playback multi-sampled sound

[tr3tton]

Hello, I'm a relatively new member from sweden.

i was wandering after having spent days on this forum, if there is anyone here who has thought about creating a module for playing sampled sounds?

Not just 1 voice loops but more like a polyphonic sampler circuit, like clavia nord electro, multi sampled piano or harpsichord sounds.

Would it be hard to create a circuit with adressable memory so that when I press the c3 key on my keyboard, a sampled c3 piano tone gets played?

/Jonas

[cimo]

hi kompis

i can t really understand, what you want it ia a sampler right? then this is not the proper place and i doubt you can diy a custom sampler to compete with commercial ones.Anyway .. who knows?

hej da

simone

[AndrewMartens]

I've looked into making a DIY sampler before, so here's the skinny:

- yes, it's possible

- it's going to be a lot of effort, either building tons of hardware to come up with something equivalent to a mid-80s sampler, or writing a lot of software to come up with a mid-90s sampler

- even with all that effort, it will cost you substantially more than buying a used sampler

- you're better off buying one, or just using a softsampler VST of some kind

This is especially true if you want to do multisampled instruments.

[stryd_one]

Get an akai s2000. Stock it up with the 32MB max ram. Use Millennium to control it (NOT MESA!). Get the IB208P for extra outs. s3xxx series are pretty cheap these days too.

[tr3tton]

Hej Kompisar! ;)

well, Actually I was interested in learning actually how a keyboard like the clavia nord electro really works, playing back one sound sample per pressed key on a keyboard... And of course if anyone here knew how or if they'd actually done it.

I'm mostly into analog circuits and a total n00b on MIDI, but I figured If anyone had built a DIY sampler, they'd hang out here! ;) The biggest reason for me wanting to know, is that: I love the sound of harpsichord (cembalo) but in most EPs and modules, the cembalo sound is not quit satisfactory, probably beacause of its change in tonality from the lowest C to the Highest C. I have e-mailed the R&D at clavia several times but it seems that I am one of the few people on this planet who really would like to have a good harpsichord / cembalo sample... =(

blip 'til you blop.. drop! /Jonas

[seppoman]

Hi,

DIYing a high quality sampler is nearly impossible. First problem: you´d need A LOT processing power and RAM, no way to do this with a PIC or AVR. For stuff like a harpsicord you´d need at least 16 voices. A good 16 bit sample that doesn´t loop after half a second needs a few hundred kilobytes RAM per note, so you need at least 16 MB of parallel accessed external RAM and the data throughput for 16 voices is immense. Perhaps an at least useable quality would be possible with a ColdFire or top notch ARM processor, better to accompany them with one or more powerful DSPs. Commercial samplers use a number of custom ICs which are designed for that special purpose.

It might be possible (and even fun) to design a really basic LoFi sampler (8 bit, e.g. 4 voices, external analog processing with e.g. SSM2164 (VCA) and SSM2044 (VCF)) that plays a few short samples from a small RAM, but even that would be a year of work for more than one of the more ambituous MidiBoxers. But this wouldn´t be suitable to get a perfect (or even just good) harpsicord...

The best thing really would be to get a commercial sampler. In Akai format, there are thousands of sample CDs in mostly very good quality available. E.g. I´ve got the Wizoo Magnetica that has different Rhodes and Wurlitzer pianos with several velocity layers etc. that really can compete with stuff like the Nord Electro. Suppose there´s also a few good harpsicords out there.

Commercial samplers can be found really cheap used as everyone is going VST these days. I wouldn´t buy an s2000 anymore - I had one several years ago, and while the sound and technical specs are quite ok, the user interface is a royal pain in the ass... It´s nearly impossible to do anything with it on the front panel other than firing up presets, the OS is booted from floppy etc. A nice machine that could go for under 200 € these days would be the S3000XL, or better the CD3000XL that has a built-in CD drive. Really powerful samplers are the Akai S5000 and the E-MU EOS series. I´ve got an E-MU e6400 with digital out and effects option, 128 MB of RAM, hard disc, external CD and MO drive. With a setup like this, really everything is possible. The EOS is a very ergonomic system and the various E-MU filter models and virtually unlimited routing/modulation possibilities are famous for their sound and synthesis power. Even these units go for 300-400 € nowadays. Designing something comparable is absolutely impossible for hobbyists. Dozens of engineers have worked for years to achive this sound quality, features, reliability etc...

Seppoman

P.S. I´ve just noticed that this is my 256th posting, which makes me feel very 8 Bit right now  ;)

[kris]

yea i was thinking of buying an old sampler akais5000/akais6000 basiclly for the effects and filters dsp i can do all the sampling i want in software but those hardware filters are interesting

      kris

[tr3tton]

Hey,

Thanks for the thurrough response! Seppoman has managed to explain it clearly to me! thanks! So basically, my hi-fidelity dreams were crushed  ;) , but what about an lo-fi sampler circuit? how would that change the this setup? doesn't all samplers work by the same principal, or do you mean that it would be possible to build an 8-bit sampler of a more basic character?

I would of course be intressted in a lo-fi sampler for making rythms and beats! tell me more pls! ;)

[mythicbeast]

was just making a post about the same question. the chip used in ensoniqs old synths and samplerslike themirage is the same chip that runs the soundcard in an apple IIgs, which I also remember for its crispy sample playback. I think that the IIGs chip or the chip from a sega genesis, which is supposed to do FM and sample playing, would be good candidates.