cclarry Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 (edited) Works in the Kontakt Player https://sonixinema.com/products/saxophone-explorations-freebie Edited June 1, 2023 by cclarry 3 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleer Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 Pretty good freebies at Sonixinema Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jngnz Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 The serial I got didn't activate in Native Access. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BTP Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 Just now, jngnz said: The serial I got didn't activate in Native Access. Same. It said it registered successfully but nothing happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreveta Puket Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 (edited) same The serial I got didn't activate in Native Access. - 3.6.2023 update worked Edited June 3, 2023 by Kreveta Puket Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locrian Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 Same here. I suspect a newly self-aware AI entity stole them from us. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
locrian Posted June 1, 2023 Share Posted June 1, 2023 (edited) Mine just showed up in Native Access. But it wasn't worth the wait. 😞 Edited June 1, 2023 by locrian 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 (edited) If I'm going to be completely candid -- and just about every time I am someone comes around to try to censor it (folks, when people state their opinions, there's nothing to fear or react strongly negative to; we can have different opinions and get along just fine, try it) -- I found this freebie, and just about all of the freebie libraries I've tried from Sonixinema to be the kind of freebies I immediately delete. None compelled me to want to buy the full sample libraries they came from. They didn't convey compelling, great sounding sample libraries -- even though the full libraries might indeed be that. They were just novelties of no value to me as a user of sample libraries or as a decision making tool to decide if I wanted to purchase the ful library. I would strongly recommend that developers that spend the 10 cents each or whatever deal they work out with NI to license the KONTAKT Player to not waste their money and opportunity to impress sample buyers by creating freebies like this. There's too little to what Sonixema puts in these freebies to assess the library it comes from, so it's completely useless to me, and I'm sure many others. I think they're better off doing say 2 octaves of a significant articulation of a sample library, say a sustain patch -- or maybe only include notes in one octave or two octaves in the key of C for two octaves, but give it the full scripting of the complete library to give the user an opportunity to assess the actual library it comes from. Because I found that this freebie -- and most of Sonixinema's other freebies -- to have no utility for me whatsoever. It's more or less, a novelty articulation that I wouldn't use and doesn't convey me how playable or realistic the main articulations of the full sample library is. It didn't help me to assess the full library and it's not useful on its own. Consequently, I have no use for it and it didn't help me make a decision on whether or not I want to purchase the full library. <DELETE.> It seems that Sonixenima makes some very nice libraries. But I think I'm going to skip bothering with their freebies. They have zero value for me. Edited June 3, 2023 by PavlovsCat 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fleer Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 Oops, I better delete the lot then! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 6 hours ago, Fleer said: Oops, I better delete the lot then! Hahaha! Seriously though. For an example of a sample developer who really "gets it" when it comes to free taster libraries, I'd point to Impact Soundworks. Their free version of their electric guitar library gives the user a good taste of the sample quality and scripting they're going to get in the full library. Yes, I think Orange Tree Samples makes superior guitar libraries, but when it comes to giving users a free taste of a sample library, Impact Soundworks nails it whereas Sonixinema gets this completely wrong and blows the opportunity to impress sample buyers. IMO. And yes, I'm writing this as both a sample user and a marketing strategist. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kitekrazy Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 14 hours ago, PavlovsCat said: If I'm going to be completely candid -- and just about every time I am someone comes around to try to censor it (folks, when people state their opinions, there's nothing to fear or react strongly negative to; we can have different opinions and get along just fine, try it) -- I found this freebie, and just about all of the freebie libraries I've tried from Sonixinema to be the kind of freebies I immediately delete. None compelled me to want to buy the full sample libraries they came from. They didn't convey compelling, great sounding sample libraries -- even though the full libraries might indeed be that. They were just novelties of no value to me as a user of sample libraries or as a decision making tool to decide if I wanted to purchase the ful library. I would strongly recommend that developers that spend the 10 cents each or whatever deal they work out with NI to license the KONTAKT Player to not waste their money and opportunity to impress sample buyers by creating freebies like this. There's too little to what Sonixema puts in these freebies to assess the library it comes from, so it's completely useless to me, and I'm sure many others. I think they're better off doing say 2 octaves of a significant articulation of a sample library, say a sustain patch -- or maybe only include notes in one octave or two octaves in the key of C for two octaves, but give it the full scripting of the complete library to give the user an opportunity to assess the actual library it comes from. Because I found that this freebie -- and most of Sonixinema's other freebies -- to have no utility for me whatsoever. It's more or less, a novelty articulation that I wouldn't use and doesn't convey me how playable or realistic the main articulations of the full sample library is. It didn't help me to assess the full library and it's not useful on its own. Consequently, I have no use for it and it didn't help me make a decision on whether or not I want to purchase the full library. <DELETE.> It seems that Sonixenima makes some very nice libraries. But I think I'm going to skip bothering with their freebies. They have zero value for me. As developers seen to use more disk space I'm starting to use more scrutiny and what do keep on drives. I've gotten away from free stuff. When you have all of the popular synth VSTs I don't think there's a point in synth romplers for me anymore. BTW Kontakt is also a synth. I still keep a lot of stuff on spinning drives. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antler Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 17 hours ago, PavlovsCat said: I found this freebie, and just about all of the freebie libraries I've tried from Sonixinema to be the kind of freebies I immediately delete. None compelled me to want to buy the full sample libraries they came from. They didn't convey compelling, great sounding sample libraries -- even though the full libraries might indeed be that. They were just novelties of no value to me as a user of sample libraries or as a decision making tool to decide if I wanted to purchase the ful library. The thing is, I get the impression that you're after libraries of realistic sounding playable instruments; Saxophone Explorations looks more like an abstract soundscape library. I don't think it's the frivolous bits of a sampled saxophone emulation - it's a different category of library. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Technostica Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 17 minutes ago, antler said: The thing is, I get the impression that you're after libraries of realistic sounding playable instruments; Saxophone Explorations looks more like an abstract soundscape library. I don't think it's the frivolous bits of a sampled saxophone emulation - it's a different category of library. Spot on. This is more Albert Ayler than Kenny G based on the description: "Saxophone Explorations is a unique sample library for Kontakt Player. Featuring abstract and aleatoric saxophone textures combined with a custom modular effects rig performed by virtuoso saxophonist and artist, Jay Reynolds, It is sublime, evolving and intense.". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PavlovsCat Posted June 3, 2023 Share Posted June 3, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, antler said: The thing is, I get the impression that you're after libraries of realistic sounding playable instruments; Saxophone Explorations looks more like an abstract soundscape library. I don't think it's the frivolous bits of a sampled saxophone emulation - it's a different category of library. Folks here don't know it, but antler and I have had a bunch of PM over time, so yes, it is true that I largely do pursue realistic sounding sample libraries of acoustic instruments, so yes, maybe I picked the wrong library to share my more general observation / critique of Sonixenima's freebies. I have just found that a lot of their freebies don't really give me enough of what I'm looking for to assess the full library. But to your point about this specific library, you are pretty much right. I probably wouldn't have been interested anyhow. Their string libraries are what greatly interest me, they do sound wonderful in the demos they've done and our own Simeon has done. I'm probably going to pick up their Legato Solo Cello library in the next sale they have and the freebie library for that one is actually not bad, but I do think they could also make it more compelling. I absolutely am not criticizing this developer's quality of work, which I'm guessing is superb and I'm certainly going to be purchasing some of their libraries in the future. But not due to their freebies, due to their walkthough videos and the walkthough videos of influencers like Simeon. Also, another KONTAKT sample developer I would cite as an example of doing taster libraries right is Xperimenta Project. In fact, it was after trying an Xperimenta Project free library that I became a customer. I found the sample quality, scripting and creativity of that developer's work was well conveyed in the freebie versions and that experience made me want to buy full versions of their libraries and everything I've purchased of theirs has been superb. Ideally, that is how the freebies work. They allow a sample user to experience a taste of sample library or a taste of the quality of a sample developer's work, and if the user finds that work compelling, they purchase. Some developers get that right. Of course, you may completely disagree with me on Sonixenima. And again, I suspect this is a superb developer. I just think they don't get the freebies right. But that is purely my opinion. Maybe you've tried them and found them compelling and made purchases. My experience and instincts lead me to believe that they can do this better. Edited June 3, 2023 by PavlovsCat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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