Here is a comparison between NP 4.51 (‘updated’ version) and NP 5.1.0 with an encore piece I wrote for Brass Quintet. The first example used NP 4.5.1 with BBC SO and SSO 2024 playback engines. The reverb is Steinberg’s RoomWorks SE ‘Church’ reverb. The 2nd example is entirely with the new NP 5.1.0 and its reverb.
I’ve added one more. This is NP 5.0 playback engines with the same libraries as the first example, but using NP’s reverb.
Fortunately, I retained my earlier NP installers; I can switch between them simply by installing one over the other. That’s a good thing, because I really need to use NP 5.0 (and I only use my Spitfire and VSL libraries with it-with their permission as we recall during the ‘kerfuffle.’) and its playback engines on my main music computer in order to fully use my libraries. I don’t have the memory or processor speed to use 4.5.1 and its playback engines for larger works-much as I prefer it. The first example here (NP 4.5.1)- short as it is and with only 5 instruments uses 19.2G of memory. My system only has 32. I am using the new NP 5.1.0 on my older laptop; it works well with its 16G of memory. I’m glad to see that Arne is still working on making NP even better. It’s a great tool.
Just one more. This is using NP 5.1.0 with Steinberg’s RoomWorks SE “Church” reverb:
Seems this is a nice improvement for Noteperformer, me thinks.
It is something of a conundrum. NP 5.1.0 sounds quite good; but what does one do with the libraries he’s bought? Noteperformer 5.0 helps with that, as I can “mix and match” NP’s native sounds with selected sounds (like flute from GPO5 and Horn and Strings from BBC SO or PRIME, etc.). I’ve always been partial to NP’s brass-and some of the woodwinds.
although the new 5.1 sounds a bit less rough than 5.0, the Spitfire NPPE combination, as expected, had a far nicer sound (and acoustic). Mind you, the real problem with native NotePerformer is the strings, the competition is rather closer with brass like in this example.
I agree. I didn’t use NP strings before; however, here in 5.1.0, Arne has improved the strings quite a bit. I’d use them now- depending on the instrumental texture. I’m just happy to see that Arne is still working to make NP even better for us. It is the best ‘plug and play’ solution available to us notation composers/arrangers for a wide variety of uses- IMHO.
