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sound modules

am interested in purchasing a sound module because
my computer's sound card just isn't cutting it for me.

i am quite niave on the subject and wanted to ask
what kind of sound modules work best with noteworthy?
i am looking for a more authentic and realistic sound
when i hear my music played back.

I am a classical composer, but i do want a wide range of electronic insrumentation. i might want to try my hand at composing some rock music someday.

does notheworthy work well with any different type of sound module? i've tried doing the research myself, but it's like trying to learn a new language. one sound module that seemed to be appealing was the Korg i40M. does anyone have one?

when i purchase a sound module i know i will need midi cables connecting it to my computer's hard drive, but will i also need additional memory or a new program? would the module come with such a program, should i do need it?

i need help. someone please enlighten me! sound modules don't seem to be cheap. so i want to make the best choice i can.

i sure could use a little guidance. thanks in advance for responding.

:)

~christopher

Re: sound modules

Reply #1 –
There is no right answer regarding your question. The most affordable way to do expand your MIDI capabilities is to focus on your computer's built-in capabilities. Consider getting a better sound card, or expanding the current one's capabilities. For example, if you have a SoundBlaster Live, explore the world of Sound Fonts. If you search on sound fonts in this forum, you will find a number of threads to get you started.

If you insist on buying an external sound module, it would probably be a good idea to visit a retail outlet or web store, and explore the kind of modules that are available.

Re: sound modules

Reply #2 –
I have a Roland sound module (I think the model number is sc-88vl) which I picked up used a couple of years ago for around $200 from a music shop in Santa Monica, Califonia (on the street next to the prominade). The Roland name for these products is "Sound Canvas".
I'm very satisfied with the module. I use it with both a laptop and a desktop machine. It hooks into the desktop machine via a midi cable. No software is required, but as I remember you have to set it up in control panel to be the source of the playback, instead of your internal sound card.
I use a serial cable to connect to the laptop. This takes a special driver which can be downloaded from Roland's website.
The main reason I went this way instead of a better sound card: I have 4 kids who use the desktop computer for everything from games to homework projects, and I didn't want to install a new sound card that may have caused problems with the games. I also wanted to be able to switch between the desktop and laptop machines and have the same set of sounds to work with.

These sound modules work pretty good - I haven't heard any sound cards that are as good myself (but there are probably some out there that I don't know about). Buying one new is not cheap - I think the current Roland model is almost $900. It has more capability than mine does (more sounds, new samples of strings, more voices) but the one I have works just fine for me. I'm also a classical composer, working on a symphony at the present time. The Roland unit does a really nice job of playing back my score.

Good Luck!

Re: sound modules

Reply #3 –
If you have a slow CPU by contemporary standards (even an original Pentium at 100 MHz may be "slow" in this context), then you may find that processing complex music results in inaccuracies. Moral: before you spend a lot of money buying fancy peripherals, make sure that they are compatible with the overall capability of your system.

On the other hand, even a "slow" system can sound good if you live within its capabilities. For example, I doubt if Eric Clapton can process 32-bit instructions at a clock rate of 100+ MHz.

Re: sound modules

Reply #4 –
I really like my Yamaha DB50XG "daughterboard." It's rather like a dedicated module, except that it simply plugs into any SB16-type card with the "waveblaster" plug-in header plug. You can find them on ebay occasionally, though they're in pretty high demand and therefore still fetch a good price.

AFAIK, the implementation I have (complete with the main soundboard) is still available from http://www.mediatrix.com -- it's called the Audiotrix 3D-XG. It does require an ISA slot (not all mainboards have them these days) but on the bright side it requires very little system resources, running fine on a 486-33 or 386-40. So you could conceivably set up an older "spare" computer, running Win3.1, and use that as a dedicated "module" via the joystick port for midi I/O ... at about 1/3 of the price of the Roland module.

Fred