Fake real instrument sounds

For fans of synths, pianos or keyboard instruments of any sort.

Moderator: Moderators

Fake real instrument sounds

Post by Drew Stephenson »

The oxymoron in the title is deliberate. After reading the review in this month's magazine of the Expressive E Imagine VST (https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/ex ... -e-imagine) I went onto their website to have a listen and was very tempted by the 'organic' nature of the sounds (as highlighted in the review).

My question to the assembled experts is whether there is anything else that I should be considering instead?
To be clear, it's that ability to have a sound that almost sounds like a recorded, acoustic instrument, just one that hasn't been invented yet.
Any thoughts?
User avatar
Drew Stephenson
Jedi Poster
Posts: 23707 Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:00 am Location: York
(The forumuser formerly known as Blinddrew)
Ignore the post count, I still have no idea what I'm doing...
https://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by Martin Walker »

Wow - just listened to those sounds myself, and I see what you mean! 8-)

I've used plenty of the AAS Instruments (and created preset banks for them), but Expressive E Imagine truly lives up to its name, particularly with the repeated/strum styles.

I suspect you could create similar sounds with existing AAS instruments (after all, it's AAS physical modeling expertise that creates these sounds), but they would be significantly more difficult to make as expressive without a fair amount of MIDI controller activity/mapping.

Martin
User avatar
Martin Walker
Moderator
Posts: 20388 Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:44 am Location: Cornwall, UK

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by The Elf »

Maybe this kind of processing will appear in the upcoming Osmose.
User avatar
The Elf
Jedi Poster
Posts: 19697 Joined: Tue Aug 14, 2001 12:00 am Location: Sheffield, UK
An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by Folderol »

It's a very capable synth, and those are nice sounds, but I wonder how much work was needed to set it up for each variation.
User avatar
Folderol
Jedi Poster
Posts: 17478 Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:00 am Location: The Mudway Towns, UK
Yes. I am that Linux nut {apparently now an 'elderly'}
Onwards and... err... sideways!

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by BJG145 »

Martin Walker wrote: Wed Feb 16, 2022 4:46 pmI've used plenty of the AAS Instruments (and created preset banks for them)

Tassman was great wasn't it. Will have to check this out.

The Elf wrote: Wed Feb 16, 2022 5:22 pm Maybe this kind of processing will appear in the upcoming Osmose.

EagenMatrix includes physical modelling among other things; probably not on this level though.
User avatar
BJG145
Jedi Poster
Posts: 6948 Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 12:00 am

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by RichardT »

Pianoteq is supposed to be able to generate new modelled instruments, but I’ve not tried it.
RichardT
Frequent Poster (Level2)
Posts: 3786 Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2004 12:00 am Location: Ireland

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by Martin Walker »

Folderol wrote: Wed Feb 16, 2022 6:59 pm It's a very capable synth, and those are nice sounds, but I wonder how much work was needed to set it up for each variation.

A very good question Will - in my experience, physical modeling synths tend to be divided into:

1. Those that can create sounds that sound remarkably similar to some acoustic sounds, but have their parameters carefully restricted to avoid any possibility of unexpected loud sounds, breakup or continuous feedback.

2. Those that can create genuinely new sounds with no real limitation on parameter values, but at the expense of sometimes becoming unstable with more extreme parameter values. In other words, caveat emptor!

Without using Expressive E Imagine myself I don't know which category it falls into, although given the huge breadth and impressiveness of its sound palette I suspect that a huge amount of work has gone into its presets, which are indeed most expressive and impressive.

Martin
User avatar
Martin Walker
Moderator
Posts: 20388 Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 8:44 am Location: Cornwall, UK

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by ManFromGlass »

I got excited for second and then realised my 2010 Mac tower probably couldn’t even run the plug in “eco” mode.
Yes saving up for the replacement computer as the article suggests.
User avatar
ManFromGlass
Jedi Poster
Posts: 6454 Joined: Sun Jul 24, 2011 12:00 am Location: O Canada

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Thanks for the thoughts so far, I'm thinking this might be this year's bonus-money present to myself so there's plenty of time for other suggestions.
And there's always the possibility of no bonus so that would leave even more time! ;)
User avatar
Drew Stephenson
Jedi Poster
Posts: 23707 Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:00 am Location: York
(The forumuser formerly known as Blinddrew)
Ignore the post count, I still have no idea what I'm doing...
https://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by IAA »

It does sound impressive and expressive. Sculpture in Logic

is a modelling synth, I’ve (embarrassed shuffle :think: )not really used it although I recall it is better at percussive and glassy timbres when I did. Maybe I might look again.
IAA
Frequent Poster
Posts: 1205 Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 12:00 am

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by Rich Hanson »

I might have to look into this. My current philosophy is that if I'm using an electronic or software instrument then I am not allowed to use samples, but I can use realistic sounding physical models, so this might very well fit into that.
User avatar
Rich Hanson
Frequent Poster (Level2)
Posts: 3151 Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2003 12:00 am Location: Sort of near Rochester, Kent, UK

Re: Fake real instrument sounds

Post by Drew Stephenson »

Anyone tried Audiomodern's Atom?
User avatar
Drew Stephenson
Jedi Poster
Posts: 23707 Joined: Sun Jul 05, 2015 12:00 am Location: York
(The forumuser formerly known as Blinddrew)
Ignore the post count, I still have no idea what I'm doing...
https://drewstephenson.bandcamp.com/
Post Reply