Re: [linux-audio-dev] fst, VST 2.0, kontakt

On Fri, Jun 30, 2006 at 04:03:00PM +0200, Luis Garrido wrote:
> >This is not about applying reverb to a drum kit. It's about having 6
> >samples
> >triggered when I press a key on the keyboard, and each sample being
> >filtered,
> >pitch bended, saturated differently, and modulating all of those parameters
> >using LFO's, envelopes, and midi parameters. You can't do that using
> >"outboard"
> >effects.
>
> Did you try to do that using soundfonts and fluidsynth? I am not sure
> at what extent fluid supports the modulator entities described in the
> spec, but these should do those tricks.

Well, that's a little more reasonable, but you still don't get realtime editing
of the sampler programs (i.e. within a production environment, tweak patch
parameters). In fact, if I understand correctly, one edits a soundfont using an
external editor, that presumably has a preview function, and then uses the
soundfont with fluidsynth. What's the problem? You're editing and playing
using two different implementations of the filters, modulation, etc... The two
are unlikely to sound the same, or even close to the same. Soundfonts weren't
really designed for the kind of precise sampler control you get with a real
hardware sampler, or kontakt, where you can cut/loop samples exactly where you
want (and do so without leaving your production environment), and route
modulation and effects on the fly.

I don't mean to say that fluidsynth doesn't have its place, as well, just that
fluidsynth and kontakt are not really intended to do the same things.

As far as I can tell there are two resolutions:

1) someone works on fst to make it save kontakt's state
2) someone writes a free kontakt replacement

1) is both easier and gets you access to more software (other VSTs). 2) has the
benefit of finally freeing myself from proprietary software completely, which
I'd love to do. I'm happy to tackle (2) with help, but that would certainly
require a lot of help.

-Forest