IK Multimedia Sample Tank 4.0.9 Crack [Full Review]
Octaviano Miranda
SampleTank 4 is now available in three editions; SE, the 'standard' and MAX. All use the new front-end but are supplied with different sizes of sound library. For this review, I had access to the fully-loaded MAX version which offers 250GB of samples spread across some 8000 instruments. For the SE and standard versions, those numbers are 30GB/2000 instruments and 100GB/6000 instruments respectively, reflecting their different prices. SampleTank 4 runs as both a stand-alone application (useful for live performance) and as a multi-format plug-in.
Usefully, the IK website has a PDF document that details the content provided in each edition so you can see exactly what you will get. The expanded content offers plenty of 'new for v4' samples including acoustic pianos, bass, brass, strings, guitars, acoustic and electric drums, percussion, synths, voices and woodwinds. Users also get access to some content from earlier SampleTank releases with, again, different selections for each edition.
While ST4 remains easy to use, there is more to tweak if you want to customise your sounds.For those that like to tweak under the hood, the Edit Panel is a welcome forward step. It allows you to dig into your sounds with controls to adjust the oscillators, LFOs, filter, and amplitude and filter envelopes, and also provides a more comprehensive modulation matrix that can be opened in a sub-panel. The exact combination of features varies based on the nature of the preset sound, and this includes the ability to handle presets from earlier SampleTank sample libraries. No, there won't be much to frighten the PhD synth programmer, but it is plenty for the preset player to explore if a sound needs some sonic adjustment.
While aimed primarily at guitar-type sounds, the Strummer provides a system for coaxing more realistic strumming performances from sample-based sounds. It's perhaps not a threat to tools such as UJAM's Virtual Guitarist series but it's a cool option to have and there are some useful strumming presets included. Finally, the Phraser allows you to trigger MIDI phrases for a Part. Multiple phrases can be mapped across a range of MIDI keys for triggering. A good collection of preset phrases is included but you can also import standard Type 0 MIDI files if you wish. Export to your DAW is also possible.
Of MAX's orchestral instruments, I particularly liked the brass and string sounds. All the key instruments within each of these orchestral sections are well represented and you also get a good range of articulations. Fast attacks, slow attacks, staccato, sustains, legato, crescendos of various speeds, rips, scoops, growls, falls, trills... well, you get the general idea. I was a little surprised that no larger sections were included amongst the new samples, but presets from earlier ST versions are included to fill this role. It's also worth noting that, while there are multi-articulation presets elsewhere within the new sample content (for example, amongst the guitars), at present, no keyswitchable presets are included based upon the new orchestral samples. These are apparently to be added in an upcoming library update, which will be great to see.
In terms of both features and sample content, ST4 is undoubtedly a sizeable step up from its predecessors. That said, I don't think its design brief has fundamentally changed; it remains a one-stop shop for a broad sound palette that spans traditional orchestral sounds, provides some excellent drum, piano, bass and guitar options, a smattering of ethnic and vocal sounds and some very useable synths. However, with more editability, some excellent performance options and a bigger and better sound palette, any compromises that you might perceive from using a single source for all your sounds are going to be fewer in number. And to repeat, ease of use and high-quality sounds abound; SampleTank 4 is what it is... but it is very good at it.
Originally introduced in 2001, SampleTank quickly became a favorite among producers and engineers for its massive collection of realistic-sounding instruments. Now, SampleTank 4 is back and better than ever with a newly-designed interface, a new cutting-edge sound engine, and a massively expanded sample library with up to 260 GB of samples, loops, and effects.
IK Multimedia releases Beat Machines for SampleTank 4, an extensive collection of 1.6 GB of round robin samples from 100 vintage analog drum machines and rhythm units, along with over 300 MIDI patterns, all created to take full advantage of the powerful features and effects of SampleTank 4.
Certainly one of the pioneers in the field of virtual instruments is IK Multimedia. Based in Italy, their widely popular SampleTank application was first released back in 2001, and was the first sample-based sound workstation for computers to hit the market. A couple of years later SampleTank 2 was released, and it has remained very popular ever since. Now IK Multimedia has released a new version of their popular flagship product. Called (not surprisingly) SampleTank 3, it has been over ten years in the making. Let's see how well it lives up to the stellar reputation of its predecessors.
SampleTank has long been one of the most popular virtual instruments on the market, and with Version 3, IK Multimedia have only made things that much better, with an improved sound engine and expanded library with tons of new sounds, loops and MIDI patterns - with over 33GB in total, there's lots of great sounding content. I was quite impressed with the overall sound quality, and I really appreciate the multi-articulation and round robin approach to sample playback - it keeps things from sounding repetitive and increases the realism of the sounds. Live performers will love having the ability to pre-load sounds into RAM in setlist and song format. The new 22 effects expand what was already an impressive collection even further, and both the stand-alone program and plugin versions of SampleTank 3 were rock-solid and completely crash free during the course of my testing.
SampleTank 2 brings a pedigree as a high quality desktop virtual instrument to a mobile environment. With access to a huge sample library of musical instruments, and a massive collection of grooves and pre-made patterns, plus the ability to create your own patterns, SampleTank 2 is undoubtedly throwing down the gauntlet as the most advanced mobile sound module.
So what about the app that IK is pushing in concert with the iRig MIDI? Well, you may have heard of SampleTank before, it's IK Multimedia's professional desktop sampling software package. And they've now brought it to the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. Providing over 400 instruments bundled into 16 different instrument categories, layering of up to 4 instruments simultaneiously, a whole bunch of melodic and rythmic patterns or grooves to play with and sound and effects editing to customize the sounds your playing, SampleTank is an instrument sound library compressed into one app for your iDevice. It's not the first, but its power is in its sample quality and abundance, as well as working in tandum with the iRig MIDI.
The combination of these two makes for the perfect, light-weight solution for musicians who play using samples, particularly in live performance settings. Think about carrying your laptop and all its accessories, your audio interface and then your MIDI keyboard, for example, to a performance. Now think about your iPhone, the iRig MIDI and your MIDI keyboard. The second of these setups has a significant'y lower footprint than the first. But of course, your computer is going to be much more powerful than your iPhone, and handle much bigger samples with more integrity, right?
So the question is, how do the SampleTank samples stand up? Well, they are sampled -- and we're not talking about gigabyte sample files here -- so naturally, some are going to sound better than others, and it all depends on what your looking for. But take the piano samples, for example, and have a look at this YouTube clip below.
That doesn't sound bad at all. In fact, it sounds great! You could easily get away with using that piano sample in a rehearsal or a live performance. And most of the other instruments offered stand up well. Some in my opinion, however, fall a little short -- like the orchestral strings -- but on average, you'll be pleased with what's available, especially considering you're using your iPhone and not your computer!
Of course, all this doesn't come free. You get a taster of samples in the free app, but individual packs can be bought to expand a category of sounds (pianos, drums, strings) at $4.99 each. Or you can buy them all for $39.99.
The interface is simple enough to use when choosing instruments and preset grooves and loops. It's also pretty straight forward to edit and tweak the sounds and samples, which is what we've come to expect from apps like these. There's also a built-in virtual keyboard player, which means you can play the samples in the app without having to hook up an external MIDI device. Layering up sounds one on top of the other takes a little more time to get used to and it's quite a basic feature -- great for coming up with a few ideas, but nothing more. Yes, you could have hours of fun doing this, and it's a great way to explore all the samples, but personally I don't see any real musical application for it in it's current state other than having a bit of fun. You can export these creations too, but that's about it.
So, is the iRig MIDI and SampleTank for iOS the combination of hardware and software for your iOS device that you've been looking for? Well, if your a keyboardist (or a drum machine user) and you love using a ton of different samples and sounds, then yes.
However, if you're after some particular, high-quality sampled instruments, one of the nice things about SampleTank is that you can start with SampleTank Free and expand it the way you want by purchasing the samples you need. And some of those samples really do sound amazing.
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