Official SampleTank Mac/PC Wish List!

[Rcarsten]

I've been a fan of SampleTank since earlier versions
I'm just an amateur musician who enjoys playing new instruments, looping drum samples and experimenting with sounds

As such - here are my issues with SampleTank4:

1. Unclear upgrade options - do earlier SampleTank versions get a free upgrade or discounted to the latest version? - went and ahead and upgraded to SampleTank4 Max anyway...because wanted some new sounds - and particularly new feature support as shown in SampleTank4 specs
2. Install process laborious and unclear to the average amateur user. Instrument files load into data base and appear within the interface but won't load - even though I downloaded what appeared to be appropriate file relative to instrument and sample files
3. Downloading is laborious and hugely time consuming - needed a written checklist to keep track of files that then required lengthy mac verification and then installation
4. Sound files once downloaded don't all seem to follow same file folder hierarchy when extracted and then adding into SampleTank File File Content files is unclear
5. Still downloading sound files 48 hours in - and still can't figure most optimal way to load instruments and supported files.
6. Can't a more layman's version of the dynamics of downloading files and support structure within SampleTank4 be made available to the average Joe?

Perhaps I'm alone in these concerns or making amateur errors - hoping that others who are not professionals or more advanced users might enjoy the product as I'd hoped...

Thx in advance for any advice....

[Tom Kearney]

Now that the smoke has cleared a bit (grin!), I have a few enhancement requests:

1- make the "instrument" column re-sizable in the browser/searcher window. On my PC, at least, the end of the name is frequently truncated - and that is frequently the text needed to distinguish among the instruments/patches. For example, there are four "4001 Sunburst Bass Pick ..." entries - the ellipses are hiding the important text (in this case, "amp", "delay", "dir", and "Wah"). This may depend on screen resolution, but I have a pretty hi-rez screen. You CAN see the full name by clicking and reading the name in the Info pane, I admit. Maybe a simple "mouse-over" that shows the full name would also be a solution - it would be a little easier than clicking and looking at the info pane.

2 - for the Category column, suppress (or at least dim) empty categories. example: Miroslav library: Strings category: the "Mood" filter is empty. Similar examples for "American Acoustic" library. The ST4 library MAY have all categories "filled-in", but many (most?) of the non-ST4 libraries have many empty categories. Not a big deal, though!

3 - add “mouse-over” messages for Ui elements (like the folder icon for Folder view).

Also, you should tout the “folder view” - it’s very useful in some situations!

Thanks for listening!
Tom Kearney

[tommy@paabel.ee]

It would be nice to see the size of the instrumnt before I load it (like NI has) and also see the memory usage, so I don't need to run separate app to monitor the memory usage. Also the "light" versions of the instruments would be nice. ST3 had this option for some instrumets. They were called "compact" if I remeber correctly

[ski88keys]

Need Key Switching for organs and other instruments in ST4.

[richmn]

Please provide a means to change the brightness / contrast of the text. Or perhaps a toggle between one or more font/contrast combos. I am using the Windows 10 version @ 1920x1080. Regardless of how I size the window (or my Windows display scaling eg:100% 150%), the text is hard to read. Even in the 4.0.2 manual, the screen shots are dim and dark.

[DDemase1174]

Not to harp on the subject, but is there anything on SampleTank 4 MAX that would at least closely resemble a "custom MIDI mapping" function or "MIDI Learn" function, at least for drum kits?! It would be nice to assign the drums to any key on a MIDI keyboard controller you like in case you would like to use one to play drum parts manually. Something like Fxpansion BFD3 or Drumdrops Kontakt Drum Kit libraries might let you do.

I'm not the most technically-minded person, and I did read the manual for ST4, but I don't think there's anything like that yet on it. I could be very wrong, though.

[samplemaniac]

Need Key Switching for organs and other instruments in ST4.

+1
- keyswitches for woodwind and brass etc.
- editable keyswitches ???
- what about clever hold option keyswitch as in Independence Pro.
It works that you hold key ,for example, "slide keyswitch" and then release it
and it will return to default keyswithch, for example, sustain keyswitch

[Jlatorrel]

Need Key Switching for organs and other instruments in ST4.

+1
- keyswitches for woodwind and brass etc.
- editable keyswitches ???
- what about clever hold option keyswitch as in Independence Pro.
It works that you hold key ,for example, "slide keyswitch" and then release it
and it will return to default keyswithch, for example, sustain keyswitch

+1 I think that you have that in Modo bass so I could be easy to do.

My requests:

- Please give us Sampletank 4 standard users a bit more content like basic string patches and I way to expand the drums kits available.
- Please (and I assume its a work in progress) make third party libraries available, you could talk to drums and many other sample library developers to make libraries for Sampletank 4.
- Copy/paste programs in different parts, I tried today and couldn't copy or move a preset from one part to other
- New Libraries with more detail for Sampletank 4 especially in the drum section
- Something like a macro page or a specialized settings page for different presets (drawbars, drum settings, lid and other settings for piano, etc.
- Built in advance metronome. Some people like me likes to work on a single software like hardware workstation. I would be cool

[petrenko_da]

Please provide a means to change the brightness / contrast of the text. Or perhaps a toggle between one or more font/contrast combos. I am using the Windows 10 version @ 1920x1080. Regardless of how I size the window (or my Windows display scaling eg:100% 150%), the text is hard to read. Even in the 4.0.2 manual, the screen shots are dim and dark.

+1

[4vientos]

I'd like Syntronik and Sampletank to be able to
read and apply UNO parameters to their instruments
and loaded presets.

Not expecting perfection, as there is little uniformity at hand,
but just getting in the ballpark, and getting lucky based on
good UNO settings.

I bought Syntronik to join my UNO, since I have yet to plumb
the depths of ST3, SonicSynth2, and much of the 2.5 libraries.

I think IK have many good possibilities to explore, when all the parts
are so good, and are laid out on the operating table, for re-assembly.
Thanks for the sale pricing on Syntronic, creating new multi's are such fun!
Cheers

[samplemaniac]

I wish RAM and disk streaming optimizations and improvements!
ST4 memory allocation is quite inefficient.
I'll give one example:
-ST3 loads Grand Piano 1 (1,2 Gb) fully to RAM and total memory allocation
in task manager is 1,8 GB.
-ST4 uses diskstreaming when loading same piano and total is 2,5 GB !!!

So not very efficient disk streaming engine; 500 Mb for 1 Gb file !

[qwetvj]

Sorry to my English.
Several recent updates have solved many of the problems I encountered.

I hope that when using the 【Folder】 mode to display the instruments, do not Multi-select the instrument type by default.
For example, I click on the 【piano】 and then click on the 【guitar】.The piano and guitar are displayed by default.This is very inconvenient.
Or you can set a shortcut to do this, such as ctrl+click.

And I hope Strings/brass/woodwind/bass/ethno etc. Multi-Articulations in ST4 library can support for keyswitch and mod/CC11/expression（Even if it is possible to only change the volume）. And can display the current Articulations.

[Tom Kearney]

Sorry to my English.
Several recent updates have solved many of the problems I encountered.

I hope that when using the 【Folder】 mode to display the instruments, do not Multi-select the instrument type by default.
For example, I click on the 【piano】 and then click on the 【guitar】.The piano and guitar are displayed by default.This is very inconvenient.
Or you can set a shortcut to do this, such as ctrl+click.

And I hope Strings/brass/woodwind/bass/ethno etc. Multi-Articulations in ST4 library can support for keyswitch and mod/CC11/expression（Even if it is possible to only change the volume）. And can display the current Articulations.

Hello!

Your English is fine!

And your "single-select" in folder view is a great point. I noticed that myself. The single-select (or change select) behavior is what happens in SampleTank 3, as well as in Miroslav Phil. 2

Thanks,
Tom

[richmn]

I would like the 'INFO' section to show:
-What is the size of the current sample set
-What is the source library for the currently active sound?

I would like SampleTank to remember which of the 3 interface modes in the bottom right I last used, or save that as part of a multi (knobs, keys, or pads). I always have another keyboard hooked up via MIDI so I don't need to see onscreen keys.

[saukar23]

This is a wishlist... so Im gonna put on ym wife's heels & click them 3 times with the neighbor's dog in my hand on this one :


For Sampletank 4 to implement the Mod Matrix abilities on the legacy libraries.

I understand that according to the manual (&tech support) that this isn't possible because the new sounds in ST4 use a completely different engine than what's in ST#, ST2, Miroslav 1, Sonik Synth, Sampletron, Samplemoog, etc. I get that... theoretically. But here is my issue. In this dedicated "virutal instrument" as IK calls it, it seems strange not to provide further support for the 150 GB plus library that preceded this version (including all the old titles). Taking a look at different virtual instruments, such as Nexus, Kontakt, it seems that these companies have managed to be profitable while building on to their existing library's structure, rather than just tossing it out and starting anew after a few versions. UVI, another example, changed the structures of their UVI libraries twice, but have maintained backwards compatibility. It's really a slap in the face to existing Sampletank users who have invested in these great sounds and are left out like bastard children.

Because all these legacy libraries have hardwired LFOs & envelopes, different resampling options, and oscillator capabilities, wouldn't the best solution to keeping ST4 as unified instrument, be to have the mod matrix available on these sounds as well but just not with all of the features that pertain to them? Example... having the external mod sources all available and then maybe just the macros.

And why is there this heavy distinction between versions anyway. in ST3... even the though the structure is still limited, everything imported is now an Sampletank 3 instrument. Legacy libraries aren't withheld from any of ST3's features besides round robin & oscillator number. I''m pretty sure that if I am able to use Chicken Systems Translator to make ST3 sounds or to convert ST2 sounds to other engines, then IK shouldn't have a problem converting their own files to ST4 instruments. If I wanted to use a Sonik Synth sound and convert it to ST4 instrument, instead of keeping it a separate thing, band it up with the ST4 sounds, just make some of those mod sources & destinations unavailable. Im sure it wouldn't be hard to say that imported ST2 instruments have 1 oscillator and an ST4 instruments have up to 6.

UNLESS...

IK plans to release these same libraries at some point as ST4 instuments. Man, I hope that's not true. I don't repurchase sounds just for the sake of staying current.