Klarinet Archive - Posting 000934.txt from 1999/01

From: David Blumberg <reedman@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] SoundBlaster Live - Clarinet emulation (Kazoo like)
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 1999 00:30:02 -0500

I just installed a new soundcard on my computer. It was the SoundBlaster
Live, the "latest, greatest" new one out by SoundBlaster. My previous card
was the Gold 64 AWE, but it was ISA, and I wanted to get PCI. The way that
it was described, it was supposed to make everything (games, etc),
including Midi sound better. Nope - it does not include the Wave-synth WG,
which is really quite "true to the Clarinet sound". They replaced it with
"new technology". After installing it, calling the company to make sure
that the Clarinet I was hearing was the correct setting, driver, etc. I had
a soundcard that now makes a Clarinet sound more like a Kazoo to me.
Soooooo, I took it out, put back in my AWE 64 GOLD, and have back the
"rich, dark" Clarinet, and live Piano sound once more. And I saved myself
$212 in the process.................. Bottom line, if you have a AWE 64
GOLD (or value), and like the Clarinet sound in the Wave-synth WG, and were
considering upgrading to the much touted Live card - don't do it. Just play
that file in one of the other drivers (like the AWE 64 G midisynth) to get
an idea of how bad it will sound after upgrading. I'm sure that my games
would have sounded like I was in the midst of battle, but hey, I'm a
Clarinetist first.

David Blumberg - My Tempo Accompaniments for Woodwind Players
reedman@-----.com
http://www.sneezy.org/david_blumberg/
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