What is a Sampler

[Just Float]

Can anyone explain what it is a sampler does? And why are they so damn expensive (as compared to other types of plugins). Are they just for making weird noises out of sounds? Because I can already do that with other plugins so whats the difference.

[Ocean Zen]

Most software samplers are actually just sample playback devices with filters and lfos.
The job of recording audio is left to your host sequencer.

The reason that there are expensive ones out there like Kontakt, is due to there huge routing capabilities and also the massive sample libraries that come with them.

[pljones]

Like Ocean Zen says, a lot of what you're paying for isn't the sample player itself. sfz, for instance, is free and if you're talking just about the core features, it pretty much matches Kontakt (if not bettering it in some areas).

sfz+ is also very reasonably priced. Once it supports sfz format, it will be a very close match for Kontakt.

[realmarco]

hmm more or less ...I hear kontakt 2 is quite the definetive solution


btw samplers are little plugins that you playback snippets of audio recordings...such as a real acoustic piano.. someone records each note of the piano one at a time and then you can assign each note of the piano(recording) to invidual notes to be triggered by your keyboard and sequencer

[Just Float]

What are these routing capabilities? I still don't understand what the sampler does. It has filters and LFOs, why would I need those? I can filter my sounds through my other plugins. Is it really that great that it should cost $400 (or something similar).

[Markleford]

sfz, for instance, is free and if you're talking just about the core features, it pretty much matches Kontakt (if not bettering it in some areas).

I get your point, but you must have a *very* strict definition of "core fetures".

- m

[Sascha Franck]

What are these routing capabilities? I still don't understand what the sampler does. It has filters and LFOs, why would I need those? I can filter my sounds through my other plugins. Is it really that great that it should cost $400 (or something similar).

Well, how to explain?

- Filters can be "incorporated" into the patch. Among other advances (total recall of the patch), this means:
- Filters (and whatever else) can be modulated by various sources.

A few examples:
- Filter cutoff could be modulated by velocity. Tough to do by another plugin (it might have an input follower, but that's not the same).
- Filter cutoff could be modulated by an LFO while the intensity of this LFO could for instance be modulated by the ModWheel. Makes up for pretty much impressive patches. Rather impossible with another plugin following (well, not impossible but usually causing quite some stress).
- You could have certain samples NOT being affected by the filter while others would be running through it completely. Again, not THAT easy to do with further plugins.

There's probably tons of more scenarios that can't be replaced by effect chaining either.

In addition, what makes samplers so expensive?
Well, usually it's the feature set and the quality of sound.

For instance, Kontakt has a bunch of really helpful features allowing you to do some sample mappings very quickly.
Further, it's got for instance a loop slicing feature - something you usually need an extra program for.

However, why don't you just try a few of them out by yourself?
VSampler3 has a 30 day fully functional demo, Shortcicuit has a free 2 note polyphony version, EnergyXT has a fully working demo (you just can't reload presets), and there's been a Kontakt demo a while ago as well (don't know if they still have it on their site).

[C00kie]

Samplers come in a wide variety, from rudimentally simple (and free) to stuffed full of features, shipped with 32GB of samples (and expensive.)

Nobody would argue SFZ is a reasonably good sample player VSTi, and its free! The real features are hidden (you need a seperate editor like http://audio.clockbeat.com/sfZed.html to get there) but you can load a WAV file (the sample) and play it directly.

Once you really start tweaking with a sample (envelope curve, loop points, filters, key & velocity range, modulations) the extra features will distinguish one sampler from the other. Sure you can use a seperate filter plugin, but its harder to let that respond to a triggered envelope ADSR or velocity.

If you don't like tweaking & sampling yourself, then you pay others to do that so you buy libraries custom made for specific samplers (giga, kontakt, whatever.)

Again: samplers come in sizes and shapes. You get what you pay for, and you actually can get quite a lot for free!

[Sascha Franck]

Here's a rather lame sample to demonstrate:
http://home.arcor.de/s.franck/temp/ModFilter.mp3

This was played in realtime. It's a rather plain piano/string layer patch which will then become something else, just by using some sampler options. In this case I simply routed one (temposynced, that's why I added the beat) LFO to filter cutoff, intensity of that modulation is controlled by the ModWheel. At the same time, turning up the ModWheel raises resonance and filter drive. Oh yeah, and it controls the intensity of another LFO routed to pan.

[realmarco]

essentially you hsould be telling yourself...."if I don't know what a sampler does....how can I argue that its expensive?"

back in the hardware days sampler would cost several thousands of dollars and only did bits of what a software sampler can do

I think you should probably look into why your asking this question

[Rajah]

Here's a rather lame sample to demonstrate:
http://home.arcor.de/s.franck/temp/ModFilter.mp3

This was played in realtime. It's a rather plain piano/string layer patch which will then become something else, just by using some sampler options. In this case I simply routed one (temposynced, that's why I added the beat) LFO to filter cutoff, intensity of that modulation is controlled by the ModWheel. At the same time, turning up the ModWheel raises resonance and filter drive. Oh yeah, and it controls the intensity of another LFO routed to pan.

That was a sweet sounding demo. Are there any training videos on using programs like Kontakt. Seems like samplers are different things to different people.
For me, I just would like use a sampler to lay down some wicked riffs/leads/strings tracks and not be a master 'musician'. Is that possible with samplers?

[nocompromise]

FFS Gotta be one of the dumbest questions yet. You are obviously online already so why not do a search?
Shame on you all too for answering.

[nuffink]

FFS Gotta be one of the dumbest questions yet. You are obviously online already so why not do a search?
Shame on you all too for answering.

Just Float,

This is what's known as a troll. Just ignore it. Everyone on the forum thinks it's a c**t. They're right.