As well as a visual update, the supplied sample library has also been substantially expanded. The latest version is a 64-bit only application, and supports the standard plug-in formats for both Windows and OS X, and stand-alone operation. While familiar elements remain (for example, the Parts list within the Play screen, where you can see the instrument loaded into each of SampleTank’s 16 parts), there are now four main workspaces within the overall environment - Play, Mix, Edit and Pad - and each of these is accessed via the four tab buttons located top-left of the main interface. This version brings a complete redesign of the user interface. While that’s a pretty bold statement, as with SampleTank 2, it does perhaps hint that this is a virtual instrument that might appeal more to those who want to work with the supplied content (and perhaps tweak it somewhat) rather than someone who wants to build their own sample-based instruments from scratch. IK Multimedia describe SampleTank 3 as ‘the ultimate sound and groove workstation’. So, with v3.5, have IK Multimedia bought SampleTank right up to date so it can slug it out against the obvious sample-based virtual instrument competition? What’s In The Tank? By modern music technology standards, that’s a pretty lengthy upgrade cycle. A little over 10 years later, SampleTank 3 has now appeared (and, indeed, during the course of writing this review, v3.5 was released, so it’s this incarnation of the software that I’ve looked at here). If you were a SampleTank fan back then, you’ll have had to wait quite some time for the next major update. The last time SOS looked at SampleTank was quite some time ago when we reviewed SampleTank 2 back in February 2004. This catalogue includes SampleTank, a sample-based virtual instrument that is 16-part multitimbral, provides support for multi-layer, multi-articulation sampled instruments, can play back both audio and MIDI loops (patterns) and is supplied with a broad palette of sounds that cover all the major instrument groups. The company make competitively priced hardware add-ons for music production and also have a line of software that includes the popular virtual guitar rig AmpliTube, a number of virtual instruments and the T-Racks range of audio effects/processors. IK Multimedia will be well known to many SOS readers.
Eleven years is a long time in software, so the new version of SampleTank ought to be pretty impressive.
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