Issue 72 - Samples

[DGunner]

I thoguht I would try out the magazine for the first time so purchased issue 72.

The samples were of interest on the DVD so I Googled to see what else was available by the people that made them. I was surprised to find that nearly all the samples and free software is available online!

I am curious why the magazine doesn't cut down the DVD content and lower the price and simply tell us where we can download the content? I understand however that not everyone has broadband and that it is also difficult to satisfy everyone.

I would like to suggest that collections of previous sample packs are available to download to subscribers along with PDF copies of the magazine. This would add tremendous value - you could even have two tiers of subscription perhaps?

Overall I am quite impressed but feel the exclusive content could be bumped up a bit. No doubt it is expensive to commission!

I look forward to the next issue!

[Adji]

Hey man, welcome to the club, I for one am all for just getting rid of the DVD full stop. I personally rarely use anything that comes on it, i rarely use demo software, and never use that kind of 'trialware' stuff. And most of the other stuff, like oyu say, is available free and legally from the manufacturers site.
Ocasionally something of interest pops up on the DVD, but Id be all for getting rid of it and having a lower magazine price, or something else in its place?

[Alex - DVD Editor]

Hey guys,
Yup good points made. Everyone has slightly different requirements from the cover disc and we try to cover everything by including SAMPLES, DEMOS, TUTORIALS, WORKSHOP FILES, and PROMO MATERIALS. Sometimes this means great samples and not so great demos or vice versa depending on what's around at that time. Obviously we can't fit in hours of videos on every DAW each month so you might only get relevant tutorials every few months (personally if I could have a dream disc it would just be rammed with Logic tutorials and live samples!).

With increases in internet speed then I guess over time we might see a shift towards more downloadable content, however right now it makes sense to provide these things on DVD. Of the samples in issue 72, the main Microwave Bass pack contained sounds made specially for us by PinkNoise Studios. The other sample banks covered over 2gb of sounds that have recently been made available by various developers and also a taster selection from some new Loopmasters and Sample Magic releases. I understand that some of these things can be found with a little internet searching, but the idea is that we've already hunted them down and downloaded them for you (thus saving you time!).

I've recently started working for MTM and putting the DVD together and appreciate all feedback regarding content. We are currently in the process of reworking the disc which should hopefully see the light of day soon. I would like to strive towards making the disc an essential accompaniment, where articles and reviews in the magazine are backed up by developer videos and audio examples on the DVD. Hopefully we can work towards this over the coming months.

Cheers,
Alex

[Adji]

I think the main problems with the samples is that some ofus (who are students and just starting out ;)) dont have things such as Kontakt (which I wouldnt know how to use anyways) and cant afford to buy all these samplers and things that the samples actually run on. Is there a way to use the samples without spending 500 quid on Kontakt? Hoiw can something that just loads up libraries cost that much anyways?

[DGunner]

The last two issues both include WAV files for the exclusive samples and some of the others are also in WAV format.

There are some decent Freeware apps that you can use with WAV files - I think Reaper is one such program.

[Adji]

Cool cheers, funnily enough I just started a project at uni, we recorded random things around the college doors closing, car horns etc, and we have to make them into a song, just spentseveral hours getting the intro down. I did it by importing the wavs into ACId and then playing with them, its a bit of a long winded process though, a sampler must make it easier?

[Adji]

Thanks Astral, always on hand with some insane metaphors!! haha.

Thanks for the link.

Im going to try copying some of the MTM samples then and try mangling them in someway and creating some cool ambient stuff? I dunno, i dont like most of the sample based type music but it is incredibly fun to play with haha.

[scott barry]

i agree with the never realy using the stuff thats on the dvd. i think most of the stuff on the dvd's are to promote the company's that own the trial programs ect. as far as samples go i used to always search high and low for samples to make my beats but ive found all you need is reason 4, a midi keyboard and a lil bit of skills on the keyboard (that you can learn in 1 day via youtube) you can make really good sounding beats with your own melodies and you will neva have to 1. pay royalties and 2. hear someone else's song that has the same sample as yours. i know sampling is a big part of hip hop but these days i tend to focus more on actually composing my music rather then laying drums over a downloaded loop. if i do use samples i put fx on them and slice them up and re-arrange them, basically mess with them to the point where the creater of the sample wouldent even recognise it was theirs if they heard it. i reckon on the dvd's they should throw in reason refills ect. and/or vst's that can be used in ableton or cubase or whatever DAW your running.

[Adji]

I seem to have switched sides a little, the past few weeks Ive been getting into using samples, and have been going through my old discs for some epic padsounds, im starting to enjoy it now, maybeill buy kontakt three after all :)

[Natacha Beaugeais]

I second having a PDF of all your mags available via an online subscription model.
I'd be the first to sign up.