I have noticed that no one makes stand alone hardware samplers anymore. Actually no one has made any for a while. Not since E-mu released the EIV back in the late 90's. Samplers have now either been combined into a music workstaion or are in software form. Has the interst in standalone samplers lost there appeal to the masses?

That's funny!
Roland, E-mu and even AkAI have released hardware samples not all that
long ago.
I personally prefer soft samplers and samplecards. I've been using samplecell cards for like 10 years and nowadays I switched to using an EXS24 sampler.
Even though I always say that I hate mouse clicking; when it comes down to sample editing mouse clicking beats the hell out of doing SCSI, USB and MIDI sample dumps or having to deal with the front panel displays!

-ED-

What I meant to say was have keyboard samplers disappeared?

There never really were any similar amount of keys as there are rack versions. Kurzweil still makes them. Anyone ever tried the Akai S1000KB? That thing was gorgeous and expensive.

-tek

Okay I was just courious.

Oh yeh...Kurzwell.
For some reason I didn't think of those.
May be 'cause I hate the damn things.
I'm happy to say that I only have 1 kurzwell in my studio. Just for compatibility and some good sounds. I'll never use the damn thing as a sampler though. It's got enough issues as a synth.
AKAI S1000KB? I've heard of those, but never actually tried one..

I didn't mind E-mu's E4 (or whatever their last "tribute" to the Emulator was), but I think it was overpriced.
Why are you all for sudden interested in sampler keyboards Paul?
-ED-

Actually this isn't a sudden interest I have had a fascination with digital samplers for about as long as I have had for synthesizers. I owned an ensoniq Mirage DSK some years ago. Which was rather fun, even though you could only sample on either the upper or lower keyboard, but not accross the enitre keyboard. Plus the fact it was only an 8 bit machine and used a 2 segment LED display and used Hexadecimal for programing. It was fun sampleing the oddest things into it. Like feedback from a speaker. Made a rather cool sounding piano type sound. Even recording cheap toy casio keyboard sounded totaly different. I only got rid of it becuase I could not sample accross the entire keyboard. I wanted to try something different at the time, becasue I had gotten tired of FM synthesis, plus a store owner said it was fun. I also ran out of sounds to sample into the darn thing. Then I went back to synthesizers again after that for awhile. I almost thought about buying an Ensoniq ASR 88, but that was too expensive. So I gave that prospect up. The other reason why I like digital samplers is that they are sort of like computers. Where they need software in order to work.

I think what appeals to me about them was playing what ever sound I wanted.

Paul,

What you really need is a computer with music software. You can have all you want, a sampler, a softsynth, and a virtual analog synth, a softarranger. What is really nice to have is a sample playback keyboard with all the controllers like knobs, drawbars. You can do the sampling in the pc and then just load to a sample playback keyboard. That will solve your problem.

Dan

Thanks Dan! Any suggestions on a sample playback keyabord with knobs?

So it's sample playback keyboards now?
With knobs?
OK,
What kind of features/price range were you thnking?

-ED-

Well something under a $1,000.00.

I think I confused a few people here. I was just wanteing to know whether or not manufactures were still making Keyboard samplers anymore. When I wrote this topic I was not really looking for a sampler, I was just courious about whether keyboard samplers were being made or not. That was all.

Ed this was NOT a sudden mind change on my part. It was just a simple question. That was all.

Sorry for the confusion.

Okay here is a list of keyboards that I like.

Access Virus Indigo
Kawai K5000s
Korg MS2000
Korg Triton Le
Ensoniq ASR 88
Ensoniq KS 32
Minimoog
Minimoog Voyager
Novation KS4
Roland JP8000
Roland XP-80
Yamaha CS1X

I think you should try them all.
I'm stil going for a .com synth though!

-ED-

Well I do like the Triton Le, and I would like to try the Voyager.

Demoed a Triton Le for the second time. Wonder if that means something?

Hmmm...
May be.But I'm not sure.
What are you gonna do with the Triton LE if you buy it?
Remember, it's not a toy.

-ED-

Well you do have a point there. That could be why I have not bought a workstation. I think it's becuse it is a serious tool, and I am not a serious musician, and that is what is preventing me from buying the Triton. I want to be serious about music, but you and I both know that is not true. It's better to want it rather then actually have it.


You wouldn't happen to have any other suggestions?

Suggestions...
If you want to become serious about music, then you have to TRY TRY TRY TRY TRY and TRY again. If all failes still kee trying.
So you can potentially get a Triton or something like it and use it as a tool for learning about music.
Your problem now is that you like the idea of playing synths, but you are a bit discouraged by lack of certain knowledge. Or better phrased turned off by the fact that you have to learn. May be even afraid to learn 'cause you feel that you might fail.
Since yoo don't have much knowledge about music making at this point, you can't really rlate to music making process. You can't be possibly attracted by something that you can't identify with.
All you really have to do is learn just enough to be able to relate to things.
Suddenly you'll find that certain buzzwords and terms become more than just meaningless and boring stuff. "The more you know, the more you can relate to.The more you can relate to, the more interesting life becomes."
So put all the fears and doubts aside and start playing again.
Treat any difficulties as just a stage in a learning process, NOT as a dead end.
So if you don't play a keyboard like Billie Joel or sequence and create arrangements like Wendy Carlos - don't let that bother you. KEEP TRYING.

Well, that's if you want to do anything with music.

-ED-

My problem is I am not approching playing music with an open mind. What I need to do is approch playing music in a way that is both fun and meaningful too me.

Read this Plaese!
http://www.synthzone.com/ubbs/Forum1/HTML/003127.html

BTW ED: I think I will go with the Triton le and nothing else. No mucking about with samplers and softsynths or anything else. It should be about the music, not how much gear I own. Besides I the triton Le has every thing I need. I know there will always be something better, but if I don't buy something now I never will. BTW a trtion will fit in my place better then a piano or a .com synth.

PEACE!