTER SOFTWARE, then it becomes expensive as hell. :)

Altough, the internet holds many treasures. I wonder if I can dig one up?

ouch!

I just can't see ignorance like this...

Let's discuss this a bit further.

Do you have ANY idea on how much money it takes to create a sample library of and orchestra? And especially at the quality of EastWest?

You need to:

I. Book a concert hall for something like a month

II. Book an orchestra for something like a month (because although you won't be recording the whole orchestra all the time, if you take all the 1st violinst away, the orchestra simply CAN'T play, this you book the whole orchestra)

III. Book the equipment needed to record the concert hall. We are talking about 100s of 1000s of $ here! Believe me!

IV. Take the 50,000 (or something) of small wav files, at high quality (24-bit, 96 KHz) and check each one that there are no problems

V. Fix all wav files mentioned above

VI. Program everything in kontakt (or whatever other sampler you're using).

VII. Pay the programers to make you a new player (EastWest just releaed their own player)

Do you have any idea of how many MILLIONS of $ we're talking about here? Cause if you did, you wouldn't say... "bah... it's only computer software".

I'm sorry but you are naive!

Fair enough you are a student and even 500$ are a lot. Indeed this is true, and nobody can say anything, but ytou just seem to think that all computer software is overcharged... ???? I mean: WOW!

Altough, the internet holds many treasures. I wonder if I can dig one up?

I'm sure you'll come up with something. A pity of course, because you won't care about the above list at all, or the 100s of people that worked to make this library just so you can take joy at that.

I feel sad with such mentality. :)

Well, your mentality makes me sad, but I don't comment on it (whoops! *has just opened a can of worms*). Wait.. No, you're the one that opened the can of worms - shame on you, look what you made me do! :wub:

Some of us feel content just apreciating the work and art that went into creating the program, not caring if not donating money prevents the software from being developed fruther.

*awaits long rant*

I'm sure you'll come up with something. A pity of course, because you won't care about the above list at all, or the 100s of people that worked to make this library just so you can take joy at that.

Don't worry, Im practically forced to buy it. :wub: My bandwidth is too bad to download a 50gb library.

wow.

I can see where you both are coming from - unfortunately I'm stuck at Franzman's point in life right now - 18 yo senior in highschool with no job :cool:

I bought EWQLSO Gold and I'm looking to upgrade to Gold XP next summer, but with purchases like this, they stand out considerably to the normal costs of a highschool student (i.e. $20 a week for food and, say, another $20 for gas). EWQL is cheap compared to other sample libraries, and fortunately for us electronic composers, better quality than most too.

I wouldn't say he was being ignorant or naive, Nikolas, rather he just didn't understand (in full) the world of samplers - maybe a bit of sticker shock? He's probably used to seeing computer games/software priced around $50 or so... so as far as that realm of software is concerned most sample libraries (and notation programs, for that matter) would be a significant purchase. It's like walking in to a piano show-room the first time and seeing and a nice Steinway D can cost a significant fraction of your house, and/or all of your sweet beamer/mercedes! :D

Franzman - if you're in the market for EWQL Choirs, now is the time to buy. As Nikolas said, it's only going up from here - $535-$595 is a steal. Get on that.

Well, if he didn't understand the world of samplers, then he is ignorant, no? I don't mean it as an insult, although it did come off this way, and I do apologise for it.

Beast, check this, if might interest you: EWQLSO SALE! - TrueSpec - Systems - from Alexander's University - Music scores, Music Books,

Gold xp pro, for 295$. It is 70% the initial price (which was at 1000$), but I do understand that it might be a bit steep.

On the other hand, something else, that I keep chimming about, and few seem to listen: http://www.youngcomposers.com/forum/cgempire-music-competition-prize-vspro-ruby-kirk-hunter-retailed-599-a-10754.html#post175202

Kirk Hunter, is offering 1 FREE copy to the winner of the competition, as mentioned in the above thread. The library at offer is the VS PRO Ruby, of 50 (or 53?) GB and worth 599$.

Ah! No!

I must be half out of my mind if I don't get out the credit card and order Gold XP right now ($295!?!!?!?!)... but, alas, I cannot (unless, of course, I engage in some serious negotiations with the parents). I recently went to the International Institute for Young Musicians in Kansas (a bit far away from Virginia :cool:), and while I was there, I accidently ran my cellphone bill upwards of about $500 (roaming/long distance charges)... so, right now, I'm just babysitting and helping out neighbors and such to make the money to pay it off... there's just no way I can afford this right now (which sucks assss).

I've bookmarked this website, though, for the future. I see this sale ends on the 31st which is lame, but it looks like they have a nice collection of other down-priced items too. A good find either way.

I've gotta run now, but I'll check out the Ruby Kirk Hunter thread later on this evening.

Thanks for the links, Nikolas.

Nikolas, you seem to know the choir sample library pretty well... would it work in Finale? or is it not in VSTi format?

It is in VSTi format. And I know people that use it in Finale, so YES.

I'll page you for further details.

Something important though:

The EWQL Symphonic Choirs have 2 issues.

1. They are quite big (38 GB) but mainly need lots of RAM. So you do need a great computer to run them.

2. There is a SERIOUS issue with the range of the choirs, and specifically the sopranos and the basses. I don't remeber by heart what is the range for the bass, but the sopranos have a range of A-E (the A in the second space, and the E above with the 3 ledger lines). In short ridiculous and unusable by many people who are complaining.

As I said EW is trying their best to update this, but this WILL cost. Still I really think that at the current price, you can't really go wrong, plus the update will be cheaper (and heading to a new software developed by EW themselves) than buying the software new.

I use EWQLSO Silver through finale and it sounds great. However I do not know how to capture those sounds into an mp3 file. Anyone feel like explaining this to me? It would make me very happy haha

To try explain to you, why you absolutely HAVE to invest in East West-software, I'll try to rank my 3 best investments ever:

1) EWQLSO Platinum Xp

2) EWQLSO Gold Xp

3) Flowers for my ex-girl-friends (that gives bonus too you know:D)

Besides I own RA, the Choirs, Stormdrum, Colossus, + (Brass and Bass/Guitars) and Percussive Adventures, and I have to say that it is VERY easy to work with, and sounds amazing out of the box.

Buy all you can.

Mathias