Sampler for DP on a budget

[burnley]

Hey everyone.

I have a limited budget and would like to get a sampler to use with DP primarily to build my own library of samples. I am interested in sound design as well as musical applications. MachFive seems like it would be ideal, but the price is a bit out of my budget (I do have East-West Play, so I would be eligible for a $300 competitive upgrade). From what I've seen, Structure looks pretty good for my purposes, and at $150, it's quite affordable. Also curious about Alchemy, but for the money, I probably might as well save up for MachFive. I have considered, but am leaning away from Kontakt — I have the free player and it seems like that will be sufficient for now.

Any advice and opinions based on your experience would be most appreciated.

Thanks!
Burnley

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Have you tried the built in nanosampler VI?

[bayswater]

It sounds like you want something that has some synth functions as well as sample playback in one engine, so MachFive might be best for you. Otherwise the others you mention might do it. One consideration in choosing a sampler is how much you're paying for the sampler versus the sound libraries.

Since price is an issue, consider that Kontakt goes on sale sometimes. I got V5 for about $125. Also, have a look at SampleTank and see if does what you want. It also goes on sale quite often.

I also use EXS-24 with DP by slaving Logic to DP. For $199, you get it with Logic plus a lot of other synths you can run like VIs from DP.

[cuttime]

I also use EXS-24 with DP by slaving Logic to DP. For $199, you get it with Logic plus a lot of other synths you can run like VIs from DP.

Or for $30 in Mainstage 3.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mainsta ... 9523?mt=12

[dpg4macman]

http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/sampletank3free/

[bayswater]

I also use EXS-24 with DP by slaving Logic to DP. For $199, you get it with Logic plus a lot of other synths you can run like VIs from DP.

Or for $30 in Mainstage 3.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mainsta ... 9523?mt=12

You get the sounds, but do you get the same editor?

[burnley]

Have you tried the built in nanosampler VI?

Thanks for all the prompt replies everyone!

The above question gets pretty close to what I am primarily after, a tool that helps me easily sculpt and refine my own samples, as opposed to a library of virtual instruments.

The thing is, the onboard DP Nanosampler and Model 12 instruments are a bit TOO basic. I would love a tool that includes an onscreen keyboard and allows me to assign a bunch of different sounds to one sample set (or is patch the correct term? I am still pretty green with this sampling business and have yet to get the lingo down). The Nano only plays one sample at a time and the Model 12 plays "only" 12 and lacks the onscreen keyboard-based interface.

Don't get me wrong, I would love a big library of instruments along with the sampler, but that's not my primary motivation. On the other hand, a bunch of sound effects would be welcome, as I am interested in doing more sound design work.

[billf]

. MachFive seems like it would be ideal, but the price is a bit out of my budget (I do have East-West Play, so I would be eligible for a $300 competitive upgrade). From what I've seen, Structure looks pretty good for my purposes, and at $150, it's quite affordable. Also curious about Alchemy, but for the money, I probably might as well save up for MachFive.

Alchemy is no longer sold, so that is not an option.

The competitive upgrade to MachFive is $259.00 at Sweetwater.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MachFive3cg

[MIDI Life Crisis]

There is a bottom line to this discussion: you get what you pay for. If you want a robust, reasonably full featured piece of software (or anything else) the price is commensurate with the quality and features. If you are making a living or any income from the item, it's easy to justify the purchase. Otherwise, one can afford the "luxury" of the item - or not. Same goes for vehicles, shoes, food, and even custom kitchens from the UK (inside joke about a spammer who targeted this site a while back).

All that said, MachFive is well worth every penny. It will make your work fast, easy, and professional sounding. THAT is what you're paying for. Priceless!

[cuttime]

I also use EXS-24 with DP by slaving Logic to DP. For $199, you get it with Logic plus a lot of other synths you can run like VIs from DP.

Or for $30 in Mainstage 3.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mainsta ... 9523?mt=12

You get the sounds, but do you get the same editor?

If by editor, you mean the VI interface

, yes. And don't forget the AutoSampler.

[bayswater]

I can't tell from that image if the edit button is there. Is it? Can you get to a keymap or zone editor, and all that?

Do you get all the sounds and synths that are Logic? That would be a lot of stuff for $30. A bit of a reversal too, from the time we were asked to pay $1,000 for the high end version of Logic because it had all the synths and samplers.

[Tritonemusic]

There's always UVI Worskation. It's free and is more advanced than NanoSampler. Still, if you're really into sound design, I think MLC nailed it.

[bayswater]

There's always UVI Worskation. It's free and is more advanced than NanoSampler. Still, if you're really into sound design, I think MLC nailed it.

The sound editing is pretty good, but can you load your own samples in the UVI player and create the keymaps and velocity maps? Or does it only play prebuilt patches?

[cuttime]

I can't tell from that image if the edit button is there. Is it? Can you get to a keymap or zone editor, and all that?

Do you get all the sounds and synths that are Logic? That would be a lot of stuff for $30. A bit of a reversal too, from the time we were asked to pay $1,000 for the high end version of Logic because it had all the synths and samplers.

Yes to all the above. Many Logic users have expressed your same frustration about Apple dumping the instruments as a loss leader.

[bayswater]

The effects too? Well there you go then. Mainstage is a good low cost place to get started. You can always load EXS-24 patches in to MachFive down the road when more sophisticated synthesis and DSP is required.

Now all they have to do it put a sequencer into Mainstage and there's no need for Logic at all. Now you're going to tell me V3 has a sequencer.