Best Sampling Vst Plugin
My Review: One of the oldest players in the VST game, Waves has been at the fore-front of DSP technology, and their guitar simulation plugin called GTR3 is well-known for its solid performance and frugal CPU usage. Their other alternative comes from the signature Chris Lord Alge line of DSP plugins, called CLA guitars. Drum VST plugins are becoming increasingly popular as sampling becomes more and more common. The term ‘drum VST’ is rather broad, so I’ll be focusing on all types, including virtual drum libraries, percussion libraries, beat machines, and even drum synthesis.
Sure. Your DAW might have a decent built-in sampler that gets the job done. But why settle with a sampler that “gets the job done” when there are so many innovative and powerful options available.
Right now, you might think of a sampler as a basic device where you can drag a sample of your choice into it and play it like an instrument. With the VST plugins we’ll be talking about today, you’ll be able to do a whole lot more with your samples!
This article will go over our top 6 picks for the best VST samplers. Enjoy!
- Here are the Best Free Mastering VST Plugins online that can be used with FL Studio, Reason, Ableton Live, and other VST supported software. Sampling rate up to.
- In this video we will look at Serato Sample maybe one of the best sampling plugin on the out right now. And in this video I will show you why I think that.
- Ah, the sampler. The single tool that spawned both Hip-Hop and Electronic Dance Music. While the original samplers in the early 80s relied on tape and owning a big, physical sampler, you can now simply download a sampler VST plugin and accomplish the same tasks that you once needed a fairly large budget to accomplish.
Beyond that, the string sections deliver rich sound coming from skillful input of outstanding players recorded in the best circumstances. With strings, texture and sound quality counts big time, and this VST string plugin guarantees that too. The world of virtual samplers is reigned over by a handful of popular commercial products, but there are a few options on the freeware front. Thanks to SynthEdit and SynthMaker, the internet is peppered with free 32-bit, Windows-only sample-playback efforts, but there are far fewer coded-from-the-ground-up options.
Structure 2
Structure 2 offers a sampling powerhouse through its multi-timbral system. It comes with an editor and sample library built into the model. It allows users to combine, edit and layer the samples with incredible ease.
The core of Structure is equipped with 128 levels in its multi-timbral. It supports up to 8 channels of interleaved samples. Hence, you are able to create rich patches from multiple effects and sample blending.
It has a huge 37+GB sound library of premium samples from AIR Music Technology. It also allows you to play third party sound banks. This enables you to use and manipulate any unencrypted Native Instrument Kontakt, Avid SampleCell and even sound libraries of Apple Logic EXS24.
Best Sampler Vst Plugins
Overall, it’s an epic sampler that allows you to do a whole lot more with your sounds straight out of the box.
Sampla
This is a software sampler made particularly for musicians who produce Hip Hop. With Sampla, you are able to easily slice, chop, dice and sample up your very own instruments exactly how you like.
Sampla has an intuitive user interface and function set that can make any newbie or professional work with an extraordinary ease. The waveform view allows you to quickly sample the exact point you want in your audio either with their automatic feature or you can also do it manually by hand.
Polygon
Polygon is co-developed by Thomas Hennebert and Ivo Ivanov. It is a great sampler that makes it possible to create incredible sounds from your samples. With simplicity in mind, Polygon was designed with intuitive features for a clean and natural workflow.
Polygon comes with a one of a kind granular mode that can bend any samples to sound completely different. With the logical and clean interface, unique sonic fingerprint and extensive options of modulation, Polygon works well to produce high-quality sounds.
Cataract
Cataract is an incredibly noteworthy sampler for many reasons. The first of which is its clean an colorful interface. The controls are simple to understand and you’ll get good at using this plugin within a short amount of time.
This plugin features a variety of sample scanners with morphing capabilities and built-in sequencers for modulation.
With the use of Cataract, you can create architecturally complicated patterns with a few clicks. There are many built-in features that will allow you to sculpt your sounds to perfection. Definetely check out this sampler!
Phalanx
This sampler contains more than 6000 sounds/samples. This model is not just a fun tools to use but it is also flexible and powerful. Phalanx is a beloved tool to many, many, producers that create a wide variety of genres.
Phalanx features Vengeance Sound of Manuel Schleis with more than 3000 sounds! Samples you use will be saved in your projects. They can be dragged to the sample pads from the built-in browser for quick use.
This plugin also comes with a huge library. If you don’t have many samples in your own personal library, this is a big plus.
Other features of this plugin are having the ability to use up to 128 voices, 12 different filter types, 32 sample slots of stereo in 16 channels, undo/redo buttons, and much more.
Slicex
Slicex is a plugin that originated from the popular DAW, FL Studio. Since Imageline’s sampler was so powerful, they decided to release it as a VST plugin that can be used in all DAWs.
This plugin is a gamechanger when it comes to sampling. Rather than using the traditional beat detection algorithm, the wave file that has the data of region/slice will be utilized instead. Slicex gives you access to slice rearrangement, playback, and time-stretched functions that are fully optimized for drum loops.
Final Notes
There many samplers to be found around nowadays. It can be hard to choose the best one. At the end of the day, what matters is choosing a sampler that fits your needs and budget.
I hope you have enjoyed reading this article! If so, please give it a share on your favorite social network. It helps us a lot!
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A New User-Friendly Way to Produce Music: Stagelight ReviewThere are as many ways to use samples as there are music producers.
Working with samples can be as simple as dragging and dropping them onto your DAW timeline.
But many producers prefer the workflow of dedicated sampler plugins.
Sampler VSTs have a lot in common with hardware samplers—but they’re much more powerful and flexible.
Here’s the 10 best music samplers on the market today:
- Native Instruments Kontakt 6
- Logic EXS 24 mkII
- MOTU Machfive 3
- TAL Sampler
- Artutria CMI V
- Ableton Simpler
- Steinberg HALion
- Ableton Sampler
- discoDSP Bliss
- Air Music Technology Structure 2
In this article I’ll break down the best software sampler plugins for creative sampling techniques.
1. Native Instruments Kontakt 6
Native Instruments Kontakt is the biggest name in software samplers.
Konkat is an incredibly deep and powerful sampler plugin with a huge library of third party banks and sample sets available.
Kontakt can handle every task you’ll ever need your sampler to do, but it’s uniquely suited to realistic imitations of acoustic instruments.
It’s the go-to sampler of sound designers and film composers. Entire orchestras can be simulated convincingly with Kontakt.
These deep sampling capabilities combined with the extensive third party content make Kontakt a top sampler choice.
Deep sampling capabilities combined with the extensive third party content make Kontakt a top sampler choice.
2. Logic EXS24 mkII
Logic’s built in sampler plugin is the powerful EXS24, now on version mkII.
EXS24 is another capable modern sampler well suited to loading hyperrealistic multi-GB sample libraries of orchestral instruments.
EXS24 it’s equally at home on loops, phrases and single samples. It provides the powerful envelope, filtering and velocity triggering options you’d expect from a modern, full-featured sampler.
3. MOTU Machfive 3
MOTU Machfive 3 is another impressive sampler plugin from a respected manufacturer.
Machfive contains unique features such as a variety of noise oscillator styles and a dedicated synth engine with FM and wavetable modules.
MOTU offers a range of sampled instrument libraries that let you emulate studio staples like grand piano and orchestral percussion.
4. TAL Sampler
TAL Sampler is an excellent affordable sampler that brings back the fast and fun workflow of retro hardware samplers.
Its analog modeled synthesis section includes a self-oscillating filter and flexible modulation matrix for subtractive tone shaping.
TAL Sampler can only has four independent layers, but sometimes limitations are good.
TAL Sampler only has four independent layers, but sometimes limitations are good.
TAL Sampler features a unique DAC modelling engine that can emulate the sonic qualities of several vintage samplers.
These crunchy and lo-fi yet satisfying sampling modes set TAL Sampler apart.
5. Arturia CMI V
Arturia CMI V is a plugin recreation of the legendary Fairlight CMI.
The Fairlight casts a huge shadow over the history of sampling. In fact, the term “sampling” itself was coined to describe one of the functions of the CMI.
When it first debuted the CMI came with a price tag of around $300,000 USD—and it’s sampling capabilities were primitive by today’s standards.
Nonetheless, artists like Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Wonder and Herbie Hancock embraced its futuristic sound and helped popularize the concept of sampling.
Arturia’s lovingly crafted plugin version gives you all the distinctive vibe of the Fairlight sampler without the price tag.
The unique sound and workflow of the CMI is an inspiring sampling tool.
The unique sound and workflow of the CMI is an inspiring sampling tool.
6. Ableton Simpler
Sometimes the best solution to a problem is to make it…simpler.
Ableton’s built-in Simpler plugin comes standard with all versions of Live.
Simpler is straightforward and creative yet deep and powerful. When it comes to manipulating single sounds, Simpler is one of the most immediate tools available.
With every parameter accessible from a single Live-sized panel, Simpler gives you direct access to the controls that matter most.
Simpler can only load one sample at a time, but that’s more than enough given how flexible and creative this tool is.
Best Sampling Vst Plugins
7. Steinberg HALion
Steinberg’s HALion was one of the first advanced DAW samplers on the market.
It’s another powerful sound design tool capable of highly precise sonic sculpting and realistic emulation of acoustic instruments.
HALion also features a well-developed library of sampled instruments including vintage style synths, world instruments, and convincing pianos.
Since it’s been a favourite for so long, HALion has an active user community to help you get the most out of its powerful features.
Best Free Sampler Vst Plugin
8. Ableton Sampler
Ableton Sampler is Simpler’s big brother and Ableton’s flagship sampling plugin.
Where Simpler is designed to keep things quick and easy, Sampler dives into the nitty gritty with advanced sound manipulation features and the ability to load multi-sampled libraries.
But Sampler doesn’t completely abandon the straightforward approach of Simpler.
Despite its advanced capabilities you’ll still find all the playability and ease of use that Ableton is famous for in Sampler.
9. discoDSP Bliss
discoDSP Bliss is a simple but powerful sampler with some extremely creative features.
Bliss can automatically create sampled instruments from patches on any VST instrument.
That’s a pretty useful feature if you’re working with CPU-hungry synth plugins that bog down your sessions.
Ableton’s built-in Simpler plugin comes standard with all versions of Live.
But that’s not all Bliss has to offer. In addition to its highly customizable envelopes, filters and LFOs it features a built-in wave editor for making powerful sample- level adjustments to your source material.
10. Air Music Technology Structure 2
Air Music Technology Structure 2 is a full-featured modern sampler plugin with lots to offer.
Structure 2 comes bundled with a giant library of sounds to get started using right away. Plus, it supports every major format available for third party sample sets.
Its advanced sample editor gives you granular control over every parameter.
So many samplers so little time
Sampling and samples are a revolutionary technology. Dedicated sampler plugins like the ones on this list extend the sonic possibilities of your samples.
Try one of these sampler plugins the next time you’re looking for a creative tool to work with your samples.