I have no bread & butter insrumental sounds, so am looking to add a sampler. I am also a compulsive knob-tweaker so something with sound shaping flexibilty is definitely needed. Also something that has gives the least amt. of sample importing headaches and saves up your instruments with your projects etc...

Didn't like Halion's interface at all, too "cubaseish" for me. Kontakt looks intersting...but wondering if there was anything I was missing the boat on?

Any help would be appreciated!
-Rick

Kontakt would probably be the weapon of choice for you, judging from your post.


Markus

Fl Studio, handles samples in the most headache free form I've come across. You drag from a list and drop onto a track. That's it. Saved with your project. All tweaks called back flawlessly.

Currently I use it with all my samples converted too soundfonts.

Tried alot of other samplers, like halion, knotakt and virtual sampler. But the headache of integration with a host just drove me to get fruity soundfont player and use that withen FLstudio.

I've only heard great things about fruity, but isn't more gearded towords drum programming? I'm a little more inclined towords the playing other instuments with the sampler, but I'm sure the occational drums too

Anyway thanks for the suggestion!
-Rick

I've been a fruity user since version 2.0 and back then, yes it was geared towards drum programming.

But it has grown alot since then. Basically I would say it's geared towards fast efficient music making.

In my work flow one of the most important things is the speed and simplicity at which I can load, swap, and audition sounds. And that is why I use it as my main sampler now.

I think it's got great manipulation options, and with additional effects the possibilities are endless.

Anyways download the demo and you'll soon find it can handel all sorts ofthings, not just drums.

We'll you've sold me on giving fruity a try. If it can handle non-drum instruments effectively I will highly consider it!
Thanks,

Rick

Kontakt is the sampler/synth. No doubt about it. HALion and Giga still have the edge when it comes to pure sampling, and EXS is very good if you use Logic, but listen to the demos on the right hand side of

http://www.native-instruments.com/index.php?kontakt_us

for what the synth side of it can do.

lights wrote:

Fl Studio, handles samples in the most headache free form I've come across.

Great for single samples but Fruity has no way of creating multi-layered, multi-sampled sounds. You can pay extra for a basic soundfont player but that is it.

I was going to suggest ORION because that is what I do and because its Sampler fairly rocks. It supports soundfonts, Akai and Kurzweil formats [all without filter, env, etc settings] and you can edit or build your own with its easy to use editor. It also has a built-in Grooveslicer for carving up loops. It has a good filter, 2 LFO, 3 envelopes and it can take a side-chain input as well. Plus it has a very high-quality render mode that gives excellent results.

Try Kontakt, extremely flexible. Definitely for the sound designer and performer. Works also has VSTi, DXi and stand alone version. (and probably some obscure mac format )

I own FL studio and orion (don't ask)
and have to agree with bones
compared to FL,orions sampler rocks

I own FL Studio and Orion (and Cubase and..)
if you are looking for a host with a great sampler try the Orion demo.
If you've already got a host you're happy with, go with Kontakt

BONES wrote:

lights wrote: Fl Studio, handles samples in the most headache free form I've come across. Great for single samples but Fruity has no way of creating multi-layered, multi-sampled sounds. You can pay extra for a basic soundfont player but that is it.

FLS can handle multi-samples (via layers, but it's a PITA to set up). I wouldn't choose it for sample playback, even though it's my primary host.

IMHO sfz is a better soundfont player than the Livesynth-based Fruity SF player. I got sfz+ when it was in early betas, since I was a previous customer of Rene's.

Stick with Halion or Kontakt, IMHO. If I need more than I can do with sfz+, VSampler, and EXSC, I'll probably get Halion.

Doug