Members chetwesley Posted October 23, 2007 Members Share Posted October 23, 2007 I am looking for a virtual sampler that meets the following requirements. I am sure it exists, because I think these requirements are very basic, but so far, I have not found one. 1. Can load in external samples, or better yet, record directly into it2. Can act as VST instrument3. Mac OSX (preferably 10.3.9 on down, but I have to upgrade sometime)4. Has a wave editor capable of adding in loop points (ie: for sustained sounds)5. Can assign different sounds to each midi note.6. Can fine tune the pitch of samples7. Is less than $100 I recently found one called vsamp, but it does not meet requirement #4. However, being only $39, I find it attractive and would buy it if I could find a cheap/free wave editor capable of adding loop points to a sound, so recommending one of those would also solve my problem if you know of one. This is mostly to be used for sampling acoustic instruments, but some have sustain, so that is the reason I need the loop capability. The problem with most samplers I have seen is that they have way more features than I need, and therefore, cost way too much. A simple, outdated virtual sampler would probably do, if I could find one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chetwesley Posted October 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 By the way, I have done the obligatory search of the forums, found one thing that was close, but not quite it... and to make myself less intrusive, here's a little intro -- I'm not a highschool kid who just decided to get into music and is asking annoying questions not realizing they have been asked 100 times before. I'm a slightly older than that semi-adult who does know it has been asked before but can't find it in a search. If you're still awake, maybe you'll be willing to help me with my soft-sampler question? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gus Lozada Posted October 24, 2007 Share Posted October 24, 2007 Less than $100, a pro virtual sampler... I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chetwesley Posted October 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 Thanks for the response Gus. Are the requirements I am giving "pro"? To me they seem really basic. No sample libraries, no tweakability, just a set of utilitarian features. I was looking at maybe an old version of Kontakt (v 1) on ebay, but it is tough to get enough info on it to know if it will actually work with my setup and do what I need it to do, as it is getting to be an old product by now. I am close with the vsamp and it is only $39, but I need an audio application that will set loop points for sample files. I can't find one reasonably priced that can do so. What virtual samplers are you folks using, if you are using any? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tony Scharf Posted October 24, 2007 Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 Its the $100 cap that kills it. I dont think there are any pro level ones that are up to snuff at that price point. I use Kontact, Battery, and Emulator X. I also use Sampler which is built into Live 6. All of them are excellent tools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted October 24, 2007 Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 Bump your budget to $200 and get Logic Express. Comes with ES24 which does everything you ask. Also comes with absolutely piles of other pro-level stuff. If you've got a mac, nothing can compete. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skunk3 Posted October 24, 2007 Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 Or you could just bootleg it. haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members skunk3 Posted October 24, 2007 Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 *fyi - jk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chetwesley Posted October 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 I could probably afford one for more if I had to. I guess I was looking at that range, because I figured if it was simpler, it would probably be cheap too. Has anyone used kontakt v1 and do you think it would work with my setup and meet my criteria? What is a realistic price I should be looking at? Again, it seems weird to me that what I am looking for is considered "pro." I watched the demo video for Kontakt 3 and it has way more features than I need because I am not really making "electronic" music and wouldn't use the features pertaining to that. I thought what I was looking for was quite basic, but maybe the fact that it isn't just a sample playback instrument and includes editing to sounds makes it pro. What got me started was the sampler built into tracktion. The thing is, it can't do loop points, can't set envelopes, and it can't fine tune the samples... basically it can just play a file when you trigger a midi event, pitched to tune if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chetwesley Posted October 24, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 Hmmm.. thanks for the tip skunk... though I won't be stealing anything, it is good to know logic comes with that, and I would consider it and could "upgrade" my DAW while I am at it, but I'd be interested to see what other options are out there yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yoozer Posted October 24, 2007 Members Share Posted October 24, 2007 I could probably afford one for more if I had to. I guess I was looking at that range, because I figured if it was simpler, it would probably be cheap too. The fact that Native Instruments has retired Kompakt and Intakt - it's lower-end line of samplers - should say something. Software samplers are pretty cheap already, actually, and what ups the price is that if you buy a software sampler you get a huge library with it (Kontakt 2 has a dozen gigabytes of samples, all of 'm instantly usable). Has anyone used kontakt v1 and do you think it would work with my setup and meet my criteria? Here's a review: http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/Aug02/articles/nikontakt.asp Why I personally wouldn't do it: version 2 at least (no need to get 3 at the moment) is a leap forward. The convolution effects (creates incredible reverbs) are amazing. They'll also rape your CPU but to be honest, it's really worth it. Again, it seems weird to me that what I am looking for is considered "pro." I watched the demo video for Kontakt 3 and it has way more features than I need because I am not really making "electronic" music and wouldn't use the features pertaining to that. Uh. The features aren't in there for electronic music . Regular samplers have had a lot of these features for a long time (such as the slicing or the filters). I thought what I was looking for was quite basic, but maybe the fact that it isn't just a sample playback instrument and includes editing to sounds makes it pro. Just buy version 2 from someone, secondhand. Native Instruments allows license transfers . Anyway, you could also consider this thing here: http://samplebase.com/satellitepro.html There's a free version if you're registered - but the pro version seems to have what you're looking for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pogo97 Posted October 25, 2007 Members Share Posted October 25, 2007 It may be useful for you to check the Logic Express Manuals: overviewinstruments & effects (the EX24 chapter starts on page 275)main manual Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chetwesley Posted October 25, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 25, 2007 Thanks a lot Yoozer for your input, that is really useful... yea, I guess I knew hardware samplers had a lot of those tools already... Really, what I was getting at is that I don't make beat based music at all, which is why a lot of those tools aren't what I am looking for. I have plenty of other ways to manipulate sound if I want to, so for the sampler, I am just looking for something basic that I can use to do MIDI arranging of instruments I create/sample. You are right that they are amazingly cheap compared to what they used to be in hardware format. I used to own an emu sp-12, and I sold that thing for $150 BROKEN (the buyer knew it was broken), so I shouldn't be so stingey when looking at software that is capable of much more. I will look into what you have mentioned, it has been a big help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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