Ableton Forum

Hi, happy new year

Finally I have given up on idea of having the cash to upgrade from kontact 2 to 5 and buying the dozen or so libraries for it so now I am giving "sampler" some real thought.

As long as the winter discount stacks with korg's Ableton discount code I can get sampler for an affordable price. I have watched the "sampler" introduction vid a coupe of times now but I am still not 100% convinced. Tried to find a spec details for sampler a full feature list is nowhere to be found.

I am more interested in a straightforward sampler for sound design but will occasionally like to use one for vocal bits and the odd world instrument.

Any thoughts and advice on simpler would be most welcome

you could also try one of the free samplers, say, Alchemy Free (plays SFZ) or Sampletank (pain to get your own samples into, but it's possible). Though sampler will be more convenient & powerful than either of these for sound design, i would think. that's what sampler is best at.

for vocal bits, use clips.
for the odd world instrument... well, there's nothing out there in sampler format afaik, maybe puremagnetik has something for live but it won't require sampler to use. anyways when you are talking about existing instruments, you're talking about sound libraries, and most third party stuff is in kontakt format, which sampler can use, but not with kontakt advanced features - conversion is kind of hit and miss IMHO. example: sampletekk has a 50% off sale occasionally (60% for existing customers) where you can get one of their pianos (say, the close mic'd black grand, or the rain piano) for $25. you can import this into sampler (and I used it that way some) but it just works better in kontakt. (pretty good sounding piano btw).

cheapest way into this.. i won't say they are the best sounds, but some of them are decent. esoundz has a world instruments pack for sampletank (can be used with free version) for $11 right now, or you can get the infinite player (kontakt thing) + infinite player world instruments for $11 each right now. The world percussion especially is pretty decent for the $11. Wasn't too impressed by some of their other ones, the orchestra for instance (especially when you can get kirk hunter pop/rock strings for like $56 right now!) but some other ones are OK, decent pianos for instance.

kontakt is really the way to go for using existing libraries though...

Multiple Samplers on chain selector in an Instrument Rack is how i do all my drum edits. I couldn't do what i do without Sampler. It's also going to be way easier on your cpu than any 3rd-party VST. It's very straightforward and easy to work with. I vote yes

Agreed, Sampler + DrumRacks is very straight forward, and FULL of possibilities, AND I have Kontakt, dont care much for it, CPU hog/workflow killer.

Thanks for tips, will check out infinite player.

Should have mentioned I already have alchemy. Do do some sample mangling with it but at the mo I am really getting into my own custom racks, hence the interest in sampler.

sampler/simpler = essential imo...for me it is anyway, powerful business

how much is it? if its under say, $20-30 its a no brainer

Ya I use sampler for all my drums and probably half my synths/basses/leads etc. and this could easily be 100% if I wanted. The layering options and mapping options mean your little pink brain is really all that holds you back on this thing. Also the ability to sample, chop, and re-write things is amazing. I cannot speak for other samplers, but I personally would take a preference for native Live instruments.

+3

It's pretty crucial. Couldn't really work without it.

If you ask me Sampler is the best that Live has.

I wish I had Sampler as VST, I wouldn't use anything else...
I miss Sampler the most in StudioOne, so I ReWire it.

It's really strong and not bloated with effect and shidd like Kontakt.
Has everything a sampler should have, not more ! Easy on CPU !!!
Integrated perfectly in Live for easy audio samples transfer into Sampler by one click.

A very impressive way working and handling with audio.

Just Love it...

The convenience factor of being able to drag+drop from clips in Session/Arrangement view is pretty huge. It makes me wish everything worked like that

Plus it imports most sample libraries. Yeah, Sampler is excellent.

'Sampler' won't record audio differently from normal sampler. Bear it in your mind.

Thanks for the feedback guys. Watched some youtube vids on "how to(sampler)" and was totally convinced to get it.

Unfortunatly my $50 off any ableton product voucher from the korg nano doesnt work with sampler so cant get it
Can only use voucher with live 8, 8 intro or suite now. Gutted

GET IT! most useful instrument of all the Ableton instruments.