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<hr> |
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<a href="donations.html">Why donate?</a> |
<a href="donations.html">Why donate?</a> |
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</div> |
</div> |
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<p> |
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</td><td valign=top width="100%"> |
</td><td valign=top width="100%"> |
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<h2>The Project</h2> |
<h2>The Project</h2> |
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<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
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The LinuxSampler project was founded with the |
The LinuxSampler project was founded in 2002 with the |
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goal to produce a free, streaming capable open source pure |
goal to produce a free, streaming capable open source pure |
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software audio sampler with professional grade features, |
software audio sampler with high stability, efficiency and very |
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|
low latency, providing professional grade features, |
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comparable to both hardware and commercial Windows/Mac software |
comparable to both hardware and commercial Windows/Mac software |
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samplers and to introduce new features not yet available by any |
samplers and to introduce new features not yet available by any |
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other sampler in the world. |
other sampler in the world. |
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current setup and state of the running sampler engine. |
current setup and state of the running sampler engine. |
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</p> |
</p> |
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|
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<h2>The Format</h2> |
<h2>Sampler Formats</h2> |
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<p class="default"> |
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Virtual instruments (i.e. pianos, drums, orchestra ensembles) based |
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on sampler software are created and distributed as files, which |
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essentially contain recorded audio samples plus so called |
270 |
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<i>articulation informations</i>. The latter are a very important |
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factor to make audio samples assemble a realistic sound of i.e. |
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natural instruments. The are defining when and how exactly |
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the individual audio samples shall be played back and modified by |
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the sampler. So a <i>sampler format</i> is made up of two things: |
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</p> |
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|
<ol class="default"> |
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<li> |
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<b>File format:</b> which defines how audio samples and |
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articulation informations are stored in files exactly. |
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</li> |
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<li><b>Synthesis model:</b> which defines what the sampler sampler |
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can do with audio samples, and how the sampler should interpret |
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the articulation informations stored in files. |
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</i> |
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</ol> |
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<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
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It is planned to support all common sampler formats in |
It is planned to support all common sampler formats in |
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LinuxSampler, but at the moment we chose to concentrate on the |
LinuxSampler. At the moment the sampler supports the following |
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Gigasampler format, because when we started this project, the |
three: |
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Gigasampler format was (in our opinion) the most popular |
</p> |
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and "best" sampler format in regards of quality and power, |
<ol class="default"> |
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especially for the synthesis of natural instruments like pianos, |
<li> |
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brass and bowed instruments. But we already made good advance in |
<b>GigaStudio/GigaSampler Format:</b> |
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implementing this format, so we are optimistic to start with |
First format ever supported by LinuxSampler and hence probably |
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adding other formats soon. Beside that we also planned to |
the most mature option in LinuxSampler right now. When we |
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design our own, sophisticated sampler format to introduce a more |
started to develop LinuxSampler back in 2002, we chose to |
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powerful and more flexible sampler format compared to |
concentrate on this commercial sampler format first, because at |
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any sampler format currently available in the world. Be encouraged |
that point it was (in our opinion) the most popular and "best" |
299 |
to share your ideas about such a new format with us! |
sampler format in regards of quality and features, especially |
300 |
|
for the synthesis of natural instruments like pianos, brass and |
301 |
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bowed instruments. Some of the best sounding orchestra |
302 |
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libraries were made in this format at that time.<br> |
303 |
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<br> |
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In contrast to all those commercial samplers |
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out there who claim to support the GigaStudio/GigaSampler format, |
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we invested many years and a lot of effort to reassemble the original |
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sound of this format as exactly as possible, as it was with the |
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original GigaStudio PC software. Other samplers usually provide |
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only raw sample playback for this format and - if at all - only |
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limited support for its articulations and synthesis model. |
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LinuxSampler however is providing i.e. envelopes and filters |
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with very precise characteristics and accuracy of the original |
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ones used in the original GigaStudio software. We even |
314 |
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reassembled the "warty" parts of the format, that is strange |
315 |
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aspects of the format. All this just to fulfill one goal: |
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playing back your huge collection of high class .gig instruments with |
317 |
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LinuxSampler exactly as they sounded like with GigaStudio! |
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And as of to date there is probably no other sampler out there |
319 |
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which does that job better. |
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<br><br> |
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</li> |
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|
<li> |
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|
<b>SoundFont Format:</b> |
324 |
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Being a very popular sampler format, supported by numerous |
325 |
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hardware devices and sampler software products for many years, |
326 |
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we also added support for the SoundFont format. However, since |
327 |
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this format is fairly old and limited we did not spend as much |
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effort on it than on the other formats. So there is currently |
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not full support for all aspects of this format yet. Be invited |
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to help us on finishing support for this format! |
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|
<br><br> |
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|
</li> |
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|
<li> |
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|
<b>SFZ Format:</b> Not to be interchanged with the |
335 |
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<i>SoundFont</i> format! Even though their names suggest them to |
336 |
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be similar, and also being initiated by the same company, the SFZ |
337 |
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format does not have much in common with the SoundFont format! |
338 |
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The SFZ format is a quite new one, an open format that is also |
339 |
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used as basis in many commercial sampler products. It has the |
340 |
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potential to become a broad standard format among sampler |
341 |
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products. It is extensible for custom features, provides |
342 |
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articulation information in human-readable text form and samples |
343 |
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are usually stored as separate files along to the articulation |
344 |
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files. The latter also allows a variety of audio formats to be |
345 |
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used and gives sound designers and their customers various |
346 |
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advantages to work with. |
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<br><br> |
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Due to its high potential we recently spent a lot of time in |
349 |
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supporting this format in LinuxSampler. A lot of this format is |
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<a href="/sfz/">already supported</a> (v1 and v2) in |
351 |
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LinuxSampler, also extensions of commercial samplers, and we |
352 |
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continue to evolve support for this format. |
353 |
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</li> |
354 |
|
</ol> |
355 |
|
<p class="default"> |
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Along to these formats, we have been thinking about creating our |
357 |
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own, new sampler format from scratch, for providing new sampler |
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features currently not available in any sampler yet. However when |
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we started adding support for SFZ, we realized such features should |
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rather be implemented as extension to the SFZ format. |
361 |
</p> |
</p> |
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|
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<h2>The Editor</h2> |
<h2>Instrument Editors</h2> |
364 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
365 |
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For creating new virtual instruments and for adjusting your |
366 |
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existing ones, you may want to use an instrument editor. |
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LinuxSampler was designed decoupled from instrument editors, but |
368 |
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provides extensive support for cooperation with instrument editor |
369 |
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applications. Especially for the aspect of being able to edit an |
370 |
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instrument while playing it in the sampler, and for making all |
371 |
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changes audible immediately and without reloading the sounds into |
372 |
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sampler.<br> |
373 |
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<br> |
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Currently we implemented the following instrument editor |
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application:<br> |
376 |
|
<br> |
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<u><b>gigedit</b></u> allows you to edit and create instruments |
<u><b>gigedit</b></u> allows you to edit and create instruments |
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for the Gigasampler format, which can be used with LinuxSampler |
for the GigaStudio/Gigasampler format, which can be used with LinuxSampler |
379 |
as well as with Tascam's Gigastudio. Following our line of |
as well as with Tascam's original Gigastudio software. Following our line of |
380 |
modularity we also made the instrument editors independent |
modularity we also made this instrument editor an independent |
381 |
applications. Because let's face it: every sampler format is |
application. Because let's face it: every sampler format is |
382 |
different, so in our opinion it is better to honor the specific |
different, so in our opinion it is better to honor the specific |
383 |
features of one format with its own instrument editor application |
features of one format with its own instrument editor application |
384 |
instead of trying to fiddle everything into one single bloated |
instead of trying to fiddle everything into one single bloated |
409 |
you. |
you. |
410 |
</p> |
</p> |
411 |
|
|
412 |
<h2>The Technical Interface</h2> |
<h2>Technical Interfaces</h2> |
413 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
414 |
As the components of the sampler are independent applications, |
As the components of the sampler are independent applications, |
415 |
there must be a way to let the applications communicate with each |
there must be a way to let the applications communicate with each |
435 |
editor if you want. |
editor if you want. |
436 |
</p> |
</p> |
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|
|
438 |
<h2>The Compatibility</h2> |
<h2>Compatibility & Cross Platform</h2> |
439 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
440 |
LinuxSampler is available for the most popular operating |
LinuxSampler is available for the most popular operating |
441 |
systems and already supports a variety of audio and MIDI driver |
systems and already supports a variety of audio and MIDI driver |
447 |
So we're prepared for the future! |
So we're prepared for the future! |
448 |
</p> |
</p> |
449 |
|
|
450 |
<h2>The Community</h2> |
<h2>Sequencer & DAW Plugin Support</h2> |
451 |
|
<p class="default"> |
452 |
|
The sampler can be run stand alone as well as host plugin in popular |
453 |
|
sequencer or digital audio workstations like Cubase, Logic, Ardour, |
454 |
|
QTractor, Reaper and many more. At the moment the sampler supports |
455 |
|
the host plugin formats VSTi (v2), AudiUnit (AU), DSSI and LV2.<br> |
456 |
|
<br> |
457 |
|
You can also load effect plugins into the sampler, for them being |
458 |
|
used on parts or as master effects. Currently only the LADSPA plugin |
459 |
|
format is supported for sampler internal effects. |
460 |
|
</p> |
461 |
|
|
462 |
|
<h2>Community</h2> |
463 |
<p class="default"> |
<p class="default"> |
464 |
You need a helping hand? You certainly get the answers on your |
You need a helping hand? You certainly get the answers on your |
465 |
personal questions on our |
personal questions on our |
480 |
You have your own ideas and concepts for making the sampler better? |
You have your own ideas and concepts for making the sampler better? |
481 |
Great, share them with us!<br> |
Great, share them with us!<br> |
482 |
<br> |
<br> |
483 |
|
<br> |
484 |
</p> |
</p> |
485 |
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|
486 |
</div> |
</div> |