Third Party Synths and Samplers

From Sonar

Revision as of 16:20, 19 September 2006

(Back to Home Page)

Softsynths, sample players, sequencers or loopers, and drum samplers are all programs that let you create and work with the sounds of physical instruments you don't own or have access to. Depending on the quality of the source sounds (samples or synthesized tones) and your skill in using them, results can range from a 1980s Casio on autopilot to something stunningly close to the real thing.

All of the above tend to be grouped into the category of "virtual instruments". They can be either stand-alone programs or plug-ins (DXi, VSTi, etc.).

Softsynths

Softsynths (software synthesizers) use various algorithms and/or pre-recorded sounds (samples) to create music, often emulating the vintage analog synthesizers of yore, but also offering things never dreamed of until recently.

FM7

The FM7 recreates the sounds of the venerable Yamaha DX7 hardware synthesizer.

z3ta+

The charmingly-named z3ta+ is a popular wave-shaping synthesizer.

Pentagon

Pentagon is a synthesizer that aims to emulate vintage analog synths.

Sample Players

Sample players (melodic ones in this case -- drum samplers are addressed below) are programs that use pre-recorded sounds (samples) to create music. Often they are simply a means to play Soundfonts or other types of samples through SONAR's MIDI interface. They have largely replaced SoundFont-capable soundcards (such as Creative's) as the method of choice for this job.

sfz and sfz+

sfz+ allows you to use the vast number of SoundFonts available on the web and for purchase in your recordings. Its has a freeware little brother, sfz comes [[Components_Included_with_Sonar#sfz|bundled] with SONAR 5.

VSampler

The versatile VSampler allows you to use virtually any recorded sound as (part of) a virtual instrument.

It is capable of playing Soundfont (SF2), Gigastudio, HALion 1 and 2, Kontakt 1.x, DLS, AKAI S1000/S3000 CD and S5000/S6000 .AKP files and E-MU III / IV CD samples. It is also capable of loading LM4 and Battery drumkits as well as ReCycle (RCY, REX, RX2) and ACID drumloops. You can also use it to create your own instruments using WAV or AIF files.

Sequencers and Loopers

Project5

Cakewalk's [ Project5]

Drum Samplers

These programs allow you to add sampled drum sounds to your recordings, using sets of drum samples ranging from a few hundred megabytes to 50GB-60GB. Typically, you use a MIDI track in your project to trigger the samples, though some of these programs also include built-in drum sequencers or groove libraries that let you compose directly in them and then transfer the results to SONAR.

BFD

FXpansion's BFD is a drum sampler with basic sequencing capabilities. Its sample libraries are considered to be among the best in existence, along with those of DFHS.

DFHS

DFHS (Drumkit From Hell Superior) is BFD's main competitor. Like BFD, it includes drum sequencing capabilities and a large sample library.

Groove Agent

Steinberg's Groove Agent combines a drum sample library with extensive rhythmic composition capabilities.

Battery

Native Instruments' Battery is a drums sequencer and sample player.

(Back to Home Page)