Subject:Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Posted by: luces1

Date:4/25/2005 8:07:18 AM

Good day, I am interested in purchasing a guitar VSTi and I would like to know if anyone has experience with either or both of the products I am considering. The obvious first one is Virtual Guitar by Steinberg. The demos sound good,but I was curious as to others' experience regarding limitations and so forth. The second app is Real Guitar by Music Lab, now distributed by Best Service. Also, would like to know about pros and cons to this app as well. Thanks to all who reply, luces.

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:4/25/2005 9:08:28 AM

I don't own any of these, being a guitarist myself, but I can mention one thing: Judging from what I've heard, it's no substitute for the real thing. It comes close, but due to the instrument being so dynamic (in-between string squeaks, picking style, "imperfect" playing etc.), it's hard to mimic a real person playing guitar.

Iacobus
-------
RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid
Buy Instant ACID by JohnnyRoy and mD!
mD at ACIDplanet

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:4/25/2005 10:17:16 AM

> I was curious as to others' experience regarding limitations and so forth

I would say the largest limitation is that ACID cannot record the MIDI that these VSTi’s generate so I question how useful they would be with ACID. You really need Cubase or SONAR to use these instruments to their fullest.

~jr

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: lilhymm

Date:4/25/2005 9:13:31 PM

JohnnyRoy is there any other VSTI's that you can use with ACID besides the one that came with pro 5. Also can you add refills (more sounds) to the those that came with pro5.

Also who has the best samples or loops for ACID?

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:4/26/2005 8:11:51 AM

> is there any other VSTI's that you can use with ACID besides the one that came with pro 5.

Yes, there are lots of VSTi instruments that you can use with ACID 5. I have a list of my favorite VSTi on my web site both free and commercial that I use in ACID all the time. Check out my VST Instruments page.

> Also can you add refills (more sounds) to the those that came with pro5.

Refills for the VSTi’s that come with ACID are called Sonic Xpansion Packs and are supposed to be available from Native Instruments but I haven’t seen any yet. Their real hope is that people upgrade to the full version of these synths. I have the full version of Pro-53 and B4, both of which I got on eBay for around $50 with the box and original CD and license transferred to my name.

You can hunt out a bargain on these on eBay. Just be very careful of pirated software on eBay. Ask the seller if it is the original CD with copy protection holes and if they are willing to transfer the license to you. Usually pirates won’t reply to a request like that. Native Instruments burns two small holes in their CD’s for copy protection. If the CD doesn’t have the holes, it is a fake.

Start by downloading the excellent free VSTi’s that are pointed to on my web site and have some fun.

> Also who has the best samples or loops for ACID?

That’s hard to say. What Genre? Rock, Hip-Hop, Orchestral? The Sony Loop collection is by far the largest and most extensive. They have loops for every genre imaginable.

I am also a big fan of Hark Loops, and SmartLoops. I find that they are not the same ole stuff and they are exceptional quality and value. Download some of their samples and try them out. Pro Drum Works Volume 1 from SmartLoops is a really nice drum collection that is easy to navigate and very well organized. Sustained Inversions and Gorgeous Piano from Hark Loops is also very sweet.

Again, it depends on what Genre you are trying to compose for. I do mostly Hard Rock so my compositions are lots of drums, bass, guitar, and keys and I’m a keyboard player so I don’t usually buy keyboard loop libraries. I just play the parts myself.

~jr

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: luces1

Date:4/26/2005 9:30:22 PM

Hey mD, not to be inflamatory,but as a drummer I could say the same thing about drums. There are many subtleties and dynamics to drums and percussion(I have been a drummer for 30 years, teaching and professionally for 20 of those years) and like the guitar the articulations depend on the STYLE of the instruments' applications. If I were playing jazz or folk type drumming then I would use the shank of the stick or the butt of the stick or brushes or mallets or whatever which would also create many variations on the dynamics and the organic properties of the instrument. The PROBLEM is... that in modern music drums have all of the life squeezed out of them and as such this type of sound has become status quo. It may seem as though I am offended by your comment, but I'm not ,really. I just would like to remind people that drums are really probably STILL the most dynamic instrument out there! AND as for my VSTi question, my use of these would be the same way people use drum loops and drum machines...as something to create a foundation(i.e. strumming or arpeggios, and ONLY in the background or as part of the sound bed.) So, don't take what I am saying as I am offended or I am trying to offend anyone. I just think that sometimes people forget the actual sonic beauty AND complexity of the world's oldest instrument.(just listen to the latest Pat Metheny cd and you'll see what I mean. Antonio Sanchez is BRILLIANT!) That's it. I hope nobody takes this wrong, I am cool, soooo ..out for now. luces

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: JohnnyRoy

Date:4/27/2005 6:27:20 AM

> my use of these would be the same way people use drum loops and drum machines...

Actually, I would not put those in the same sentence. I would NEVER use a drum machine for the exact reasons you sited. That’s what drove me to ACID in the first place. Loops are not static. Some of the newer drum libraries like SmartLoops Pro Drum Works Volume 1 have an incredible palette of playing styles. I use loops because I want the feel of a live drummer and you can only get that by using the recordings of a live drummer.

As for using a Guitar VSTi, I’m a keyboard player so to me, strumming is strumming (sorry Iacobus, it’s a keyboard players view of the world) and you won’t hear the nuances because the loudest thing in my mix will, of course, be my keyboards. ;-D <very big wink>

~jr

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: Iacobus

Date:4/27/2005 10:47:31 AM

Hey, no offense taken everyone. :o)

I should rephrase what I said. If you have no other option than to use a VSTi or loops, then go for it. But if you can do it yourself, then that'll work too.

I do know that, like JohnnyRoy, I'm not a drummer, so I have to rely on either loop collections or percussive One-shots (latter preferred) to come up with my drum tracks. If I had access to a real drummer and related recording equipment, I'd do that. But I'm sure my neighbors wouldn't be too excited about it. :oD

Iacobus
-------
RodelWorks - Original Music for the Unafraid
Buy Instant ACID by JohnnyRoy and mD!
mD at ACIDplanet

Subject:RE: Opinions on VSTi Guitar.

Reply by: luces1

Date:4/27/2005 5:50:16 PM

"I should rephrase what I said. If you have no other option than to use a VSTi or loops, then go for it. But if you can do it yourself, then that'll work too."

Oh, that's different. Well, nevermind.(ala Emily Latella)