AKAI Sample Library Recommendations

Post by **Sharp** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 12:41 pm

Hi all.
It might be very useful to have a thread floating around where we could recommend AKAI CD's for the KRONOS.

To get things started, I'd like to recommend my 3 favourites of all time.

Symphony Of Voices
Demo 1
Demo 2
Demo 3
Demo 4
Demo 5

Vocal Planet
Demo 1
Demo 2
Demo 3
Demo 4
Demo 5

World Winds
Demo 1

Kind regards
Sharp.

Phabius · Post by **Phabius** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 2:59 pm

I use SOV and VP for many years now and those are still very good libraries!
I would recommend.

If you mix Virtuoso with Advanced Orchestra you can get really cool strings. Miroslav has some good titles as well. When I do strings in the studio, I've also got the habit of doubling every line (previously done with a polyphonic string section) with Garritan Stradivari Violin and Gofriller Cello. They add the articulation artifacts and the result can get pretty cool. But that's a Kontakt thing. I wish Kronos had some sort of technology like that...

Those are all old samples, but most libraries from East West, Ilio, Spectrasonics, etc. are stunning up to this day.

SoundsOfPlanet · Post by **SoundsOfPlanet** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:44 pm

Hi - I also use Vocal Planet - they are excellent vocal sample. My demo

- now the first version!

Style: Soul - Blues
Korg Kronos- my combi + Vocal Planet

<iframe width="100%" height="166" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="http://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=htt ... "></iframe>

QuiRobinez · Post by **QuiRobinez** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 5:59 pm

Stunning combi and track!

I really like it sound of planet.

levioter · Post by **levioter** » Sun Aug 05, 2012 10:12 pm

Excellent stuff soundofplanet !
Thanks for the good references Sharp !

Cheers

Phabius · Post by **Phabius** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:55 am

Great Track!

Its quite hard to fit sampled phrases sometimes. Tempo, key... A nightmare at some points. But if you build the song around it, it gets really fun to do.

I've used a little bit of Vocal Planet on this track:

http://soundcloud.com/remove-silence/taste-of-iron

Just a small ethnic female voice at the very end... Its processed by Antares Filter.
But the song has many old Akai samples on it, things I have for years since the S3000. Maybe you will recognize Liquid Grooves on the first spot

There's a Dulcimer from Ethno World as well, and the strings were done the way I described, with a custom set of Advanced Orchestra layered with Virtuoso (six patches total, solo and ensemble sets, velocity switched), blended with Garritan violin and cello (these in Kontakt).
Some sounds from Reason... and the infamous solo with the amazing MS20EX in Kronos!

RonF · Post by **RonF** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:45 pm

For those who like the sounds of Omnisphere.... I would recommend either of the Distorted Reality Akai libraries (Distorted Reality and Distorted Reality Darkness and Light). I've used them extensively with Kronos, and they are a virtual treasure chest of awesome sonic content. Produced by Spectrasonics and Eric Persing years before Omnisphere (or Atmosphere) was ever released. Yet most of the content of these discs remains prominent in Omnisphere, and truly reflects its often signature sound.

SoundsOfPlanet · Post by **SoundsOfPlanet** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:19 pm

Phabius wrote:Great Track!

Its quite hard to fit sampled phrases sometimes. Tempo, key... A nightmare at some points. But if you build the song around it, it gets really fun to do.

That demo song was created earlier – later on I have found the samples, which I have used in it.

To make sure these samples fit well into the whole track, I had to use in my DAW the Melodyne insert – this program allows to adjust the tempo of samples and the key in free way and without limitations. Now the VP set (I have had it for 10 years ) – gained a new quality – because each vocal phrase cane be freely adjusted to your own needs.

Thanks all for kind words concerning that little demo track.

jaggeddoctrine · Post by **jaggeddoctrine** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 5:40 pm

RonF wrote:For those who like the sounds of Omnisphere.... I would recommend either the Distorted Reality Akai libraries (Distorted Reality and Distorted Reality Darkness and Light). I've used them extensively with Kronos, and they are a virtual treasure chest of awesome sonic content. Produced by Spectrasonics and Eric Persing years before Omnisphere (or Atmosphere) was ever released. Yet most of the content of these discs remains prominent in Omnisphere, and truly reflects is often signature sound.

Highly Agree.. These 2 are still my all time favorite Akai CD's!

Phabius · Post by **Phabius** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 3:51 am

That demo song was created earlier – later on I have found the samples, which I have used in it. To make sure these samples fit well into the whole track, I had to use in my DAW the Melodyne insert

Melodyne is great! I haven't tried the "polyphonic" version yet. Does it do the magic as well for tracks like piano or guitars?

SoundsOfPlanet · Post by **SoundsOfPlanet** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 8:11 am

Melodyne is great! I haven't tried the "polyphonic" version yet. Does it do the magic as well for tracks like piano or guitars?

I have “one track” version. I use only for vocal phrases.

QuiRobinez · Post by **QuiRobinez** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 9:06 am

SoundsOfPlanet wrote:
Melodyne is great! I haven't tried the "polyphonic" version yet. Does it do the magic as well for tracks like piano or guitars?
I have “one track” version. I use only for vocal phrases.

I've used that version also in the past, but when cubase released their Vari-Audio functionality,which gives you the same editing tools as melodyne, i've used that one. I know you also use cubase, why don't you use the editor in cubase? It's basicly the same as Melodyne and the end results are comparable in my opinion when using the correct encoding method.

Just interested in your point of view because i have them both but i find it more convenient to have everything setup in one song.

SoundsOfPlanet · Post by **SoundsOfPlanet** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:52 am

QuiRobinez wrote:
SoundsOfPlanet wrote:
Melodyne is great! I haven't tried the "polyphonic" version yet. Does it do the magic as well for tracks like piano or guitars?
I have “one track” version. I use only for vocal phrases.
I've used that version also in the past, but when cubase released their Vari-Audio functionality,which gives you the same editing tools as melodyne, i've used that one. I know you also use cubase, why don't you use the editor in cubase? It's basicly the same as Melodyne and the end results are comparable in my opinion when using the correct encoding method.

Just interested in your point of view because i have them both but i find it more convenient to have everything setup in one song.

So far I have been working on Cubase Studio 4 - and in that version I do not have that tool. Therefore until I will updgrade it to 6.5 - I can not say anything in that question.

QuiRobinez · Post by **QuiRobinez** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 12:11 pm

SoundsOfPlanet wrote: So far I have been working on Cubase Studio 4 - and in that version I do not have that tool. Therefore until I will updgrade it to 6.5 - I can not say anything in that question.

ah, that explains it, then i can assure you that you will really like all the new features of cubase 6.5 when you decide to upgrade !

SoundsOfPlanet · Post by **SoundsOfPlanet** » Tue Aug 07, 2012 4:49 pm

QuiRobinez wrote:
SoundsOfPlanet wrote: So far I have been working on Cubase Studio 4 - and in that version I do not have that tool. Therefore until I will updgrade it to 6.5 - I can not say anything in that question.
ah, that explains it, then i can assure you that you will really like all the new features of cubase 6.5 when you decide to upgrade !

Yes I must do!

My favorite CD AKAI - is still cool Heart of Africa vol.1 (Deep Forest style)