Poll: Best current iOS sampler and why it is the best

[audiojunkie]

I've been researching sampler availability on the iPad, and I have yet to determine what I think is the best overall sampler available for classic sampling. This mythical beast doesn't yet appear to exist, although it is close. Here's what's available and what I like/don't like about each:

Beatmaker 2 has a classic multisampler that actually reads samples from the disk, rather than loading them into memory. I like this, because an instrument is limited only to storage space, rather than RAM amount.

Thumjam has multisampling built in, including actual audio sampling. The problem is that the multisample instrument creation is clunky.

Synergy is new, and I don't know much about it, but I'm interested in people's opinions about this one.

Meteor supposedly has a IAP sampler that I know nothing about. I've read people saying that the one in the new Synergy app is better, but I don't know specifically why it is supposedly better.

Sir Sampleton supposedly has multisampling, but only in one-shot form, and has no looping/crossfading capability.

Samplewiz is really easy to set up and use, and it sounds great, but unfortunately, it appears to be only for live use, since there is not means for saving the audio you are playing from within the app. Also, this sampler doesn't multisample--it uses a single sample, which is good for space, but not likely good enough quality for those who are picky about sound.

Bismark BS-16i is really only a sample player, which would somewhat put it in the same category as Sampletank, but the ability to create and choose specific soundfonts rather than being limited to a single set bank is why I listed this one.

Samplr looks like a great live sample mangling tool, but a poor sampler in the classic sense (ie multisampling, looping, crossfading, etc).

Is there another app available that I've missed? Please mention it.

I will include the KVR obligatory Fish option as well, for those who happen to read the thread, but don't really care about the topic.

Please mention your likes and dislikes of your favorite app of choice.

Thanks!

[plastic]

How about garage band? It is pretty straightforward and nice.

[audiojunkie]

I forgot that there was one in Garageband! I personally didn't like it, but as you say, it IS straightforward and nice. Personally, I like the one in Beatmaker 2 for classic multisamples, I'm interested in the one in Synergy, and I love the one in Samplewiz. If Samplewiz had Audiobus, I think I'd be set--even though it only loads one sample (doesn't multisample).

As for romplers, Sampletank is a high-quality, ready-made one that I like, and Bismark's BS-16i is perfect for custom sample sets from soundfonts.

--Sean

[audiojunkie]

I see some have voted for Samplr. I agree that it is a really good sample tweaker, but how well can it do "Classic" sampling without multisamples/mapping, looping, & crossfading? I suppose one could save a really long sample and use that successfully..... I may try that and see how big the patch file size gets. Does anyone know if it will be getting Audiobus?

--Sean

[audiojunkie]

I found a really cool review of Samplr & Samplewiz that shows some of the cooler aspects of both samplers. Check this out:

http://discchord.com/blog/2012/11/19/sa ... lewiz.html

Both of these apps need to get Audiobus.

--Sean

[TKALT]

BeatMaker 2 has great sampling features and workflow. By far the best option for iOS.

Samplr is a really cool app for sample manipulation but it doesn't actually do any real sampling as of right now! Really cool app, though.

[audiojunkie]

How does the new sampler in 4pocket's Synergy compare with the sampler in Beatmaker2? I'm hearing rumors that the sampler in Synergy is quite powerful, but I don't want to purchase it just to find out if it will be what I want or need.

--Sean

[gdog]

Hi Sean,

I don't really use samplers that much, all the hassle of getting loop points perfect & mapping dozens of multisamples doesn't excite me! HST, Samplewiz is what I use most. I love the sampled instruments I can use in Thumbjam & bs-16i too. If I really had to do sampling though, I'd use BM2, which is what I voted for & seems most relevant to ur Q.

All the best <3

[audiojunkie]

Hi Sean,

I don't really use samplers that much, all the hassle of getting loop points perfect & mapping dozens of multisamples doesn't excite me! HST, Samplewiz is what I use most. I love the sampled instruments I can use in Thumbjam & bs-16i too. If I really had to do sampling though, I'd use BM2, which is what I voted for & seems most relevant to ur Q.

All the best <3

I am starting to feel like Beatmaker 2 may be the best choice too. I uploaded to dropbox a 100+ mb soundfont bank to BS-16i last night, and it appears that my system did not have enough RAM to handle transferring the bank from dropbox to the BS-16i. I can use a librarian to separate the bank into smaller pieces, which will work great, but it got me thinking about how capable my iPad 2 is when it comes to soundfont sizes. I may very well be pretty limited.

The BS-16i is wonderful for having specific patches such as my Hohner Melodica or my ARP Solina banks. They are high quality, fairly unique instruments as far as the iPad is concerned, and I'm happy the BS-16i makes this possible for me.

However, I did some research today, and remembered that Beatmaker 2 has really beefed up its sampling capability with direct from disk streaming of samples, multiple layers and regions, looping, crossfading, etc., etc., etc. Beatmaker 2 is supposed to be getting Audiobus too, so even though it is not a single standalone instrument, it is a very capable program as far as sampling is concerned.

I also forgot to mention FL Studio Mobile in my list. FL Studio Mobile v.2 supposedly has a working capability to import multisampled instruments that have been created in the full version of FL Studio via Directwave and FPC.

As far as single sample mangling go, I think Samplr and Samplewiz are probably the best, but until they get Audiocopy/Audiopaste or Audiobus, they aren't much more than sound toys right now.

This has me going back to Beatmaker 2 again. The company has been very suportive3 to its customer base, has been developing and improving the application constantly, and has a good overall product.

Updates to apps happen all the time, and capabilities keep getting better and better. For now, I suspect that for "Classical" sampling, Beatmaker 2 probably wins.

I'll probably revisit this subject again when more time has passed, and more development has taken place.

--Sean

[audiojunkie]

By the way, I made sure not to vote, because I didn't want to skew any results.

--Sean

[Dewaine]

bm2. Been the best for years now, but finally getting the attention it deserves. Solid sampler, can (and does) satisfy many hard core MPC users. That alone puts it at the top of the list.

Akai is coming out with an ipad app and hardware called the "Fly". It is already laughed at because BM2 is so far ahead in features and function. The most glaring example is the Fly is limited to 4 (yes I'm serious) tracks. BM2 simply delivers for the sampling crowd. And, I must add, to the midi crowd as well.

[BiancaNeve]

For completeness sake the latest version of music studio has a sampler built in to make custom instruments that are interchangeable with FL mobile.

[~Pd~]

I found a really cool review of Samplr & Samplewiz that shows some of the cooler aspects of both samplers. Check this out:

http://discchord.com/blog/2012/11/19/sa ... lewiz.html

Both of these apps need to get Audiobus.

--Sean

I'd expect Samplr will get it first, Samplewiz never. I like Samplewiz but Jordan almost never updates his apps. Still waiting for an update for Morphwiz to improve the latency, but not holding my breath. I was talking to the Samplewiz dev a while back about adding a few simple features that would make it more like Samplr, but again, not holding my breath.

For MPC type functionality I don't think you can beat BM2. I like to turn on beat repeat, add a bit of swing, and just jam out on it... pretty much nothing else on iPad tickles and excites me as much, except the MIDI and OSC control surfaces.

[audiojunkie]

bm2. Been the best for years now, but finally getting the attention it deserves. Solid sampler, can (and does) satisfy many hard core MPC users. That alone puts it at the top of the list.

Akai is coming out with an ipad app and hardware called the "Fly". It is already laughed at because BM2 is so far ahead in features and function. The most glaring example is the Fly is limited to 4 (yes I'm serious) tracks. BM2 simply delivers for the sampling crowd. And, I must add, to the midi crowd as well.

I remember you raving about it a while ago. It was when I learned about the direct from disk playing of multisamples that I really started to think about its true potential.

--Sean

[audiojunkie]

For completeness sake the latest version of music studio has a sampler built in to make custom instruments that are interchangeable with FL mobile.

Yes, I forgot about Music Studio too... It deserves more attention than it gets.

--Sean