Samplemodeling™ Ships "Mr. Sax T." The Tenor Saxophone Collection

Samplemodeling ™ Ships "Mr. Sax T.", The Tenor Saxophone A realistic, expressive, real time playable Saxophone? Sample-based?

Yes, it's true, sample-based, but relying on a completely new technology, developed and patent-pending by Stefano Lucato. The saxophone is probably the most difficult instrument to emulate. Despite several attempts, using different technologies ranging from traditional sampling to sophisticated physical modeling, the results obtained so far fell short of the expectations. This is particularly true if real time use is concerned.

Samplemodeling simply could not resist this challenge. The result is Mr. Sax T, the virtual tenor saxophone.

Instrument Technology

Mr. Sax T. employs an entirely new technology, developed by Stefano Lucato when it became clear that all the previously applied approaches simply could not do. The technical name is Synchronous Wave Triggering. It uses samples as a base material, chromatically performed by a professional sax player over a very wide dynamic range, and recorded with state-of-the-art technology. The resulting timbre is therefore that of the real instrument. But the analogy with a sample based library ends here. The underlying, proprietary technology allows continuous interpolation among different vectors like time, dynamics, pitch and formants. Advanced real time processing techniques yield realistic legato/portamento, vibrato, ornamentations & trills with phase continuity, constant-formant pitchbends, subharmonics, growl and flutter tongue to be performed in real time

A Virtual Instrument? Not a library? No additional sampler needed?

Like the Trumpet, Mr. Sax T is not a library, and no additional sampler or player is needed. Mr. Sax T. is a Kontakt Player 2 Virtual Instrument, working either standalone, or as a plugin (VST or RTAS for the PC, and VSR, RTAS or AU for Mac). It employs (and requires) state-of-the-art technology.

Background Philosophy

Stefano's idea was to create a musical instrument. The sound must be indistinguishable from a real saxophone. It must be played as a real instrument, using a keyboard or a windcontroller, plus three or four midi controllers, including an expression pedal or breathcontroller. All articulations are easily shaped by the player, even in real time, using just velocity, pitchwheel, modwheel, an expression pedal or breath controller, a sustain pedal, plus some optional CCs to control subharmonics & growl. Virtually any windcontroller can be used to play this instrument.

Demos

For a video demo of Samplemodeling Mr. Sax T., please go to: http://www.samplemodeling.com/en/products_sax.php . Additional audio demos can be found here:

Price and availability

Mr. Sax T. can now be purchased and downloaded from Samplemodeling website http://www.samplemodeling.com/en/order_sax.php

The retail price is €119 or $164 or £95 (+ VAT, if applicable). A backup CD is also provided as an option, for an additional €12.5.

Special offers include a bundle of Mr. Sax T. + The Trumpet (20% discount on both products), and a 20% discount for Registered Trumpet users.