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... I bet none of them tell you it sounds crappy ... you bend stuff or pFzzz it or whatever and it's not your sound. The more you dwell on it, the less you like anything ...
Just move on ... guitar realtracks have string scratches and all, how realistic ... Maybe they should put burps and sniffs into the soprano sax realtracks, or a far....never mind ... Works ok, it's not the horn section from any good big band but again, what are you trying to do? If the people you let listen like it, you need to ignore your bias ... Lots of the Midi bass can sound better on my Ketron than the realtracks.




Hello John! Thank you for your posts. I've asked lots of questions in this forum and I've gotten lots of answers from you haven't I? I can see your point of view and no doubt, many will agree with you. I can respect your views on MIDI sounds as others do. However (maybe mistakenly -- I'm not sure), I perhaps detect a sense of intolerance over my opinion(s) in your post.

I think I'll reiterate what I said about the MIDI sounds that I (as being new to MIDI and BiaB) have heard. You'll note that I started off by stating that I understood that this is subjective (and I even ended my post saying the same). To be sure, the very person whose post I was replying to agrees. It seemed to me that Jacob and me were agreeing on a point -- that almost anything to do with respect to one's perception of sound / music / hearing, is ultimately going to be subjective. And I simply stated why I agreed with him and explained why. Obviously, we can't tell each other that we're wrong -- you hear what you hear and I hear what I hear -- that's all there is. Neither of us is wrong, is he? Or am I wrong?

John, when I continually state in my posts that, "In My Humble Opinion (IMHO) ...", rest assured, I say it with sincere respect to those of you who have used the software (and the forum) and these other products many years longer than myself -- You guys are the pros (the gurus). I think that I even mention repeatedly in my posts here that I am a newbie (with Biab) and I am grateful to you and people here for helping me in times when I need it (which tends to be quite often as you well know).

I am not in the least however, new to computing and/or the use of forums. It has always been my understanding that the use of forums is for an open, free and lively exchange of ideas which entitles all to an opinion. And so, the very fact that we agree to use a forum like this to share experience with one another does suggest that our electronic 'conversation' is bound to be a subjective one. So, I'll view both Jacob and your posts as subjective ones. Yes, mine is a biased one, and while I might verbalize it from time to time, I certainly won't force it upon anyone; Biased yes, but not without merit I think.

I have only had the software for a month. I have read the book cover to cover (some places twice or more), and there's lots for me to learn. I still ask lots of questions don't I? I sometimes receive lots of opinions too, but I know that's what they are -- just subjective opinion. I too have also poured lots of time into BiaB and RealBand (not as much as you, obviously). Rest assured, we certainly must agree though that the cost of our love for music can't be measured in terms of the dollars and cents we spend, right? So, be aware that over the next weeks, months and maybe even years, I'm likely to give a 'subjective' opinion or two from time to time. I won't be wrong. It'll just be my opinion, right? You can rest assured I'll not suggest to a single one of you here that you're not entitled to post your own -- I'll likely even agree once in awhile.

John, I do not have a recording studio or lots of equipment for that matter. However, I have made a living in the computer industry for better than 35 years and I've been a horn player for even longer. And all along, I've been thinking that some might like to hear from me. While it may be small potatoes to some, I did mange to tour and teach theory with the U.S. Army Band for several years (yes, a great many years ago). I may be much older and not playing as much as the rest of you here, but I still have ears and they still work pretty well -- well enough that I was evidently good enough to be paid to use them -- in fact, I suggest that students actually depended upon them. So, I was merely telling Jacob there, that in my opinion (using my ears and I trust mine as much as anyone's), that as of this moment in time (perhaps until the technology get's better), that I prefer what I hear with RealTracks and the like. Did I trash the idea of MIDI? No, I don't think so ... it has it's place. When I told Jacob about the MIDI sounds I'd just sampled, I think I also mentioned that, "Some were almost adequate. The piano, bass and guitar were very good." But yes, I will ALWAYS be partial to the real thing. MIDI is not my enemy John, but I definately am better than MIDI and so are my students -- Geez, I guess in a sense, MIDI is my student too! Heck, I'll go out on a limb here and say that I'll bet that you're playing is even better than MIDI too my friend! Hooray for the real thing! Hooray for us humans!

Okay friends, you have your 'RealPaks' and you have 'RealTracks' and you have 'RealBand', you have 'Real' this and that -- the common thread here is 'real'. Now I'd venture to say that lots of others hear how much nicer 'Real' it is on the ears. PG must think so too because I continually read advertising to me saying, "... and more Real ... to come!" And I'd argue that this feature of the BiaB product has obviously translated to more dollars and cents too.

You and I have no doubt listened to some of the very same artists and music for all of our lives, and we're obviously going to have our opinions about it (what we've listened to up until this point in each of our lives). So, as I stated in my post, "So far, the ONLY thing I've heard that might satisfy my ears are ... RealTracks" Performed by 'real' instruments, by 'real' people. I'm just saying that I'm not at a point where I would never change my mind about MIDI, but I haven't yet lost my hearing either. As for me, I'll load up BiaB on the "real" stuff every time and I'll be inclined to purchase every "real" product that PG sells, both now and well into the foreseeable future -- although there are some awfully pretty sounding products out there now.

By the way (and this is subjective), if one takes the time to listen to the Garritan Jazz & Big Band demos, you might hear details that you might not have heard before. John, you're a horn player ... You know that breath that you take in just before you're ready to play that next section? Did you know that your audience can even hear that breath of yours? Well, that did impress me. Not that this alone would make up my mind about MIDI or anything else mind you, but it did impress me nonetheless (that this technology could pay so close attention to details like this). So okay, I'm new to MIDI, and they'll likely be a lot more I'll listen to and decide what's good, bad or otherwise. But, attention to that detail is something that discriminating, music-loving people hear -- and they're impressed with technology that can emulate these.

Now as for your, "... guitar scratches ...", well yes, those are exactly realistic as any guitar player will tell you (or even a guitar listener). I also play this instrument. Now as for the, "... burps and sniffs into the soprano sax realtracks." Well, correct me if I'm wrong John, but I believe that you'd have to post this in the forum wishlist. Would you like to post or shall I?

"So for right now ..., my only audience is (and the only one I care about frankly), my church, my wife, kids and grandkids -- Oh, and a few 'ole farts like me who love me enough to come out to play for fun. I bought BiaB for fun. It is completely new and foreign to me, but fun nonetheless. And so, the vote is in! From the wife, family and musician friends, they've voted for RealTracks John! Remember, it's just another opinion though. Ignore my bias? Nope!

By the way John I performed London a couple of times in my youth and lived in Port Huron, Michigan most of my life. My grandfather was a radio host at one of the two local radio stations and he too said he performed in London (a classically-trained pianist playing jazz blues and dixie -- go figure). Anyhow, nice chat'n at ya' neighbor! It's a small world my friend!

Your friend,
burps and sniffs and whatever

Ike