VSampler wasn't actually a Cakewalk product. It was created by a different company and then bundled with SONAR.

Scott

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Scott R. Garrigus - Author of the Cakewalk Sonar and Sony Sound Forge Power book series. Get Sonar 8 Power - Today! Go to: http://www.garrigus.com/  - http://www.musictechshop.com/ - http://www.cooltechshop.com/

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To the extent that the immense flexibility of synthesis can be harnessed, there is a potential (capability) to be more expressive than an acoustic instrument. The question is why this is not generally realized in synthetic music.

 
 
it has and the results were less than musical...or should i say people didnt care for the sound. you can come up with some new type of sound that gets peoples attention, doesn't mean it struck a chord with them..i have seen those keyboardist/synthesist on stage surrounded by 100 different synths, being an entire orchestra with all these electronic/synthetic washes of sound..its still just masterbatory pyro-gadgetry.
 
there is no more exteded range to reach for synthetically..all synthetic possibilities have been exhausted since 1985..your outlook is musically noble, but it sure is not new. just because synthesis can do everything and more doesnt mean it should.. i feel too much has been given to synthesis..it has replaced just about all the integral elements that make great records...

I forgot to mention that my (hardware) synthesizers are all 100% 64-bit compatible! For that matter, they'll also be 128-bit compatible when the time comes.

You will never, ever see me on stage with a friggin' laptop!

 
I've been using soft-synths exclusively for all my live sounds for well over a year.
I use a Motif XS7 as a MIDI controller.  Not only is it better than any dedicated MIDI controller I've ever played, it also provides a backup tone-generator should the PC ever fail (which hasn't happened).
 
With about a dozen of the best soft-synths, I feel that my rig sounds better than it did when I used hardware synths (Fantom G, M3, Motif ES/XS)... and programming is a whole lot easier. 
I think the key to making the transition feel natural is getting more realtime control under the player's fingertips.
If you have the same level of control when playing live, playing soft-synths doesn't feel any different than using hardware.
 
IMO, We need far better dedicated MIDI controllers than the units currently available.
ie:  I'm currently shopping for a (somewhat) light-weight 88-key controller that has all the keyboard/controller features that you'd find on a top-tier workstation.
Sounds simple enough...
But I've yet to find a dedicated MIDI controller that plays/feels as good as the best Roland/Korg/Yamaha keybeds.
I'd like a reasonably light-weight 88-key controller (less than 50 pounds) with the best keybed available, nice large display, pitch/mod wheels, at least 8 knobs/sliders, ribon controller, and after-touch... and with road-worthy build quality.
Right now, the "controller" I like best is the Roland Fantom G 88.  I'm not crazy about spending $3200 for an 80 pound controller.
Take this unit... drop the synth engine... reduce the weight to about half... and reduce the cost to about half.
To me... that would be perfect.
 

I dunno Bit, ol pal.  What if you just duct taped two of them together...wouldn't that be like 48 bits??

bitflipper

it's internal bit resolution is not likely to change

True, I'm stuck with 24-bit audio forever. Sigh.

You conveniently skipped the first part about cost.............

I tried duct tape, but it left sticky residue. And yes, Jeff, the Kurzweil is 32 bits internally, 24/48Khz out or S/PDIF - and I've got one of those, too. But the Yamaha at 24/44.1 still sounds better.

You conveniently skipped the first part about cost...

OK, Teksonik, you got me on that one. I admit, I do have a few bucks invested in hardware synths. About equal to one moderately high-end microphone, in fact.

Yea, I sent a consciousness raisin memo to Electronic Musician magazine (you know, the one which...like MIX...has become the size of a grocery store circular) regarding their review of some new hardware synth or rompler thing that had...wait for it... 256 MEGS OF RAM!!!  I, being my usual perspicacious self, and, as always, tryin my dead level best to be helpful said why surely that there's a misprint fellers.  I'm quite shore you meant 256 GIGS OF RAM...or words to that effect.  Funny, they never did respond to me.  Not even to say "don't call me Shirley".  Probably got lost between servers or some such.

Thank you for the compliment, Jeff.  "Both Ends of Love" actually is a major key R&B tune called "The Wrong Ends of Love" by my ol pal  Jeff Grant...better known as Loveshadow in the remix community.  I stripped everything except the lead vocal off and, through the use of my ol pal Mel O'Dyne repurposed the song into a minor reggae about Trans-Gender relationship problems.  Glad you enjoyed.

bitflipper

OK, Teksonik, you got me on that one. I admit, I do have a few bucks invested in hardware synths. About equal to one moderately high-end microphone, in fact.

I'm so sorry to hear that.  I've got far less invested in my computer based synth and it can do so much more...................


I'm just messin with you man. Everyone should use what works best for them. Really what I'm trying to say is that everything is hardware, it's just a different form factor. The signal that reaches the end of my S/PDIF cable is no different in practice than the signal at your Kurzweil's S/PDIF cable.  The quality and appeal of the sound of those two signals can be debated ad infinitum or ad nauseam but in the end........to each his own.

Might want to check the Akai MPK88

 
Yeah... I know about the Akai   
Not the worst I've seen... but not in league with the best workstation keybeds.
Roland's Fantom G8 and their RD 700GXF "Super Natural" stage piano have the best feeling keybeds I've found... but they're $3200 and $2700 respectively.