Maize Sampler 2 is on the way

[caoxiang]

Sorry for the long waiting. I know we haven't updated Maize Sampler for some time. But a entire new version of Maize Sampler is coming!

Maize Sampler 2 is a complete rebuild. No code from Maize Sampler 1 is reused. And the highlighted features are:

* Cross-platform: Maize Sampler 2 Editor will support both Windows & Mac. And the player plug-in is also cross-platform. (ie. VST on Windows & AU on Mac)
* New editor GUI: the editor will be a standalone application instead of a plug-in. In this way, the GUI of the editor is very flexible and professional. New features can be added without modifying the graphics. Another thing is that the new editor will have two different views: Mapping view and Table view. This is handy for editing overlapped samples.
* Disk-streaming & Memory: both buffering modes are supported. You can use DFD for instrument which has a lot of long samples or use all-memory for instruments which only have short samples to avoid any disk latency.
* 16bit/32bit internal precision switch: There is really no need to create a 32bit buffer for instrument which only uses 16bit samples. This could boost the performance dramatically for some instruments.
* Group Selection: group selection (used to be layer switch) are way more flexiable now. Maize Sampler 2 support key switch, controller range switch, program change switch and MIDI channel switch.
* A lot more....

All of the above features are already done. I'm working on more now. We also need your help for beta-testing after the development is done.

[Tp3]

When will it be out ?

[caoxiang]

When will it be out ?

Conservatively speaking, in the first half of this year.

[Midiworks]

This is very good news!

But the main question remains.

What about importing different formats?

This was the biggest issue that I had with the old version.
The import must work without any problems and must be easy to do.

Can you tell us a bit about this?

[caoxiang]

This is very good news!

But the main question remains.

What about importing different formats?

This was the biggest issue that I had with the old version.
The import must work without any problems and must be easy to do.

Can you tell us a bit about this?

There are so many different sampler formats and each of them requires different sampler components (filter, LFO, etc) to work. Maize Sampler is designed for sound devloper with raw samples, so supporting different sampler format is not my first priority now. But for different sample formats, maize sampler 2 has a wide range supports including all kinds of wav, aif, ogg* and flac*. To extract samples from other sampler formats such as sf2, nki and gig, you have to go for 3rd party tools .

*windows only

[Karmacomposer]

I'll be happy to beta test (as someone that bought Maize but has not been able to use it at all).

It needs more effects (reverb, delay, chorus, etc), filtering (lfo), key zones and the ability to allow end users to alter these things as well.

Lastly, total re-skinning. Not just one little box.

Mike

[Midiworks]

This is very good news!

But the main question remains.

What about importing different formats?

This was the biggest issue that I had with the old version.
The import must work without any problems and must be easy to do.

Can you tell us a bit about this?

There are so many different sampler formats and each of them requires different sampler components (filter, LFO, etc) to work. Maize Sampler is designed for sound devloper with raw samples, so supporting different sampler format is not my first priority now. But for different sample formats, maize sampler 2 has a wide range supports including all kinds of wav, aif, ogg* and flac*. To extract samples from other sampler formats such as sf2, nki and gig, you have to go for 3rd party tools .

*windows only

Sorry if I wasn't clear, nobody needs full import features.
But what we need is to be able to note the basic sample sets into maize.
Key splits, layers, maybe an approximate envelope.

Basically exactly what the old maize was doing,
but this time I would like to see it working without any problems or difficulties.

This is what I wanted to say.
Maybe you can comment on this?

[Midiworks]

I forgot to say,
most people have already the tools to convert their sample libraries into other formats.

I just don't want to rebuild the sample libraries that I did already years ago, for Akai, giga sampler, contact.
I want to be able to import the program structure,
not the filters, LFO etc., this can be done again probably much better by hand using maize.

I would like to be able to load the basic patch structures of sf2 or Giga or Kontakt.
It would be even enough if only one format could be imported without any problems.
But as I said "without any problems" !

I agree with the other person that it is extremely important to skin the exported plug-ins without limitation!

I don't agree too much with the other person that wanted build in effects.
Most people already have all the effects they need.
It would be much more elegant to allow to import and host VST/AU.

In case you incorporate some effects,
please make sure that the user is able to completely turn them off. [To save CPU]

What I always loved about giga sampler/studio was,
that I was able to switch even huge programs on the fly.
With out any loading time or waiting.
It always felt to me like a hardware synth and that was so great about it.

so, that's it for now.
I would love to hear your thoughts about this.

[tongsong]

This is very good news!

Can you tell us a bit about this?

, maize sampler 2 has a wide range supports including all kinds of wav, aif, ogg* and flac*. To extract samples from other sampler formats such as sf2, nki and gig, you have to go for 3rd party tools .

*windows only

then it would almost being useless, without the support of major formats like .gig, .nki, sfz, sf2....shortcircuit came in way prettier and free

[Midiworks]

then it would almost being useless, without the support of major formats like .gig, .nki, sfz, sf2....shortcircuit came in way prettier and free

I don't agree with you.
If maize would be able to import just one format,
but this one without any problems and correctly,
then this is all I'm asking for and all that the user really needs!
[Sure, you need a third-party tool to do the conversion from other libraries into that format]

the main focus, should be on streaming capabilities like the giga studio.

The possibility to fully skin the exported plug-in.

Cross-platform compatible.


When all these things are present,
then it will be a more then useful tool for soundware developers.

which makes me think,
what about protecting the sample content?
[Maybe in the way that native instruments do it]

[Karmacomposer]

I forgot to say,
most people have already the tools to convert their sample libraries into other formats.

I just don't want to rebuild the sample libraries that I did already years ago, for Akai, giga sampler, contact.
I want to be able to import the program structure,
not the filters, LFO etc., this can be done again probably much better by hand using maize.

I would like to be able to load the basic patch structures of sf2 or Giga or Kontakt.
It would be even enough if only one format could be imported without any problems.
But as I said "without any problems" !

I agree with the other person that it is extremely important to skin the exported plug-ins without limitation!

I don't agree too much with the other person that wanted build in effects.
Most people already have all the effects they need.
It would be much more elegant to allow to import and host VST/AU.

In case you incorporate some effects,
please make sure that the user is able to completely turn them off. [To save CPU]

What I always loved about giga sampler/studio was,
that I was able to switch even huge programs on the fly.
With out any loading time or waiting.
It always felt to me like a hardware synth and that was so great about it.

so, that's it for now.
I would love to hear your thoughts about this.

and I disagree with you on effects. When you have built-in effects, you can create presets with more nuance and less overhead. I HATE loading in effects after effect external to my instrument - having it all in one place is way more convenient and allows for cool layered effects.

However, some people just don't like effects. So, turn them off. Don't use em. Most synths have effects and they make for very powerful additions to a synth's capabilities.

Mike

[Midiworks]

and I disagree with you on effects. When you have built-in effects, you can create presets with more nuance and less overhead. I HATE loading in effects after effect external to my instrument - having it all in one place is way more convenient and allows for cool layered effects.

However, some people just don't like effects. So, turn them off. Don't use em. Most synths have effects and they make for very powerful additions to a synth's capabilities.

Mike

Mike, it is a question of what you want to do when using maize.
If you want a full fledged sampler then I agree with you.
But then you have things like contact and you can do all those things.

I am looking at this, and always did from a developers point of view.
Sure, effects can be useful but I can already hear people complaining about the quality of the effects etc.
the main goal in my eyes should be,
a developer tool.

[Karmacomposer]

and I disagree with you on effects. When you have built-in effects, you can create presets with more nuance and less overhead. I HATE loading in effects after effect external to my instrument - having it all in one place is way more convenient and allows for cool layered effects.

However, some people just don't like effects. So, turn them off. Don't use em. Most synths have effects and they make for very powerful additions to a synth's capabilities.

Mike

Mike, it is a question of what you want to do when using maize.
If you want a full fledged sampler then I agree with you.
But then you have things like contact and you can do all those things.

I am looking at this, and always did from a developers point of view.
Sure, effects can be useful but I can already hear people complaining about the quality of the effects etc.
the main goal in my eyes should be,
a developer tool.

See, that is where you and I differ. I, too, am looking this as a developer's tool. I mainly create sample collections, so I would use this to create virtual instruments for my in-house samples. I feel that effects are an integral part of any quality virtual instrument and allow for a higher sale value and customer satisfaction level - they feel they are getting something for their money, even though what I am really selling is my hard work and quality samples.

Of course, we could always agree to disagree.

That said, perhaps there could be a feature where you can choose what modules go into the resulting vsti - check off or on what you want to include (reverb - check, delay - check, nah, don't want any overdrive for this one).


Mike

[caoxiang]

I forgot to say,
most people have already the tools to convert their sample libraries into other formats.

I just don't want to rebuild the sample libraries that I did already years ago, for Akai, giga sampler, contact.
I want to be able to import the program structure,
not the filters, LFO etc., this can be done again probably much better by hand using maize.

I would like to be able to load the basic patch structures of sf2 or Giga or Kontakt.
It would be even enough if only one format could be imported without any problems.
But as I said "without any problems" !

I agree with the other person that it is extremely important to skin the exported plug-ins without limitation!

I don't agree too much with the other person that wanted build in effects.
Most people already have all the effects they need.
It would be much more elegant to allow to import and host VST/AU.

In case you incorporate some effects,
please make sure that the user is able to completely turn them off. [To save CPU]

What I always loved about giga sampler/studio was,
that I was able to switch even huge programs on the fly.
With out any loading time or waiting.
It always felt to me like a hardware synth and that was so great about it.

so, that's it for now.
I would love to hear your thoughts about this.

Wow, a lot replies here these days. Yes, I agree with you on "It would be even enough if only one format could be imported without any problems." Since I already have experience on Sound Font, I think I will try to stick with it for Maize Sampler 2 and make sure the conversion process is not buggy.

[caoxiang]

then it would almost being useless, without the support of major formats like .gig, .nki, sfz, sf2....shortcircuit came in way prettier and free

I don't agree with you.
If maize would be able to import just one format,
but this one without any problems and correctly,
then this is all I'm asking for and all that the user really needs!
[Sure, you need a third-party tool to do the conversion from other libraries into that format]

the main focus, should be on streaming capabilities like the giga studio.

The possibility to fully skin the exported plug-in.

Cross-platform compatible.


When all these things are present,
then it will be a more then useful tool for soundware developers.

which makes me think,
what about protecting the sample content?
[Maybe in the way that native instruments do it]

About the custom skin, here is my current plan and works:

1. Instead of just changing the logos, new maize sampler player's background picture is changable. So users can design the appearance of their instruments. For example, a fancy guitar picture as background for a guitar instrument. In this way, no company logo and instrument logo need to be provided, because all can be put in the background picture. I call this background picture "player skin", which already works now.

2. XML described control layouts. Obviously, just changing background picture is not enough for serious soundware developer. So a XML control layout designer will be introduced. It's not WYSIWYG (i.e. WYSINWYG ), but it provides a simple way to customize the player layouts. For example, knobs can be added for some predefined parameter, on screen keyboard can be shown or hidden. It will look like something like this:

<Knob pos="30,30" size="50,50" color="0x363428" control="attack">
<Knob pos="30,30" size="50,50" color="0x363428" control="volume">
<Knob pos="30,30" size="50,50" color="0x363428" control="pan">
<Keyboard pos="90,30">
<GroupSelector pos="30,130" size="300,50">
...

And about instrument protection, here is my thoughts which are not implemented yet:
In the maize sampler editor, users could generate/import a list of serial numbers. These numbers will be encoded into the exported instrument files (*.msb). When maize sampler player loads this kind of msb which contains serial numbers, it will prompt end users for a serial number. If the input serial number (after encoding) matched one of the record, it will proceed, otherwise it won't load.
This can handy for users who want to simple protection in order to sell their instruments. But there is absolute no warranty on this protection. As you may known, nothing is uncrackable these days.