Sound card recommendation

Topic: Sound card recommendation (Read 2924 times) previous topic - next topic

Sound card recommendation

2006-10-16 08:28 pm

Hi,

I'm enjoying using NWC to compose my own tunes. However, reading these forums, it seems as if I could get my compositions to sound much better if I replaced my existing sound card with one which allowed me to use samples of real instruments by downloading soundfonts onto the new card. Could anyone please recommend a modestly priced sound card which will enable me to do this?

Also, is the process of obtaining and downloading soundfonts fairly painless?

Lastly, another reason I'm having to do this is because I've run into some problems having different percussion staves sharing the same channel (10). I'm hoping that I can get sound fonts which produce a drum or hi-hat voice (this will mean that I can use one of the regular 15 other channels for my drums/hi-hat). I'm also hoping that I can replace some of the voices I'm unlikely to use (like gunshot, applause) with these soundfonts. Is this likely, or am I barking up the wrong tree here?

TIA for any answers.

Irewk

Re: Sound card recommendation

Reply #1 – 2006-10-17 01:27 am

I just use a Soundblaster Live! but I'm not really into the midi aspects of NWC. For channel 10, you might find the result is good if you use Acoustic Grand Piano for the instrument on that staff.

Sorry I can't really answer the rest of your question.

Re: Sound card recommendation

Reply #2 – 2006-10-26 12:32 pm

Although some critics are scornful of the item, I purchased a modestly priced Creative Audigy 7 sound card and found it to be good enough for most purposes. Unless you play back through a HiFi amplifier system you are not likely to detect much difference between any good brand sound cards. The Audigy allows me to download various add-on sound fonts, such as organ fonts, which give me much better results than the standard set up.
Tony

Re: Sound card recommendation

Reply #3 – 2006-10-26 05:33 pm

   Hi, Irewk.

   My limited experience shows that in general modern sound cards are intended primarily for converting digitised sound into analogue - which is great if you're playing games or listening to a CD. Some are - according to the magazines - much better at this than others, it depending mostly on the D-A chip they use (some people will swear that they can play CDs better on their computer than on their HiFi set [:-)] ). So far as I know all modern cards can deal with sound fonts, and obviously the better the chip the better they'll convert a digitized sample into analogue sound. So, if their own internal font - which may be a "synthesised" one rather than a sampled one - is rubbish (and for many it is), downloading an alternative font is the way to go.

   I use mostly a Creative AWE 64 Gold, which is old but serviceable, and has an acceptable internal font built-in. I also have a whizzy Terratec card which at one time got the Editor's Recommendation in PCW, but with its built-in font produces absolutely terrible sound from midi files ! I reckon you'll be happy with whatever is the current name of the Soundblaster/Creative/Audigy card. You can pick up satisfactory older models of these on E-bay very cheaply.

   MusicJohn, 26/Oct/06