How to get an awesome EMU 'Planet Earth' patch onto Mac?

[alexjholland]

I was using Windows until the beginning of this year.

Shortly before my Macbook arrived, my HD wiped itself.

This was nice, as I could start afresh - but there is one particular ambient piece based around a particular patch that I would love to re-write.

It was on an EMU 'Planet Earth' CD for Proteus X that came with my EMU MIDI keyboard, which is Windows only.

- I could download something free like Reaper onto my Windows desktop, load Planet Earth/Proteus X and export it as a wav file.

- Better: Is there any kind of Mac compatible VST/sampler/synth that can take a Proteus X file?

The latter option would be better - any assistance would be appreciated!

Thanks

[Kodama]

I think you can get these soundsets in sound font format, which can be used in sampler.

[alexjholland]

How do I do this? The CD didn't seem to have anything my Mac could access on it.

[groovebox]

OK - SoundFonts - struggled with this for AGES...

You need Sampler btw.

Go to samplecraze.com - buy the appropriate SoundFont (whole range to choose from) - quite cheap - just d/load and unzip the file - open Live 7 or 8 - at the same time open the download folder - then just drag and drop it into Live and it will automatically import into a folder called "Imports" (the folder is created automatically inside Sampler) - takes a minute or two and...

Then just drag the sound into a MIDI slot.

THAT'S IT!

Play it like via a MIDI k/board - the sounds are spot on (I have an EMU Proteus 2000) and there is like ZERO CPU load.

Not a lot of mention about SoundFonts in the Live manual that I can see of.

I am wrapped with SoundFonts. No VST's to drain my CPU. Cross platform!!!! Did I say "next to no CPU load"...?



Respect.

[alexjholland]

Thanks for the tip, but it's $60!

I still have the CD, so I'm not paying that.

I'd like to find a way to get it onto Ableton for free, otherwise I'm using a demo of reaper on Vista to open it up and export as wav.

[groovebox]

If you work it out then spread the word.

But I struggled for A LONG TIME (eg: more then 2 months off and on) so the $$ was nothing considering the time spent trying to work it out. Plus it is so streamlined. And it is mapped correctly across the keyboard. And it just works.

All the best.

[mike_o]

I just bought the cakewalk dimension LE & the proteus pack expansion set, replaced all my old emu gear on my mac, good luck with whatever you choose.

[alexjholland]

So Groovebox, you struggled with this exact situation?

Having not put much effort in myself, I deduce that there really is no way to get these EMU patches straight onto my Mac - without re-purchasing them somewhere else?

I've loaded Reaper onto my PC and am about to load Planet Earth.

It's a bit of a pain, as I also have to install my MIDI keyboard, figure out how to use a brand new program, export the audio - then delete all this software again.

You think just exporting the audio should be fine? Do I need to get the tempo right?

[groovebox]

I borrowed the appropriate CD from a friend and spent weeks trying to map the WAV sample correctly across the keyboard. And then it decided to not work - am using PC and Mac btw - but there did not seem to be any "magic combination" of software that would let me (YMMV) get the sound from the CD and into Live for further manipulation.

You may have more luck (or patience!) but after a long time I was surfing the net and found the source of the SF - was very apprehensive - so I signed up to their mailing list which they then sent me a free set of SF's (mixture of sounds from various EMU modules) and I was hooked!

I understand (not from experience) that a lot of the EMU modules are quite cheap on EBay.

Respect.

[alexjholland]

I don't know why I downloaded Reaper, as I explained in another thread - it seems far more sensible to load the Ableton demo onto my Windows PC and use that instead. I'm far more familliar with it aside from anything else.

As explained in another thread, should I:

- Play the exact chords I need into Ableton PC, same BPM etc. and export them as one single audio sample for Ableton Mac.

or

- Export one note to load into sampler, so I can use it like a synth.

I know nothing about sampling (I always use instruments), so I don't know if just exporting one note would be enough, or if there are other factors such as velocity to complicate things, and mean it wouldn't sound right/work properly.

[groovebox]

Sorry - I can only repeat that I tried what you are trying and I wasted a LOT of time and got nowhere.

Appreciate that the $60 is a lot for "one sound" but for that $ you get ALL the sounds - pre-mapped - all ready to go.

I am not a salesman for these SF's but man oh man - it was a total god send. I am a bit of a geek and I could see myself going old.

Respect.

PS - what is the name of the patch anyhow?

[alexjholland]

Mizereams - absolutley epic sound.

Really need to do anything I can to get this onto my Mac in as high sound quality/versatility as possible!

[darkenedsoul]

Hi,

I found a tympani sf file at one of the online sites and downloaded it. It wouldn't let me download another though for some reason. No big deal because this one is called Grand Timpani. I extracted it and double-clicked and it loaded into a Sampler. Now I need to figure out what to tweak to get the decay or release better on it so if I don't have consecutive notes it plays out till the sound ends. I also need to hook up my synthesizer and see if I can play it across the notes to see how it all sounds. Anyways, at least I got something I may be able to work with for what I want to do with it.

Mike

[darkenedsoul]

Back to the original poster. I have a question, this disc that came with your MIDI keyboard, is it a samples disk of instruments? If so, you should be able to read it from within Live (I have a global orchestra one I hought some time ago for use for my Triton LE when I had it for different instruments to load up as samples. It's in Akai format, if that disc is that format Live should be able to read it hopefully. Otherwise I don't have the answer to your original question....

Mike