Creating your own virtual instruments

[vanderlae]

I am wanting to sample an old mandola that I have, recording each note and cutting it up into pro tools. That's as far as my knowledge extends when it comes to making your own keyboard-playable virtual instrument.

What's my next step? Can anyone point me in the direction of good online resources on this - you tube, articles, etc? I have done a search but aren't having much luck.

Whether it means creating an ACTUAL virtual instrument plugin, or devising a way to map the notes so I can play them MIDI via my keyboard, doesn't really matter...as long as I can do it.

Ideas?

[jkhuri44]

gday mate,

probably the best place to start would be a plugin like Kontakt 4...by Native instruments.

allows you to first record your source in all its possible articulations, then organise them to either recreate the original in a VST or do something different.

Kontakt allows you to use multilayered sampling, has filters, key switching, all sorts of advaced features.

[jkhuri44]

i am interested in doing this, but dont have any instrument i can be arsed trying it with....if you're interested, i might be able to help u....provided you're in Sydney?

[Chinagraf]

Hey Dave, you've got Reason I think? You can do it on the NNXT if you want to give it a go without buying any new software. Just record each note in PT, trim the head and tail and export them as a wav. Then you import them via the 'load sample' button on the NNXT. Set a range of 1 key for each note etc, maybe google "Make own patches on Reason NNXT" or something like that and you should find pretty good instructions.

[vanderlae]

i am interested in doing this, but dont have any instrument i can be arsed trying it with....if you're interested, i might be able to help u....provided you're in Sydney?

In Melbourne! Sorry, that would have been fun.

[vanderlae]

Hey Dave, you've got Reason I think? You can do it on the NNXT if you want to give it a go without buying any new software. Just record each note in PT, trim the head and tail and export them as a wav. Then you import them via the 'load sample' button on the NNXT. Set a range of 1 key for each note etc, maybe google "Make own patches on Reason NNXT" or something like that and you should find pretty good instructions.

Hey Andy,

Sure have! I got that to use the Abbey Road keyboards...good memory, mun!

I'll have a hunt for some tutes online for that. I still only use Reason as a 'live' tool, i.e. anything I use on it or play through it I print to a track in real time in pro tools, so I should start delving into it a bit more. Funnily enough, when I've recorded something via midi the playback never sounds as good as when I play it live...that's what got me started on just printing it on the spot. Strange, and I can't account for it. Anyway, thanks for the heads up.

[Ben M]

You may have the "Record quantise" function enabled Dave. Possibly snapping things to the nearest 1/64th. Is this what you mean by your performance not sounding as good?

[vanderlae]

You may have the "Record quantise" function enabled Dave. Possibly snapping things to the nearest 1/64th. Is this what you mean by your performance not sounding as good?

Hey Ben, it's more that it sounds sonically dull for some reason. The timing is fine. It's almost like someone threw a tea-towel over the monitors it is that much of a contrast! Okay, so a little exaggerated, but it's definitely noticeable; almost like a layer of processing is taken off. Weird, huh.

[mylesgm]

I've done this in logic and in kontakt and it's relatively easy and not too time consuming. Pretty much any sampler will do it and then of course you can alter those sounds to correct the pitch inaccuracy of the original instrument or extend the range or extend the expression control of the instrument. Heaps of fun...

[Chinagraf]

[quote="vanderlae"] Funnily enough, when I've recorded something via midi the playback never sounds as good as when I play it live...that's what got me started on just printing it on the spot. Strange, and I can't account for it. [/quote]

Might be a mental issue Dave.

[Ben M]

You may have the "Record quantise" function enabled Dave. Possibly snapping things to the nearest 1/64th. Is this what you mean by your performance not sounding as good?

Hey Ben, it's more that it sounds sonically dull for some reason. The timing is fine. It's almost like someone threw a tea-towel over the monitors it is that much of a contrast! Okay, so a little exaggerated, but it's definitely noticeable; almost like a layer of processing is taken off. Weird, huh.

Out of interest Dave... when you were having this issue with Reason were you using it standalone or rewired into your DAW?
That's a real strange one.

[mylesgm]

Kontakt is not free, Kontakt player is. the player simply allows you to play some (not all) sample libraries but doesn't allow you to edit or create your own libraries. If you dont own kontakt (which is a very impressive sampler) but own Logic then you can use the exs24 (the built in sampler) to achieve pretty decent results...

[vanderlae]

G'day Ben, I was using it via rewire in pro tools. It doesn't bother me too much, but I suppose if I was looking to record the midi to later quantise then it might be a problem. I thought it might be a converter thing? But that's a stab in the cold, cold dark and in no way based on anything technical or logical.

[Ben M]

G'day Ben, I was using it via rewire in pro tools. It doesn't bother me too much, but I suppose if I was looking to record the midi to later quantise then it might be a problem. I thought it might be a converter thing? But that's a stab in the cold, cold dark and in no way based on anything technical or logical.

Hmmm...would be worth trying in standalone mode if you haven't already. Did you look at the velocity limit on the edit page? May not be recording the full velocity of what your playing? Maybe?
That's a tough one Dave.