KVR Audio

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:09 pm

...it doesn't actually sample.

MTorn · Post by **MTorn** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:29 am

In my mind a VST sampler doesn't really need to sample.

But to qualify as a "real" instrument sampler, it does need to at least do all those things that good hardware samplers did 25 years ago - like proper key maps, layering, round robins, etc. Surprisingly few VST samplers do!

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:03 am

Hmmmm, surprisingly few? Kontakt, Falcon, HALion, EXS24, HISE, Gorilla Engine, Decent Sampler, and I bet quite a few more do all of those things.

fotisandstuff · Post by **fotisandstuff** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:43 am

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:03 am Hmmmm, surprisingly few? Kontakt, Falcon, HALion, EXS24, HISE, Gorilla Engine, Decent Sampler, and I bet quite a few more do all of those things.

TX16Wx is also another sampler that can sample.

syntonica · Post by **syntonica** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:56 am

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Sun Jan 16, 2022 11:09 pm ...it doesn't actually sample.

Petty details!

I'd be happy with a sample-playing plug-in that didn't sound like nails on a chalkboard to my ears.

MTorn · Post by **MTorn** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 2:36 am

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:03 am Hmmmm, surprisingly few? Kontakt, Falcon, HALion, EXS24, HISE, Gorilla Engine, Decent Sampler, and I bet quite a few more do all of those things.

Well, okay, discounting the 3 giant monsters and the DAW-specific ones, as well as the ones that will play a library but not edit the sounds (SFZ is my choice for that kind of thing), THEN there aren't many full-featured instrument samplers...

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:37 am

Nice goalpost moving.

MTorn · Post by **MTorn** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:16 pm

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:37 am Nice goalpost moving.

Ha! I guess I just didn’t do a good job at defining my idea of a “VST Sampler” in the first place.

I’ve been on a years-long search for a sampler that isn’t too big and cumbersome, allows me to use across multiple DAWs, have a pleasant enough interface to be fun to use, and be full featured enough for DIY old school instrument multisampling.

Most of what you get now is either a bit too simplified, or geared towards the chop-and-stretch kind of user. Like Serato Sample, Bliss, Nuance, or TAL Sampler (which in many ways I like).
TX16Wx technically fits, but man, I must have tried 4-5 times to warm up to it, but I could never get myself to like the workflow and GUI.

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:19 pm

MTorn wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:16 pm
EvilDragon wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 8:37 am Nice goalpost moving.
Ha! I guess I just didn’t do a good job at defining my idea of a “VST Sampler” in the first place.

I’ve been on a years-long search for a sampler that isn’t too big and cumbersome, allows me to use across multiple DAWs, have a pleasant enough interface to be fun to use, and be full featured enough for DIY old school instrument multisampling.

Most of what you get now is either a bit too simplified, or geared towards the chop-and-stretch kind of user. Like Serato Sample, Bliss, Nuance, or TAL Sampler (which in many ways I like).
TX16Wx technically fits, but man, I must have tried 4-5 times to warm up to it, but I could never get myself to like the workflow and GUI.

Have you tried Arturia Emulator V?

MTorn · Post by **MTorn** » Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:14 pm

fmr wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:19 pm Have you tried Arturia Emulator V?

I have, as well as their CMI and their Synclavier. The Emu II would be my favorite of those. Arturia-bloat aside, it's quite charming.
But it too is a bit too simplistic. Only 8 samples per instrument, and nothing in the way of round robins, release samples, that kind of thing. And I'm quite dependent on some simple modulations that this doesn't have, like velocity->sample start, and velocity->VCF decay time.

My favorite for working quickly with simple sampled instruments (no velocity layers or round robins) is actually the ancient (20 years old) NN19 sampler in Reason (and NN-XT for more "advanced" stuff). But I'm looking to jump off the Reason ship, so I'm looking for a replacement for NN19 and the nearly as ancient NN-XT.

fotisandstuff · Post by **fotisandstuff** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:20 am

Well, how about HighLife? It's now free (for non-commercial use). And yes, it can sample.

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 9:15 am

MTorn wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 4:14 pm
fmr wrote: ↑Mon Jan 17, 2022 3:19 pm Have you tried Arturia Emulator V?
I have, as well as their CMI and their Synclavier. The Emu II would be my favorite of those. Arturia-bloat aside, it's quite charming.
But it too is a bit too simplistic. Only 8 samples per instrument, and nothing in the way of round robins, release samples, that kind of thing. And I'm quite dependent on some simple modulations that this doesn't have, like velocity->sample start, and velocity->VCF decay time.

I think those kind of features can only be seen in a more advanced sampler (like the ones you don't want to use - Kontakt, HALion and Falcon)

EvilDragon · Post by **EvilDragon** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 10:53 am

Well not necessarily. Vel > sample start is a pretty common thing I'd say, and so is modulating envelope times. Shortcircuit does all that.

fmr · Post by **fmr** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 12:41 pm

EvilDragon wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 10:53 am Well not necessarily. Vel > sample start is a pretty common thing I'd say, and so is modulating envelope times. Shortcircuit does all that.

Shortcircuit was quite advanced for its time, IMO

MTorn · Post by **MTorn** » Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:01 pm

fotisandstuff wrote: ↑Tue Jan 18, 2022 5:20 am Well, how about HighLife? It's now free (for non-commercial use). And yes, it can sample.

Yes, just yesterday actually!
But sadly, it crashes Logic Pro instantly. Even if I can troubleshoot is and get it running, it doesn't bode well for future stability.

Vember Audio Shortcircuit is now open source!