XG enhancement queries

[Alistair]

Pretty simple question, for once- what Yamaha XG enhancements do you remember making in some of your digital Sierra CD's? Not every single one, obviously, but say the Iceman ones for example.

I'm wondering what Yamaha instruments are decent, so I know what to use on my new Yamaha MU100R.. some of the drumkits are nice, as is some Saxes, and basses.. haven't heard every instrument yet, though. Over a thousand.. And then there's the VL voices too.

Any advice on XG (in terms of good instruments, or anything else anyone considers pertinent) would be appreciated.

But what I already know- I'm familiar with Data Entry LSB now, finally, for example. And I now appreciate how good Ari Stone's XG conversions are! Most of 'em, anyway. I think Tom's XG ones would be much better if sequenced for a newer XG Level device, say his SW1000XG. Too many default patches for my tastes. But now that I've experienced XG, I can't go back to just GS without some of the awesome XG patches! XG rules.

Lastly, I made a LOT of SysEx files for setting all types of reverb and chorus, EQ's, and most useful 'variation' effects. I wonder what 'Aural Exciter' is like..
Anyone wants one, just ask.

- Alistair

[Ari]

I may be wrong, but I don't think Tom has a SW1000XG. Just a SW60XG (which is what I have as well).

Personally, I like the XG's Analog Brass. It's STANDARD drumkit's snare drum is very good too.
I don't care much for the French Horns, though.

[Tom]

I have a SW60XG -- the MU10 equivalent...same as Ari.  As much as I like many of the XG sounds, I'd have to say I much prefer the overall sound quality of the SC-8820.

[Alistair]

Oh, my bad! I'm confusing Tom with DrJ, who once said something like 'the SW60XG isn't as good as the SW1000XG'. Must've transposed the two.

I don't know how much better the MU100R is than the MU10 (I'm guessing a fair bit.. in terms of patches at least. Some of the SFX are amazing! Way more then ED. 'Bacteria' for example) but I really like the warm sounds of this module. I think the Saxes are more realistic than the 8820/50's.. At least the Alto/Tenor. (Don't care much for Soprano/Baritone.)

I heard a mean funk guitar, and many nice piano sounds.. I'll get around to converting for XG someday. Will record that GM piece for the comparison page if things go to plan today.. I'm about to pick up yet ANOTHER RCA to 1/4" phone jack convertor. (One already for my MT-32  -> ED, now another one for my MU100R- why the heck does it use phone jacks??)

I'm seriously impressed with the sound of this module. It certainly rivals ED. Mix them together (as well as MT-32 and SC-55).. and I can only eagerly await the possibilities.

Gotta take a snapshot of the 4 modules on top of each other as well.

- Alistair

[Ari]

One heck of a 180 degree turn you've made here, Alistair...  :wink:

Glad you like it!

[Alistair]

One heck of a 180 degree turn you've made here, Alistair...  

Glad you like it!

I suppose the only thing that springs to mind when I read and reread this post is, 'What the?'

A 'please explain' is most certainly called for. I certainly don't follow.

- Alistair

[Ari]

You used to criticize XG quite a bit before you got your XG module, IIRC.
Now you claim it's better than ED in quite a few areas.

[Alistair]

You used to criticize XG quite a bit before you got your XG module, IIRC.
Now you claim it's better than ED in quite a few areas.

Well, I think we all fear things we don't understand, and as a guy who was just barely introduced to GS and ED at the time, XG was a highly daunting prospect.. but it's really not that hard now that I've experimented with it.

And I stand by that claim.. I'm going to take a risk and say I vastly prefer Yamaha's reverb and warmth. Don't know much about chorus types, but Yamaha's Hall1/2 (although the opposite to Roland's Hall 1/2) are really nice.

Some awesome realism with the MU100R as well!! I've only had it a few days, and not played much with it, but the sounds are so cool. Maybe this has some processing and signal enhancements over the SW60XG cards you and Tom have, Ari, which would explain why I'm so excited and 'in love' with Yamaha's sound.

Don't get me wrong, ED is king, however XG can really help the MT-32, SC-55 AND ED. Combining sounds will seriously help, there's a lot of Yamaha patches I'm confident that Sierra soundtracks would benefit from.

Once I had the softsynth, which is nothing special. MU100R rocks. Actually, a final clarification- MU100R's GM tones are pretty sucky, too. I'm not much taken with XG GM. However, the XG tones are what makes this special. And some sounds that Roland lack, Yamaha makes up for. But on a point yo'd be interested in, Ari- from what I've heard ED has better guitar than my best XG tones. (Haven't tried effects with Yamaha guitars though.)

What a speil, must be the drugs talking.

- Alistair

[NOPIK]

I was also impressed at first.
But real XG sound magic is opened for me after I learned feedback modulation (to be honest, I throw my SC-55 right after I hear piano and guitar preset sounds but as I know now it was far away from real XG sound). Yamaha's preset sounds are too "generic", especially in VL modules. So, XG modules made mostly for tweakers (still keep SW-60 for its elementary voices access feature).

[Alistair]

By 'feedback modulation' do you mean a block effect, or a MIDI controller?

And I agree. There's a LOT of crappy-sounding XG voices. But a fair few excellent ones hidden in there! I certainly don't regret purchasing the module.

XG's a nice 'addon' synth. Adding sounds and patches to Roland ones for realism and better matching and improving on Roland MT-32 sounds.

- Alistair

[NOPIK]

By 'feedback modulation' I mean, that you can set any controller or route  as modulator or effect to any controller or route (by route I mean effects, envelopes, sends, inserts, filters, parts, etc. because they implemented differently for each module)

[Alistair]

Thankyou very much- I'm with you now.

And how about the MU100R manual! 300 pages of loosely-connected stuff.

- Alistair

[DrJ]

Oh, my bad! I'm confusing Tom with DrJ, who once said something like 'the SW60XG isn't as good as the SW1000XG'. Must've transposed the two.

Wow.. I still catch my name every so often on certain places

I would like to hear an SW1000XG play a couple of the midi files that I love hearing on my SW60XG. I even have some midi files from Dave Kelly that were released by Yamaha. We (Dave & I) got talking by email after he was releasing covers every week, together with a friend of his (also called Dave Kelly, who also wrote midi's for Yamaha).

Anyways, I degress.. If anyone wants to take me up on this..

[Alistair]

I have a MU100R, which is about the same, but slightly better than the SW1000XG (some signal processing and extra capabilities, mostly the same).

So.. if you send me the MIDI's.. I'll see what I can do.

- Alistair

[DrJ]

The moment I have the time I'll make a collection of MIDI's that I'd like to hear on that MU100R. How expensive was that MU100R? I've been looking to maybe buy an SW1000XG. But for the moment it's a little bit too much. Seeing I dont really do enough with midi anymore to justify the buying of this XG unit.

BTW, your email addy on here is valid I assume?

[Ari]

I have a MU100R, which is about the same, but slightly better than the SW1000XG (some signal processing and extra capabilities, mostly the same).

So.. if you send me the MIDI's.. I'll see what I can do.

- Alistair

I'd like to hear a recording of Tom's XG HOC Finale, or the SQ3-Intro I converted with my own SW60XG. Would that be possible?

[Alistair]

The moment I have the time I'll make a collection of MIDI's that I'd like to hear on that MU100R. How expensive was that MU100R? I've been looking to maybe buy an SW1000XG. But for the moment it's a little bit too much. Seeing I dont really do enough with midi anymore to justify the buying of this XG unit.

BTW, your email addy on here is valid I assume?

I got it for.. about 300 Canadian, 360 Aussie. So about 270 $USD, I think. Pretty good I thought, though I wouldn't know. Just the ease of no Ebay and no Paypal was nice too.

And yep, I've had the same email addy for somehing like forever.

I'd like to hear a recording of Tom's XG HOC Finale, or the SQ3-Intro I converted with my own SW60XG. Would that be possible?

Guess the Finale is the benchmark.. it really is a bloody superb conversion. I'll try and record it this weekend. Been damned busy with Sierra and Westwood soundtracks as of late, though.

- Alistair