My 90s sampler workflow (E-MU EIV, Zuluscsi, Emulator X3, Translator 7)
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- Опубліковано 7 лип 2024
- Curious how an old 90s hardware sampler can be used in a modern workflow? Showing you how I utilize my E-MU E4 classic sampler with a Macbook M1, along with the help of some tools like: Translator 7, E-MU Emulator X3, and zuluscsi #musicproduction
🔥Tools used in video🔥
Translator 7: www.chickensys.com/products2/...
Zuluscsi: store.rabbitholecomputing.com...
E-MU X3: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-mu_Em...
"Emulator X (or X3) was largely based on E-MU's hardware sampler operating system, EOS. As such, it replicates or expands upon most of the design and features available in the final revision of the operating system, EOS 4.70....It is also capable of importing and exporting bank files in EOS format for compatibility with E-MU's legacy hardware samplers such as the Emulator IV and E4 Ultra series devices."
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Need atmospheric pads / fx samples and presets? I gotcha: thoughtforms.gumroad.com
and use the sample inputs...seriously...
0:00 The E-MU E4 Classic
0:26 Modern storage upgrade
0:50 The problem with old samplers...
2:03 Solving the problem with Translator 7
2:50 Quicker editing with Emulator X3
3:36 Building an E-MU E4 preset on a computer
5:02 Exporting the E-MU E4 Bank
5:23 Getting the E-MU E4 Bank back onto the SD card
5:35 Loading the bank in the E-MU E4 hardware
6:26 Recap: Tools you need to do this
7:39 The most important thing...
Is there any actual advantage to doing all of this sonically, or is this basically just for nolstalgia's sake?
no, it's just style
Hardware samplers (and their digital filters) certainly have their own sound. Just like software samplers have their filters etc.. Old hardware sounds a bit "grittier"... But the UI/UX is slow and bad compared to software...
lol -- immediately two contradictory answers... exactly why I asked
Ha, I was wondering the same thing. I'm guessing it's for the slight grit you get from the DA converters, people love the old Akai's like the S950 for that. That was 12 bit though wasn't it? I wouldn't have thought there was much of an effect with the newer, better quality samplers...but the I guess if you want true authenticity then hardware is the way to go.
@@Levipaulsen lol, yeah... well, i only have an Yamaha A4000 so i cant speak about other models/brands... but it certainly doens't sound "the same" as the software that i use now. I dont use the A4000 anymore because: fan too loud, hard disk too loud, only disk drive and tedious and slow operation. I use software samplers now (stock studio ne impact and TAL sampler) because: loading samples is instant, mapping is easy and instant, sound can be degraded (with plufgins or native to the software sampler) and it sounds good.
To answer your question, yes! Vintage Akai’s have options as well! There’s ReCycle, that can edit, chop, etc samples, and send them directly to your sampler over SCSI, export the chopped and edited bits into different formats for using disks and cards etc. there’s also Akai Mesa software for editing the synth like aspects of the patches. These programs and features were available when the samplers were new too, back in the early and mid 90’s. Pretty revolutionary for their time!
And old versions of Soundforge (before Sony bought them) could even send the samples thru MIDI! Slow? Yes, but possible.
I don’t remember using any particular software when I was making sound diskettes for my S1000. I think the format was readable on a normal pc. I think it was just about putting them in the right folders on the diskette.
(It was almost 20 years since I did it the last time, so I might remember wrong. I still have it, and my Yamaha A5000.)
Akai Mesa is what got me doing my deep dive down the SCSI rabbit hole. To this day having the ability to save your programs and samples in PC format files is a lifesaver from a productivity standpoint.
Damn, this video is incredibly useful. You’re placing info that was previously in bunches of threads, some on now-dead forums, and putting it to video. Super useful, I can’t wait to get home to my sampler to get these items connected and begin playing around.
Cheers mate! Totally, threads all over the place (Gearspace, Dogsonacid, amongst others) and a lot of outdated videos on the tube. It's all a bit much if you're just getting started with this stuff, but finally in a groove with workflow, felt it made sense to share. Let me know how you get on with it all
The last Akai hardware studio (rack) samplers (S5000/S6000 with USB card, and Z4/Z8) had Ak.sys PC software for USB connectivity.
gracias hasta que porfin encontre como resolverlo pense que solo era subir los archivo a la sd y perdi algunos dias en este pense muchas cosas pero lo resolviste gracias por compartir
Excellent video. I hadn't got round to trying out those disk format features in Translate. Great motivation to.
Cheers mate. Translator can be a PITA, not the most stable thing in the world, but once you sit down with it, it's all fairly straight forward. Let me know how you get on with it
Great video on the Emu workflow. Emulator X3 is a must have tool when you have these units.
Very cool to see the process . I can totally understand using any tool that will make the process less of a burden and get you back into that creative moment quicker. In the end it is all about the tones, their relationship and how they make us feel that matters.
All about finding the workflow that works for you! I know dudes that still drive it fully from the machine. whatever works to get you in that zone
I would love to see a deeper dive of you using the Emu, even it it was a kind of narrated live stream.
I have an Emu, but have never gotten around to using it, mostly because of time constraints.
I love the idea of using Emulator X3 to do the editing and transfering back to the hardware Sampler.
Please keep your videos coming, they are incredibly useful and help people like me that have an interest in the oldskool gear.
Good tutorials are hard to find out there these days.
Thanks mate, and for sure, been thinking of doing some deeper dive videos on the E-MU samplers. Was trying to get an S-VIDEO mod installed so I could directly record the screen output into OBS - work in progress. Spend a Sunday morning playing around with that E-MU when ya can, and it will come quicker than you think
@@Thought-Forms I have an Iceydock floppy replacement to install into it. Once that is done I will get hands on with it. Looking forward to the fatness!
I dont have the patience to break out the old samplers with the ease of bitwig n ableton and the all the plugins available but i appreciate this content, instant thumbs up.
Totally get it! It's a hassle for sure, and there is something to be said about the ease and speed of ITB producing. thanks jiro
Stop being a degenerate, art is about the process, use hardware and film it and I'll literally subscribe to you, but I'm not watching you faff about on fl studio only.
I'm the opposite, I get overwhelmed with VSTs
About 2009 I was using a piece of software that had the same UI as Emulator X, so this sparked my memory. What I was using had a great industrial sound to it, I guess it was an clone of a Ensoniq synth.
Was it Proteus X by chance? If so, that was stuffed full of sounds from the Proteus 2000 module and I think various other samples. Some GREAT industrial sounding stuff in there for sure
VX yeah @@Thought-Forms
indeed @@Thought-Forms
It was Proteus VX, so I'm def going to dig into that again, because I was able to make some really industrial stuff with it.@@Thought-Forms
Perfect timing. Just got my new esi-4000 and ordered a zulu. Thanks homie. I have the esx software but no Windows and doesn't run in crossover in m1 D:
awesome, enjoy that esi! great sampler that one is too
Heads up on ESI and other E3 based samplers: EMXP is a dedicated and FREE tool that does what Translator is used for here, which makes life a lot easier (especially with a ZuluSCSI) www.emxp.net/
Hey! Just a fellow here that is doing service of old studio hardware.
Last year I bulk up my studio with some great broken gear that i repaired to it's former glory (E5000 ultra, A3000 v2, CD 3000, Yamaha LS9-32, Roland D10, CS1X). Got a ton of sample cd-s along with external scsi cd with the Ultra. Unfortunately i got into the producer block and didn't write even one tune :(. Do you have some tips on how to avoid producer block?
I am also into atmospheric type of late 90's dnb and i discovered dub techno lately. I'm so glad that we have channels like yours, Ambiance, 4am breaks and Creative republic that keep the scene alive.
Cheers!
That's some great gear! I've found the simpler my setup is, the easier it is to write a song. I used to have three samplers racked up, now only have one at a time. All the gear in-front of you can be daunting and cause analysis paralysis. Beyond that, habit - make music frequently. Set aside time each week, multiple times a week if you can, to just have at it. Just make something, even if it's not great. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Thanks for the kind words mate! Hope you can get to cranking some tunes out. Get after it and have fun
I recall you talking about the idea of releasing a TAL Sampler pack, is that still on the cards at all? I picked up your Uncanny Dreams & E-Mu pads packs recently, haven't actually got around to making use of them but will likely load them into TAL Sampler for ease of use and was curious as to whether you'd planned to release something similar?
hey mick, i accidentally deleted a ton of tal-sampler presets a few months back which killed the motivation i had. that said, i may translate all my E-MU presets over to tal-sampler and shoot that out - will probably be a ways off though. thank you for the support on the sample packs!
You can use recycle and do the same with MIDI or just get a second hand Zip drive and load your samples from there.
There are different ways of doing this.
Akai samplers like the S5000 have the USB card option which makes things like this a breeze!
Yes you can have that 90s sound if you mess back and forth with a pc and a sampler 😂😂😂
I really appreciate your patience in dealing with that... For me would be a no-go
i have a blast doing it so no need to thank LOL cheers mate, not for everyone
Great video !
Thznks ..
Coould you please do exactly the same (translator 7 and zuluscsi) with s950, s1000 and other akai samplers ?
Question does the zuluscsi support to be share beetween two samplers in a scsi chain ?
Does zuluscsi is terminated and with on/off autopowered ?
Thanks,
Paulo
I have the same question
Just remembered: it was Proteus VX
I think i got a IV just because of this vid today :D Which Zulu did you have installed, the ZuluSCSI RP2040? And do you need the DB25 and/or External power connector?
You think or did?! :) Awesome pickup if so, incredible sampler. yea the rp2040 model (got it direct from samplerzone because im lazy), no external power is needed for the EIV, and no external cable needed
Hi! thanks for the video. I´m trying to make it work between a zuluscsi and an EMU III. I noticed you have a zuluscsi.ini file, is there something you did in that file or just the default settings? thanks again.
Thanks, really helpful. I literally just put a zuluscsi board into my EMU6400 yesterday, but I couldn't get the SD to show up yet...what card format and naming convention do you use?
Good stuff! Format the SD card as FAT32. The .hda files need to be named as so: HD1.hda, HD2.hda, HD3.hda, so on and so forth. Once in the E-MU, go to disk mode and format each virtual "drive" inside the E-MU. More on naming conventions here: github.com/ZuluSCSI/ZuluSCSI-firmware
Great Video!! Thanks a lot. Question please: if i just like to transfer some Samples from my Mac into my Emu E4xT via SD Card. Is it possible to map some Samples with Chickensys Translator 7 and save that as a regular Emu Bank on my SD Card…? and secondly…..can you transfer Samples back to the Sampler bigger than 1.44MB via SD Card ? Thank you
Thanks mate! I'm not sure if Translator lets you build actual mappings in it...I know you can VIEW mappings in translator, see what keys they're assigned to, etc...but unsure on building from scratch. If you can't get a hold of X3, you may have the best luck building the mappings in your DAWs sampler, then converting in translator. Yes, you can transfer samples over 1.44mb back onto the card if you're using a scsi storage solution (scsi2sd/zuluscsi), and not a floppy emulation solution (gotek)
You can plug a QWERTY keyboard into the back of the E4X sampler using the ASCII socket and a PS/2 adapter. I can't find anywhere on the web what the available keyboard commands are. Have you ever seen a list of them anywhere?
I think I saw some folks doing that! Super cool. A keyboard with the E-MU is a MUST. The manual has a keyboard function list, page 1-12 (ASCII Keyboard Interface): www.deepsonic.ch/deep/docs_manuals/e-mu_emulator_iv_manual.pdf
@@Thought-Forms Thanks! Interesting that there is an E-IV hardware manual. I cannot find one for the E4X and just have the EOS 4.0 PDF which has no list of key commands.
@@r0tekzThe PS/2-ASCII alphanumeric keyboard port was not standard on all E4-series models, but once E-mu standardized things in a general EOS manual (like the one you have) they SHOULD have included the keyboard commands under an "optional expansion on some models" heading (it was part of a "DWAM" board, I believe). I know the E4K and E-Synth Keyboard models also had hardware manuals, but those had unique features (sliders, music keyboard, extra button, PS/2 port, extra outputs).
How did you get that Win 11 VM running, though? E-MU X3 also loads all those classic E-MU rack modules (like Mo’ Phatt) as CD image libraries, and it’s the only one that sounds right with the correct filters etc. So it would be awesome to get it going on a Mac! Can you run it alongside a Mac DAW and record stuff from the VM?
The Win 11 VM is running in an application called Parallels Desktop (unless I misunderstood the question!) Totally! You can find all those old e-mu sound ROMs and open them up in X3, super cool. Mo'Phatt is one of my favorites, great drum shots. No dice on getting X3 working on a modern Mac, believe a few people have tried to no avail. I'm sure with a little finesse you could pipe audio out of the VM into your DAW. What may be easier (depending on the goal) is to export the X3 bank and use Translator to translate into something your DAW can open (multi-sample, drum machine, etc...)
How to make a bank with 999 presets with all synth sounds?, when u have 999 samples in the manual it says it's easier to have the key written in the sample but making presets takes so much effort.
Have you compared directly the sound of a Gen 1 to one of the Ultras? I thought there was no difference since everything is digital and the descriptions of different generations I found do not mention a change in sound, but a change in processor speed. If the AD / DA conversion chips or clocking did not change, there should not be a change in sound. I curious.
Not in a good scientific comparison, but I have a Gen 1, Gen 2, and Ultra and always thought (subjectively) the Gen 1 / 2 sounds a hair different. There was a thread on Dogsonacid where they talked about the differences (from a component perspective) between the Gen 1 / 2 / Ultras - I believe I had read there are ARE different components on the AD/DA side across - may be wrong, need to track the thread down again
You are correct the Ultra's use higher resolution ADC / DAC's @@Thought-Forms
When you say sample 'hot', do you mean slightly over-driving the inputs, or just making sure the peak level is up near -3 to 0db? Do the inputs have harmonic analogue distortion when over-driven, or that horrible digital clipping?
Yep, slightly over driving the inputs and clipping a little. Sounds great on breaks
Do you know a way to emulate the z-plane filters on the E-MUs? After seeing what Amigo did I'm hoping someone can copy that
Minimal Audio Morph EQ is the closest I've seen in concept to z-plane filters
@@Thought-Forms I'll check it out thanks
Any idea if the presets made on emu X3 software can be recognized on the ESI 4000?
No, the ESI series are based on the E3 series, not the E4 (which ran EOS). Try the EMXP software, it will function in place of Translator and let you cut and chop your samples with a general audio program.
@@treennumbers thank you!
What will happen if you use the customizable filters in X3 in a preset and then transfer the preset to the e-mu? How will it convert the filter types and settings?
If you change something available in X3 but not the e-mu hardware, it appears to default to some type of init preset value in the e-mu. i have gotten some weird pop up errors on the e-mu with some files exported from x3 - very hit or miss the more I use it. tried importing an X3 bank where I had used the sample region feature in a preset across multiple voices with the same sample - preset pulled up fine in the E-MU, sample sampled assigned to all the voices in the preset - but just not sample region functionality. would recommend trying to stick to parameters you know exist on the hardware
@@Thought-Forms imagine the e-mu having all these filters hidden inside and then by using the x3 be able to access them :) wouldn't that be amazing??
Ultra is where it’s at make no mistake
The old E4X machines have better AD/DA converters and wider stereo imaging than the ultras. The filters are also very different. They sound different. Both machines are great.
Ultras and E4 platinum are the fastest. The 1st E4 has the G chip which is why they sound better in my opinion.
@@youcantno3963 I thought the filters were the same 🤨 why is a there no shootout comparison at least I haven’t heard of any. 6400 ultra is a beast. Absolute beast. Incredible machine. Won’t ever sell it.
man i been thinkin bout getting a macbook pro u have any pros and cons? or have u tried using audiogridder?
i switched from windows to mac 4 years ago and never looked back. even an old first gen M1 macbook is going to be killer, so incredibly fast and can handle anything. have not tried audiogridder
@@Thought-Forms thanks for your opinion love ur videos bro keep going
Emulator X3 software wasn't software FOR the E4/EOS series, per se; it was a computer software version of EOS made to REPLACE the hardware, after computer power made marketing hardware samplers unprofitable by early 2000s. Essentially an early, official VST.
An Emulator of an Emulator :D
Would you ever do a impulse of the EMU E4?
i'd love to, but don't have the FX board in this one :(
@@Thought-Forms is there any advantage to sampling the impulse at various sample rates?
My I ask whats the impulse?
*DUDE EMULATOR X3 is a no go!!! I was just trying to install it last night, I have a serial and the serial on the back of the box and I even have a REQUEST CODE..... but there is no where to activate offline or online!* ..............DO YOU KNOW HOW TO GET AROUND THIS??????🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
join my discord and can help
I tried installing the Emulator X after 20 years, but it's so cumbersome and buggy to use, it's really not worth it for me, which is unfortunate because it has very unique features and filters.
i feel you, old software like this is always a cluster to use after being so used to modern tools
using something else instead?
Why did you sell your S2400?
ended up selling up for the rossum sp-1200 reissue
So much easier… 😭