CDR—L 3: Percussion 'Articles: CD-ROM Sound Library
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
7 7 7 _ _.._____ ;7_ - ----------~~.--Qgir. -- - The Independent Newsletter for Ensoniq Users ‘ """"\ CD-ROM Sound Library In This Issue ... CDR-13"CDR—l 3: Percussion ‘Articles:Articles: 3 Tom Shear - Hacker G*L*I*T*Z 1 Interview with Bill Champlin - Part I John R. BellesBolles ........................................................................................ 3 ments of choice fall under the percussion family. You'll find megabyte after megabyte family. You’ll find megabyte after megabyte Is it Real or is it Audio? of all manner of percussion (bongos, shakers, Duane FFrybargerrybarger .............................................................................. 4 tablas, gongs, orchestral percussion, even synth and "body“body percussion”)percussion") all fully pro-pro grammed and conveniently stored on a single Hacker Reprint i CD-ROM for your musical pleasure. So is it How Sounds Work -—- Part III any good? Let'sLet’s have a look. The Perfect Piano Mark Clifton .......................................................................................... .. 6 Like the other volumes in this series, most of J these sounds will load fine into a fully ex-ex panded EPS-16+, but in a few cases (generally Reviews: instrument sizes above 4000 or so blocks), instrument sizes above 4000 or so blocks), Ensoniq CDR: 13:Percussion1 3:Perc11ssion 1 will require an expanded ASR or TS. One Product: CD-ROM Sound Library Tom Shear ......................................................... ................ ..... .. cover other caveat: much like the Drums volume CDR-J3:CDR-I3: Percussion. other caveat: much like the Drums volume reviewed previously within these pages, I ex For: EPS-16+/ASR/TSEPS-16+1 ASR/TS compatible reviewed previously within these pages, I ex- i perienced mysterious pops and clicks at the Basement Tapes: Eric Montgomery samplers. perienced mysterious pops and clicks at the ends of a lot of these samples. I'm not sure Steve Vincent ................................................................................... 7 1 Price: ends of a lot of these samples. I’m not sure From: Ensoniq Corporation, 155 Great what the cause of this is, but it is a thoroughly Valley Parkway, Malvern, PA 19055. annoying glitch, especially if you are not a Regular Stufl:Stuff: programmer and don't know which para Phone: 610-647-3930 (voice), programmer and don’t know which para- meters to tweak to get rid of them. Of course, 610-647-8908 (fax). Random Notes ............................................................... .. I I I I 0 2 this could just be my machine (I didn'tdidn’t have Hypersoniq ........................................................................................ .. 2 access to another machine to check them out The Interface ...................................................................................... .. I00 ‘IQ 9 CD-ROMs are fast becoming a popular choice on), but it is worth considering. So with that Classifieds .......................................................... ....................... QI I0 II‘I atu II6In IIca0co 13 of storage medium for sampled sound these out of the way, let’slet's see what’swhat's on the disk, Hacker Booteeq ......................................................................... .. I.Q. ‘QII Q.U. "-"stature[5 days. With sampler memories approaching shall we? sizes that dwarf most of our home computers, having an easy, dependable method of storing Like all the CD-ROMs in this series, this one k J large sounds is becoming increasingly imporimpor- is logically organized by category, making it tant. For now, most manufacturers seem to quick and convenient to find the type of inin- kits of "Eth“Ethnicnic Percussion,"Percussion,” a "Latin“Latin PercusPercus- rely on CD-ROM for this very purpose (at strument you need. The first section consists sion"sion” kit (Tito, look out!),outi), the big 01'ol’ "Mega“Mega least until Korg develops that new 1l gigabyte of "Percussion“Percussion Kits.”Kits." These basically combine Percussion"Percussion” kit, the creatively titled "More“More Quikdisk -— yes, that was a joke, no letters some of the types of sounds you’llyou'll find in Percussion,”Percussion," and "Percussion“Percussion Toys,"Toys,” you please...).please ... ). high memory versions elsewhere on the disk have lots to choose from. The sounds are, of into single kits with plenty of different instru-instru course, impeccably recorded, and in addition This month, we'llwe’ll be taking a look at yet ments to choose from. This is probably most to some slight random pitch modulation to asas- another great offering of sampled instruments convenient for those of you who will be sese- sure no two hits sound exactly the same, are on CD-ROM from our good friends at InIn- quencing with the sounds and need access to also provided with patch select variations of Vision and Ensoniq. This time out, the instru- many of the instruments at once. With two performance techniques such as flams, rolls, [ ISSUE NUMBER 157,151, $2.50 K JULY,Juiv, 19981998“ " 7* ' Ti _ T F _ __ I _$' and more. Most of the sounds are mapped etc., I was disappointed that this section really nice stuff here. The similar, although with the same pitch on adjacent keys making didn'tdidn’t feature any loops like some of the sillier "Mouth“Mouth Percussion"Percussion” offers still more it much easier to play complex rhythms, fast other sounds. It would’vewould've been a nice addiaddi- variations on that theme. This is followed by rolls, etc. Finally, the mod wheel bends the tion that could'vecould’ve spiced up many a drum three "“SpaceSpace Gongs"Gongs” which tum out to be pitch down on almost all the sounds on this track I'mI’m sure. industrial-sounding toned metal strikes. Sort CD-ROM making it dead easy to simulate of industrial bells.bells. Next up is "Synth“Synth PercusPercus- tightening and loosening the drum heads. Following this is the amusingly titled "“BellsBells sion."sion.” I expected the usual assortment of These guys have thought of everything. & Whistles.”Whistles." The section opens with a Roland TR-series beeps and boops, but was beautifully recorded bell tree, offering a pleasantly surprised by an unusual drum kit Next up is a section simply entitled variety of tinkling glisses (boy did that come consisting of a heavy kick, a metallic, "Drums."“Drums.” Things start off with two variavaria- out wrong) which sound natural and ethereal. snare-like hit, and several punchy and ex-ex tions on the Bongos theme.theme. "Bongos“Bongos l”I" Definitely adds atmosphere to a tracktrack.. If the pressive tom-like sounds. Not particularly weighs in at a slight 546 blocks, but despite atmosphere you are after has more in comcom- synthy, but certainly not very organic soundsound- the small size, provides a really nice variety mon with a smokey bayou bar than the outer ing. For those looking for organic sounds, of slaps, hits, and mutes that make it easy to reaches of space, the cowbells might appeal the 5569 block "Waterphones"“Waterphones” should do the create a convincing bongo simulation for that to you more. In addition to two loops of trick and will undoubtedly inspire many a Virtual Poetry Slam you had planned next questionable usefulness, you can choose suspense thriller/horrorthriller/horror movie soundtrack. week. If that'sthat’s not enough for you, however, from several cowbells of varying size and its big brother, "Bongos“Bongos 2,"2,” should give you tone, from deep and hollow, to high and bell The disk ends with a section of "Orchestral“Orchestral everything you need. Tons of different hits, like. "Kyoto“Kyoto Garden"Garden” is a wonderfully evocevoc- Percussion”Percussion" no less well thought out than the some with only subtle variations, actual per-per ative gamelan that also consists of a sample rest of the CD. Tymps, woodblocks, gongs formed flams, rolls, and crescendos...crescendos ... truly of several tones at once, sounding like and all manner of the haughtier members of you would have to be remarkably untalented windchimeswindchimes.. Finally, you have more whistles the percussion family are represented here, to NOT make these samples sound great. that you could possible ever use (hey, somesome- and for you pop afficiandos, there are even They are that well done. times that Latin percussion track needs themthem,, three instruments worth of orchestra hits. don'tdon’t laugh), and some triangles to play "Bongos"“Bongos” a bit too '60s’60s for you? Have no those action sequence riffs all the '70s’70s action As with all the CD-ROMs in this series, fear, two variations on Congas are provided shows seemed to use. these sounds are extremely well done. Flaw-Flaw next. At first, I thought the tone of "Congas“Congas less recording quality, useful performances, I"l” was too dead. Sure, it sounded nice, but Now for my favorite section on the disk, and the kind of in-depth programming that is there was no ring to the tone of the drums "Unique“Unique Percussion."Percussion.” Yeah, we all know often lacking. Suffice it to say, if you can hit and they sounded a bit dead. That was until I samplers are great at replicating real world it and make a sound, it'sit’s probably on here, realized that this sound was programmed so instruments, but I have always had a weak-weak and it'sit’s probably so well done that you could that if you hit a key and hold it down, it ness for those sounds that take existing fool a seasoned pro. mutes the drum, whereas if you strike the sounds and mangle them beyond recognition. key and remove your finger immediately, it We start off with a perfect example of thatthat,, Highly recommended. —_ rings. Just like the real thing. It is subtle difdif- Body Percussion. This kit takes human ferences like this that make these instruments grunts, pops, snaps, slaps, etc., and through Bio: Tom Shear refused rights to Ensoniq to shine. "Congas“Congas 1"l” is followed up, approappro- use of heavy effects processing and EQ, include the sound of his head being struck priately enough, with "Congas“Congas 2,"2,” which in turns them into some pretty unusual drum when he learned the sound was to be called addition to having other hits, also sports a and percussion sounds.