EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

> I would be very interested to learn the method by which you port The Grand
> to the EXS-24. I suspect I I am not alone.

Sorry for the delay on this request...

I set up a sequence triggering every key at maximum velocity for 4 bars
sustained one after another, from the left of the keyboard to the right,
with a one-beat rest between notes, probably at the default tempo (can't
quite remember). Pulled the resulting bounced copy of the track into Peak.
Normalized the bounced file. Manually specified the starting points of
markers for at the start of every note (auto selection of the point through
the Threshold command was not nearly accurate enough. Exported the resulting
regions (technically speaking, I exported the areas between markers). Then I
performed a chromatic import into the EXS24. Next, I edited the start and
end points using Logic's sample editor to fade in the first sample cycle and
the fade out last one, to eliminate any audible clicks (I like doing this in
Logic better than Peak). Then did a select all and moved all the samples up
the keyboard simultaneously using the key command that moves samples up/down
while changing the root note accordingly. Disabled Oneshot setting. Switched
to the alternate view of the EXS24. Activated the Fat24 filter, setting the
cutoff to zero and the cutoff via velocity to +100%. Adjusted the ADSR to
sound natural, particularly for the release. There you have it, a 128MB,
very-useable version of the grand. I also tweaked the EXS24 controls and
modulation for a while and came up with two very unique and rather
organic-sounding synth patches. Note: I didn't even bother with looping.
Because the samples were so long, the sustain was fine in nearly every
practical application of the piano.

My final project will be sampling The Grand at 8 different velocities. This
version will not use filter cutoff since it would butcher the samples at
lower velocities. It won't be as dynamic as the grand, but with 8 layers, it
should be pretty decent. The Grand VST instrument has serious problems with
the sustain petal within Logic. The port behaves perfectly. I've still got
my sample-trigger sequence, so some of the setup is already out of the way.
Still, it will take hours. The upside is, it's kind of fun to build
high-quality instruments like this from source VST instruments.

A final note: Although the 128MB version sounds different than the more
exact future replica, it sounds very good. It just gives the impression of
being a different "grand" because of the use of filtering. It's actually a
very, very good piano with a lot of dynamic. It just doesn't sound the same
as The Grand triggered at lower velocities. I'm glad I have both.

-Jer