Recently i noticed a a growing trend of using modeled instruments that started with the launch of MODO BASS wich became a best seller in just a few days, modeled intruments are not new, some of us use partially modeled intruments (like H7S,Ample Sound Series, Some Kontakt...) and i mean partially because although the execution/playing (like strumming) of the instrument is modeled, the sound is generated via recorded samples and not models.
The most trending modeled instruments are the Physical modeled ones (i mean not just the normal modeled instrument synth, but also the physics models wich are a pain to implement [eight years took the development of the MODO BASS plugin]):
- http://www.swamengine.com/ featuring a series of acoustic strings (violin, cello...) and woodwinds (sax, clarinet..)
- http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/modobass/ Featuring 14 fully customizable bass models
- https://www.pianoteq.com/instrument_list Keys/Piano Modeling specialists Authorized by Steinway & Sons ®
Here are some advantages of Modeled Intruments over Sample Based:
SIZE ON DISK
Modeled: Small Size (5 to 10 mb average)
Sample Based: As Big the Sample Library Is The best quality (From 1 to 60 Gb average)
RAM USAGE
Modeled: Sound Models are very small programs and are being loaded on ram ( from 2 mb to 10 mb average)
Sample Based: Samples tend to be loaded on Ram so as big the sample library will also be the ram usage (from 1 to 2 gigabytes average)
DISK USAGE
Modeled: Very Small
Sample Based: Very High Specially when loading samples at startup (90% average) [REDUCES THE HARD DRIVE LIFETIME]
Variation Realism
Modeled: Automatic Model Randomization (Not repited sounds)
Sample Based: Round Robins (Wich greatly increase library size) (Samples are repited depending on the Round robin cycle length)
CPU USAGE (They are almost the same when program is loaded)
Modeled: Low Cpu just to generate audio from models.
Sample Based: some extra use of cpu usage when loading samples from disk and managing/releasing/cleaning New/Old samples from ram/system
CUSTOMIZATION
Modeled: depending on how many components the model is divided on, it can be more customized, for example pickups models, pickup selector, type of strings.. lots of possibilities models can be combined one on the top of other.
Sample Based: limited, it can be done using diferent sample banks recorded with diferent configurations like H7S Drop A feature changing the sample bank of the 7th string
ALL IN ONE INSTALLER
Modeled: Because of the small size of audio models you can include them in your main installer
Sample Based: Two individual installers, one for the sampler engine and another for the sample library
POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS?
Physical modeling isn't a easy thing (Modo Bass, Pianoteq,Swam), but models can be done in different ways, do you think that would be possible to convert the H7S sample library (9.07 gigabytes on disk) to synth models? i mean without physical modeling or individual component modeling, so it will be lightweight, and could it be done without reducing sound quality?.
Thank You Very Much