Pc Sound Module
The main advantage of using a PC for audio is that it can handle very large samples, especially if you have multiple gigs of RAM. There are two main routes for this:
Use a stand alone software instrument.
These typically have a nice GUI that makes it easy to vary the parameters of the sound. They don't rely on any other software to work, but they usually cost $200-$300. A couple examples:
- Native Instruments Akoustik Piano
- Synthogy Ivory Grand
Use a sample library with a software sampler
Sample libraries are just a folder full of sound files with another file specifying how they should be used to produce music. A software sampler is required to play back these files in a useful manner. Some examples of software samplers:
- Apple's Garage Band (free with some macs), Logic Express, and Logic use the EXS24 format
- Gigastudio (Gigasonic)
- Halion
- Native Instruments Kontakt
- [ The Linux Sampler] uses Gigasonic files
Some keyboard sample libraries that might be of interest to DIYers:
- http://download.linuxsampler.org/instruments/pianos/maestro_concert_grand_v2.rar WARNING: Raw link to a 337MB piano library. Expands to almost a gig.
- [ SampleTekk ] has a wide selection of keyboard samples that are rather inexpensive compared to Ivory and Akoustik, notably a $12 harpsichord and a $20 pair of clavichords, and a variety of $50 pianos. They recently merged with Post Musical Instruments, which makes(still?) the Post Piano.
page revision: 2, last edited: 25 Apr 2008 00:28