Floe coming from Frozen Plain

[martinjuenke]

Frozen Plain sent out some sampler / sampling news:

We've just released a new developer blog for our upcoming open source sample-library engine. Read about Floe's website, hot reloading, installing libraries and new effects.

We'll be posting these more regularly again, showing our progress on the Floe project.

For those that don't know, Floe is an upcoming plugin that lets you find, perform and transform sounds from our sample libraries. It's the next version our existing plugin Mirage, but with a new name and a 100% free, open source release. Any developer will be able to make sample libraries for Floe.

https://forum.frozenplain.com/d/135-dev ... nuary-2025

Looks and sounds interesting

IMG_9517.jpeg

[kidslow]

Good dev. Deserves more support.

[FrozenPlain]

I was going to post about Floe, but found there is already a thread!

Here's an update on the project. We're gearing up for full release in the next couple of weeks. For now, we have an alpha version just released. It's CLAP only for now but VST3 will be coming in another alpha soon. I wrote a devlog here about the latest changes: https://forum.frozenplain.com/d/137-dev ... march-2025

Give it a try - we'd love to fix any bugs you find.

The goal of project is to offer a sample library engine that's robust, high-quality and 100% free and open source. It's got a very ergonomic Lua API for anyone to create sample libraries (programming required). And we intend to expand Floe's capabilities often.

[aMUSEd]

Does it support sfz?

[FrozenPlain]

No SFZ support. Manually converting SFZ isn't too bad if you're nimble with a text editor though: https://github.com/Floe-Project/Harp/blob/main/floe.lua

Conversion utilities or even straight up support for SFZ is possible one day if there's demand for it.

Floe's library format takes an approach that sample configuration is done with a proper programming language (Lua), allowing for variables, functions, loops, etc.

[enroe]

The goal of project is to offer a sample library engine that's robust, high-quality and 100% free and open source. It's got a very ergonomic Lua API for anyone to create sample libraries (programming required). And we intend to expand Floe's capabilities often.

This is definitely fantastic! Many people will feel addressed: There's a new horse in town!
Thank you, FrozenPlain!

[enroe]

Conversion utilities or even straight up support for SFZ
is possible one day if there's demand for it.

This is, of course, great news for all musicians and music
creators. "Floe" is—if I understand correctly—a new sampler
that supports a special format, the "Floe format." And your
focus is on building a Floe format sample library.

That alone is definitely great and very welcome – without
question! Any newbie or anyone who's a bit experimental
will jump on Floe.

However, in the open source community and for long-established
musicians, the sfz format and, accordingly, sfz libraries are the
benchmark. (I'll leave out the proprietary and therefore
problematic Kontakt format here.)

Therefore, in my cautious estimation, sfz compatibility would
be a huge leap forward for the new Floe sampler. Direct sfz
playback capability would act as an afterburner, pushing Floe
right to the forefront.

But... anyway... congratulations on the new sampler and sampler
format! Thanks, FrozenPlain!

[FrozenPlain]

Thank you very your support! Floe has a standard GUI interface for all libraries. So if SFZ support were to happen it would likely only be a limited support - we could read SFZ files and understand the mapping of audio files. But we wouldn't be able to support the MIDI features, filters, effects, LFO, EQ, etc., because Floe takes a very different approach in that regard and we want the freedom to innovate in this space rather than conform to SFZ. Still, I can see it's value even with limited support.

[tatanka]

As long as its clap only I am out...

Will the vst3 alpha version be able to use the existing mirage libraries I already own from frozen plain or do they all need to be converted one after one (if I hope it wont take the same time then bestservice with its enging player libraries.....).

My main question: will it finally be able to load layers from different libraries ?

[FrozenPlain]

VST3 alpha in a few days. Yes it loads all Mirage libraries and presets already, just the same as the new format. We'll update them though over the coming months because we can add a few more features if we use the new Floe format. And yes Floe can load instruments from different libraries.

[tatanka]

VST3 alpha in a few days. Yes it loads all Mirage libraries and presets already, just the same as the new format. We'll update them though over the coming months because we can add a few more features if we use the new Floe format. And yes Floe can load instruments from different libraries.

Thanks, that sounds very promising

[mcnelson]

I was happy to see 0.7 is out with VST3 support now.

[FrozenPlain]

Floe's beta is now live. Try it out with making some real music. There still may be the occasional bug - please let use know, we're very keen to fix them.



There's 5 high quality and free sample libraries to install and use.

Additionally, all existing FrozenPlain libraries are completely compatible with Floe. Make sure to install the Mirage Compatibility package too though.

Floe's homepage: https://floe.audio/
Downloads: https://floe.audio/installation/downloa ... -floe.html
Available packages: https://floe.audio/packages/available-packages.html

Since the last alpha:
- Added AU (Audio Unit v2) support
- Brand new instrument browser supporting tags, search, and filtering by library
- Brand new impulse response browser featuring all the options of the instrument browser
- Brand new preset browser with tags, search, and filtering by library. Preset metadata is tracked, library information is tracked, file changes are detected, duplicate presets are hidden.
- New built-in convolution reverb impulse library with 33 impulse responses

[kneebone77]

However, in the open source community and for long-established
musicians, the sfz format and, accordingly, sfz libraries are the
benchmark. (I'll leave out the proprietary and therefore
problematic Kontakt format here.)

Therefore, in my cautious estimation, sfz compatibility would
be a huge leap forward for the new Floe sampler. Direct sfz
playback capability would act as an afterburner, pushing Floe
right to the forefront.

I agree, This opens up vast possibilities.

Floe has a standard GUI interface for all libraries. So if SFZ support were to happen it would likely only be a limited support - we could read SFZ files and understand the mapping of audio files. But we wouldn't be able to support the MIDI features, filters, effects, LFO, EQ, etc., because Floe takes a very different approach in that regard and we want the freedom to innovate in this space rather than conform to SFZ. Still, I can see it's value even with limited support.

Personally the "limited support" of sample files & mapping are primarily what I'm after.
After getting the samples in I'm interested in exploring Floe unique sound engine.

[FrozenPlain]

Ok I think I'm sold on the SFZ idea. It probably won't make it into v1.0, but maybe v1.1 will have the limited SFZ support we've discussed.

Just out of curiosity, @kneebone77 and @enroe, where do SFZ instruments typically come from? Are they paid products from developers or more custom, one-off things?