Sonic Reality

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:14 pm

Here's a different topic but one you may be interested in. I am going to list some products Sonic Reality has done sounds for that you may not have known. This includes both hardware keyboards as well as software.

M-Audio's ProKeys 88 Stage Grand & Prosessions Premium Grand and Premium Acoustic Guitar: That's our premium piano in there which was tweaked by a former Kurzweil guy named Chris. We also did the strings and bass.

Yamaha Motif Rack and ES, S90: Those aren't SR samples but we went to Yamaha HQ and helped tweak their main triple strike piano and also contributed patches to the factory sets of the Motif series.

Alesis Q-Cards, DM Pro and Nanobass: We did samples for the Vintage Synths, Vintage Keyboards, Sanctuary and Latin cards for the QS Series. We also did a lot of the drums in the DMPro and basses for the Nanobass. Some of our sounds also made it into the ROMS of various QS series and other sample-based factory sets. Previous to that we were one of the outside programmers who redid the presets of the original Quadrasynth when they made the plus version. We were the plus. (and our friend Andrew Schlesinger plus other outside programmers).

Roland Vintage Synths & Keyboards of the 60's & 70's Expansion Boards for the JV series: There was a time long before Sonic Reality or Spectrasonics existed that Roland's Eric Persing came over to my studio to pick out vintage keyboards he wanted me to sample for Roland's S Series sample libraries. I did that and then they made their way into the expansion boards. Those sounds are also available in our Reason Refills and Sonik Synth 2 plug-in but without any data compression or size compromises.

Nord Wave: Sonic Reality has done some samples for the upcoming Nord Wave keyboard. I personally use the Stage 76 by the way and I love it.

EXS24 original sound set Years ago we were asked by Wizoo to contibute some pianos and strings to the original EXS24 factory sound set. They did the rest of them. We used to be a US distributor for Wizoo sample libraries at one point in time.

SampleTank 2 XL, Reason 3, Kontakt 2, Bandstand, Dimension Pro, Project 5, Tracktion 3... Sonic Reality has done some of the factory samples that come with these products from other companies.

Those are popular current products but going back in time... we also did a title called "Tube, Tines & Resisters" with Bitheadz using the Unity Engine. We also did "Classic Keyboards & Vintage Synths" as well as "Classic Beatboxes" with a company called Greytsounds. That's where I got my start in sampling because I knew Bob Grey, the owner, and I kept coming up to him with new keyboards to do Akai S900 discs for. I'd say "But you gotta have a Steiner Parker disc!" and he'd say "What is that?" and I'd say it's another rare synth and then he'd say ok! Then he made one of the first sample library CD Roms which contained all of his S900 + S1000 floppy disc libraries. Yes, FLOPPY! Haha.

There you go. A little Sonic Reality/Squids retrospective. I may have even missed a few things but that gives you an idea of other things we've done besides what you know as Sonic Reality or joint IK/SR products like Sonik Synth 2, Sonic Refills, Capsules, Expansion Tanks, Miroslav Philharmonik, Ocean Way Drums, Studio ProFiles and the rest.

g3g4g5 · Post by **g3g4g5** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 12:08 am

"Tube, Tines & Resisters" for Bitheadz Unity was awesome!

harmony gardens · Post by **harmony gardens** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 12:40 am

Really interesting Squids,,,

The Roland Vintage 60's and 70's board is a classic. It's still a highly sought after card for the XP and JV series

Hybernation · Post by **Hybernation** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 1:16 am

Squids wrote:Alesis ...and basses for the Nanobass.

Very interesting post, thank for that Dave. Big SR fan here.

LOVE my NanoBass. It's the only remaining piece of "legacy gear" I use now. I play keys and keyboard bass in a classic rock band, and my rig is now my Receptor, BFC-2000 to control it, and my NanoBass (controlled by three midi keyboards and bass pedals). Those NanoBass sounds just totally CUT through and help me compete with the guitars.

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:03 am

Thanks guys. I just realized I completely skipped our biggest break which was our main sampler libraries we sold (and still do) through ILIO. I'll tell you the story of that. As I mentioned, I have been involved in the sampling business since it went 16 bit. I remember when they first introduced the Akai S1000 and it was $6,000 (with 2 megs of ram you could update to 8 megs for only a few thousand more dollars!). I wanted one anyway and it became handy to know Bob Grey because he was an Akai rep and could get them for cost (still over $3,000 though). Bob also got me my first keyboard programming session which was with Lakeside, an R&B band. I brought in a Minimoog and programmed mean bass sounds.

Anyway, while I did sampling on the side and for my own enjoyment (sometimes on the S1000 but also on a Prophet 3000 which was very rare... and unfortunately those samples are gone now), I was doing music gigs, scoring some TV as a ghost writer and a little touring, studio work etc. Then I got hired to "conduct" the string sections for East West's Ultimate Strings. Well it wasn't East Wests yet, it was done by my friend Serge who is a French film composer. Funny guy too. In fact, he helped name Sonic Reality with me. We wrote down a bunch of words related to sound and sampling and then put them together to see how they sounded then happened upon Sonic Reality. We just said "yeah okay that's not bad". He was going to do sample libraries with me but he decided after doing Symphonic Adventures (which I also programmed for the Akai for them) and Scoring Tools (which I was GOING to program but quit because I was too annoyed) he decided to stick with film scoring and didn't want to be in the sample business. I, however, was even more on a mission to do it because I was frustrated with how I was seeing others doing it. So, that's when I put together Vintage Timetraveler, Interactive Drums, American Heartland, Interactive Strings and Concert Grand Pianos.

Vintage Timetraveler was a piece of my personal vintage keyboard collection. I was an avid collector. Quite crazy about gear really. (to be continued)

mlyon · Post by **mlyon** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:46 am

Squids wrote: Nord Wave: Sonic Reality has done some samples for the upcoming Nord Wave keyboard. I personally use the Stage 76 by the way and I love it.

Okay, this may sound a bit like one of those "huh?" moments, but it's either the Wave or the Prophet 08 that are on my "next to get" list. Gotta try each of 'em out first, but I miss my Prophet 5 (stupidest sale of my life) and I'm a huge Nord fan, now that I have my Stage (I've got the 88, since I'm a piano player first, and the high trigger on the keys works great for me for the organs...have you tried the overdrive on the newest OS? Awesome!). Besides, I don't think Dave Smith can make a bad board. The guy's a genius. I'm psyched about both. It's definitely gonna be one or the other, just have to decide which is more "me," if you get my drift, since I probably can't justify both (as much as I want to).
,
Which samples did you do?

Best,
Mark

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 8:55 am

We converted some samples from our Akai libraries in there. Not sure which ones will be in the final since it isn't released yet but since I am getting one I will put some extra sounds in that, also in the Oasys and the new Motif for my own needs and if I do that work well... I might as well make it available to anyone else who has those boards too... especially if it can just be downloaded these days.

That Prophet 08 DOES look good doesn't it? I have a Nord Lead 2 Rack, the Nord Stage 76. I love that it has good weighted feel but is smaller. Otherwise I love my Motif, except for the weight and sometimes the size on stage is limiting. I sit in with some friends who play at a little bar with a pathetic little stage. But it's fun. One time I brought my laptop and a little Novation controller. That sounded great but I missed my weighted keys. So, the Nord Stage in it's own travel case just works for quick local live gigs. In fact, I used to use my QS8 (the one I used for programming for them) but I think I am going to sell it now. Good inexpensive 88 key though and I used to make custom cards for it too but what a hassle...

mlyon · Post by **mlyon** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:20 pm

Yeah, I finally found I can now do a lot of my gigs with just the Stage, which is soooo much easier on the back (and the Stage is about 20 lbs lighter than my Fantom, too!). I've been using an Ion for when I want to add more color than the Stage's synth can provide (or just want an extra board), and I like it a lot, but it's thin compared to real analog and doesn't have the bite of a Nord Lead. Can't wait to try out the Wave and Prophet. I'm leaning Wave, but may have a hard time turning down the Prophet.

When you find out which ones make the final, let me know as I'll be interested in checking them out.

Cheers,
Mark

Reverend Rhythm · Post by **Reverend Rhythm** » Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:42 pm

Hey Squids, nothing for the Mirage or Yamaha TX-16w?

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Mon Sep 03, 2007 5:20 pm

Reverend Rhythm wrote:Hey Squids, nothing for the Mirage or Yamaha TX-16w?

I was never a fan of the Ensoniq samplers... although the Mirage Rack is one that I have now for particularly horrible (in a good way) fidelity lofi crunch. I got it at a garage sale down the block for $10!!!!! Haha. The TX16W was just... something to avoid!

I did however do sounds for the Yamaha A3000 and A4000 for Yamaha as well as sounds for the Yamaha EX5. See? I told you there would be some I left out. There's probably more. We should probably make a bigger deal about that on our web site to anyone who doesn't know who we are or what we've done over the years. We'll get around to it. Not TOP priority to give ourselves props (haha) but on the other hand it may be interesting to know because where else would you read about that kind of stuff? Here I guess. But that's our history.

BERFAB · Post by **BERFAB** » Tue Sep 04, 2007 2:08 am

Squids wrote:
Reverend Rhythm wrote:Hey Squids, nothing for the Mirage or Yamaha TX-16w?

I was never a fan of the Ensoniq samplers... although the Mirage Rack is one that I have now for particularly horrible (in a good way) fidelity lofi crunch. I got it at a garage sale down the block for $10!!!!!

I traded my Mirage rack back in the 90's for an ASR-10 Rack which I still use. I've always loved the ASR-10 because of its versatility and the great FX.

But looking back, I regret losing the Mirage. Really the first affordable sampler (the affordability was Ensoniq's real strength), you could get some great sounds out of that thing. Some of the original discs that came with it had some awesome vocal/chorus sounds, as well as some great guitar emulations.

Sure they were low-bit mono, but they were cutting edge for their time. It's tough to get the same character out of VSTi digital emulations.

-B

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Sat Sep 08, 2007 2:12 pm

We're going to be doing something cool for Motif XS soon. Extra samples for it (if anyone has one). Also the OASYS from Korg.

freaqmod · Post by **freaqmod** » Thu May 01, 2008 2:26 am

Squids wrote:

Roland Vintage Synths & Keyboards of the 60's & 70's Expansion Boards for the JV series: ...Those sounds are also available in our ... Sonik Synth 2 plug-in but without any data compression or size compromises.

"Classic Keyboards & Vintage Synths" as well as "Classic Beatboxes" with a company called Greytsounds.

I just picked up Sampletank through the Rare and Vintage group buy, and purchased Sonik Synth 2 from esoundz a couple of days earlier.

I have the Roland boards and the Akai format sample CDs mentioned above.

A few questions, if this thread might still be alive...

Is it a worthwhile endeavor to import the Greytsounds sample CDs into Sampletank? Are these already bundled into the Vintage group buy sound sets?

Are ALL the sounds from those Roland boards contained in Sonik Synth 2 already?

After I got Sampletank, I went rummaging through some old stuff and saw the name Dave Kerzner on the Greytsounds CDs and a lightbulb went on in my head.

Thanks for providing such quality samples for such a long time!

Erik

Squids · Post by **Squids** » Sun May 04, 2008 5:46 am

No all the stuff on Roland expansion boards didn't come from me. Just some things. And anyway the sounds here are not compressed etc. so they're a little better in Sonik Synth 2. You can try importing your Greytsounds discs and a lot of them WILL be different... but since they are old Akai titles they may not work so smoothly on importing into today's samplers. Good luck! I think you'll enjoy the new material though.

JPQ · Post by **JPQ** » Tue Oct 04, 2011 2:47 pm

This history is nice know. i like Roland,and Alesis and Kurzweil samplesynths when we talk hardware i dont have any kurzweil yet at least. and Soniksynth for example have many good synth samples.

Sonic Reality

KVR Audio

Sonic Reality sound history with other companies