Quantum Leap Goliath / Native Instruments Komplete worth the

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CJ
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Quantum Leap Goliath / Native Instruments Komplete worth the

Post by CJ »

Hi all,

(btw, YES THE FORUM IS ONLINE AGAIN ! I AM SO GLAD !)

I am soon to be able to buy virtual instrument Goliath or Native Komplete 6 .

Let me point out my thoughts:

- I do have my Fantom X7 maxed out with 4 SRX's . Ideal soundset / interface etc. for performing live. Perfect for me
- Even though many usable and editable sounds for composing I prefer to use my X7 just live. Why?

* I have a Mac mini with Logic (express) 9

*I am getting ' tired' of again and again setting up things from my Fantom to Logic. For example saving sounds needed for Logic arrangement, but also the ' long' process of getting my Fantom-tracks one by one to audio in Logic etc. etc.

* Also have to connect Fantom all the time again and again to my Mac after I come home from gigs and then disconnect of course when going away for a gig.

And I like a lot to ' jam' by myself at home creating arrangements in Logic etc. with midi-keyboard.
The sounds and effects in Logic express 9 are surely great but I am looking for more. I don't mean I MUST have more sounds, but I just need more (and better ?) acoustic/preset sounds.
Btw, I like to be influenced by smooth jazz when I make my own songs. (So you could imagine a possible soundset).

Questions:

- Am I just using the Fantom X combined with Logic in a wrong inefficient way that makes me ' tired' ?

- Is combining hardware and DAW always a complex way of working ?

- Am I maybe too ' impatient' with editing in the Logic instruments ?

- Are virtual instruments like Native Instruments Komplete or Goliath/Colossus etc. really worth the money for me or a waste since I would only maybe be using/editing a few of their sounds while they have so much sounds to offer ?

- If so, are there any ' cheaper' software-instruments packages with at least decent ' preset'- sounds ? (Drums/Guitar/Bassguitar/Piano/Organ/Horns/Strings etc.)


Thanx in advance for your answers !

CJ
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Artemiy
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Re: Quantum Leap Goliath / Native Instruments Komplete worth

Post by Artemiy »

CJ, if you're trying to use more than one instrument at a time, it will always be problematic. And you will always depend on your gear and on correct connections every time you want to work on this or that project. And what if you have used different gear on several projects? That will surely be a headache.

What I do is use my V-Synth or Fantom-G as a controller for software instruments. For internal sounds, I would record several parts or loops within the instrument and then resamples them and transfer into DAW as audio tracks. This way when I want to open up my project I know I do not need to bother about connecting anything to my Mac. And I can change my gear in the future if needed, all my projects will open up fine. Same for going to a friend's studio or for a live performance - no worries.

Now, as of acoustic sounds... Are you sure you've been through all of them in EXS24? I know the Express doesn't feature the full library of Pro, but what categories are you lacking? I would write down which sounds you need mostly and then look into inexpensive offerings from NI like those soundpacks where you get a high-quality and large library for $80-$100 along with a free Kontakt player. This way you can spend around $300 and just get the sounds you lack instead of getting a much bigger and expensive package.

However, if you still need synth-type sounds, NI MASSIVE is my no. 1 recommendation in any case. With my expansions for it, of course ;-)
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I AM
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Re: Quantum Leap Goliath / Native Instruments Komplete worth

Post by I AM »

CJ, is it that difficult to connect Fantom to Logic??? just a few cords as i can imagine.... if you need only acoustic instruments look @ akai disks... there are so many of them around and you can convert them for use in fantom.... or any other sample library... fantom reads wav files)) .... or, as Art said, look into inexpensive offerings from NI like those soundpacks where you get a high-quality and large library for $80-$100 along with a free Kontakt player.... NI Complete is very powerful but if you need only acoustic sounds, then i think Complete is too much for you... and i can't say anything about Goliath
javaj_
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Re: Quantum Leap Goliath / Native Instruments Komplete worth

Post by javaj_ »

I will put in my thoughts- if I could do it all over again- now that I have Logic- I would NOT get Komplete. A lot of duplicates and the Logic instruments just take less overhead and are at least on par with NI for a lot of the instruments. For the money- I wish I would have got Omnisphere/Stylus RMS/Trillian. You could go the Kore Pack way
but IK Multimedia is running a group buy right now on the Xpansion Tank 2 series (currently at 4 to 1) for $50. You may want to look at that to help flesh out sounds you are needing.
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/Main.html?x ... /index.php

If you do this- go through esoundz.com and purchase as they are giving away 1GB of instruments with every purchase.
CJ
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Re: Quantum Leap Goliath / Native Instruments Komplete worth

Post by CJ »

Hi thank you all for your replies, really good answers to me. Really appreciate it.

Yes, I know my Fantom X can import samples and I know the way to connect it to Logic etc. I was just looking for a way to get more out of Logic instruments instead of time and time again use my Fantom X for good acoustic sounds.

Also in a practical way because nowadays almost on a daily base I pack and unpack my Fantom X coz of rehearsals and gigs.

Guess what, I didn't even realize that I can use the EXS24 sampler like that !
I'm really a newbie when it comes to effectively use Logic.......:-(

First I just used the few 'preset' instruments that were there outside of the sampler in the media browserlist on the right, and now that I opened the menu inside the sampler I realize I have so much to discover in Logic. I just didn't have (and take) enough time to keep on learning Logic.

And also thanks for your answers to avoid me from buying something like NI Komplete etc.

Btw now that I know about ESX24, is it possible to somehow insert some short wav/mp3 samples into EXS24 to play/record with them ?

CJ
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Artemiy
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Re: Quantum Leap Goliath / Native Instruments Komplete worth

Post by Artemiy »

CJ many people waste hundreds and thousands of dollars on new stuff without knowing that what they already have does what they need... Don't be like them! ;-)

I think you will find many great libraries for EXS24 and of course you can build your own instruments with it, either from single or from multi samples. Maybe you can search for YouTube tutorials on this.
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