How Good is GigaStudio?

I was thinking of getting GigaStudio 3, the sequencer, and I was wondering if anyone could tell me:

- How good it sounds

- If it just imports MIDI or you can use it as a notation software

- How hard is it to use

I would appreciate it a lot if anyone familiar with it could answer my questions. Thanks!

Judging by the context of your entry, I would assume you are new to the field of samplers. Gigastudio is a sampler, not a sequencer.

How good it sounds.

Depends on the samples you are using. Gigastudio is a sampler, not a synth. Different samples are obtained separately.

If it just imports MIDI or you can use it as a notation software

Once again, it's a sampler, not a sequencer nor notation software. In essence, it should be connected to a midi controller. However the rewire technology allows it to be hooked up with sequencers and some notation softwares.

How hard is it to use

If you are familiar with any other samplers, this shouldn't be a problem at all.

Judging by the context of your entry, I would assume you are new to the field of samplers. Gigastudio is a sampler, not a sequencer.

How good it sounds.

Depends on the samples you are using. Gigastudio is a sampler, not a synth. Different samples are obtained separately.

If it just imports MIDI or you can use it as a notation software

Once again, it's a sampler, not a sequencer nor notation software. In essence, it should be connected to a midi controller. However the rewire technology allows it to be hooked up with sequencers and some notation softwares.

How hard is it to use

If you are familiar with any other samplers, this shouldn't be a problem at all.[/b]

The samples would be the ones included in the new Gigastudio 3: simple as that. As you said (and excuse, I didn't pay attention to anything else but its name ;)) it is a sampler, so all I can do is import a MIDI file. That's actually good to me, since it makes it less complicated and I already have a notation software.

Thank you for replying, JuicyPork. However, I would still appreciate the comments from a person who knows Gigastudio and has used it.

The samples would be the ones included in the new Gigastudio 3: simple as that. As you said (and excuse, I didn't pay attention to anything else but its name ;)) it is a sampler, so all I can do is import a MIDI file. That's actually good to me, since it makes it less complicated and I already have a notation software.

Thank you for replying, JuicyPork. However, I would still appreciate the comments from a person who knows Gigastudio and has used it.

Gigastudio 3 comes in several types. I would now assume you are talking about GigaStudio 3: Orchestral. Again, a sampler doesn't mean it only imports a midi file. Sampler just means it loads sample files and assigns samples to each key. As for importing a midi file, no.

I would suggest you learn the basics first.

I wouldn't call it accurately IMPORT, of course. It's all based on separate samples.

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And yes, it's "Orchestral".

What do you mean... not calling it "IMPORT"

Well, you don't just select a file and voilá. (As in "import and do it right away".) No: you have to deal with things like where to assign each sample.

That would be a primary function of every notation softwares or sequencers. And that's what import means.

Gigastudio is neither.

Just listen to some of the recordings here: Gigastudio Work

These were done with gigastudio. It's pretty easy to use, which is why it is my choice. It also is pretty fast compared to others. It's not cheap though, and you have to buy samples separately. You need to do research to see which sounds are the best. And you don't "import" a midi. Gigastudio creates a new midi port, and you simply set that port in your sequencer or as your main port through windows, control panel. Upon playing the midi file through any sequencer, your midi will use the sounds loaded by Gigastudio. Gigastudio just stays in the background while you work in your sequencer. It is important to know that you have to load the instruments every time you want to record.

and you have to buy samples separately

Does that mean you only get the sampler without the samples when you buy the full box?

In that case, where can each sample be purchased? At the same site they sell Gigastudio? (The company's official site.)

When you buy gigastudio, you may get yamaha piano samples included. Thats about it. You need to buy giga samples, they have an extension *.*gig. Make sure you get that format. Go to gigastudio's website and you can buy samples through their site. Or try www dot soundsonline dot com and you can buy your giga samples through that site.

Ok I really know nothing about any of this stuff. So, I will start with a dumb ovious question. What is a sampler and a sequincer? Are they both (or one or the other) already installed into the tower when you buy it? Do you need to get both when you upgrade to this type of sound system? You could also tell me any of the other incredibly basic things that I am not aware of.

What is a sampler and a sequincer?

A sequencer is the software notation program such as Finale or Sibelius, used to compose your music. A sampler is another software, very resource intensive, and upon loading the sampler, you can then load individual instruments within the sampler to play back your midi. This is a good way to make recordings, and to improve midi quality. This is how I record all my music, I will do it no other way.

Sibelius has something called Kontakt, that has a sampler integrated within the sequencer. This is good if you don't have much knowledge, since everything is integrated. However, Gigastudio has capabilities of loading instruments that are over a gigabyte, thus, quality is greatly improved. I am not sure what the limits to Kontakt is, but I doubt samples of over a gigabyte could be loaded. If I am wrong, someone may correct my assumption.

Are they both (or one or the other) already installed into the tower when you buy it?

You wish. You must purchase these softwares, they are both separate. You could buy Sibelius with Kontakt, that is integrated.

Do you need to get both when you upgrade to this type of sound system? You could also tell me any of the other incredibly basic things that I am not aware of.

You don't need a sampler. If you are happy with your soundcard's built in digital sounds, that would suffice. You need a sequencer if you wish to compose music on the computer. Finale and Sibelius are the two competitors. I use Personal Composer for my needs. There are many more solutions for sequencers, but the three that I just mentioned are the recommended.

Thank you that helps a lot. I was so backwards about the subject that I was thinking that the two would have been like chips that you would have to add to your computer.

One thing I can't quite sort out is how a sampler like giga, and sequencer work to produce a score for several instruments.

For simplicity, consider a trio (forgetting about different articulations for the moment).

Does giga allow three sets of samples to be loaded simultaneously, assinging each to a midi channel also assigned to each of your staves? So you simply play your score (via a sequencer) using one instance of gigastudio that 'plays' three separate instruments?

Or, do you load three instances of gigastudio into your sequencer as, eg, Vsti plug-ins.

Or, do you record the score via the sequencer track by track, and the sequencer somehow embeds the sounds/wavs/.gigs from gigastudio in your sequencer, so you gradually build up your score, stave (track) by stave? So you only load one instrument's samples into giga at a time?

Thanks.

One thing I can't quite sort out is how a sampler like giga, and sequencer work to produce a score for several instruments.

You load the sampler, you load the sequencer. The sequencer recognizes gigastudio's drivers, so you choose those drivers in the sequencer. Now, the sequencer will read from the loaded sampler.

For simplicity, consider a trio (forgetting about different articulations for the moment).

Does giga allow three sets of samples to be loaded simultaneously, assinging each to a midi channel also assigned to each of your staves? So you simply play your score (via a sequencer) using one instance of gigastudio that 'plays' three separate instruments?[/b]

Gigastudio has 4 ports, and each port can load up to 16 instrument sessions. An instrument session can be a group of instruments. Each instrument session is assigned to a channel, so for channel one, you can load a piano session (maybe you loaded a few different pianos), for channel 2, you can load a string session (perhaps all the string ensembles) and so on. Let's say you assign the piano to patch 25, and the violin to patch 47. On the sequencer, you choose patch 25 to play the piano on any channel, and choose another channel to play patch 47, which would be the violin. On the soundcard, patch 25 is GtrSteel and 47 is Timpani, but remember, we are now using the sampler, and we can forget about the traditional soundcard sounds.

Or, do you load three instances of gigastudio into your sequencer as, eg, Vsti plug-ins.

No, you just load it once. It is impossible to load the sampler more than once. Upon loading the sampler, then you load your instruments, how I described above. The sampler can handle 4 ports, each port handling 16 channels. Each channel can have up to 127 patches loaded. This is how I do it. I use one channel to load all the string instruments, another channel to load the woodwinds, and a third channel to load the brass depending on what I wish to compose. If I wanted to compose a string quartet, then I would use one channel to load the solo violin, solo viola, and solo cello. I can put ANY patch number to the violin, viola, and cello. I usually stick to the traditional patch numbers, so I don't confuse myself, but it doesn't matter.

Or, do you record the score via the sequencer track by track, and the sequencer somehow embeds the sounds/wavs/.gigs from gigastudio in your sequencer, so you gradually build up your score, stave (track) by stave? So you only load one instrument's samples into giga at a time?

The sequencer plays the loaded instrument in real time. If you want to record your music, Gigastudio has an option to record into a wav. Then, all you do is play the sequencer, and Gigastudio will record the music as the sequencer plays your piece back in realtime. Very simple :ninja:

Hope this answers your questions. This is probably confusing, until you actually try it yourself. Once you try it, it really isn't that bad.

Thank you kindly for that. It clears up several misunderstandings. No wonder giga is resource intensive!

Not too confusing but it does seem important to be systematic about managing patches. There must be lists/windows to check what's assigned to what sample, attached to what sequencer track.

I'd go for the orchestra version right now* but for the small problem of travelling around a bit - it won't work on a laptop alongside a sequencer - even if it did, I can only use each license on one computer. I don't want to buy a second license when I alone would be using the software. They don't come cheap.

* it comes with what seem like useful samples. Then again, I too prefer the Sonic Implant strings on the strength of what I've been able to compare - more thought necessary.

One last question, hoping I'm not trespassing on your patience too much. Is parameter automation possible? I'm thinking of faders (particularly velocity) per patch and assume this is handled by the sequencer. But I also believe that with some instruments, new samples are brought into play according to

velocity values and suppose giga handles this.

Many thanks,

M

One last question, hoping I'm not trespassing on your patience too much. Is parameter automation possible? I'm thinking of faders (particularly velocity) per patch and assume this is handled by the sequencer. But I also believe that with some instruments, new samples are brought into play according to velocity values and suppose giga handles this.

Don't be afraid to ask questions here, we are glad to help :D Gigastudio handles how it plays the wav files (giga files are nothing but a series of wavs). For example, you can make a patch sound software or stronger by using the Gigastudio editor. You can also program it to fade after X seconds. But this is only good if the instrument is supposed to fade away, such as a piano. Most giga string instruments are programmed out of the box to play infinite loops, however, if you desire, you can use Gigastudio to have the strings fade after X seconds just like a piano (I would advise against doing that though). Let's say you want to fade away a violin, and the violin is an infinite loop. You don't do your fading in the Gigastudio sampler, you do this with the sequencer, such as Personal Composer, Sibelius or Finale. A midi event I believe, can handle the fading effects. What it does is, slowly reduces the velocity from lets say 90 to 0, given the duration of the note. You should read the sequencer manual to figure out how to do this, but nevertheless, it is possible to accomplish this with a sequencer.

Thanks. That clears that up so far....though apologies for a slight misunderstanding - I meant "volume controls" for faders in the context of making small crescendos and diminuendos, really just to bring a line forward or otherwise.

At last things are starting to hang together...!

Cheers

M

Don't be afraid to ask questions here, we are glad to help :thumbsup: Gigastudio handles how it plays the wav files (giga files are nothing but a series of wavs). For example, you can make a patch sound software or stronger by using the Gigastudio editor. You can also program it to fade after X seconds. But this is only good if the instrument is supposed to fade away, such as a piano. Most giga string instruments are programmed out of the box to play infinite loops, however, if you desire, you can use Gigastudio to have the strings fade after X seconds just like a piano (I would advise against doing that though). Let's say you want to fade away a violin, and the violin is an infinite loop. You don't do your fading in the Gigastudio sampler, you do this with the sequencer, such as Personal Composer, Sibelius or Finale. A midi event I believe, can handle the fading effects. What it does is, slowly reduces the velocity from lets say 90 to 0, given the duration of the note. You should read the sequencer manual to figure out how to do this, but nevertheless, it is possible to accomplish this with a sequencer.

Hello! Chopin,

*Is this means you prefer to modify the sequencer program like Finale (by using Human Playback or MIDI tool) to make the music sounds more "Human performance"like rather than modify the samples insider the Gigastudio 3?

* If I would like to record a real human voice on top of the music played by the Gigastudio3, could I FIRST save the pure music from GIGA as wav. track. Then SECOND I import it to Cubase and add the real human voice on top of that? Or there is another professional way to do it?

Many thanks

Tony

*Is this means you prefer to modify the sequencer program like Finale (by using Human Playback or MIDI tool) to make the music sounds more "Human performance"like rather than modify the samples insider the Gigastudio 3?

Let's get something straight first. The sequencer is used to notate and play back music. You use the sequencer to edit midi events, such as tempo and velocity. The software sampler such as Gigastudio is used in order to enhance "sounds" only. If you have a boring midi file, (a midi file that has no human playback feel), I don't think high quality instruments can do the recording justice. And at the same time, you may have a high quality midi, but with poor samples, the recording will still sound fake. Thus, a combination of an edited midi via the sequencer and enhanced sound samples via the sampler, you will have the ultimate recording.

* If I would like to record a real human voice on top of the music played by the Gigastudio3, could I FIRST save the pure music from GIGA as wav. track. Then SECOND I import it to Cubase and add the real human voice on top of that? Or there is another professional way to do it?

The way you suggested is the only way I know how to do it, and I think "layering" music like that is a common practice used by professionals.

Let's get something straight first. The sequencer is used to notate and play back music. You use the sequencer to edit midi events, such as tempo and velocity. The software sampler such as Gigastudio is used in order to enhance "sounds" only. If you have a boring midi file, (a midi file that has no human playback feel), I don't think high quality instruments can do the recording justice. And at the same time, you may have a high quality midi, but with poor samples, the recording will still sound fake. Thus, a combination of an edited midi via the sequencer and enhanced sound samples via the sampler, you will have the ultimate recording.

The way you suggested is the only way I know how to do it, and I think "layering" music like that is a common practice used by professionals.

Thank you so much! You have been the best!

Tony