Decent Sampler - Playing ALL The FREE Instruments - Demoed in Cubasis 3 for the iPad

thesoundtestroom

I downloaded all the free instruments you can get with Decent Sampler.
I constructed a little track in this video using a few of those instruments in Cubasis.
I also demo every single one of those free instruments in the video.

If anyone is interested, if you download them all it takes up around 7.7gb

filo01

@thesoundtestroom said:
If anyone is interested, if you download them all it takes up around 7.7gb

And all of them must be stored on the iPad, right? So no external storage option like e.g. Pure Synth Platinum has.

Delinquent

Download the Piano Book libraries, a whole new universe awaits.

McD

@Delinquent said:
Download the Piano Book libraries, a whole new universe awaits.

I have downloaded almost every free instrument from PianoBook.co.uk that comes in the Decent Sampler
format. All the free instruments Doug demos here and 1 purchased pack called “Ethereal Vocal” for $10 comes in
just over 8GB but with the PianoBook instruments I’m at 167GB of samples.

The Decent Sampler packaging is typically a zip file which the app can install as is but you can unzip the downloaded instruments from PianoBook and gain access to the samples folders.

The metadata file format for Decent Sampler is well documented XML and any instrument can be modified to add extra
FX features, tweak the UI or expand the note range beyond its current limits.

Since the metadata file is editable you could also create your own instruments and upload the results to PianoBook or contact David Hilowitz to add your work to the store inside Decent Sampler. NOTE: there is a feature in Decent Sampler the encrypts the samples and authorizes an instrument for playback to protect the instruments that are sold.

My favorite PianoBook instrument is “The LobbyPiano” but it’s a bundled install of the Decent Sampler files with Native Instruments “Kontakt” and 10 SFZ instruments. The Decent Sampler implements all 10 piano types in a “mixer” format.
Only 1 of the 10 pianos sounds anything like a traditional piano… the others are hammered, plucked, snapped, muted, recorded under the lid or just over the lid and more. To load this instrument you have to use the “share” file on the downloaded zip file… it takes many seconds to load and finally presents 2 preset options. Only the 2nd one works for me because the instrument is so large. Hacking the XML “dspreset” file to make the instrument smaller might be needed for older iPad with less RAM. Anyway… it’s a piano that only PianoTeq 8 with the access to the models can rival for percussive weirdness.

I should test the SFZ’es in Isfizz or AudioLayer to see how that goes.

hes

I seem to recall many complaints about the Decent Sampler app being buggy. Have problems been ironed out?

McD

@hes said:
I seem to recall many complaints about the Decent Sampler app being buggy. Have problems been ironed out?

Yes. Installations of pianobook instruments was the most buggy and it’s working well now from the zip file and .dslibrary versions. dspreset files still need to be re-zipped with the samples or renamed with dslibrary extension (I think).

For a totally free Ecosystem… it’s the most robust with the most open feature set. It also works with MPE MIDI but is missing some MPE specs for aftertouch and such. But the pitchbend per note is there.

RonnieOmelettes

Thanks Doug - will have to explore some of those sounds. Would love a similar vid on the Pianobook stuff.

McD

@RonnieOmelettes said:
Thanks Doug - will have to explore some of those sounds. Would love a similar vid on the Pianobook stuff.

The instruments at PianoBook have video/audio demos on the download page.

GeoTony

I delete the downloaded .zip etc files once I’ve ‘ingested’ them into Decent Sampler which saves a lot of disc space (I think 🤔)