IKM SampleTank 3 (ST3) Now Available

[paterpeter]

Now you can experience the full creative power and superior sound quality of SampleTank 3 at no cost with SampleTank 3 Free. It's a fully functional free version of IK's industry standard sound workstation that lets you explore its 55 studio-quality effects, completely redesigned user interface, new loop and groove management tools, enhanced sample engine and other advanced features via an expanding selection of its high-quality instruments.

Wohoo!

Finally they released a free version so i can use the instruments i bought few years ago in my new 64bit Daw environment.

Oh Happy Day! Thank you IK!

AFAIK the free version doesn't import legacy libraries....

There is a free version now, it does not import. I hope that clears it up. If there is ever to be one that does import, I have no official knowledge of or information about that.

[frejahel]

What a pity that you can't import the legacy libraries. I did have a suspicion that it might not be possible, so I came here to check. It's a shame and while I can understand it from a business point of view in the short run, this will not exactly generate favorable buzz for IK.

[mhog]

Since when a free player has to import the legacy libraries?... It is not a lite version (same functions), it is a sort of demo, AFAIK. I guess most of the people who just bought ST3 would not be that happy if less than one month later IKM came out with a totally free version with import and save functions! You want to import legacy libraries? Buy ST3. Nobody force you, it is your choice (ST2 still works. If you need it "64bit", just use a bridge).

[Lee702]

Since when a free player has to import the legacy libraries?... It is not a lite version (same functions), it is a sort of demo, AFAIK. I guess most of the people who just bought ST3 would not be that happy if less than one month later IKM came out with a totally free version with import and save functions! You want to import legacy libraries? Buy ST3. Nobody force you, it is your choice (ST2 still works. If you need it "64bit", just use a bridge).

Correctamundo!

[glokraw]

I could read this entire thread, but I'm not going to...............

What are the system requirements for running the free version. I can't find any info on the site.(Downloaded it but don't have time to install right now)
Also is the free piano in the download or an account ? I could find no link anywhere.

Look forward to trying it.

The piano is in the installer, not separate. I like it a lot,
it's got plenty of low end, so it's good being able to eq it
from the big nobs straight away. A lot less squinting with
the new gui
The piano PAK file is about 583 meg.
Cheers

[Numanoid]

AFAIK the free version doesn't import legacy libraries....

But Stank 3 Free needs to be authorized online, with a serial number?

And fascinatingly for a freebie, there is a limit on how many time you can authorize it

[Numanoid]

What are the system requirements for running the free version.

You will find the manual in your user area.

Fascinatingly though, it doesn't contain information about the installation procedure or system requirements.

[DarkStar]

Just for reference, the System Requirements for ST3 are given on this page:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/sa ... nk-3-specs

As for the Authorization, I would think that it uses IK Multimedia's standard authorization method; if you use up all 10 Authorisations, contact IK Multimedia Support to get them reset.

[Numanoid]

The piano is in the installer, not separate.

So how it's gonna be if they add one instrument per week, if they don't offer the instrument sample files separatly?

[Numanoid]

Just for reference, the System Requirements for ST3 are given on this page:
http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/sa ... nk-3-specs

As Stank 3 Free for example can't load samples from previous Stank's, are the system requirements still the same?

[kbaccki]

Since when a free player has to import the legacy libraries?... It is not a lite version (same functions), it is a sort of demo, AFAIK. I guess most of the people who just bought ST3 would not be that happy if less than one month later IKM came out with a totally free version with import and save functions! You want to import legacy libraries? Buy ST3. Nobody force you, it is your choice (ST2 still works. If you need it "64bit", just use a bridge).

Let's rehash the semantics game from earlier in the thread then.

ST2 eventually became "SampleTank Free", which was in actual fact a fully functional, free engine that would load IK (ST2, Miro, Sonik, etc.) + 3rd party XpansionTank stuff.

Now, "SampleTank Free" is actually demo, not the same as the old "SampleTank Free".

They should have simply called it: SampleTank 3 Demo.

Period. End of story.

Maybe there's a language thing between IK and the english speaking world. Yes, that is a smart @ss comment... but why all the confusion, all the time? You tell me.

[dsan@mail.com]

.....Maybe there's a language thing between IK and the english speaking world. Yes, that is a smart @ss comment... but why all the confusion, all the time? You tell me.

In a word? Marketing.

Marketing people thrive on slogans, buzz words, jargon and ambiguity.

The thought is the more you make the consumer confused the more likely you are to sell the goods.

And, sorry to say, it works. People buy into the jargons and slogans and buzz words.

Remember the Wendy's ads of the 80's? "Where's the beef" became a household phrase, world wide no less.

Until then we all thought all burgers were made from cows.

Some marketing guru decided to question that and came up with "Only our burgers are made from cows. We don't know what you're eating but it ain't a Wendy's burger. Where's the beef?"

Can you guess what that jargon did to Wendy's sales in the 80's? And think of all the confused minds wondering...."Where's the beef?"

So why didn't they just say "What's in your burger (wallet - the latest run on slogans )?"

Buzz words, jargon, hype...Marketing.

Confused? Join the crowds.

Happy Musiking!
dsan

[chroma]

that is true - if you're basing your expectations on ST2, then you might expect it to do everything that the full can do.

one difference though - ST2 couldn't import samples from anywhere AFAIK, it could just use other samples that are already in ST2 format.
so ST3 may actually be similar. which is why I was wondering if the free version could use the esoundz third party pack (which you can't buy separately AFAIK, so only full ST3 buyers would have it). or if e.g. esoundz created ST3 versions of the xpansion tanks, if those would work with the free version. (my questions go farther, but i'll stop here). basically, i'm wondering if a sound was already in ST3 format, could the free version use it?

it is an odd demo strategy though. the piano can't even demonstrate all the new features in ST3 (e.g. the 'new loop and groove management tools'). and i'm not hanging around every week to go look for a new sound to download in something i don't even really want. you only get a short time to grab someone's attention, i tried a severely limited version, i can't see bothering to try this out again.

i could see them adding import to ST3 free down the line though... after they give it a year or so to capture those who can't wait first, most of the people who would want the full version have already bought it, and there are enough add-on packs for people who go this way to spend some additional money on it.

[chroma]

Remember the Burger King ads of the 80's? "Where's the beef" became a household phrase, world wide no less.

didn't work very well apparently... that was a Wendy's ad

[basslinemaster]

one difference though - ST2 couldn't import samples from anywhere AFAIK, it could just use other samples that are already in ST2 format.

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb04/a ... letank.htm

"In version 2, both Sampletank L and Sampletank XL boast built-in features for importing WAV, AIFF and SDII samples, Akai S1000/S3000 samples and Programs and, on the Mac version only, Samplecell instruments."