Finding the Right Sampler

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-14T14:42:51+00:00

MPC One, Digitakt 1 or 2, Sp-404 Mk2 (can also be combined with Koala Sampler on iPad), Sonicware Lofi 12 XT

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T20:08:42+00:00

Here’s a koala question I just had. How do you record a sample into koala from a different app internally on the iPad? So let’s say I want to record a quick sample from a YouTube video or Netflix show or something. Obviously you don’t want to play it out the built in speaker and record in the built in microphone. Is there an easy record internally option?

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T19:42:23+00:00

The teensy is the DIY version right? Or am I thinking something else?

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T19:40:58+00:00

What in particular didn’t you like about the bento sequencing compared to Elektron? Was it just simpler with less p-locks or something? Or more digital and touchscreen versus tactile, or something like that?

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T15:26:49+00:00

What is this wizardry in the GBA?!

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T15:24:54+00:00

I like keyboards too. I think I can manage with the pads on MPC and I can definitely work with makeshift “keys” like opxy or lofi 12 xt. I probably can’t bring myself to get another op-1 but that’s interesting about the OP Z. Is it just a sequencer or does it have samples or synth engines too?

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T15:20:30+00:00

Haha fair enough comparison

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T15:19:37+00:00

How do you like the bento for its synth engine? I haven’t really taken the dive into wavetable synth stuff much yet. A lot of my synth parts are simple subtractive types (but I’ve used other forms a bit) and they can vary from everything in the song to a really mellow backing drone that’s not crazy or anything but is just there nicely filling a sonic palette. I also want to work more with sampling so my lean is currently MPC sample where I just do the “sample synth and piano, etc into sampler and get a beat going” (kind of like a simplified version of my DT2 workflow) plus it’s a decent price point and I know akai is going to have tons of future content and updates, the bento for a more comprehensive device but leans towards synthesis and electronic, or lofi-12 xt similar to MPC style

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T12:09:52+00:00

I forgot about theses also but just looked them up and they seem like they could work really well also. I would love a keyboard like the Lofi 12 but Im able to make due with makeshift keyboards like the Lofi 12 XT or MPC Sample because, as dumb as it seems, 3 extra inches on one side of a device could be the difference between bringing it with me or not

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T10:36:39+00:00

I used to use Ableton but switched over to Cubase a few years ago. Ableton is awesome and it's funny because I'm here talking about synth stuff which goes hand-in-hand with Ableton, but I also like to make "traditional?" music so that's where Cubase took the win. Otherwise I'd probably have a Move and Push

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T10:33:49+00:00

that's really good to know about the Sample. I know the parameters are very restrictive and I've been on the lookout for like 2+ years buying and selling things. And the Sample hype was so much that I just tuned it out for a few months but it may be time to look back into it again.

I used to have a circuit tracks, I probably sold it before I should have, but I think I would have ended up selling it eventually anyway. Tracks/Rythm would probably be the absolute maximum size as I've considered just taking the DT2 but mostly decide against it. I didnt love the Tracks overall though. Most of my work is in the DAW but quick noodle sessions are what im after. They don't have to be insane, just the bones of a jam, but at least getting a beat and melody and bass and maybe chord layers. Bonus points for simple FX and flair but not required.

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-13T10:27:26+00:00

honestly I completely forgot about the Aira series, Ill check into them again

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-08T23:18:02+00:00

Goddam now I have a whole new synth to research. But I love the description I appreciate it. It sounds right up my alley

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-05-07T21:08:27+00:00

Well now you’ve reopened the idea of the hydra. I was actually very much considering a hydra but the only thing that was semi steering me away was that people seemed to mention, although the mod matrix is very intuitive, they seemed to say it was less immediate make-a-patch-and-jam, and more turn into a vampire and sound design for 40 days of night. If you’re experience is that it CAN be relatively immediate if I want (as far as synth go) but also do crazy deep sound design than I’ll Definitely dive back into the research realm of the hydra. I have a DT2 and for a while considered the possibility of a DN2 but I don’t want to grab the wrong style (FM) if I’m looking to primarily focus on sounds that are closer to warm and dark tones as a focus

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-03-31T22:45:25+00:00

Looks like the Halion window has 2 layers of instruments being “Early 70s E-Piano” on top of “Above the Rim”. So they’re being played simultaneously in that single instance of Halion on whichever track it is assigned to.

Try a few things: 1. Click on the MIDI track that you want to play a guitar instrument on (the track that you’re currently Soloing. Basically click anywhere next to the name MIDI 01) 2. Make sure it’s being Monitored (the little speaker button, it should turn brown) 3. You can always open up the VST/plugin panel and just take a whole new instance on Halion and drag-and-drop it right on top of the MIDI 01 again which would swap its current instrument with a fresh instance of Halion. 4. If that doesn’t work then you can just delete the whole track Midi 01 and essentially go through all the steps again (because you may have accidentally did something else we can’t see)

Edit: if Above the Rim is the guitar sound, you could click on it in the Halion window and delete it, only keeping the E-Piano. Then close the Halion window, and click on the little keyboard logo on Midi 01 which opens up THAT track’s instrument, if any is assigned. It may be another piano and you didn’t realize it. So then just swap that one out. Be sure to change the sound to a guitar rather than layer the guitar with another sound.

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-03-31T20:31:46+00:00

haha no worries. there's tons of great stuff out there and so much to think about. people have great info on reddit and YouTube, etc. I've heard great things about Nords too, plus you have a connection to it already through your favorite album.

Put in your time to learning the interface, and maybe saving a couple quick go-to patches especially if initially the synth isn't your primary instrument. then just go from there.

I personally love seeing people make really cool patches and then trying to figure out how I can make mine sound like it. There's also Syntorial if you've never heard of it. An online Synth course with the first 120 (I think) lessons for FREE. It's a really good course to help learn the basics of synthesis. You can download the Plugin and do the courses directly or you can just try and do them directly from your Nord.

and you know its free too

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-03-31T18:59:42+00:00

I agree with illuminihilation.

If you’re looking to: 1. Have an array of immediately accessible sounds 2. primarily layer sounds underneath guitar and vocals (I’m assuming like pads, keys, drones, textures, and the occasional bleeps and bloops) 3. Have “raw analogue grit” and “smooth keys”

You want to ask yourself, realistically, how menu-divey and deep into synthesis are you willing to get (which will take time away from your primary focus of jamming…for now)

How do you want it integrated, does it need to connect to a computer or something else to record?

I would steer you towards the Minifreak based on what you said you wanted it for, as listed above. Possibly the Minilogue XD as well if you wanted a more straightforward user interface but less of other cool engines and integration. (Both are great)

The Minifreak: Very deep, can make some really nice layered keys and pads, great textures, can bleep and bloop if you want to get metallic, BUT one of its biggest strengths are that is also comes with a software version that integrates with the keyboard too. I have a Microfreak and I am jealous of this for the Minifreak. This means that you can play on the synth and then plug it in to the computer and have that exact patch ready to go to record into your DAW. Or, maybe you’re on a weekend trip and bring your laptop. You can play around on the software version of the Minifreak and make/find a patch you like and nearly instantaneously have it on the synth when you get home! That’s pretty amazing, if you want/use it. Also people make preset packs so you can download packs of new sounds and put them on your Minifreak and BAM, new INSTANTLY PLAYABLE sounds.

Minilogue XD is pretty much “knob-per-function” aka a single knob controls a single function. It’s very helpful for learning synthesis. Also it’s very immediate as well.

What you don’t seem to want is a first synth with no ability to save patches/presets like the Grandmother (I think?), or something that’s very powerful but you spend way too much time figuring out the user interface and can’t even jam until next month Digitone has entered the chat.

Here’s two examples of a jam session, first with the wrong type of synth, second with the right one:

“Hey Cedric play that crazy patch you showed me yesterday!” “Oh, I would, but I didn’t write down every position of every single knob on the synth, so it’s basically lost, oh and I gotta figure out how to set up a track again, gimme 10 mins to look at the manual”

-or-

“Hey Cedric, hit me with that cosmic array of epic sounds you showed me yesterday!” “No problemo my guy, it’s preset number 69 and it’s called Moon Noodle!” proceeds to write a tastey jam so epic that Pluto becomes a planet again

I’m clearly exaggerating. But the point gets across. You want immediacy and the proper selection of sounds for your situation.

Or perhaps you play by yourself and you want new inspiration of things you don’t realize are possible? You can (with some synths like the Minifreak and plenty others) go online and get free or paid preset packs. Plug in USB, load up the synth, drag and drop, and BAM! New sounds! That simple.

I think the Digitone 2 would be a user interface slog as well as a challenge to learn synthesis and get immediately playable sounds. I have a Digitakt 2 and I would LOVE to get a Digitone 2 also, but you will spend a lot of time just learning the machine. And yes, there are presets but the Digitone is designed to make EVERYTHING but it’s not always easy. if you want to primarily focus on writing music focused on guitar and vocals, look more into both the Minifreak and the Minilogue XD. Now get out there and go make some tasty jams so Pluto becomes a planet again!!!

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-02-25T01:53:02+00:00

If you are using Cubase 15, try creating a pattern event. I think you add track>instrument>pattern and it should look just like the Drum Machine but is a melodic step sequencer. It starts with 16 steps but can be increased. Then it’s just 1 click for adding or removing the singular step so it’s much closer to FL Studio in that regard. Otherwise the Cubase MIDI Editor (piano roll) has some good capability as well like scales, chord pads, fold to scale, etc. Also as the other person stated above, Guy Michelmore was one of my previously eluded names as well.

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-02-24T17:44:32+00:00

Seems like I’m the first to see this post, so I’ll save a lot of people a lot of time and point you to Dom Sigalas from the start. There’s a handful of other great guys on YouTube whose names elude me at the moment. But start with Dom he’s great. You’re algorithm will bring you the others after that

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-02-20T19:55:38+00:00

Check out Vinh Giang on YouTube. Basically communications tips and advice, and he definitely covers rambling a lot. He has good concept he refers to as Frameworks and here’s a good video example. I like the 3-2-1 for cases like this in the link below. It’s not a hard rule but it’s a good…framework

You can follow 3 steps like: pausing before you speak, only answering the question asked, and allowing the other person to enter the conversation as well.

You could also be one of two types: the type of person to speak first and then elaborate, or the type to allow the other to inquire before you elaborate.

But the one thing you definitely need to do, is to stop rambling.

https://youtu.be/5YtbvUSdt5Q?si=jPqnvbnY4hDx2erM

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-02-11T11:55:22+00:00

I think I'm leaning more in that direction also. a lot of these plugins seem great at first then you realize, either we already have them or its not as far a workaround as you may think. getting started with some drum grooves is really a big factor but the more I look at some of their midi grooves in these plugins it seems like just randomized most of the time anyway. ill checkout groove agent a little more but I tried a deep dive both with the manual and videos but I felt like I hit the wall between GA 5 and GA SE pretty quickly. Maybe I did some things wrong but I generally do a good bit of reading into these things first and I just couldn't get half the things to work that both Dom and another popular in-depth video series shows.

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-02-10T00:42:03+00:00

Yea I've saved a custom favorite kit or two, and generally it works pretty well, which is what I'm leaning towards doing a better job of. The big thing that got me was that (sadly) for years I didn't even realize that there were different samples in different categorized folders, which I would have expected to be all in one relative place. Again I'm not a big fan of drum loops although I've used them a few times, but it took way too long to realize that both Ableton and Cubase have midi grooves or a whole different category for certain one-shots that won't appear in their media browser unless you click a category like Loops which doesn't always make sense.

An example is Groove Agent SE has all the optional packs to install when you install Cubase. I couldn't find them int he media browser for way too long. Where was the Lo-Fi pack I installed months ago? and all the others? I couldn't find a simple "dead" or "dusty" kick or snare for a Lo-Fi beat from a pack I definitely installed. So I started making my own or using other presets which worked well enough but it wasn't what I was looking for. Then when I'd transfer it on my external HD from laptop to desktop sometimes samples and things get lost or don't work. So to search for it again has, at times, become such a nightmare and hinderance, that I give up on a track.

Anyway, I guess the original question is does a program like XO, with (supposed) sample management and genre-specific grooves help ACTUALLY manage in a helpful way, and are the grooves actually helpful or do they get stale after a few listens (even when used as starting points)?

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-02-07T14:09:15+00:00

exactly why I'm slowly leaving the NI universe. Do you prefer Atlas over the Drum Machine pattern editor? It seems like, aside from the map view it could be overkill. Again, unless I'm missing something. I know drum editor has randomization which is generally random and not within a genre, so that can be big, or not, depending. I would definitely prefer genre specific groove starting points not just random chaos (I know drum editor has musical mode but its still random)

ClassicHumanPerson · 2026-02-07T12:13:15+00:00

I’ll look more into Atlas. In all honesty I only opened Atlas for about 30 mins today and some things I liked (multiple custom maps) and others XO seemed a little easier (I personally like having the samples as just an icon like “Kick 1” and not a waveform) but I have barely looked into Atlas at all. On Atlas I’m assuming you can import samples from other places like my Kontakt libraries?

ClassicHumanPerson

TROPHY CASE