Waldorf Blofeld desktop sampling option question

[kpsiegel]

I have had my Waldorf Blofeld desktop for a while. I am thinking about getting the sampling option again. I have held off because of bugs in the system but it seems like it would open up a lot more possibilities for me. Some users on the Waldorf mailing lists have said they have had problems. Anyone care to share their experiences with this? Does it work well? I have the latest OS software installed.

Should I get it or not?

[kpsiegel]

Giving this a bump. Hopefully someone can share experience.

[cresshead]

personally...and i have a blofeld desktop too so i've thought about this quite abit...
the sampling option in my opinion is too expensive...i understand that you have to load the whole 64mb each time you want to add stuff...you can't simply load up 1 new sample

for me at £82 it's abit like a slap round the face..not wanting to spend that much on something i already HAVE but cannot access.

for £199 i can get the Korg microsampler which is HARDWARE has greater sampling capability and i'd get a additional keyboard too.

if the upgrade was £25 i'd get it but at £80 it's just a silly pricepoint in these economic times when other options are out there that offer waay more.

[kpsiegel]

Perhaps it is not worth it but I was hoping to hear from someone that had the option that could let me know if it makes the synth better enough to make a difference.

I also want to know how difficult it is to actually use. Waldorf is very sloppy about testing stuff so I don't need even more problems. My Blofeld desktop is like a crazy hot girlfriend. You keep coming back even though they are annoying.

[memristor]

I have the Waldorf KB which has the sampling option enabled.

If I had the opposite choice, cashing in 100 Euros und having the sample playback removed, I would take the cash.

But I am poor and I also have Reaktor and I am very fluent and quick with that so if I want to run a sample or multisample through some filters and stuff I dont need the Blofeld to do that.

The sampling option works like this, you have this really spartanic software,
with this you can upload a bunch of samples and/or multisamples to the Blo'
You have to use USB I think for this but it takes really long like 20 minutes or more.

You can not edit or arrange the samples on the Blofeld
If you want to transfer new samples, the old samples are discarded, you can not add samples

So you have to prepare your sampleset before that outside of the blof3ld
but you cant select some of the samples that come with the license and discard others
at least I havent seen a way to do so


The samples that come with it are not totally bad but not very exciting either and the fact
that you have to upload the whole bunch and wait for 20 minutes if you want to use one
of them makes it less usefull for me

I think its a shame that the option is disabled by software on the desktop units
If you dont have a sampler you may want to check Sampletank free version before buying the Blo' SL
I never used Sampletank but its a free sample library with tweaking options it seems

someone please correct me if I got that wrong

to deciede whether it might be useful for you you maybe need to give some more3 information like what to you already have, what do you hope to achive and so on

[kpsiegel]

memristor thanks a lot for your answer. That is exactly the type of information I was looking for. Just for reference I have tons of sampling options. I have just in hardware:

Akai S3000XL
Akai MPC 5000
Kurzweil 2600SX

I also have software (Geist, Kontakt) that I could use

The reason I thought it might be good was just a convenience factor for sound mangling but based on what you have said there is no way I would get it. I cannot wait 20 minutes and the idea that I can't load just samples I want but have to create an entire new bank is absurd. Also if I can't keymap things easily it is pointless.

So...seems like you have saved me $150 I can spend on something more worth it. Thanks.

[EvilDragon]

You can keymap things in Spectre software.

You may wait 20 minutes, but once you get samples in, they STAY THERE even after power off. That's a very good thing. I don't think you'd really need to often load completely different samples - you can use your other samplers for that, and put the weirder material for mangling into Blofeld.


Also get Laslo's Blofeld editor (link) which enables you to create user wavetables and load them into your Blofeld! This is extremely useful!

[kpsiegel]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

You can keymap things in Spectre software.

You may wait 20 minutes, but once you get samples in, they STAY THERE even after power off. That's a very good thing. I don't think you'd really need to often load completely different samples - you can use your other samplers for that, and put the weirder material for mangling into Blofeld.


Also get Laslo's Blofeld editor (link) which enables you to create user wavetables and load them into your Blofeld! This is extremely useful!

Well that is some very good information also. I really like the idea of using my own wavetables and I appreciate the link cause the only thing I have been using for external control has been a miditouch template on my iPad and now that app is not being developed anymore. The softknobs VST they provide is utterly useless since it does not work in my DAW at all and they refuse to support it.

So now I am undecided again....Is the Spectre software supplied with the sample upgrade option? How do you find working with this stuff? If you had it all to do over again would you spend the $150 still knowing what you know now?

[EvilDragon]

Yes, Spectre comes with Licence SL. I don't have a Blofeld YET so I didn't work with it, and even so, when I get one, it's gonna be the keyboard version

[cresshead]

Spectre is free, no need to buy SL licence to try out the software..

http://www.waldorfmusic.de/en/downlo...6-spectre.html

your welcome.

[kpsiegel]

Originally Posted by cresshead

Spectre is free, no need to buy SL licence to try out the software..

Waldorf Blofeld Downloads - Spectre

your welcome.

Yea I am not sure how useful it would be without the license to actually load samples but thanks for the link.

[cresshead]

Originally Posted by kpsiegel

Yea I am not sure how useful it would be without the license to actually load samples but thanks for the link.

the idea is you can test the software out...load up the samples from waldorf..remap them in the software just as you will have to if you buy SL also load up your own samples...it has a virtual keyboard to hear them back on screen..

you get to really try before you buy...pretty useful..helped me decide not to spend my cash.

[memristor]

Originally Posted by EvilDragon

I don't have a Blofeld

WTF boy why are you replying to this thread ? I dont get it

[EvilDragon]

Originally Posted by memristor

WTF boy why are you replying to this thread ? I dont get it

Just because I don't HAVE it doesn't mean I didn't have some lenghty EXPERIENCES WITH IT. I have every intention to buy it this year, so...

[cresshead]

i think my blofeld desktop might go this year, i want to move to knob/slider encrusted synth options rather than preset based and tedious menu diving to edit...though i might get a bcr2000 and hook up my blofeld!



that might give it a new lease of life to me!

though not on topic...well it's saturday!

how to edit a bcr2000
this is with a microkorg but should work okay with a blofeld

[kpsiegel]

Well after thinking about it and taking in all the information everyone was kind enough to provide here I decided I am not going to get the sample option. Just not worth spending that kind of money for it given that I have other options.

[cresshead]

i agree ...if there was good evidence that it would be really useful...and by that seeing and hearing people put it to use either with the keyboard blofeld [switched on as you buy it] or by blofeld themselves making some effort to market it so we could see/hear the benefits of purchasing it..i get it, really would...

i've yet to see/hear anyone doing anything with the sampling option other than load up the piano preset an the trumpet...and that is not worth £82 imho.

[disnesquick]

I got the update as a gift from a friend. It's mildly useful. I tend to load up the sample bank with various atmospheric sounds and use them to give darker texture to pad. The other use I've found for them is for drum samples for use in multimode. However, the update is ludicrously overpriced. I would advise to avoid it and spend the money on something else.