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Geoswam or Swam stand-alone
I have searched the forum and I can’t find an answer. Im messing around trying to make reggae and ska on my iPad. I want a sax and a trumpet but I don’t know whether to purchase the geoswam instruments or the stand-alone swam instruments.
Can anybody tell me what is the difference and which is better?
Comments
My experience is there is no difference in sound quality, but how you play them is quite different.
If you like GeoShred paying style onscreen keyboard playing then get them there.
If you like external keyboard maybe either is ok. I think GeoShred can map to external keyboards.
If you like programming in the expression later, then SWAM is better.
Maybe $15 vs. $30 makes a difference?
There may be more differences I’m not finding but I haven’t played with them enough yet to find them.
My preference so far is to use SWAM (cello) to play and record the MIDI in a DAW the best I can, and then tweak note velocities and CC curves to get the best realism as I can. I’m not good at playing on GeoShred keyboard (yet
) I have to listen to actual professional players to try and mimic their style with expression, small portamento legato slides, vibrato, and vibrato frequency.
A bit of both I’d say; I got the initial collection and love them to bits, got a couple of the brass SWAM when they emerged, only doubled up on the cello so that I could get the pizzicato and double notes…
I have both GeoSWAM and SWAM standalone instruments. I tend to use more frequently GeoSWAM as it is more straightforward.
If you wait for a sale, you can get a GeoSwam instrument for 15€/$, which is really cheap regarding the quality offered.
Hmmm I think I’m going to buy one of the GeoSwam instruments and try that first then.
That's what I did also. Then I later bought the standalone SWAM apps and found I still preferred the GeoShred implementation more. Just want MORE of these kinds of modeled instruments on GeoShred (which I know they are committed to working on and delivering).
Just about to pull the trigger on this, can you tell me why you preferred the GeoShred instruments more?
For me, it’s about playability and being able to connect with no issues to GarageBand. I’m able to get a far superior performance out of GeoShred Pro. Some people here prefer the SWAM apps. Ask them why and then you’ll get a more complete picture of the reasoning.
I own the first set of GeoSWAMs plus a handful of standalone SWAMs.
GeoSWAM has a few less parameters to play with than the standalones, but this is compensated by being able to take advantage of GeoShred’s fx chain and microtuning capabilities. Plus you can insert GeoSWAM models in the chain of another GeoShred string model.
The GeoShred may be easier to play, but the SWAM apps seem like the better buy as a long term commitment?
I feel the apps will see more updates and progress… but what about the Geoshred IAP? I can seee them not so.
That’s why I went with the more expensive swam apps mostly. Waited for the sale at least so the price is not so high.
I think it depends on what controller you are using. If you plan on playing the instruments on GeoShred only, then GeoSwam integration with make things much easier for you. If you prefer a hardware controller of any kind, then SWAM stand alone offer much more flexible mapping for expression parameters.
Can you play stand-alone SWAM apps via GeoShred used solely as a MIDI controller? If so, are there any downsides other than additional complexity?
Yes you can. There is even a midi preset both AM and moForte included on both sides to make it easy. No downsides IMHO but others are more experienced here.
Standalone. I have tenor sax in both and much prefer the SWAM interface to the ugliness of Geoshred. I also have no need for GS’s effects…much prefer an instantly clean setting for my own fx chains (not that GeoShred doesnt have those). I’d say the SWAM even sounds better, but then I remember I’ve got Fabfilters on for FX
And my MPE controller isn’t in yet, but I’m still playing more “realistically” using a synth with a few parameters mapped. Only miffed at the blocked settings…maybe they open up once MPE is connected? Want that flutter.
Moforte is top-notch at maintaining and supporting his app, and has been doing it for many years. Why would SWAM dilute their brand by refusing to update his licensed versions?
I was just thinking like with Fabfilter in Auria, there hasn't been a ProQ3 or Timeless3.
When the next versions of SWAM come out, will they be added to GeoShred?
I believe moForte mentioned here that they were working on new modeled instruments. Whether that means their own, or someone else’s is open to guessing, but I would love to see them take modeled instruments in other directions not completely limited by whatever Audio Modeling/SWAM is working on at the moment.
Yes, but I think moForte will stick to plucked string instruments as this is what their model is intended for.
So don't expect them to release a shashuaki in the future. This might rather come from Audio Modeling who has planned to release "world instruments" for the end of this year.
Also, SWAM v3 is brand new, so it will be quite a few years before a new version of the current instruments come out. Ensembles and world instruments are next, and I would imagine both will take quite a bit of time.
I’d be delighted if moForte would hire the developer (Matthias Demoucron) who created the FingerFiddle app, which has some of the most convincing classical instrument modeling I’ve ever heard.
+100
To be fair, a shashuaki released by anyone would be quite a surprise. 😏
The main difference between GeoSWAM and SWAM is that SWAM has more programmable parameters. And GeoSWAM is designed to work with the GeoShred Keyboard or MPE Multidimensional controllers only. If you are using a wind controller or conventional keyboard the SWAM apps have better support for those controllers.
Further we have taken a different approach for some of the controls that is more consistent with GeoShreds MIDI control model For instance in GeoShred there are enables for things like growl or flutter so that a single MIDI controller (Channel Pressure) can control, expression, growl and flutter simultaneously. In SWAM these 3 expressions would need to be controlled with 3 separate MIDI controllers.
Yes, we have a video about that:
Application Note #34: Using GeoShred to Control iOS SWAM Apps
word ...
The Physical Modeling technology originated from moForte founder Dr. Julius Smith at CCRMA/Stanford, dating back to the mid 80s. Julius, Nick and Pat have been working on commercializing these models since 1994. See the historical info here about our research at Stanford in the 90s. http://scandalis.com/Jarrah/PhysicalModels/index.html#StanfordCCRMA.
Note that the IAPs are built into GeoShred so they are updated with each release. Go see for yourself, the version history for GeoShred. We do regular updates. Big fixing and new features are part of our DNA.
Unless you have some info that I'm not aware of, we are not going anywhere.
Not at all. We just released a beautiful set of Asian models called Naada. Many of these are bowed or woodwinds. Do you mean the Shakuhachi ... Japanese bamboo flute with beautiful non-linear overtones due to the curved elbow. ... high on our list for the future.
Note that the Naada instrument set includes the Naada Bansuri which is similar to the Shakuhachi but with more linear overtones.
Naada Collection I & II
App Note #37 - Getting Started with the Naada Instruments
Indeed @moForte , I was not expecting this to come in your IAPs and I am glad to be proven wrong here... :-)
So yes, a Shakuhachi (sorry for the mispelling) would be great !
If you have a breath controller, EWI, or other mono (non-MPE) controller, you may find it easier to play the SWAM "out of the box".
...
I like GeoSWAM, indeed cheaper overall than swam standalone. I bought only the sax tenor yet. That what I needed for my music.