Hey all,

I know this really doesn't pertain to VDL2, but a lot of you guys make recordings and this seems like agreat crowd of brains to pick. 

What sample libraries do you guys use for saxophones? Bill, I know you do tthis sort of thing, and was wondering what you might be using.  Anyone else got any words of wisdom?

I was checking out Vienna's Saxophne library, but it doesn't have Altos or Baris... any words of wisdom? Thanks!

Bryan,

I've been using the sax library that's included in the Kontkat Gold Player that you can buy for Sibelius 3 or 4.  I want to pick up the Garritan Big Band library so I can have some sax sounds outside of Sibelius.  The sax sounds in KPG with Sibelius aren't bad, but it's tough to make a recording, then pray that it lines up perfectly in Sonar.  Takes some work, but I've gotten good at it.

So, I was determined to find the most inexpensive way (for the time being) to get decent sax sounds.  I found a solution to the problem, and it will be helpful for anyone else who might be a Sibelius convert from Finale 05/06, uses Kontakt 2 and is looking for some marginal sax sounds.

If you actually meet those terms, you can use the SoftSynth sounds, which would should prove at least a little bit better than the general MIDI sounds.  To accomplish this, follow these steps:

1) Copy soundfont file to where the rest of your samples are. This is not required, but simply makes them easier to locate. The softsynth sounds are located in the following directory: Finale 2005/6 > Component Files > synthgms.sf2

2) Open Kontakt and find the synthgms.sf2 where you copied it.  Click on that file in the top pane (container) of the browser. 

3) Find the various saxophones (or whatever instruments you choose) in the middle pane (objects) and drag them onto the main area (virtual rack). We'll use alto sax for these purposes.

4) Click Load/Save > Save > Alto Sax

5) For convenience, save the new instruments in a folder with the rest of your instruments.

6) Do a rebuild > update so that Kontakt can ";see"; the samples.

7) Start using! :-)

I realize that the requirements to do this are relatively exclusive, however I also know that I am one of many people who have ";seen the light"; and converted to Sibelius, while still owning Finale.  This will be a ";free"; alternative for those of you who already have the resources available.  I just got tired of hearing those awful midi sounds with the decent sounding samples.

I hope someone finds this helpful!

Sounds interesting enough to check out.  I have not found a sax sound that I like yet.

Excellent way, Bryan for us Finale/Kontakt 2 users to use the built-in Finale sounds with VDL:2!! I run VDL as a VST plug-in withing Finale 2006, and I run Kontakt2 as a VST Plugin. I put all winds (and synth) on ch1-16 running through Kontakt 2, and Percussion on 17-32 to VDL:2.

Voila, whole score (winds and percussion) plays flawlessly!

Now I just wish I could speed up the load time when I switch between documents and it has to reload the samples...

Thanks for the inspiration!

Yeah, I always loved that... I'd check be working right along on a full band score then need to check another tune. Right around then the chronic amnesia would set in and I would always forget about the dumping and reloading of samples.

I'm glad that you've found another way to utilize this. 

Yeah, the worst is what I just forgot and did - yet again. Go to extract parts, but forget to uncheck ";Play Finale Through VST";... Then you have to wait for each part to load the samples! GRRR!!!!

Hey Man,

Great idea on the sax sounds.  I am in almost the exact boat you are as far as the set up.  It has been bugging me all summer using clarinets for my saxes in all my arrangements.  You are a god send!!!!  Now all the band directors can stopping asking me why they don't hear saxophones when everything else is so realistic.

Thanks,

Scott Ward