EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

I originaly posted this message on the LUG, and have tested it out
some more last night and think it may simply be a low memory issue..
Any thoughts on this?  Any EXS experts out there?

  I was wondering if any members here has had success with the Maestro
  Grand GIGA file conversion? I got this file from Audioshots and it's
  pretty great sounding with the exception of sample clipping. It
  doesn't appear to be consistent on a particular note/velocity.
 
  This is a multi layered instrument across an 88 key range. I dug
  around and in the EXS manual, and determined I'd have to set 
  the cross fade and a specific amount per zone. Is this true? or the
  right approach to cleaning up this sample instrument? The issue is 
  that there are several hunderd samples!

  The Logic FAQs over at OmegaArts pointed out that I could in fact
  click the cross fade check box en mass with a lasso/key command
  sequence.. Now I'm 1/500th of the way there assuming this is the
  right approach to get this puppy to work right. Insights?

Thanks for any input!
Adam

on 12/29/05 7:25 AM, chinbassman at chinbassman@... wrote:


> 
>   I was wondering if any members here has had success with the Maestro
>   Grand GIGA file conversion? I got this file from Audioshots and it's
>   pretty great sounding with the exception of sample clipping. It
>   doesn't appear to be consistent on a particular note/velocity.
>


> Thanks for any input!
> Adam
> 
I'm no great EXS expert, but since no one else has responded, I'll take a
stab at the problem.

Do you know if it's the samples themselves that clip? In other words, when
you play the sample file itself in the audio editor, does it sound clipped
or OK? If the samples themselves have clipping distortion, there's nothing
you can do.

On the other hand, if the samples themselves are fine, then I'd try just
lowering the volume offset of the entire instrument. I seem to recall that
if the volume of the instrument is set too high, you can get clipping on the
loudest samples. I don't really understand why this should happen, because
Logic is supposed to use 32-bit float throughout.

Don

Hey Don,

Thanks for the tips.. I checked out the samples, and they're all clean
and long for that matter.  Adjusting the volume of the EXS instrument
didn't change anything.  I threw on Activity monitor to see what was
going on memory and CPU wise, and I did see it was un-usually consumed.

I'm tending to think this monster instrument is just too much for my
G4,  800Mhz, and 896Meg Ram. I really need a G5 dual proc of some kind
with tons of RAM.

Thanks,
Adam

At 11:20 PM 12/29/2005, you wrote:
>Hey Don,
>
>Thanks for the tips.. I checked out the samples, and they're all clean
>and long for that matter.  Adjusting the volume of the EXS instrument
>didn't change anything.  I threw on Activity monitor to see what was
>going on memory and CPU wise, and I did see it was un-usually consumed.
>
>I'm tending to think this monster instrument is just too much for my
>G4,  800Mhz, and 896Meg Ram. I really need a G5 dual proc of some kind
>with tons of RAM.

Have you checked to see if the velocity-switching is working 
properly? If the Giga import didn't properly convert the layers, it 
could be that all layers are sounding simultaneously, which could 
lead to clipping of individual notes.

on 12/29/05 11:20 PM, chinbassman at chinjazz@... wrote:

> Hey Don,
> 
> Thanks for the tips.. I checked out the samples, and they're all clean
> and long for that matter.

OK, good. 

By the way, I'm wondering where you found this piano. A google search
revealed only a soundfont created by Mats Helgesson that doesn't seem to be
available any more. I thought that if it's free, I could try to see if I
could reproduce your problem, but I was unable to find this instrument
anywhere.

>Adjusting the volume of the EXS instrument
> didn't change anything.

I'm not sure I made this very clear in my earlier post. What I am referring
to is the volume setting in the EXS instrument editor window. Is that what
you adjusted, say to something like -12 dB, or did you adjust the fader on
that instrument in the mixer?

>I threw on Activity monitor to see what was
> going on memory and CPU wise, and I did see it was un-usually consumed.
> 
> I'm tending to think this monster instrument is just too much for my
> G4,  800Mhz, and 896Meg Ram. I really need a G5 dual proc of some kind
> with tons of RAM.
> 

Yes, no doubt your machine is underpowered. But I don't think that could
generate clipping distortion. The symptoms of insufficient horsepower might
be audio overloads or stuttering of the audio.

Don

Hey Don,

This is good info, I'll check out the additional parameters in the
editor.. Yes, I checked the overall volume only.  

Here's web site for the sample:  http://audioshots.com/auditorium/

They ask to not give out direct links to their posts.. It's a pretty
good place for free samples.  Once you register search for:

"Maestro Grand" in the "Large Files, Other Formats" forum.  The thread
called "Matt Helgenson Maestro grand piano" should come up.  All said
and done, the file un-zips to about a gigabyte.

By the way there's an awesome set of drum kits out there by a guy
named "Giro".  The Kits are called "G&S Custom Works Drums Library". 
Sascha Franck created the EXS instrument.  It's very playable.

I'll check out everything you pointed out and let you know.

Thanks a bunch!
Adam

on 12/30/05 11:12 AM, chinbassman at chinjazz@... wrote:


> 
> Here's web site for the sample:  http://audioshots.com/auditorium/
> 
> They ask to not give out direct links to their posts.. It's a pretty
> good place for free samples.  Once you register search for:
> 
> "Maestro Grand" in the "Large Files, Other Formats" forum.  The thread
> called "Matt Helgenson Maestro grand piano" should come up.  All said
> and done, the file un-zips to about a gigabyte.
>

Adam,

I've gotten this piano to work perfectly, as far as I can tell, with no
adjustments. I'm using Logic Pro 7.1.1 on a 1.67 GHz PB, and the built-in
Logic Giga conversion worked fine. I've tried using the full velocity range,
and I can't get produce any clipping whatsoever.

This piano is pretty nice for a free one, although of course it doesn't
stand up to the Post pianos, for example. But pretty good for a freebie.
Also, it doesn't tax the system much, so I'd think you could use it with
your computer. I'm not sure why you're having problems.

Don

Don,

HAPPY NEW YEAR!   Well, it's now working fine.  Pheww.....

I basically removed the samples, and sample instruments and started
over.   In the EXS instrument "Options", I found that the Virtual
memory was not active, so I turned that on (that's a biggie, and quite
frankly sort of embarrasing that I didn't know about it) I always
thought that this was always on and not an option.  Also under options
button, the Sample Storage I set to 32 bit float.  It wasn't set.

Just curious, how are you able to tell if velocity-switching is
working properly?  Is there a way to monitor it while you're playing
(future reference).

I very very much appreciate your input and time you spent downloading
and checking out the big sample instrument!!

I was primarily using the EXS 24 for a few drum sample instruments I
bought and basically didn't venture into all of the options and
settings.  Good news... I'm learning something new every day.  Thanks
to guys like you!

Cheers, and again Happy New Year!  

P.S. I found a site that seems to have a few valid EXS tips for
optimized operation:  http://proapptips.com/tips/

Take care, 
Adam

On Dec ,30, 2005, at 9:49 PM, chinbassman wrote:

>  how are you able to tell if velocity-switching is
> working properly?  Is there a way to monitor it while you're playing

Yes. With the EXS instrument editor open, there are some view options 
that allow the currently played zone/groups to jump to the top of the 
list. You can see this happening, as well as seeing the corresponding 
zones under the keyboard being highlighted in real time, as your 
playing


--------
Eli Krantzberg
http://www.nightshiftorchestra.com
Almat Productions

Thanks Eli.. I'll check it out