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PavlovsCat

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Posts posted by PavlovsCat

  1. I like Muse. The band, that is. I don't feel similarly about the developer with the same name. 

    Very candidly, Muse is not a high quality developer as many forum members on this and other forums have noted in their posts.

    There have been accusations that the developer pirates other developers' libraries. I don't know if that is true, but one criticism I've seen a lot that I know to be true is that Muse bloats up their libraries. For instance, I downloaded several of their libraries that they regularly sold when they were released for free on promotions, and all were excessively bloated, likely only in an attempt to play on the false perception that that file size equals a detailed library.  For example, one of their full piano libraries.  The library was a larger file size than more detailed sample libraries like Noire, Evolution Rosewood Grand or NI Grandeur (three libraries I regularly use). However -- and I'm going on memory -- not every note was sampled, I believe it was something like 3 keys per octave that were sampled and there were only two velocity layers. Beyond the specs, it simply sounded and played like a SoundFont piano from 20+ years ago.  It was unusable. I downloaded and tried other sample libraries from them, included another piano library, and it followed the same template -- ridiculously bloated and not a detailed sample library that one would expect for anything even close to the file size. It's in the realm of what most would consider trickery.  

    Now, this obscure website has a questionable plugin they require you to download that Virus blockers say isn't safe.  I put together two lists of freebies on this forum. You can find vastly superior free libraries to anything from Muse there. For piano sample libraries,  there are two superb free libraries  for KONTAKT -- one from SonicCoture  that includes the FREE KONTAKT Player and one form 8Dio. There are Mellotron libraries on my list that are far superior (Muse gave away their Mellotron library before, I deleted it after trying it out). For synths -- there are a wealth of alternatives, just check out my lists. In any event, the more you know about Muse and no one knows anything about WAYA -- the more you see that there really isn't much appeal to the muse libraries and installing software from this unknown small developer and giving them access to your data and what you do on the web -- that, IMO, is a dealbreaker even if the libraries are good, which IMO, is not the case. 

    Hard pass recommended. 

    • Like 1
  2. Clearly, these folks set this up incorrectly. I'll look for a way to contact them and shoot them an email or use their web form (if one exists) to let them know about the problem. I'm sure they'll figure it out soon and get things worked out and we'll get our freebie soon.

    One thing for sure, I have really been impressed by the quality of this dev's freebies. I have yet to buy any of their libraries -- but that's only because I've been curtailing my spending on sample libraries and plugins, not because I don't find their libraries compelling. Otherwise, I easily would have bought some of their libraries based on how good these freeibes are (my favorite is their electric piano). Well, I'll be waiting for them to straighten this out. I listened to the video for the library and it sounds very nice, as I would expect from this dev. 

    EDIT: I just shot the developer an email, as I subscribe to their email that they subscribe you to when you get their freebies. I'll make another post in this thread if the developer responds and tells me that the problem is fixed.  - Peter

     

  3. 52 minutes ago, Fleer said:

    Sorry guys. 
    Plugin Alliance. 
    I stand corrected. 

    No need to apologize @Fleer. Stuff like this keeps us on our toes,  challenged -- someone had to figure out where the discount was from. Kudos to smde for figuring it out! 

    Now the question for me is, do I finally by that Acme compressor I've long considered (feel free to share your opinion anyone who owns it or has a strong opinion). I am intrigued by your list, Fleer. and will check those selections out. 

    • Like 2
  4. It isn't a processor hog on my machine, but, as I recall, it does use more resources than many of my other professing plugins. 

    I picked this same deal up last year and am very happy with MixBox. It initially caused a crash in a project, but the problem has never happened again. I would definitely recommend this deal. 

    • Thanks 1
  5. 1 hour ago, ralfrobert said:

    I have to say I sometimes buy Beat (the printed one) for long train rides or for some of the tutorials. And I always find someone who will pick it up after I'm done with it. For those of us who still consume media of the 20th century, it might be worth a look. 

    Sounds good. Which train should we get on to get the magazine after you're done with it?

    I kid. I kid. I still love to read a magazine or newspaper with a good cup of coffee.  I mostly do it electronically, but there is something cool about holding a physical magazine or newspaper when enjoying that coffee (or tea, if you prefer). 

    • Like 2
  6. Beautiful Void Audio is discontinuing some of their libraries and discounting them up to 90%. They require the full version of KONTAKT.  I own a number of this developer's libraries and really love his work. I suppose they're best classified as ambient, lush, sound design synth patches. 

    From the developer (posted in a Facebook group I'm in): 
    "I will be discontinuing a few Kontakt libraries after February 29, 2024. Most are discounted for up to 90% until that time! (sorry I'm late on posting this). 
    I've created a dedicated page so you can browse these instruments. They all require the full version of Kontakt - version info is in the product title and the product description:
    https://www.beautifulvoidaudio.com/soon-to-be-discontinued/

    These libraries all use the free photosynthesis engine. My plan is to bring most or all of these libraries back in a dedicated UI and engine, with newer sounds as well.

    Thanks!"

    • Like 3
    • Thanks 3
  7. jngnz feels strongly against this dev's plugins. Personally, while I have a couple of plugins they gave away free, I've never actually tried any of them yet (although even if I did, I definitely don't feel I'm qualified to have a really knowledgeable opinion on compressors, I barely know what I'm doing with them). Any other opinions? 

    I'm definitely not discounting jngnz. He's going to school for audio and knows a lot more than me. While he can be pretty savage, I think he's knowledgeable and I take his opinions into account when I look at plugins and sample libraries. His post also reminded me that a YouTuber whose videos I enjoy -- White Sea Studio is the name of his channel -- did a video on a Tone Emporer compressor a while back where he recommended against buying it because of undesirable artifacts. So, with both jngnz and the White Sea Studio guys negative critique of their plugins, I am hesitant to download and install it. (I don't blindly go on others' advice, but I don't have sound engineering expertise, so I tend to check to see what more knowledgeable people have to say about plugins before I buy them, and if they say something isn't good, I pass on it). 

    • Like 1
  8. 7 minutes ago, MusicMan said:

    I am sure, but only just! I refreshed after I posted and your post wasn't there. 

    If you refresh a few times so not right at the start of the minute, you will also see my post will show as a minute ahead, so there definitely wasn't much in it 🤣 I'm not really worried either way though, I more just mentioned it because it keeps the history more lean when searching for old posts and sales if we're thinking about buying things.

    And you're not wrong with Lars.. even getting a tie would be an achievement at times.. Haha.. 

    I take too long to write posts, so I rarely make them (and then I post it and find grammatical errors -- I really need an editor). I should just stick to my freebie threads and leave everything else to the fastest typists. It seems every time I see something in an ad, an email or a Facebook group I'm, it's either up here, or up in minutes. At least I have my freebie threads! I suppose I need to stay in my lane! Hahaha. 

  9. 55 minutes ago, MusicMan said:

    Already covered, although not by much! 🤣

     

    Are you sure? Look at the time. I'm pretty sure we tied. Could it be???

    In any event,  it's no big deal if the mods delete mine.  But I'm kinda amused by the possibility that we could have placed it at the same time.  I scanned page one, then did a search and nothing came up before posting. I noticed yours before one hour and it showed the identical post time as mime. So I'm calling it a tie! But I know cclarry, and you and I will never match cclarry! :)

    Anyhow, if the mods see this, you can kill my thread. No problem. 

  10. Tone Empire SoulSquash Soul / Funk Vibe Vintage Audio Compressor Pedal - Reg. $39 USD Now FREE (Not certain of sale end date)

    Introducing the SoulSquash Vintage Audio Compressor Pedal: A sonic time capsule brimming with retro allure and modern finesse. Sampled and accurately replicated with Tone Empire's proprietary NM2 Neural Network technology, this pedal embodies a pristine and clean solid-state sound, adding a touch of nostalgia to your audio. 

    Its intuitive design and minimalist controls channel soulful and funky vibes, ensuring effortless integration into any setup. From pianos to clavinets, orchestra to bass, vocals to drums, the SoulSquash pedal delivers an enchanting compression that enhances every note with a touch of soul.

    Elevate your sound with a pedal that captures the essence of vintage punch and versatility, inviting you to infuse your music with a dash of timeless charisma.

    Controls

    Compressor: Control the input gain into the compressor processing .

    Output: This is the control for output attenuation after the compression processing.

    Thick: This switch adds a Lo Eq Bump post compression for a "thicker" sound!

    Input Adjust: Use this control to further adjust the input signal gain before processing.

    Output Adjust: Use this control to trim the final output of the processing after the dry mix .

    Dry Mix: Add the original unprocessed signal to the mix as parallel processing.

    System Requirements

    Mac

    macOS 10.13 or later (Intel / Native M1 supported) (64-bit only)

    VST3, AU, or AAX

    Intel i3 / AMD Ryzen or equivalent

    2 GB RAM / 300 MB HD Required

    Screen resolution - 1024 × 768

    Note: M1 Mac users running Logic Pro (10.7.2 and above) or Ableton (11.1) please use the 'M1' installer. For all other DAWs please use the regular 'Mac' installer.

    Windows

    Windows 10 or later (64-bit only)

    VST3 or AAX

    Intel i3 / AMD Ryzen or equivalent

    2 GB RAM / 300 MB HD

    Screen resolution - 1024 × 768


    https://www.pluginboutique.com/products/11093-Soul-Squash

    • Like 7
    • Thanks 6
  11. 1 hour ago, kitekrazy said:

    NI can lower their prices all day.  Outside of Komplete I rarely ever buy a NI library.  It's mostly 3rd party.  Part of it is no direct downloads and trust that Asshat (cr)app.   It's fine when it works but with 3 machines it's rare I get 100% performance.  Their NTKDeemon is often the problem when it wants to f'upgrade.        

    To each their own. I've had good experiences with NI's libraries. I love Noire, like Studio Drummer, Abbey Road  Modern Drummer and many other NI libraries. They run great for me. 

    But, as I mentioned, the heavy duscounting is a trend in the industry.  It's notable that NI is deep discounting in the past year, because they're the makers of KONTAKT and the biggest player in the sampler industry.  They set the tone. It was rare for them to go as deep as they have in the past year and to deep discount third party libraries at 70+%. While NI historically have had their summer and holiday sales where they discounted 50 percent,  they discounted their libraries and third party libraries at 70% or more late last year.  Then we have other developers, like 8Dio, that have deep discounted their older libraries at an even deeper level. As a marketing/branding professional,  I'm not certain I would advise a developer to discount that heavily, because it trains the market that is the real value of their new releases. But as a sample user / buyer, I think it's fantastic. Detailed sample libraries are more affordable than ever. 

    • Like 1
  12. 2 hours ago, Fleer said:

    Don’t know. Feels like a smorgasbord…

    Absolutely. It is. I certainly agree.  I just strongly suspect that from CInesamples getting very aggressive with their pricing (discounting) for their Musio line and, especially considering the industry trends (that is, that some of their competitors, including NI, are heavily discounting) , that it's very likely that it will impact their KONTAKT line too.  There's just too much going on -- pricing-wise -- in the marketplace that makes it likely to happen. Probably more than anything, NI's increasing aggressive with their discounting of sample libraries is likely to have the greatest impact on the marketplace. It does make sense that developers can afford to heavily discount older libraries that long ago paid back production costs.  

    As a sample user, I've been loving it. I picked up Alicia's Keys for 13 bucks this week! Come on CInesamples --Piano and Blue (KONTAKT) for 13 bucks! Make it happen!!!  ;)  

    • Like 1
  13. If this were KONTAKT formatted libraries, it would be a no-brainer. Cinesamples does make excellent KONTAKT sample libraries. However, I'm less apt to invest in their proprietary sampler plugin and my guess -- based on their heavy discounting of their Musio line since they introduced it -- is that they're soon going to follow what's going on in their industry and heavily discount their older sample libraries for KONTAKT. 

    • Like 4
  14. On 2/20/2024 at 4:09 PM, Steve Schultz said:

    I'm trying to record using cinematic studio solo strings.  I have inserted four instrument tracks using Kontakt, (Kontakt 7 player) violin, violin II, viola and cello.  Now I record a track.  Play it back, nothing.  If I reload the instrument, it will work one time through and then I have to reload the instrument.  Then I have also had the problem that all the tracks set as sustain notes play as stacccato.   What am I doing wrong.  I am using version 2023 .09 and the cinematic studio solo strings was loaded on 20 dec 2023.

    Forgive this really basic question, but when you record a track, do you see a MIDI track recorded for that track? Are you certain that you have the proper MIDI settings for each track you're recording? I'd focus on just one track and see if you can record one track and get the recorded track to play back after you've recorded it. But I'm not sure if we've established if you have successfully recorded a MIDI track. Can you confirm that you have? 

    It would be worthwhile to you record your screen or even take some screenshots so we can better understand what's going on.  As you're not certain if you installed KONTAKT as a VST, it is possible that you could be playing it in standalone mode and not recording anything. 
     

  15. 7 hours ago, MrFigg said:

    Meeee tooooooooooo

    Okay, I was reading through this thread and you, @MrFigg, and @Fleer, along with @cclarry of course (the 🐐 of plugin and sample library hoarding enablers!), are my enablers of the day. 😀

    Seriously guys, thanks for sharing how much you like this (I have the earlier free version and am curious how this compares).  It helps when navigating the deals to see when a community member has a good opinion of a plugin or library. I value it far above the advice of influencers compensated to promote. Plus, I'm trying to manage my plugin hoarding a little better these days and will be downloading the 30 day trial version of PianoVerb2 before buying. 

    Here's the link to the free trial version for anyone else who's interested in trying PianoVerb2  out:

    https://www.pspaudioware.com/products/psp-pianoverb2

    • Like 1
  16. 1 hour ago, Hillmy said:

    It's a cool multi filter effect. I like how it has a spectrum analyzer and that the filter can be moved along the window kind of like an EQ. It has decent presets that showcase what it can do. It has modulation and has filters that go up to 48 dB. It also has Comb, Phaser, Formant creative modes. It has a "morphing" mode which I have not figured out exactly what it is.

    Anyway, here's a video capture of it I made since I as well could not find any video or review about it:

    For $4.90 it is a no-brainer. I did not need it since I already have UVI Shade, but I got it anyway because the price was too good and I had to find out what it can do, LOL!

    I would not pay full price for it. If I didn't have any creative filtering plugins, maybe $20 max I would pay for it IMO. I hope this helps y'all make decisions to buy or not to buy this.

    Thanks for making that, @Hillmy. It was very considerate of you. 

    • Like 2
  17. Howdy, my fellow plugin and sample library hoarders! While I always enjoy Computer Music, I did want to see what this freebie was all about.  In my experience, Tone 2 makes some nice plugins, so I'm interested! For others who are interested, here's a video on UltraSpace by the Computer Music folks that can help you quickly understand the effect. 
     

     

    • Thanks 1
  18. 1 hour ago, OutrageProductions said:

    Not to muddy the waters (for all those Piano collectors in here), but I have been somewhat impressed with the Spitfire LABS Autograph Grand for some poppy stuff lately. It's a well known and used C6, and the dynamics make it run the gambit from really soft and squishy to fairly strong. Free.

    Edit: and aficionados will notice the slightly off-temper tuning.

    I was contemplating putting together a thread, maybe with a poll where we could vote on our favorite pianos.  Mainly because I think it'd be great to learn from each other.  For example,  I have all the free Labs stuff, but I tend not to use it because the libraries aren't as detailed as my paid libraries for KONTAKT and SoundPaint. But knowing you from the forum and PMs -- I'm now going to take another look at the Autograph Grand. 

    @OutrageProductions do you know how many layers Autograph Grand has? 

  19. 5 hours ago, kitekrazy said:

    I use this one when I need just a piano instead of scrolling through the ones I have.   I bought it years ago when it was 50% off.

    When you wrote scrolling through the ones you have, I can relate -- and I think a lot of folks here can.  I've accumulated so many piano sample libraries over the years, from NI, SampleTekk, e-instruments, Toontrack (ezKeys), 8Dio, SoundPaint, XLN (Addictive Keys), Orange Tree Samples, Embertone, Production Voices, Spitfire, SonicCouture, etc., and filled up multiple hard drives with sample libraries that I've been committing more time to pruning then I ever have. The hardest sample libraries for me to delete (psychologically) are the libraries I've paid for (while I've bought a few sample libraries secondhand, I have yet to attempt to sell a sample library I've purchased). Of course, it's far easier to delete something you got for free.  I've long considered buying the Alicia's Keys library, but I had expected it would be included in KOMPLETE standard at some point. I have friends who own it and like it. I like the tone of it. At $50 USD on sale, it was always a maybe. At $13 USD, I bought it as soon as I saw the price (thanks @cclarry!).  One edge we hobbyists have over pros is time. Pros -- at least some of the time -- have urgency to purchases. For instance, they'll need a certain type of instrument to fit a project they need to deliver in say, a couple of weeks. Sure, hobbyists may seek out a certain type of instrument to complete a project -- but we aren't on a timeline that has an economic impact. We can "wait it out" until there's a sale. 

    Time's also in our favor when it comes to mature sample libraries. That is, there's clearly been a trend in the sample library business to heavily discount mature libraries, like NI is doing with Alicia's Keys.  It makes sense on the balance sheet too, of course. As, when a library is introduced, a developer needs to pay back their production expenses, and libraries like Alicia's Keys surely paid back those costs years ago, so at this point, the costs are basically data storage and transfer, marketing and royalties incurred for each sale.  In other words, they can afford to sell it cheap.  

    • Like 3
  20. 33 minutes ago, Soundwise said:

    Thanks for the tip! I'm pretty confident, most guitars are good for multiple genres. Like here:

     

    I wrote that because I so often see posts when people bring up "Texas Twang" that they don't do that style,  so they pass on it without realizing it's a Telecaster; it's pretty versatile. To give you an example,  someone in a subteddit I joined: "Love the OTS samples. This one sounds fantastic. It's probably a good thing I don't really do this genre or it'd be a must-buy." And I think he largely passed on it primarily because of the name making him think it's not right for other styles. 

    A lot of people hear the "Texas Twang" name and think that's really the only thing the guitar does, but it's a Telecaster. They've been used on everything from blues to R&B to jazz to Motown to country  to all different kinds of rock, including punk. 

  21. 8 hours ago, Soundwise said:

    With seasoned players performing their fretboard wizardry OTS is going in the right direction. This and the Texas Twang are on my wish list.

    I love Evolution Texas Twang and use it a lot. I think because of its name, it can easily, and wrongly, be pigeon holed. It's a Telecaster. It's great for rock, blues, R&B...  

    • Like 2
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