EWQLSO with PTHD

[gw sound]

I am thinking about purchasing the EWQLSO platinum, and have heard, that if I have a strong enough comp, I can run it as a plug-in in a PT session without any problems. Am I able to load the samples onto a second ATA drive, or must they be loaded onto the same drive as the application? I may be confused, but if I am going to use it as an RTAS plug-in, don't I have to load it like any other plug-in?(ie: like loading a waves bunle) Is anyone else out there doing this without any problems? If I go this route, I will purchase the G5 dual 2.7 gig and add at least 4 gigs of RAM.

[TLarvenz]

You can put the samples on a separate drive. I've got a drive devoted to library stuff.

T

[blairl]

Am I able to load the samples onto a second ATA drive, or must they be loaded onto the same drive as the application? I may be confused, but if I am going to use it as an RTAS plug-in, don't I have to load it like any other plug-in?(ie: like loading a waves bunle) Is anyone else out there doing this without any problems? If I go this route, I will purchase the G5 dual 2.7 gig and add at least 4 gigs of RAM.

The EWQLSO RTAS plug-in will be installed into the plug-ins folder on your startup hard disk. The actual samples can be stored on another drive. The first time you try to use it, you will be asked where your samples are. After that it won't be a problem.

[gw sound]

Thank you very much! Do you guys think going this rout is as good as getting a dedicated giga on a pc? That was what I was originally going to do, but this seems 10x easier, and hopefully as powerful.

[smlworld]

there are pluses and minuses that only the user can determine. One thing i can tell you. The library is a very, very good library so even if you eventually get a gigasampler you will be able to use both. also the libraries are different no matter what you do. for instance you might find things on garritan strings that you use more than VSL strings. Ultimately there is no definitive answer. i use both. i do not believe you will regret your purchase of the ewqlso. eventually you may end up on the gigasampler as you and your libraries evolve. sorry for the generalized answer but i don't think one could say otherwise.

good luck

scott

one thing i have done is use Kontakt 2 with the EW libraries. as it really can stretch the capabilitiy of the EW to the max. in regards to tweaking, fx, reverbs, and such. take your time with it and try all the sounds. create. have fun.

[chuck.dallas]

Hey GW, You might want to also look at MOTU's Symphonic Instrument as an option. I recently acquired it and have been very pleasantly surprised by how good it is. I needed something for "light" string and orchestral arrangements, but this goes way beyond that -- the samples are outstanding! Plus, it's a fraction of the cost of EWQSLO. I hardly ever rave about a product, but this one really blew me away! Check it out...

[Lee Blaske]

Thank you very much! Do you guys think going this rout is as good as getting a dedicated giga on a pc? That was what I was originally going to do, but this seems 10x easier, and hopefully as powerful.

It all depends on what you plan to do. Consider that people who do a lot of orchestration use multiple computers (personally, I'm using four additional PCs hooked up to my PT rig). The advantage is that you can load in large templates of instrument sections, and be off and running immediately. That way, you don't have to reinvent the wheel with each session.

PT, unfortunately, is not an ideal environment for this kind of work, especially if you're just using a single computer. To begin with, PT has no freeze function, so you can't easily freeze tracks and free up processor overhead and memory. Also, IMO, PT is not ideal for those using multiple computer set-ups. In my situation, I use Logic as the front end of my PT system. I have some customized screen sets set up so that I can hit a key and bring up specially configured mix windows that show all the live inputs and routing for my additional computers. It's extremely handy.

In your case, though, why don't you buy EWQLSO, install it on your computer, and see if it's adequate for your needs? If you immediately find you're banging your head on the ceiling with challenging projects, you can always add more computer power (each section of EWQLSO can be simultaneously installed in two computers). Two of my machines have GigaStudio installed. It's certainly powerful and efficient, but it's somewhat flaky and a PITA in a number of ways. On top of that, Tascam has bad support and virtually no web presence. You get the feeling from looking at their spartan website that they don't really like computers much. I really wonder what kind of future GigaStudio has.

PCs are generally economical if you build them yourself. If you have no experience with PCs, though, plan on investing time learning how to use and maintain them. Another possibility for you would be to install EWQLSO on a second powerful Mac with Kontakt 2 installed (or a VST shell application like Steinberg V-Stack). The nice thing is that the Tiger operating system has built in Mid over LAN, which could save a lot of money on Midi interfaces (haven't tried it myself, but I assume it works). Tiger also has the capability of sending audio over ethernet, but I don't think there's any way to access that feature with PT.

So, you've got some decisions to make, but you can start simply and add. Ultimately, if you're really planning on getting into heavy duty application, you might want to think about different software. Lots of orchestral stuff is mixed in PT, but I don't see a lot of heavy duty orchestrators using PT for their work.

If you want to investigate these things further, I'd highly recommend the NorthernSounds forum (in addition to East West's forum. The NorthernSounds forum is at: http://www.northernsounds.com/forum/index.php?

Also, a lot of info is on the VSL forum: http://vsl.co.at/en-us/69/128/33.vsl

BTW, are you sure EWQLSO has the sound you want? I own it myself, along with VSL Pro and some Sonic Implants and SAM stuff (in addition to a lot of other libraries). EWQLSO has the big Hollywood sound, but VSL has more control and articulation possibilities (at this point, though, you'd need either GigaStudio or EXS-24 in Logic to run the full version of VSL). The SI libraries have a really wonderful, intimate sound. If you haven't already, you should spend time on all the major sample library websites and see which library hits you where you live.

Lee Blaske

[gw sound]

Thank you for your input. Can't Mach Five run giga samples(ie-vsl)? That's another possibility I have been looking into.

[Lee Blaske]

Can't Mach Five run giga samples(ie-vsl)?

Not really. You can import Giga banks with simpler programming, but banks with more complex programming might not translate as well. VSL will be problematic, because a lot of the banks require the VSL performance tools which only function in specific samplers (there is nothing available for Mach Five).

IMO, if you're interested in orchestral libraries, Mach Five is definitely not the best option. Stick with Kontakt 2, GigaStudio (if you're willing to set it up on a dedicated PC), or Logic's EXS-24 (if you use Logic).

Lee Blaske

[gw sound]

Thanks for the info, Lee. I am just doing what I can to see if I can stay in the mac world. A few people have told me that I can get a good start and a good number of tracks. I just want to be sure I don't blow it with a power usage problem.