2500+ Waveforms at the [Cakewalk] Store

ORIGINAL: b rock

There's one more caveat that I should mention as well. For some reason, z3ta+ doesn't seem to like the Architecture CE 24-bit depth. I never really pursued why that was before I batch-converted this set into 16-bit for exclusive z3ta+ use. Maybe 16-bit is just what's supported. From the 1.4 Release Notes:

The wave files must be mono, up to 64k samples, in any sample rate.

The 24-bit Architecture CE waveforms are actually saved in a 32-bit waveform file format. It turns out that there are at least six different formats represented as 32-bit waveform files. The Architecture CE waveforms use the format described as "24-bit packed int (type 1, 24-bit)". Z3ta+, however, supports an outdated 32-bit waveform file format known as "IEEE float (16.8 float type 1)".

The bottom line is that if you have an audio editing tool that supports saving to the obsolete "IEEE float (16.8 float type 1)" 32-bit waveform file format, you can convert the Architecture CE .WAVs to this format instead of down-scaling to 16-bit. I know for a fact that Adobe Audition has this capability. Whether or not the "IEEE float" format preserves more quality than that of simply dithering down to 16-bit (heck, what exactly is a 16.8 float anyway?), I honestly don't know, but hey, it's worth trying out.

By the way, if you are curious, in addition to the two 32-bit waveform file formats mentioned above, some others are the following:
1) 32-bit normalized float (type 3)
2) 4-byte PCM (type 1, 32-bit)
3) 24-bit packed int (type 1, 20-bit)
4) 32-bit 24.0 float (type 1, 24-bit)

The bottom line is that if you have an audio editing tool that supports saving to the obsolete "IEEE float (16.8 float type 1)" 32-bit waveform file format, you can convert the Architecture CE .WAVs to this format instead of down-scaling to 16-bit.

That's great information, and something that I didn't try in my haste to adapt to a workable model. I'll be curious to compare the two approaches, and see exactly what might be lost or gained down to the wavetable level. It's certainly easy enough to batch-convert once again for the side-by-side analysis.

ORIGINAL: b rock

I'll be curious to compare the two approaches, and see exactly what might be lost or gained down to the wavetable level. It's certainly easy enough to batch-convert once again for the side-by-side analysis.

I'd be interested in the results of your side-by-side analysis.

I found the following discussion that details the 32-bit waveform file formats (I'm wondering now if the IEEE 16.8 file format is specific to the Adobe Audition tool):

http://www.planetz.com/phpBB2/rss.php?p=156884

(I'm wondering now if the IEEE 16.8 file format is specific to the Adobe Audition tool)

Let me ask around, or hunt down the ol' Cool Edit here. I just got to this in Sound Forge 8, and at first glance, I don't see an easy way in yet. Another excuse to finally cave in on Audition.

ORIGINAL: b rock

(I'm wondering now if the IEEE 16.8 file format is specific to the Adobe Audition tool)

Let me ask around, or hunt down the ol' Cool Edit here. I just got to this in Sound Forge 8, and at first glance, I don't see an easy way in yet. Another excuse to finally cave in on Audition.

I had always used Cool Edit and Cool Edit Pro for all of my audio editing needs. I must admit that I felt at first a little apprehensive about Audition, when I heard that Adobe had taken over Syntrillium's Cool Edit Pro and re-branded it. But I'm actually quite impressed with what Adobe has done with the product -- they preserved just about all the features from the original Cool Edit Pro and extended its capabilities even more -- I'm guessing that the original developer must still be involved with the product's development in some form or another.

I'd like to take an informal survey here. This doesn't involve 'either-or'; it's just a guide for which comes first.

What would you find most useful in an Architecture CE Toolkit?
1). Rapture. Dimension Pro/LE. z3ta+. (Choose one.)
2). More full-blown presets. (Ex. - Here.)
3). Simple testing presets. (Ex. - Phase inversion between Elements and waveforms).
4). Intermediate testing presets. (Ex. - Patch generators by instrument type.)
5). Complex testing presets. (Ex. - Mix-and-match wave sequencing.)
6). Other. (Go wild here.)

'All of the above' counts as no vote. 'None of the above' counts as votes.
Thoughtful PMs / emails count as votes. Responses weighted by attitude.

I'm late to this party, but will be buying a ticket soon.

I vote Dim Pro
perhaps full blown presets, but my question is
based on the mp3 samples I've heard these seem to be mathematically pure derivation and so not all that workable for 'real' sounds

true or not?

these seem to be mathematically pure derivation and so not all that workable for 'real' sounds true or not?

Yes and no.

The math involved isn't as much the area of difficulty in itself. It'd be more accurate to pit the waveform oscillator against sampled instrument. The lack of sampled 'filter and amplitude envelope' means you'll have to do that on your own. Also, the wavetables are spread across the entire keyboard, as opposed to third-, quarter-octave, or per-key sampling in more real-world instruments.

It's not impossible, but it is more work. I'll point to Rene's B3 based on sine waves, or the resemblance of the partials waveforms to drawbars. Before you take the plunge, try this: Call up some of your favorite Dimension Pro presets, and use the Load Multisample slot in each Element to swap out to 00 - Wavetables. That should give you a general idea of what to expect.

Dim Pro full-blown. 2 votes.

I like to see Dim Pro Presets also Tom. I'm still trying to grasp the whole concept and I have been looking at the presets and trying to load the CE multi samplers and try different things.

Thanks for all the time you put in and hard work.

Ed