SampleTank

[muzicman0]

Does anyone use it? I saw it on sale for $59 for the biggest version, so I just bought it. I'm hoping to use it for a replacement on the sounds for an old keyboard we use (via MIDI). How are the piano sounds? Strings? I figured for $59 it was worth the risk...

mm0

[Adam Christopher]

Well it has about as many sounds as you could ever get for $59. But hope you know that they are "supposed to" come out with Sample Tank3 in 2013. But they were supposed to come out with ST3 for four years running and they haven't delivered yet. The IK guys are slow to develop.

[muzicman0]

I mainly want decent strings and a decent piano...hopefully I can test it later this week.

[Adam Christopher]

They are ok for both. But they don't have the advanced scripting that Kontakt libraries have so they don't sound as realistic. But you can have a lot of fun with them. Some of the instruments like bass are terrible and fake. Among the better libaries that play in ST2 is the Miroslav pack for classical.


If you are satisfied with ST2, just stick with that and have fun. If not, you can also pick up third party Miroslav packs that will play in ST2 for piano and strings that might suit you.

If you are ever looking to expand here are some other options:

There's a Piano in the free Kontakt Factory Selection to be played with the free Kontakt player.

If you are looking for quality strings, you can use the free NI Kontakt player and use this nice Kontakt library.

http://embertone.com/freebies/intstrings-lite.php

The problem is with the free version, it will time out after 15 or 30 minutes depending on the version with third party sounds (the strings are third party).

I'm also pretty sure that Native Instruments includes strings in their Lite sample library - Komplete Elements that you can pick up for between $30 and $50 but you should check first to be sure because I am not 100% sure that it includes strings. That might be your best bet if they do. It will include at least one grand piano.

Be careful of using multiple instances of Native Instruments Kontakt. In Saw I get crashses if I do so.

There are also soundfonts but they are significantly lower quality than the NI samples. You will need a sampler that can play soundfonts. There are tons of them so I don't recommend any inparticular. Here is the link to soundfonts orchestral instruments.

http://sso.mattiaswestlund.net/

There's not too many other options out there in the budget range. Believe me, I looked around. I am looking forward to ST3 when and IF it comes out.

Good luck and enjoy!

I mainly want decent strings and a decent piano...hopefully I can test it later this week.

[muzicman0]

I ended up picking up a Yamaha motif ES rack for a good price...love it!

[sebastiandybing]

If they still sell the Miroslav libery for
sampletank to the same insane price then
go for it.

It has around 10 gb of good sounding string, woodwind, brass,
perc, chorus, piano, harp, churchorgan.

Sebastian