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Apple Mac OS X Version 10.5 Leopard [5-User Family Pack]
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Apple Mac OS X Version 10.5 Leopard
Take 6 Kurzweil Sample LibraryReviewed by Jonathan Leonard , 12/31/00 Introduction Note: All example files are in mp3 format, with KDFX as the effects processor. Some demo files contain dramatic volume
changes and distortion. Please begin with a conservative setting. The real and synth program groups were recorded with a k2500rs+KDFX, using the main analog outs. The techno, percussion, and loop demos were recorded with a k2600s using the optical out. For convenience, total files of all the demos are available:
Let me introduce the Take 6 cdrom from Kurzweil. But first a few things about Take6! I saw and heard Take 6 perform at Toad's Place in New Haven, CT where they put out a few hours of amazing performances from each person in the ensemble. Known for playing high energy jazz, gospel, and r&b influenced tunes, they carry a cool christian message in their music. During the show they all played various instruments and then proceeded to vocally mimic sounds like trumpets, guitars, drums. Some songs had structure, some were mostly improvisation. But above all they sang together and blended beautiful harmonies. I was musically very impressed and stunned that each singer could do so many different things with their voices. Later, when Kurzweil announced the release of the Take 6 cdrom I could not believe it! Knowing Kurzweil's reputation for crafting exceptional soundware I couldn't wait to check it out on my K2500rs. Somehow they had stuffed these guys into a studio for sample sessions. The end result after those sessions, the post production, and then the voicing of 489 programs is amazing.
The cdrom was released for K2000, K2VX and K2500 Series instruments. But it is also compatible with the new K2600 series. However, when this cd was in production the k2500 did not have KDFX, or many things that are now possible on the K2600. Included in this library are over 400mb of samples, keymaps, programs, fx, sequences, and macros. The samples cover: Sustains: Ahh Baa Daa Doo Oh Ooh (looped vowel
sounds) Program Groups: Control: Crossfades and velocity switches with
breath or foot controllers.
The loading of programs is handled through macros according to each program group. The naming convention for macros and programs is: <style><rate><channels><keymap>.MAC where: <style> indicates the style of material to load
(REAL,SYN,BCTL,FCTL,TECH) Ex. REAL32L2.MAC So you would first go into a program group, then open a size directory, and then select the macro that has the right rate, channels, and keymap settings. Its fantastic. As an overall system of organizing their library I found it very easy to open the right programs. This cd may encourage kurzweil users to become more familar with macros.
Once you have loaded up a bank of programs, you are ready to go. The cd contains a huge amount of programs that will take a considerable amount of time to audition. Many programs have complex layers that are activated by controllers for brilliant vocal changes. Lets take a look at the Real Programs... The Real group contains programs that have multiple articulations controlled by attack velocity or envelopes. wide ensemble 1 Demonstrates the velocity switching. introfaztortion Vocal patch with KDFX control over reverb, flange, and distortion. shaper 1 Vocal samples routed through a shaper in KDFX. dow dry Various articulations that ends on Dow; no effects. Doodot dry More possibilities with combinations of the samples. shoobop longhaul The shoo and bop samples in the KDFX long haul reverb. jazz longhaul A jazz program with a split between bass and vox, cymbal on the touches. As I said earlier, the cd takes a while to audition properly and this is apparent from the REAL program group. Many programs are complex in their controller use, and trying to mentally chunk things down to simple uses is challenging. The overall texture of the real programs is one of openness and quality. At first you may be surprised to hear such beautiful voices coming out of your synth, and then further absorbed in how the programs actually work.
I was blown away by the programs in the synth directory! Here we see the combination of not only great samples, but great utilization of the Kurzweil synthesizer's capabilities. Unlike many products that seem to be one or the other, I would have to place the Take 6 in a unique category. Every once in a while you get a cdrom for your synthesizer that seems to open your eyes and make you look at the equipment in a new way. The Take 6 cdrom expands upon that as you feel like you have an entirely different synthesizer! This is only possible on a comprehensive workstation like the K series where developers have control from start to finish how their instruments will behave. There were some very clever people involved in the production of this disk and the diversity and character of the sounds is very impressive. bassvox2 A thick bass with saw waves and flanger from KDFX. choruswave Hybrid vox with fx hatfield1 Light touches in a big reflective space martian Daleks attack! Ok, daleks weren't martian... swell4 Brassvox in longhaul reverb, then reversed. swells Same but with different filter settings. swells2 Same again, but through a church from Acoustic mirror take6prelude Merry Xmas!
Talk about spice and flair, the programs in this category are very modern and heavy on personality. Though the title would seem to indicate a 'techno' style of music, its not entirely accurate. Really, the sounds here cover many genres and are sometimes soft and delicate. Other times, they are harsh and quixotic. But do explore the controller options which are presented in the program titles. Data slider and modwheel are common for most patches, but clock synced leads and pads are included also. As far as a VAST style, many patches use the x-amp and similar dsp functions to modulate samples with oscillators or noise. Selection of patches in this group are basses, loops, leads, pads, kits, and sounds of industry from the underworld. Here are some demo files. I have included file size as a few are more than a mb. All demos are recorded in a single pass playing a single program. KDFX Studios prepared of course... hardcore_flshpdist.mp3 A modulating dsp can be heard in the loop, and the siren. The main ribbon controller was used to pull the loop and squirts down with left thumb. I had to use my left elbow to do the modwheel which controlled the loop amp modulation, then play the bassline with my right thumb- index still holding the loop etc...a kdfx studio was used to apply seperate fx on the layers(2.6mb). doppleganger_pad_ambience.mp3 The Doppleganger program with the pad ambience studio(1mb). phasevoxpad_padambience.mp3 Some Vocal samples that give way to a huge and menacing pad. Again through the pad ambience studio(1mb). suicidalvox_sweepingverb.mp3 A mellow voice in a saturated sweepingverb studio(1mb). techswingloops_auxflangedis.mp3 Some tough ass munchkins break it down and practice their aim at a chrome spitoon(645kb). voxleadhybrid_spectenhnc.mp3 Max Headroom takes scat lessons from Slonimsky muppet(600kb). suicide_bladerunner.mp3 This patch played with fourths reminded me of a Bladerunner moment(370kb).
I was curious when I saw that sequence data was included on the disk, and then amazed when I actually played the song files. The sequence templates on the disk are intended to use the drum kits. There are some very usable and interesting kits offered here. They all have vocal samples of some sort, but also plenty of great drum samples. They are probably all vocal in origin, but in some cases they just plain sound like drums. This is a part of the disk that is easy to overlook. And also why this product is called a library. The sequencer in the k2600 did a good job of playing back the midi drum tracks while I tried out some of the new 'factory' patches on the K2600. The demo files for this material is of the sequencer playing the drum kits. There are no looped samples being played back, just the internal sequencer. hip hop.mp3 Lets watch a melodrama about doctors, lawyers and ad execs with this theme as the intro. Her mouth looks like the Joker! Ahhhhhhhhh! Ok maybe not...(1.3mb) hardcore_solina.mp3 A standard patch is played from the k2600 over a fast and temperamental beat. Suitable for an intel ad bragging about the next generation sand pucks(709kb). rave1_borfin.mp3 AMD comes back and tries to sound cooler than Intel...same chords, same sand, different drum. Clock synced pad flashes incompatibility excuses(541kb).
This program group contains two kinds of loops. Those made by Take 6 performing in the studio, and those made by Kurzweil using percussion samples. Clock synced LFO's are used in conjunction with the Loops to create timed percussive effects. Take6 loops: ahhshiga_smalldrumchamber.mp3 Here the loop is played, shaped, and then a FUN is applied to the frequency of the notch2 block. This FUN is actually ASR1 multiplied by the data slider value. During this performance, I entered a few different values for the attack time of ASR1, hence the different groove modulations as I tried different even multiples. This allowed for both on and off beat, as well as swing type effects. The time in between the synced effects are when I entered the values and jammed up the slider...this was all one performance of a one layer program. dohgong_smalldrumchamber.mp3 More synced effects on this loop, but played from a setup this time so I could switch between programs. This loop reminds me of that Looney Tunes with the kangaroo, and the guy saying George, I will love him and pet him and have him all for my very own, George. And George says: shataap shatnaap. Or something like that. Come to think of it, Mr Stalling could have used this loop for the bouncing of the roo! Which way did he go, which way did he go? Shataaap! doshah_hatloops.mp3 Love that ribbon strip! Kurzweil Synthloops: These programs make frequent use of the Alternate startpoint switch which allows for many interesting combinations of the presented rhythms. Since the modwheel is assigned to altcontrol, you can create these other combinations by holding the loop with the pedal, pushing up the wheel, and then hitting the same note on an upbeat, or second downbeat(funk). It would depend on what division you would like to emphasize. These demo files are all under 500kb. They were recorded dry to reveal all the character of the articulations and panning. shhh1_dry.mp3
This goshdarn library ROCKS! I have had this disk for almost 2 years and doing this review gave me a chance to really dig into all it has to offer. By originally ignoring the rhythmic material on this disk, I really missed out bigtime. The amount of effort and care that went into producing this cdrom is mindblowing. If you hesitate for any reason to add this to your collection then just DO it. You won't be sorry. There are other synth platforms that make you shell out hundreds of dollars for an insignificant handful of kits and instruments. This library is not only chock full of fantastic samples, but the programs they reside in buck and spin with interactivity. EVERY producer who uses Kurzweil synthesizers should have this disk. Even though this product has been available for a few years now, it still sounds fresh and will retain its value in studios for YEARS to come. Cheers to Take 6 for providing us mortals with such great voices, and cheers again to Jennifer Hruska, Joe Ierardi, Jeff Williams and all the people involved in creating this library!
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