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On 26 feb 2007, at 03.18, aaron leese wrote: > Here a tangentially related topic ..... > > I need a good keyboard synth program .... because I have a midi > controller (keyboard), and a rack mounted synth, but would like to > sell the rack mounted equip and use just a laptop (save space)..... > > Sampletank is good (but very expensive) ... I have been looking for > alternatives, but with little luck. The only free ones I found > (4front and MDA) are mediocre, and have some latency issues running > with VSThost. > > Can anyone offer advice on this? I wouldn't mind spending a few > hundred if I can get something that will replace my korg triton rack Hi Aaron, It's difficult to find an answer to such a broad question. Is it "piano sound" you are looking for? Or is it "synth sound"? And if so, what type of synth? You mention Sampletank, but that's a sampler; meaning it may mimic many instruments but lack the dynamics and envelope option you get with synths. And if you are looking for something in software to replace a Korg Triton - that's not going to be easy. The Triton is very versatile and has great built-in effects that play a big part in its sound shaping capability. Maybe you should simply buy a software sampler and sample the output of your Triton (including effects and all) before you sell it? I've done that to two of my analog synths using the excellent "synth patch ripping" software AutoSampler from REdmatica. It runs on OSX but I just noticed the other day that another company have now ripped off that application to provide a Windows version. Speaking about samplers I have heard a lot good about SampleTank. Myself I mainly use the sampler ESX24, which is part of Logic, because of Logic's way of globally handling micro tonal scales. I also own NI's Kontakt 2 that is maybe the best sampler if you look to what you can do with it. Question is if you're ever going to do all that stuff that K2 offers to? (also NI's user license may be a problem if you work on many machines - more than two - and need to move the sampler between them). If you start with getting a software sampler you need to expand the laptops RAM to the max and get a huge hard drive, eventually an external firewire drive for all those samples. A software synth that I personally like is Arturias Moog Modular 5. It has a good sound (which can not be said about every other software synth out there). Deep fat sound, good high end, musical sounding with great filters. The downside IMO is that it had no way of tuning it into fixed micro tonal scales. If you want the classic Moog sound, the MMV is a good choice. I also like the Cameleon 5000. It uses additive synthesis and is capable of some unique sounds. Whenever I can't use Logic and its built-in modeling synth Sculpture I go for C5k (Logic only runs on Mac). What I like about C5k (as with all Logic's synths) is that it can be set to all kinds of micro tonal scales. There are a lot of demo tracks at the web site so you can hear how it sounds http:// www.camelaudio.com/ Synths and samplers that I have bought but and not use much, because I don't like their quality of sound, are Reason (a complete production environment) and Albino 3. Not saying they are bad, I just don't like the way they sound. Greetings from Sweden Per Boysen www.boysen.se (Swedish) www.looproom.com (international) http://tinyurl.com/2kek7h (latest music release)