Frankly I wish we could post NAMM demos of Rapture for those of you who doubt the fatness of Rapture (I don't believe anyone taped those). It was so loud and proud that the NAMM folks with the dB meters asked us to turn it down a few times over the weekend.
Believe me, it's Fat with a capital F

My opinion?

Well mastered tracks always sound great.
Hell even my farts sound great !

Been there done that etc.

End of discussion....

ORIGINAL: b rock
[Question: Is it the good kind of fat, or the bad fat?

When it comes to synth fatness, it's good to get a little portly
Seriously, it's all good. I'm not sure yet, but I think we'll be at the Remix Hotel in Miami in a couple of weeks. You can be sure that we'll have Rapture and DM Pro ready to fatten you guys up. Ya may need to hit up Jenny Craig afterwards

FWIW, here are a couple of simple, rough mix demo tracks showing another side of Rapture:

http://www.keyofd.net/demos/Rapture80s.mp3

- not my usual style, and it needs mastering/EQ to balance a bit - just drums and a few Rapture programs I created to test it's "fatness" as it were (nothing like the OB'esque synth I used in the presets). For reference, at 6ms latency (RME)

http://www.keyofd.net/demos/RapturePads.mp3

- another demo of a warmer pad sound within a laid back groove context (drum loop added, the rest is 4 instances of Rapture without any external processing of any kind).

For reference, at 6ms latency, both tracks used 25% to 50% cpu (cpu usage in the host app was fluctuating, so synth processing is dynamic depending on whether you have filter sweeps automated,etc). The first track really needed 12ms latency to run without breaks (which of course will vary depending on your system, even if it is also an X2 4400).

These are just demos - no attempt at creative composing or stylistic savvy, so be kind...

One key to getting more girth to Rapture programs is using the "Multi" setting at 3v to 9v, depending on what you are going for - that "divides the wavetable into multiple oscillators, spread across the stereo field at even distributions and with different detuning levels" (quote from Rapture manual). There is a huge difference between the sound of a multi at 7v and "standard", so it's a creative option to explore.

Another key is the filters - you have single, 2, 4 and 6 pole filters - the 4 and 7 pole filters (esp. LPFs) are much smoother than a straight single pole (of course - normal DSP theory applies here). This also creates a much richer sound, if that's what you need for that element.

Also note that this adds to Rapture's cpu overhead (per the reference loads above). I'll leave it to you to judge if that's the sound you want. I'm just another user, not a salesman. All colors to add to the creative palette.

Just my personal .02,
Dedric

like i said.....

End of discussion.

Rick - I use Nuendo (sorry Cakewalk - no offense). The first track is DFH Superior drums, the second is a Phil Gould Drums loop. As I have time I'll work up some more examples or programs, but it might be next week for me.

I should add that cpu usage on the first track was influenced by DFHS and some UAD-1 plugins on the drums (none on Rapture tracks).

You ARE coming to Remix [Miami]. Let's just say that I know already. I'll be there, too.

Yea, sorry I'm not in the know on this but since it's on the east coast, Cakewalk Dude Zac should be there to freak you out.
(got too many things going down here in LA...well, Seattle this week)

Later,

Talk to me, Zac. Where & when. You have to take me up on that coffee this time. And, no, not after the afterparties. I'll already be shot.

Just shot him an email, so I'm sure he'll reply on Wed.
Thanks,

Out-B-ed B

I am honoured to be bestowed with such a comment from the Grand Master! I'll even put it on the radio for you.

Oh, wait. Why did you use five instances? I'd still have one more Element to spare.

Yeah, but I didn't want to break the scales.

I have to say (with total respect to KDM), but I still don't hear Rapture rattling my windows. Just not hitting those lows.

Mike P: You should send B. a copy PDQ so he can counter all these doubts!

Is it the good kind of fat, or the bad fat?

Ratpure is a big fat rat. Are you scared of rats? They eat everything, are highly intelligent, are capable of filth, move with agility, scare people but also scrub up good and make nice pets. Even the fat ones. Does that answer your Q?

Whats up B!! I'll be at Remix Hotel from start to finish in either the Roland or Microsoft booth. Looking forward to seeing you again and maybe this time you can give me some Project5 tips.

Rapture is nasty btw. My microkorg has been collecting dust ever since it came out.

here are the tallow laden sounds to beat, the stout competition of Fabfiler Twin's hefty example songs

I never did manage to listen, OB-Wan, because I need to find these things out for myself. For those interested in a comparative view (like I am), the March Computer Music mag has 30-day fully-functioning demos of FabFilter Twin, Virsyn miniTera, Lounge Lizard, and Linplug's Octopus. Even a Sonar5 30-day test drive. And throw in 2013 samples from the 80's to compare/contrast with for total fat content.

It was a fifteen dollar no-brainer for me to grab this, so I can see how these all stack up against the (coming ... ... I think) Rapture. April's CM goes one step further, and adds a FabFilter One [half of the Twin] freebie, along with Wusikstation and the rest of the CM Studio.


Edit: Ham-fisted typing skill set.

To get the sound you want, it's all in how you program it

Dedric, we have to be distant relatives or something. I like the approach. Anyway, while I agree with that philosophy completely, I also think that I need to dive into the alternatives, given the chance. If only to see what the differences might/might not be. A road to understanding, and certainly not with presets and demos. FWIW: I don't even have Rapture yet, but from what I see, it has nothing to worry about from any comparisons.

Say, you're the one who did the early-on demo for one of the first Rapture reviews. So you've had it for a while. Of course I won't ask about any beta-testing. Sounds like you must certainly have a handle on a similar comparison. Good stuff, man. Welcome to the forum.

Maybe I'm stuck in a hardware synth paradigm, but in that world, you could program the exact settings on a Prophet, an OBX-A, a Jupiter 8, and others, and although each sound would have the same envelope and general characteristics, they would sound worlds apart. You can hear different records from the 1980s that use those different synths and how different they sound. For example, try programming the classic Van Halen "Jump" brass on anything but an OBX-A. It just won't make it. Same with the Prince and early Jimmy Jam stuff. Without an OBX-A you just aint gonna get it IMO.

With softsynths, I know from listening to many MP3 demos that each one appears to have its own character, at least to my ears.

But that's not to discount what kdm is saying. You are right - so much is in the programming and EQ. And since softsynths are from one perspective recreations of the corresponding hardware. They're never going to sound exactly like the real thing anyway. Witness the new Arturia Prophet V. Does it sound like a real Prophet V? Not unless you haven't heard one in awhile. Even if you load the "factory presets" into it.

Which leads me to a question I've often asked myself. If all of the classic synth-pop records from the 1980s had been made with the technology we have today, would we like them any less? On the other hand it is my opinion that "real" analog has that certain "something" that no virtual analog will EVER be able to recreate, just like no sampled string library will EVER be able to recreate the beauty of a real orchestra. They are mock-ups, that's all. They will continue to get better, but never an exact duplication. No Rapture, Twin, impOscar, 2600, Minimonsta, Sytrus, or even the hardware VAs like Virus, Nova, ION, Radias, will EVER replace the warmth of a real analog machine. Either the classic ones, or some of the new stuff (has anyone checked out the audio and video reports from the analog section of the NAMM show. Some amazing products, both looking and sounding)

For me it comes down to a compromise. I would love to grab a nice used OBX-A, Prophet, and Jupiter, but it's just not practical, not financially or space-wise. The softys are just so practical - convenient, affordable, and more flexible. And given that, Rapture is at the top of the list!

*Message deleted*
*opps!*