VSampler Basics

Samples

The smallest unit handled by VSampler is the sample. A sample is the binary representation of a sound, once VSampler is playing the sample you hear it's conversion into audible data. The management of samples in VSampler is located at the "Sample" page (see Main Window of VSampler). Samples are stored in the memory of the host computer. That means, for bigger soundbanks you will need more memory, recommended is a minimum of 128 MB RAM . The storage of samples is independent of the use of single samples by splits and presets (see below), a sample is stored just one time, no matter how many presets use it.

At the sample layer VSampler knows the following attributes:

Splits

One level higher on top of the samples layer there is the split. A split specifies


You can assign some additional attributes to a split:

A special feature of VSampler is the synthesizer-split (see The Synthesizer too). This special split does not have an underlying sample. Instead the sampledata is generated in realtime by the integrated synthesizer. This eats up more CPU power than the direct playback of an (already calculated) sample from memory. All other things of a "sythesizer split" are identical to "normal" splits and you can manage them alike.

Find more information about splits in the section Working With Splits.

Presets

VSampler splits are combined into a so-called preset. A preset is a single instrument which receives data from MIDI channels and plays the assigned splits and thus the underlying samples it is based on.

A preset may contain any number of splits, it's also possible to stack several splits, to obtain certain soundeffects. With velcity-crossfading it is possible to define specific splits which should be played at a given velocity.

A VSampler preset consists of the following attributes:

You'll find more information about presets at the section Working With Presets.

Banks

VSampler presets are stored in so-called banks. VSampler manages 64 banks, numbered 1..64. Every bank is devided into 64 programs, numbered 1..64. The position of a preset is defined by it's bank number and it's program number (position within a bank). With MIDI bank- and program-change commands (see MIDI Implementation) you can select each preset this way. You'll see the links from presets to banks graphically dressed at the "Presets" page.

Find more information about banks and presets at the section Working With Presets.

Multis

By default VSampler receives MIDI data on all 16 MIDI channels. The mapping of a preset to one of the 16 MIDI channels is done with a so-called multi. A multi defines, which preset is used for a MIDI command (e.g. Note-On) on a certain MIDI channel. Please note, this mapping applies to external MIDI data only, the Virtual Sampler on-screen keyboard always plays the currently selected preset.

VSampler manages up to 16 multis. This makes the quick combination of sounds for different songs pretty easy. The mapping of presets to Multi (MIDI) channels can be changed dynamically by MIDI bank- and program-change commands (see MIDI Implementation).

A VSampler multi contains the following attributes:

Find more information about  multis in the section Working with Multis.

Preset vs. Multi Mode

By default VSampler receives MIDI data on all 16 MIDI channels and uses the multi settings to find the corresponding preset. If you did not assign the current multi at the actual MIDI channel with a preset, this can result in no sound output, if the Note-On commands have been sent from an external MIDI keyboard (e.g. for testing some sounds). The problem can be worked around if you create an appropriate multi entry at the channel which your external  keyboard uses to send the data. While just testing some sounds this can be awkward, because you would have to change the respective multi-entry every time. To simplify that, VSampler offers a "Preset Mode" at the "Presets" page. In this mode VSampler still receives MIDI data on all 16 MIDI channels, but it will always play the currently selected preset and ignore the multi settings.

Please note, this mapping applies to external MIDI data only, the Virtual Sampler on-screen keyboard always plays the currently selected preset.