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|
|
| 178 |
<h2>The Project</h2> |
<h2>The Project</h2> |
| 179 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
| 180 |
The LinuxSampler project was founded with the |
The LinuxSampler project was founded in 2002 with the |
| 181 |
goal to produce a free, streaming capable open source pure |
goal to produce a free, streaming capable open source pure |
| 182 |
software audio sampler with professional grade features, |
software audio sampler with high stability, efficiency and very |
| 183 |
|
low latency, providing professional grade features, |
| 184 |
comparable to both hardware and commercial Windows/Mac software |
comparable to both hardware and commercial Windows/Mac software |
| 185 |
samplers and to introduce new features not yet available by any |
samplers and to introduce new features not yet available by any |
| 186 |
other sampler in the world. |
other sampler in the world. |
| 278 |
current setup and state of the running sampler engine. |
current setup and state of the running sampler engine. |
| 279 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 280 |
|
|
| 281 |
<h2>The Format</h2> |
<h2>Sampler Formats</h2> |
| 282 |
|
<p class="default"> |
| 283 |
|
Virtual instruments (i.e. pianos, drums, orchestra ensembles) based |
| 284 |
|
on sampler software are created and distributed as files, which |
| 285 |
|
essentially contain recorded audio samples plus so called |
| 286 |
|
<i>articulation informations</i>. The latter are a very important |
| 287 |
|
factor to make audio samples assemble a realistic sound of i.e. |
| 288 |
|
natural instruments. The are defining when and how exactly |
| 289 |
|
the individual audio samples shall be played back and modified by |
| 290 |
|
the sampler. So a <i>sampler format</i> is made up of two things: |
| 291 |
|
</p> |
| 292 |
|
<ol class="default"> |
| 293 |
|
<li> |
| 294 |
|
<b>File format:</b> which defines how audio samples and |
| 295 |
|
articulation informations are stored in files exactly. |
| 296 |
|
</li> |
| 297 |
|
<li><b>Synthesis model:</b> which defines what the sampler sampler |
| 298 |
|
can do with audio samples, and how the sampler should interpret |
| 299 |
|
the articulation informations stored in files. |
| 300 |
|
</i> |
| 301 |
|
</ol> |
| 302 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
| 303 |
It is planned to support all common sampler formats in |
It is planned to support all common sampler formats in |
| 304 |
LinuxSampler, but at the moment we chose to concentrate on the |
LinuxSampler. At the moment the sampler supports the following |
| 305 |
Gigasampler format, because when we started this project, the |
three: |
| 306 |
Gigasampler format was (in our opinion) the most popular |
</p> |
| 307 |
and "best" sampler format in regards of quality and power, |
<ol class="default"> |
| 308 |
especially for the synthesis of natural instruments like pianos, |
<li> |
| 309 |
brass and bowed instruments. But we already made good advance in |
<b>GigaStudio/GigaSampler Format:</b> |
| 310 |
implementing this format, so we are optimistic to start with |
First format ever supported by LinuxSampler and hence probably |
| 311 |
adding other formats soon. Beside that we also planned to |
the most mature option in LinuxSampler right now. When we |
| 312 |
design our own, sophisticated sampler format to introduce a more |
started to develop LinuxSampler back in 2002, we chose to |
| 313 |
powerful and more flexible sampler format compared to |
concentrate on this commercial sampler format first, because at |
| 314 |
any sampler format currently available in the world. Be encouraged |
that point it was (in our opinion) the most popular and "best" |
| 315 |
to share your ideas about such a new format with us! |
sampler format in regards of quality and features, especially |
| 316 |
|
for the synthesis of natural instruments like pianos, brass and |
| 317 |
|
powed instruments. Some of the best sounding orchestra |
| 318 |
|
libraries were made in this format at that time.<br> |
| 319 |
|
<br> |
| 320 |
|
In contrast to all those commercial samplers |
| 321 |
|
out there who claim to support the GigaStudio/GigaSampler format, |
| 322 |
|
we invested many years and a lot of effort to reassemble the original |
| 323 |
|
sound of this format as exactly as possible, as it was with the |
| 324 |
|
original GigaStudio PC software. Other samplers usually provide |
| 325 |
|
only raw sample playback for this format and - if at all - only |
| 326 |
|
limited support for its articulations and synthesis model. |
| 327 |
|
LinuxSampler however is providing i.e. envelopes and filters |
| 328 |
|
with very precise characteristics and accuracy of the original |
| 329 |
|
ones used in the original GigaStudio software. We even |
| 330 |
|
reassembled the "warty" parts of the format, that is strange |
| 331 |
|
aspects of the format. All this just to fulfill one goal: |
| 332 |
|
playing back your huge collection of high class .gig instruments with |
| 333 |
|
LinuxSampler exactly as they sounded like with GigaStudio! |
| 334 |
|
And as of to date there is probably no other sampler out there |
| 335 |
|
which does that job better. |
| 336 |
|
<br><br> |
| 337 |
|
</li> |
| 338 |
|
<li> |
| 339 |
|
<b>SoundFont Format:</b> |
| 340 |
|
Being a very popular sampler format, supported by numerous |
| 341 |
|
hardware devices and sampler software products for many years, |
| 342 |
|
we also added support for the SoundFont format. However, since |
| 343 |
|
this format is fairly old and limited we did not spend as much |
| 344 |
|
effort on it than on the other formats. So there is currently |
| 345 |
|
not full support for all aspects of this format yet. Be invited |
| 346 |
|
to help us on finishing support for this format! |
| 347 |
|
<br><br> |
| 348 |
|
</li> |
| 349 |
|
<li> |
| 350 |
|
<b>SFZ Format:</b> Not to be interchanged with the |
| 351 |
|
<i>SoundFont</i> format! Even though their names suggest them to |
| 352 |
|
be similar, and also being initiated by the same company, the SFZ |
| 353 |
|
format does not have much in common with the SoundFont format! |
| 354 |
|
The SFZ format is a quite new one, an open format that is also |
| 355 |
|
used as basis in many commercial sampler products. It has the |
| 356 |
|
potential to become a broad standard format among sampler |
| 357 |
|
products. It is extensible for custom features, provides |
| 358 |
|
articulation information in human-readable text form and samples |
| 359 |
|
are usually stored as separate files along to the articulation |
| 360 |
|
files. The latter also allows a variety of audio formats to be |
| 361 |
|
used and gives sound designers and their customers various |
| 362 |
|
advantages to work with. |
| 363 |
|
<br><br> |
| 364 |
|
Due to its high potential we recently spent a lot of time in |
| 365 |
|
supporting this format in LinuxSampler. A lot of this format is |
| 366 |
|
<a href="/sfz/">already supported</a> (v1 and v2) in |
| 367 |
|
LinuxSampler, also extensions of commercial samplers, and we |
| 368 |
|
continue to evolve support for this format. |
| 369 |
|
</li> |
| 370 |
|
</ol> |
| 371 |
|
<p class="default"> |
| 372 |
|
Along to these formats, we have been thinking about creating our |
| 373 |
|
own, new sampler format from scratch, for providing new sampler |
| 374 |
|
features currently not available in any sampler yet. However when |
| 375 |
|
we started adding support for SFZ, we realized such features should |
| 376 |
|
rather be implemented as extension to the SFZ format. |
| 377 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 378 |
|
|
| 379 |
<h2>The Editor</h2> |
<h2>Instrument Editors</h2> |
| 380 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
| 381 |
|
For creating new virtual instruments and for adjusting your |
| 382 |
|
existing ones, you may want to use an instrument editor. |
| 383 |
|
LinuxSampler was designed decoupled from instrument editors, but |
| 384 |
|
provides extensive support for cooperation with instrument editor |
| 385 |
|
applications. Especially for the aspect of being able to edit an |
| 386 |
|
instrument while playing it in the sampler, and for making all |
| 387 |
|
changes audible immediately and without reloading the sounds into |
| 388 |
|
sampler.<br> |
| 389 |
|
<br> |
| 390 |
|
Currently we implemented the following instrument editor |
| 391 |
|
application:<br> |
| 392 |
|
<br> |
| 393 |
<u><b>gigedit</b></u> allows you to edit and create instruments |
<u><b>gigedit</b></u> allows you to edit and create instruments |
| 394 |
for the Gigasampler format, which can be used with LinuxSampler |
for the GigaStudio/Gigasampler format, which can be used with LinuxSampler |
| 395 |
as well as with Tascam's Gigastudio. Following our line of |
as well as with Tascam's original Gigastudio software. Following our line of |
| 396 |
modularity we also made the instrument editors independent |
modularity we also made this instrument editor an independent |
| 397 |
applications. Because let's face it: every sampler format is |
application. Because let's face it: every sampler format is |
| 398 |
different, so in our opinion it is better to honor the specific |
different, so in our opinion it is better to honor the specific |
| 399 |
features of one format with its own instrument editor application |
features of one format with its own instrument editor application |
| 400 |
instead of trying to fiddle everything into one single bloated |
instead of trying to fiddle everything into one single bloated |
| 425 |
you. |
you. |
| 426 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 427 |
|
|
| 428 |
<h2>The Technical Interface</h2> |
<h2>Technical Interfaces</h2> |
| 429 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
| 430 |
As the components of the sampler are independent applications, |
As the components of the sampler are independent applications, |
| 431 |
there must be a way to let the applications communicate with each |
there must be a way to let the applications communicate with each |
| 451 |
editor if you want. |
editor if you want. |
| 452 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 453 |
|
|
| 454 |
<h2>The Compatibility</h2> |
<h2>Compatibility & Cross Platform</h2> |
| 455 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
| 456 |
LinuxSampler is available for the most popular operating |
LinuxSampler is available for the most popular operating |
| 457 |
systems and already supports a variety of audio and MIDI driver |
systems and already supports a variety of audio and MIDI driver |
| 463 |
So we're prepared for the future! |
So we're prepared for the future! |
| 464 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 465 |
|
|
| 466 |
<h2>The Community</h2> |
<h2>Sequencer & DAW Plugin Support</h2> |
| 467 |
|
<p class="default"> |
| 468 |
|
The sampler can be run stand alone as well as host plugin in popular |
| 469 |
|
sequencer or digital audio workstations like Cubase, Logic, Ardour, |
| 470 |
|
QTractor, Reaper and many more. At the moment the sampler supports |
| 471 |
|
the host plugin formats VSTi (v2), AudiUnit (AU), DSSI and LV2.<br> |
| 472 |
|
<br> |
| 473 |
|
You can also load effect plugins into the sampler, for them being |
| 474 |
|
used on parts or as master effects. Currently only the LADSPA plugin |
| 475 |
|
format is supported for sampler internal effects. |
| 476 |
|
</p> |
| 477 |
|
|
| 478 |
|
<h2>Community</h2> |
| 479 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
| 480 |
You need a helping hand? You certainly get the answers on your |
You need a helping hand? You certainly get the answers on your |
| 481 |
personal questions on our |
personal questions on our |
| 496 |
You have your own ideas and concepts for making the sampler better? |
You have your own ideas and concepts for making the sampler better? |
| 497 |
Great, share them with us!<br> |
Great, share them with us!<br> |
| 498 |
<br> |
<br> |
| 499 |
|
<br> |
| 500 |
</p> |
</p> |
| 501 |
|
|
| 502 |
</div> |
</div> |
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