# Introducing: Musio



## Cinesamples (Jan 18, 2022)

Hi Vi-Control!

Mike here with Cinesamples. We’d like to introduce you to Musio, a new plugin platform that allows you to simply Search, Load, and Play from a growing collection of virtual instruments directly within your DAW. Watch the videos below to learn more about Musio.


We’ll be starting an Early Access Beta shortly, and will need feedback from the folks here on VI-Control. If you’d like to be considered to be part of this beta, head over to www.musio.com and sign up and we’ll be in touch.


Thanks for watching. Much more to come!


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## robgb (Jan 18, 2022)

So... a Cinesamples subscription service?


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## Evans (Jan 18, 2022)

robgb said:


> So... a Cinesamples subscription service?


Yes, CSS.


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## branshen (Jan 18, 2022)

robgb said:


> So... a Cinesamples subscription service?


and custom player!


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## el-bo (Jan 18, 2022)

Interesting, indeed. 

Signed-up for the BETA, but didn't receive a confirmation email. Is that normal?

Thanks


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## Raphioli (Jan 18, 2022)

I'm very surprised with this announcement.

I think its clever to do a public Beta before releasing an official version publicly, rather than just jumping from closed beta to an official version.
Good decision on that part!


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## Ilko Birov (Jan 18, 2022)

Very exciting news! 
Kudos to the @Cinesamples team, and I can't wait to find out more. 
I love how music production and being able to use top-notch samples is becoming ever so accessible.


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## cqd (Jan 18, 2022)

So we're not getting new kontakt versions?..


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## Raphioli (Jan 18, 2022)

One question I do have is, is this a subscription only service?
Or are people able to purchase-to-own the sample libraries within Musio as well?

Because the introduction video does sound like its a subscription-only player.


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## Markrs (Jan 18, 2022)

el-bo said:


> Interesting, indeed.
> 
> Signed-up for the BETA, but didn't receive a confirmation email. Is that normal?
> 
> Thanks


Same for me, no on screen confirmation, once I pressed submit the form just cleared and that was it. I have no idea if it had submitted or not.


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## TomaeusD (Jan 18, 2022)

Does this mean Kontakt updates will be abandoned? The Cinebrass legatos still haven't been fixed.


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## filipjonathan (Jan 18, 2022)

So we don't need to download the instruments, they're all in the cloud? That's nuts.


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## el-bo (Jan 18, 2022)

Markrs said:


> Same for me, no on screen confirmation, once I pressed submit the form just cleared and that was it. I have no idea if it had submitted or not.


Yup! The result of which means I might have signed up 3 times


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## filipjonathan (Jan 18, 2022)

How does it work regarding RAM?


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## Markrs (Jan 18, 2022)

el-bo said:


> Yup! The result of which means I might have signed up 3 times


Just shows to Cinesamples that you are keen 😁


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## easyrider (Jan 18, 2022)

filipjonathan said:


> So we don't need to download the instruments, they're all in the cloud? That's nuts.


You do download the instruments.


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## easyrider (Jan 18, 2022)

cqd said:


> So we're not getting new kontakt versions?..


Think so…they are updating all the Cine line with Kontakt updates.


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## davidson (Jan 18, 2022)

filipjonathan said:


> So we don't need to download the instruments, they're all in the cloud? That's nuts.


You'll still need to download them to play them, or am I wrong?


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## ALittleNightMusic (Jan 18, 2022)

Does it have purging?


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## filipjonathan (Jan 18, 2022)

davidson said:


> You'll still need to download them to play them, or am I wrong?


No idea.


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## Cinesamples (Jan 18, 2022)

Confirming, yes, we got your applications. We'll try and find a way to have an auto-notification for yah. Thanks for signing up!


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## Cinesamples-SG (Jan 18, 2022)

cqd said:


> So we're not getting new kontakt versions?..


The updates to the CineSymphony libraries and more are absolutely still coming! The new design is for the Kontakt versions. Musio instruments appear as you see in the Instrument Rack in Mike's video.

We're still supporting and updating our Kontakt libraries as well as developing new ones


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## DJames (Jan 18, 2022)

Please keep the option of buying and owning your samples. I will never use a subscription service.


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## cqd (Jan 18, 2022)

Cinesamples-SG said:


> The updates to the CineSymphony libraries and more are absolutely still coming! The new design is for the Kontakt versions. Musio instruments appear as you see in the Instrument Rack in Mike's video.
> 
> We're still supporting and updating our Kontakt libraries as well as developing new ones


Ah, ok..phew!!..
I 'll sign up for the beta so..
Can you share samples between the kontakt/musio versions?


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## Cinesamples-SG (Jan 18, 2022)

davidson said:


> You'll still need to download them to play them


This is correct! Instruments are stored in the cloud for browsing the catalog and downloaded as you click Load so you can Play them locally.


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## Land of Missing Parts (Jan 18, 2022)

Cinesamples-SG said:


> We're still supporting and updating our Kontakt libraries as well as developing new ones


Continuing to support Kontakt is music to my ears.


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## Cinesamples-SG (Jan 18, 2022)

cqd said:


> Can you share samples between the kontakt/musio versions?


No, they are completely separate platforms. Musio has a curated collection of Cinesamples content as well as its own original instruments. The Kontakt versions will continue to be available, and creators can use Musio and Kontakt in tandem as appropriate for their needs.


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## Aitcpiano (Jan 18, 2022)

Cinesamples-SG said:


> No, they are completely separate platforms. Musio has a curated collection of Cinesamples content as well as its own original instruments. The Kontakt versions will continue to be available, and creators can use Musio and Kontakt in tandem as appropriate for their needs.


Will their be more control options in musio such as mic options or controls over releases and things like that? 

All I can see is the instrument rack but no real gui interface for each of the instruments in the rack?


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## Raphioli (Jan 18, 2022)

Glad to hear you'll still be releasing Kontakt versions.

But I also heard that there's possibility exclusive content for Musio?

I hope you consider pay-to-own options for those Musio-exclusive libraries.
(but by looking at the walkthrough video, I got the impression that the above is unlikely...)


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## DJames (Jan 18, 2022)

Will you continue supporting Kontakt libraries indefinitely? I refuse to use subscription-only services.


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## NoamL (Jan 18, 2022)

MUSIO looks interesting. Is there an instrument control GUI (where we can fiddle with mic mixes, CC controls etc) or is the instrument rack the only GUI/controls?


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## TomaeusD (Jan 18, 2022)

Thank you continuing to support Kontakt and for being transparent and communicative through this whole process!


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## KEM (Jan 18, 2022)

DJames said:


> Will you continue supporting Kontakt libraries indefinitely? I refuse to use subscription-only services.



Yes


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## berto (Jan 18, 2022)

in the video it sounded at some point that third party sound designers could contribute with their sounds? is that a possibility? like a splice for Instruments?


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## Composer 2021 (Jan 18, 2022)

I don't know if this will turn into a subscription service, but I would love a CineSamples subscription service to compete with EastWest.


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## Getsumen (Jan 18, 2022)

Aitcpiano said:


> Will their be more control options in musio such as mic options or controls over releases and things like that?
> 
> All I can see is the instrument rack but no real gui interface for each of the instruments in the rack?


^ I've been wondering this as well. Musio was described as "curated" so is this a sort of like "lite" collection? The controls tab seemed to only have a reverb control so would mic positions and deeper modification be for the Kontakt versions, while the Musio ones are more load and play?

Some clarification on that would be super helpful. Thanks!


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jan 19, 2022)

Composer 2021 said:


> I don't know if this will turn into a subscription service, but I would love a CineSamples subscription service to compete with EastWest.


Me too, but I doubt they'll be matching my EW $10 per month CC+.


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## Batrawi (Jan 19, 2022)

@Cinesamples-SG will it be possible in Musio to buy instruments à la carte (eg. CineViolins 1 instead of the whole CineStrings library)?


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## Cinesamples (Jan 19, 2022)

Thanks everyone who has signed up for the Early Access Beta so far! If you haven't done it yet, and are still interested, please do so: www.musio.com

Looks like Steve addressed this question above, but yes, we continue to support Kontakt. That ain't going away anytime soon. As a matter of fact, we are almost done encoding everything to the Kontakt Player (with library tab). Plus, as Steve mentioned, free CineSymphony updates rolling out this year. Also two brand new Kontakt products coming this year (which I think are pretty cool). We have been very busy on the Cinesamples/Kontakt front over last year. These will be Kontakt products you can buy outright. 

Musio is an additional option for those who are seeking a simpler, cost effective and easier-to-use solution. More to come 

Keep the feedback coming, this is EXTREMELY helpful to us. We are gonna TRY and do this right. We'll see! lol 

Mike


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## filipjonathan (Jan 19, 2022)

Batrawi said:


> @Cinesamples-SG will it be possible in Musio to buy instruments à la carte (eg. CineViolins 1 instead of the whole CineStrings library)?


This would be AHHMAZING


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## FrozenIcicle (Jan 19, 2022)

TomaeusD said:


> Thank you continuing to support Kontakt and for being transparent and communicative through this whole process!


well, they keep dodging the subscription questions though


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## QuiteAlright (Jan 19, 2022)

I'm excited for this, and I think it would be really cool to have a subscription option for Cinesamples libraries. I think that because Cinesamples is still supporting Kontakt and producing new libraries for it, this is just adding more options for customers. And an all-in-one instrument subscription is a great choice for beginners who are just starting out and can't invest in full libraries yet.

Since Mike said that feedback is extremely valuable, I'll share my thoughts.

The #1 thing I care about in a sample player is stability. If a plugin crashes my DAW, I will stop using it entirely.
Having a new sample player from each company is annoying to me. But for a good enough deal, or a good enough new library, I'm willing to start using new ones.
The reason a lot of people are weary of new sample players is that to them, it's often a regression in terms of workflow or power. Kontakt has its issues, but typically other plugins have been buggier or offered less control.
At a $10/month price point, I'm likely to be a subscriber, and I can forgive some amount of buggy-ness + quality issues. At a $20/month price point, I might be a subscriber, but it needs great execution: no bugs, no workflow issues, and a fantastic library of instruments. At $30/month, I wouldn't be a subscriber. (This is just my personal thoughts. Others might differ)
I saw a mention somewhere that this will be a "curated collection" of instruments. This is much less interesting to me than the full Cinesamples catalogue. In my opinion, the entire advantage of a "cloud" instrument subscription is that you can get access to a wider variety of instruments, particularly ones that might only get used occasionally.
Many people will think of this as a competitor to EastWest's Composer Cloud product. I think that potentially you can capitalize on that; a lot of Cinesamples libraries compare favorably to theirs, but Cinesamples is lacking libraries in several categories compared to EW. You'll need to nail the pricing and the software quality to attract people to your offering rather than theirs. I was considering subscribing to EW CC, but I decided against it, since it requires iLok.
I've beta tested several plugins before (even a sample player specifically), and I would advise you that fixing the long tail of edge case bugs _always _takes longer than planned. Give yourself plenty of extra buffer from when you think it will be ready to release vs when you actually end up launching.
If you want any extra feedback on specific parts, feel free to reach out directly.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Jan 20, 2022)

QuiteAlright said:


> I'm excited for this, and I think it would be really cool to have a subscription option for Cinesamples libraries. I think that because Cinesamples is still supporting Kontakt and producing new libraries for it, this is just adding more options for customers. And an all-in-one instrument subscription is a great choice for beginners who are just starting out and can't invest in full libraries yet.
> 
> Since Mike said that feedback is extremely valuable, I'll share my thoughts.
> 
> ...


I think you’re confusing a “sampler” with a “player”. As far as I know, Cinesamples doesn’t have a sampler....just a player. Kontakt is an actual sampler, which is quite different.


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## QuiteAlright (Jan 20, 2022)

Jeremy Spencer said:


> I think you’re confusing a “sampler” with a “player”. As far as I know, Cinesamples doesn’t have a sampler....just a player. Kontakt is an actual sampler, which is quite different.


You're right, I'll edit my wording to be clearer. Usually I just throw around those terms interchangeably because in this context, most folks know what I mean.


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## ALittleNightMusic (Jan 20, 2022)

So when is this beta going to start? When will the platform launch to the public?


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## gnapier (Jan 21, 2022)

IMHO and FWIW

I don’t think CS is starting this as an alternate way to access their existing libraries. My guess is that Musio will feature select content from existing products in most cases, perhaps the full content in some cases. But long term this is a complementary offering and new product that will offer access to both CS and other _curated_ (non CS) content. It can be a platform for high quality 3rd party content.

I say this based on the use of the word “curated” in the video and the fact that offering this would separate their service from EW, Orchestral Tools and the like.

All just a hunch of course.


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## Cinesamples (Feb 12, 2022)

Hi all, a reminder to sign up for the Early Access Beta which is just days away. There will be no CC required to try Musio in this Early Access beta. Just put your name on the list if you're interested. www.musio.com

It's really coming along, Musio is an option for those that want access to high quality instruments recorded at Sony, 20th Century Fox and various great studios around the world at a price that is accessible to* everyone*. And delivered *directly* to your DAW.

MP


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## muziksculp (Feb 12, 2022)

Q. Are the Musio instruments of i.e. CineSymphony a watered down version of the Kontakt versions ? or exactly equal to them in terms of sample content, and articulations ?


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## alcorey (Feb 17, 2022)

Looks like Musio beta has started - got my email. Downloading Piano in Blue to test it


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## babylonwaves (Feb 18, 2022)

@Cinesamples 

Hi Cinesamples - 

Musio looks interesting. How do you approach articulation switching with the new instruments. From what I can see, you can only load a single articulation to a discreet MIDI channel at the moment. Do I miss something?

Best, Marc


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## Aitcpiano (Feb 18, 2022)

Seems interesting and I like the look of it, simple and clean. However, it's not one for me as there does not seems to be any control options at all, only reverb. I'd want at least some simple control options and it would have been nice to have had more than the single mic position. For a month to month subscription cost I'd definitely want more control options beyond an added reverb.


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## wlinart (Feb 18, 2022)

I personally like the no-nonsense load and play approach. It's limited, yes, but it delivers the sound quickly. It all depends on the price i guess, would i be paying a lot of money for it? No, because i already own the most important orchestral cinesamples libraries. But for a low monthly fee, this could be a succes i think


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## tmhuud (Feb 18, 2022)

Good luck you guys/gals. I think it’s brilliant. It took us two days to assemble all the sounds for a show and this would be a great time saver. Wouldn’t it be amazing if ALL developers were on board!


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## Cinesamples-SG (Feb 18, 2022)

Hey all, super happy to have you on the Early Access Beta! As a heads up for those who applied and haven't received a signup yet, we'll be adding more Testers each week until Early Access Testing ends on March 17th, so you may be added in a future round! Don't lose hope  

@babylonwaves re: Articulation switching, this is currently handled at the DAW level with one articulation per track. We do have plans for a few different ways of being able to handle this in Musio but I can't reveal any more about that (or any other planned features) just yet.

@muziksculp I hesitate to use the phrase "watered down"  but the instruments in Musio are (currently) simplified to one mic position and one articulation, and eschew the fine detail control and complexity of the Kontakt libraries. The intention is to be as straightforward as possible in delivering playable sounds that inspire the music creator, particularly those who may be brand new to orchestral samples. I'll reiterate that we're still updating, supporting, and expanding our Kontakt libraries, and offering Musio as a supplemental option.

The most important thing to keep in mind during this Early Access Testing for Musio is that this is a brand new platform with plenty of room to grow and evolve. There are lots of features we already have in mind for the future, and we are still at the very beginning of this journey. We are eagerly accepting all feedback on Musio and it's been really exciting to see the response from our Early Access testers so far!

Once again, if you applied for the Beta and didn't get a signup email this round, we have a few weeks left, so keep an eye out. Looking forward to sharing more news soon


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## Composer 2021 (Feb 18, 2022)

Is...this...real?...


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## Trash Panda (Feb 18, 2022)

Someone forgot a decimal point. 😂


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## Composer 2021 (Feb 18, 2022)

Trash Panda said:


> Someone forgot a decimal point. 😂


I hope!


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## maree (Feb 18, 2022)

Composer 2021 said:


> Is...this...real?...


From Musio e-mail:
"...Sign up for either an Annual or Monthly Membership (ignore the Test Mode prices), download the Musio App for Windows or macOS, and install the app..."


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## filipjonathan (Feb 19, 2022)

Composer 2021 said:


> Is...this...real?...


You need to read through the email you got from them. It explains everything.


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## Evans (Feb 19, 2022)

Should that stuff even be posted here?


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## filipjonathan (Feb 19, 2022)

Evans said:


> Should that stuff even be posted here?


I wouldn't but the instructions that we got don't say anything about it being nda.


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## JyTy (Mar 6, 2022)

Composer 2021 said:


> Is...this...real?...


In the invite email they specifically state that those prices are "dummy" prices at this point and should be disregarded...


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## dcoscina (Mar 6, 2022)

I've been trying out the various instruments available in the selections. I've been sending feedback too (you can do it per instrument which is handy). I wish the player was more robust... it's nice that it's multitimbral and such and you can add reverb but ideally it would be excellent to have transpose (for making multis).


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## dcoscina (Mar 6, 2022)

Evans said:


> Should that stuff even be posted here?


I'm gonna say probably not. NDAs and all that are endemic to beta testing.


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## Jeremy Spencer (Mar 10, 2022)

Anyone else finding the Cello legatos inconsistent? They’re pretty much unusable on my system.


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