EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

Got a few questions, I'm pretty new to Logic but liking it a lot so far.  I'm running Logic Audio 5.5 on OS X.

A few questions:
Often times I find a .WAV file that I'll create a new exs24 instrument with.  To do this, I first convert it to a .AIF file using SoundConverter, a free tool.  That conversion doesn't decrease the quality.  But once I create a new exs24 instrument and add that .AIF to it in a new Audio Zone to create the instrument, it always seems to lose a little bit of quality.  And I'm not talking about when you import one sound such as a piano note at C3 and then play something like C2, this happens even when I play the same note (ie import at C3 and map it just to a zone on C3), so it has the same pitch.  But I'm not sure what's going on, just some sounds, especially snare drums really lose some intensity and realism if that is the right word.  I'm just guessing that some of those settings on the exs24 main control panel have something to do with it and there is some sort of way to just have it sample with a "flat" or "unmodified" sound, but not sure how to do that.

Another question: when I import various .AIF files to create new instruments, sometimes they come in at different volume levels.  Is the best way to normalize the volumes on these to edit the original .AIF file to make it louder or softer, or is it better to use the volume meter on the exs24?  In a similar note, when I use direct audio (not esx24) to record something on my microphone, it always records to soft.  So far, I have been using the volume gain effect as well as turning the volume for the microphone track's Mixing consule up to almost full.  But when I do that, the sound gets a tiny bit distorted.. not very much but still it is noticable if you listen carefully.  Also, when I adjust the volume from the mixing consule to nearly Full, there isn't really much room to play with to get it even louder so I have to resort to the graphic EQ and volume gain effects which sort of distor the sound a bit too.
 
One last question: with the EXS24 sampler, it seems I can do anything I want as far as getting instruments and it sounds better than the ES1 and the other plugins.  Do people actually use any virtual instrument plugin other than the EXS24?   I guess part of it is I generally use mostly acoustic sounds such as recording of pianos and acoustic drums, etc, so this might apply more to me, but just curious.

Thanks!

-Taric

On a fine day, 11-04-2003, Taric Mirza wrote:

>Another question: when I import various .AIF files to create new 
>instruments, sometimes they come in at different volume levels.  Is 
>the best way to normalize the volumes on these to edit the original 
>.AIF file to make it louder or softer, or is it better to use the 
>volume meter on the exs24?

If the difference isn't too big, I would use the volume settings on 
individual zones.  Normalizing only makes sure the highest peak is at 
100%, which doesn't guarantee equal "perceived volume".

>In a similar note, when I use direct audio (not esx24) to record 
>something on my microphone, it always records to soft.

Maybe too obvious, but you have to use a mic pre-amp when recording 
microphones.

>One last question: with the EXS24 sampler, it seems I can do 
>anything I want as far as getting instruments and it sounds better 
>than the ES1 and the other plugins.  Do people actually use any 
>virtual instrument plugin other than the EXS24?

Yes.  You're comapring apples & oranges here imo.  A sampler is 
something very different from a synth.  Both have their applications. 
If you need extgremely realistic clarinets, you'd probably best get a 
good symphonic sample library and use the EXS.  If you need far-out 
wild morphing sounds, you'd probably better use a synth.

-- 
Hendrik Jan Veenstra  <h@...>
Omega Art: http://www.omega-art.com/

Thanks for the tips everyone, that helps a lot!

-Taric