damn i bought everything straight , not the banks and then Alchemy !!

@dmbaer - 

...The only downside to Alchemy in my book is that it's sound generation technology lends itself to sound-scape/effect types of presets.  Great if you're doing soundtracks or just spacey weirdness, but these kind of sounds are or marginal use for more conventional music...  


Kinda glad you mentioned this, as I was getting the same impression as well.


I wish to record more than anything else, and not necessarily spend countless hours re-inventing 'the synthesizer wheel', so to speak. 


I'm more of a 'basic presets - with a bit of tweaking' type of guy, as opposed to someone who has the desire to twist, tweak & create all new sounds, bottles & rockets just for the hell of it.


...Some Alchemy libraries are full of musically useful material, and others far less so. Spend a lot of time listening to the demo...

Yes, that is the very struggle I, [& others I'm sure], are faced with.

The Audio Sample Demos of each are not as conclusive as I'd hoped for.

I also don't want to buy something just for sake of having it either.

I find that 25 libraries is a lot to choose from, and even though playing through the samples gives relatively good ideas of what's under the hood, it can take hours & hours - even days to listen to them all, even if I could.

Therefore, I shall endeavor to proceed & choose carefully o great wise Master! 

Tony, I can't imagine how long it must have taken to listen to them all. 

Surely you didn't do it all in one sitting, did you?.

Jimusic,
I may have mispoken:

 I listened to all the sound-bank demos  on Camel Audio's website, but did fast-forward a bit through those I didn't care for or had well represented in Omnisphere, Trilian, or a maxed-out Kurzweil.

I'll still use the Kurzweil for orchestral and world/percussion/organ/brass sounds...and cowbell.

So far, I've used the pianos in the Kurzweil as Omnisphere rather famously doesn't have any "straight" pianos(...or cowbells).

So I didn't listen to every Alchemy patch, but most all of the sound-bank demos.

Which was plenty...

Tony


 

The ones that are really usable (no soundscapes with tones of reverbs and delay !)

Bigtone                 ****
Electronic              ****
Viral outbreak       ****
Dance and trance  ****
Himalya vintage    *****

Be sure to tweak (quick) fx and layers as this let you discover endless possibilities

If you're looking for acousticals stuff , ther'es some great things but you will better served with Kontakt ....

if you need synths : bingo in all kind of area ....clean analog , violent , komplexe , classics , unusual ect ....

Alchemy is not really a bread and butter or meat and potatoes synth. I think is much more designed for those who already have a decent set of bread and butter sounds and are after something very different and interesting. On that front I think it is amazing.

Sorry Dean I don't have Analogica but I am sure it is good. I have quite a few other VST's that emulate analog synths rather well with their own libraries. 

I do find however that Alchemy sounds do sit rather well in a mix, even very complex sounds. I think it is more about what other things are going on around it and how it is produced at the time.

Also to Zo you can easily lower reverbs and other effects by just changing the wet/dry balances etc. Some of the sounds can be drenched in reverb a bit and I find it is nice to pull that right off in terms of Alchemy and maybe add some different reverb later on etc..

Dean go for the himalya viintage it's just killing analogica imho , anlagica is great but too mutch pads and soundscapees ...

also got junkie xl , electonic bass, cinematic atmosphere , and biolabs light space 

the only one i regert is voices ...great but hard to find a place for it , i hoped like half of regular voices : not the cases

Zo


Dean go for the himalya viintage it's just killing analogica imho , anlagica is great but too mutch pads and soundscapees ...

also got junkie xl , electonic bass, cinematic atmosphere , and biolabs light space 

the only one i regert is voices ...great but hard to find a place for it , i hoped like half of regular voices : not the cases

Himalaya is a bit too old school for me compared to Analogica which I think strikes the right balance.

Alchemy is great and it's really good to see reviews of all these soundbanks. I have also collected about $20 Camel Credits I can use towards this special deal they're having.

......and if you like Alchemy, don't foget to check out Camelsapce. Just throw it on any sound source and get some very musical rythmic textures. 

You can do some wonders with a simple (3 chord) distorted/clean guitar tone to get some very interesting variations. 

Like that famous GAS sufferer in here says........"It's a hoot......go git yer some!!"  

jimusic

I have occasionally thought about getting the full Alchemy player, but thought that $249 was a bit steep.

I seem to recall that it was on for $149 a number of months ago, but I passed on it then as well.

But now, there are some options to consider here. 

[The following calculations are all based on selecting libraries that are priced @$59.00.]        

Option #1:

If I buy one get one free, that'll give me 2 [$59.00 value] libraries + Taste of Camel - for $59.00.

Right away, that drops the price of Full Alchemy to $199.00 in the cart for a combined total of $258.00.

Or...

Option #2:

If I add Full Alchemy to the cart first, [$249.00], it includes one free library [$59.00 value] + Taste of Camel, technically making 'Full AL' only $190.00.

Then if I do the buy one get one free, I get 2 more as stated above. $249.00 + 59.00  - for a total of $308.00.

Shameless Edit: But for just $9.00 more, we can even add a 4th library.

I was just on the Alchemy site and now realize that I can get 4 libraries for just $68.00 on top of the purchase price for Full AL, so long as I add the Full Alchemy Player into the cart @$249.00 after choosing 1 [+ 1 free] libraries. 

Then if I add another one [+ a free one], the total reaches $317.00. 

So that would be 4 libraries + Full Al + Taste of Camel for just $317.00. [317.00 - 249.00 = $68.00]

That's gonna be hard to say no to!  Full Al + $68 for 4 [actually 5] libraries. Forgive my excitement & enthusiasm, but I love it when a deal works out to be really cool!

Also, I've received $5.00 in Camel Credits already just by filling out my profile entries, making it just 
$312.00. 

Hmmm...What to do? What to do?

I know! 

I'll ask Visa. 

Yeah that's it!!! 

The answer to all my problems - [or the cause of them all!]

Jim

Thanks Jim for sorting all this out for us.  I got my tax refund and just spent $312 ($317-$5 for my camel credit).  I got four sound libraries plus Taste of Camel and also the full version of Alchemy.  My only problem was getting one of the large Factory sample downloads to download without corruptions.  It took seven downloads to get it right.  Probably was my horrible web-service.  Anyway, it is all downloaded and installed.


My read on Alchemy is similar to what others have been saying.  It is great for Pads, for SFX, for Soundtracks and excellent ARPs.  It does not seem to be as "thick" and full as the presets in Omnisphere which I own and love; as many know Omnisphere can be difficult at getting it to fit in a mix because of its reverbs, fullness, "thinkness" (my term).  Alchemy is similar to Omnisphere, but the pads don't seem as big and awash in reverb as much as Omnisphere.  


The 3 part  factory Sample library seems to have plenty of usable instruments especially leads and basses.  However, Alchemy does not have tons of pianos or B3's or orchestras or traditional drum kits, etc.  For those traditional instruments, Kontakt has those traditional instruments covered.  Alchemy seems to have a strong suit for Pads, SFZ, Sountrack, ARPs, ECM and Trance.  


So, why did I buy it?  I like Pads, I like SFX, I like Soundscapes.  And I already have traditional instruments covered by Kontakt, NI Komplete7, IKM (everything) and all those other synths and samplers we talk about on this forum.


Four sound libraries plus Taste of Camel plus the full version of Alchemy all for the price of $312 =I ain't complaining.

Thanks Jim for doing the leg work and pointing the way for the best deal to spend my tax refund.

Thanks Zo!

I've already gotten  Himalaya: Vintage and Ian Boddy Analogica, and I think I'm going with Junkie XL and Viral Outbreak for my second (and last?) round.  I had 31 camel credits for the first two so I got those two for only $28!

Great sale!

...Thanks Jim for doing the leg work and pointing the way for the best deal to spend my tax refund... 


No problem at all - glad to help. 


Just didn't want anyone to pay more than necessary.


Myself, I've only got Taste Of Camel so far, and am still listening to more audio samples of the libraries. 


Kind of tough to choose, but it's good to have the input from others here as a guide line to go by. 

So with time running out on this, has anyone else had any troubles installing these things?

Jeff Evans


I could not resist and got another two for one deal. This time Arp Dimensions and Guitar Mutations. I have had my eye on Arp Dimensions for a while and so far it is very good. The good thing about Arp Dimensions as well is that there are many programmers and designers not just one as in many of the other libraries. Has a much more diverse feel to it.

Will explore Guitar Mutations a bit further but so far looks very interesting. Both of these libraries are very rhythmical in nature.

Mesh is very right about CamelSpace too. That is one very interesting plugin. I am sure CamelPhat is cool as well. 

jimusic install should be OK. Just make sure you are downloading the latest Preset file as well. It seems to be changing and getting bigger as you buy libraries etc. There will be at least two files. A library and a new preset file. Opening one should bring up a dialog saying there are several files to install and then just start the install process for all in the list. Should all go in. Then the next time you start up Alchemy (or Player) it needs to do a scan first to find new libraries and presets. Some of these processes take a while to complete. Once that is all done your new libraries should just be in the browser from then on. I found the new browser a bit strange at first but now I get it and love it.

I'm also considering another 2fer.....I got the Vintage and Big Tone....very good stuff and plenty of sounds to keep anyone busy for quite some time!!
 
Jeff, those two that you just got were my alternate 2.......are the majority of sounds useful and is it easy to set it in a track?
 
The install was actually a breeze as it basically did everything automatically. However, is it necessary to make a back up of these sounds (it automatically installs on the C: Drive, but I do have another drive for my samples)? (My account with Camel has all the libraries I've purchased for download & I don't see them at all going under). 

I have spent time with Arp Dimensions and Guitar Mutations. Arp Dimensions  is very good and as someone who likes electronic music driven by arps, these sounds are perfect for that so yes they are good and sound great too so production is often minimal. There are tons of patches and once you start combining mix pads there are limitless variations.

I have listened to the Guitar Mutations demo a few times and that one sounds interesting. I get the impression the guitars can be very straight and normal sounding but also very ethereal and wild and complex soundscape sounding as well as interesting rhythmically. Guitar Mutations is in the top sellers for them right now so that says something. I can see why for sure. I have auditioned it a bit and Mutations is certainly the buzz word there. You can turn delays and arps off with quite a few of the guitar patches and you will get back to more real or normal sounding single note guitars etc but it is the interesting sounds and rhythms they are creating using guitars as the raw materials that is more interesting for me. I find Alchemy patches inspiring across the board anyway.
I am working with a female singer/songwriter producing four songs with her right now. I am going to try and work some of the guitars into her music and in a much straight way. I will report later as to how well that goes. After more auditioning of Guitar Mutations I am finding there will be places within her music even for some of the more complex patches.  

It is good to alter the amount of effects processing that is being added within Alchemy and add your own more subtle effects later. Often I also like the effects very much that are programmed in and leave them well alone. 

I believe the instrument has a great sound and can be produced and mixed into any situation very well and comfortably. I am a bit of a fan as you can tell. I have got some great hardware as Tony S mentions I have a lot of Kurzweil power (3) and it sounds amazing. Often blows away an average VST instrument. Things have to sound pretty good to be in the hardware Kurzweil and Emulator, Roland JD800 class. But Alchemy is in the class with its fat sound, lovely bottom end and just great overall sound. I don't get Alchemy to do everything, there are a lot of other things assisting it in what it does. It blends and works so well with everything else for me here. 

There is also a good reason to build up complex pieces just using multiple instances of Alchemy. I get the impression it would kill doing that like the hardware does so well and easily.