Xsample Vol. 10-12

Xsample volumes 10 and 11 cover violin and cello (volume 10), and viola and double bass (volume 11). There were some solo strings on volume five, but no sustained notes were offered, and while volume seven offers a cello playing long notes with a heavy vibrato, via a triumphant piece of left-field thinking it is grouped with oboe d'amore, kalimba, spinet and clavichord, perhaps in the hope that someone will one day write a piece for that line-up. These odd choices are rectified by volumes 10 and 11, which finally give us the whole string family playing sustains at three dynamics (f, mf and p). The notes (recorded in stereo in a dry acoustic) are all looped after about four seconds, and played without a trace of vibrato.

Even with the best sounds available, attempting to create a string quartet using samples can be a dispiriting experience. The loud, sustained string notes on these two CD-ROMs have the advantage of biting, vigorous attacks, but at quieter dynamics the lack of vibrato renders the instruments a bit lifeless and miserable. On the plus side, the violin, viola and cello tremolos are strong and consistent, and the comprehensively sampled harmonics of the cello and double bass provide some engaging timbres. Use them for pads, or for weird atmospheres.

The effects include thin, metallic, almost electronic sul ponticello tremolos, mournful muted sustains which sound variously like harmonica, harmonium or hurdy-gurdy, and lovely, spooky harmonics glissandi, as used in Stravinsky's The Firebird. There are also the obligatory bow noises, which I somehow don't think we'll be hearing on too many pop recordings. Overall, there's some interesting stuff here, enough to warrant a three-star rating for each of these two discs, but in the interests of expression, I wish the 100Mb of empty disc space on volumes 10 and 11 (Akai S2/3000 version) had been filled with vibrato versions of the long notes.

Xsample Volume 12 brings us the clarinet family. It takes a lot to beat my old Korg T3's solo clarinet multisample, but the Xsample instrument, with its finely co-ordinated attacks, is truly excellent. As with the strings, the sustained notes are played at three different dynamics with no vibrato, each program using about 28Mb of memory. The combined 84Mb instrument is excellent; the room acoustic is dry, but add a little reverb and you're hearing a world-class sound. The three-dynamic staccatos are also very good, though someone forgot to provide a separate program for the 'p' samples.

The bass clarinet follows the same format as the clarinet, and maintains its high quality. Only one complaint: I pushed up the mod wheel in the hope of hearing something approaching a realistic vibrato, but what I got was a slight, random pitch modulation. As Stravinsky would have said, bogus! Moving on, the 'basset horn' does not refer to a football manager in a state of sexual excitement, but is the name of an 18th century ancestor of the clarinet with an extended low register. While its staccatos and quiet long notes sound identical to a clarinet, its loud sustains are less plummy and more nasal. The medium-dynamic samples reminded me of a melodica! All three instruments on Volume 12 (which total 438Mb) come with two dynamics of flutter tongue sustains, 'multiphonics' (harmonic overtones, squeals and honks), key clicks and air noises. I think this disc succeeds better than the previous two and deserves a four-star rating.

Every instrument on the three discs has been chromatically sampled, and, I suspect, auto-tuned. The lack of performance samples, trills, glissandi or grace notes adds to the impression of a rather austere set of samples, correctly played and recorded, perfectly tuned, but arguably a little bloodless. Nevertheless, the accurate reproduction and programming of the instruments makes this library valuable educationally, and the discs are not overpriced. The only major omissions now are concert flute, alto flute and piccolo, which Georg Stahl of the 'X' team tells me will be forthcoming in future.

(Note to purchasers of the Giga version: a free update will be issued to take advantage of GigaStudio's new feature, the ability to use controllers to modulate attack and release times.) Dave Stewart

	Single CD-ROM £99; all three £249. Prices include VAT. Please add £2.35 per order for postage and packing.
	Time & Space +44 (0)1837 55200.
	+44 (0)1837 55400.
	Click here to email
	www.timespace.com

Home | Search | News | Current Issue | Digital Editions | Articles | Forum | Subscribe | Shop | Readers Ads

Advertise | Information | Links | Privacy Policy | Support