Designed to recreate the vibe of classic hardware samplers, TX16Wx is yet another excellent virtual sampler, taking its cue from the venerable, quirky Yamaha TX16W of the late '80s. Available for OS X and Windows, it offers plenty of modern features as well, and is perhaps the most well-rounded cross-platform free sampler out there. The TX16Wx Software Sampler is a simple, yet powerful sampling instrument inspired by various classic hardware samplers from the 80s and 90s, but mainly the excellent Yamaha TX16W sampler as used with the Typhoon operating system. Many software samplers sport a multitude of features aimed mainly at disk-streaming gigabyte sized preset libraries.
Free sampling solutions
The sampler was the first real casualty of the plugin revolution, and for obvious reasons: samplers have always been software-powered, even when they came in physical form.
The world of virtual samplers is reigned over by a handful of popular commercial products, but there are a few options on the freeware front. Thanks to SynthEdit and SynthMaker, the internet is peppered with free 32-bit, Windows-only sample-playback efforts, but there are far fewer coded-from-the-ground-up options. However, we've ferreted out a few of the finest.
For more on making music with freeware, check out the March 2015 issue of Computer Music (CM214), which is in sale now. Also be sure to browse our round-ups of the best free plugin synths, free mixing plugins and free creative effect plugins.
Sometime you just need a plain good old sampler VST plugin for your tracks :
just load a .wav sample, tweak some envelope, maybe adjust pitch, and add some loop points. No more no less.
You don’t need the bells & whistles of Kontakt, nor gigabytes of library => just load some samples and come on !
So here’s a selection of 6 FREEWARE sampler in VST format:
1. TX16Wx VST
download 100% free : http://www.tx16wx.com/
Available for Windows (32 & 64 bit) & Mac (VST & AU 64 bit)
This one is more than a simple sampler for loading & playing audio files!
It’s the more complete & full featured free sampler.
Tons of modulations & envelope, powerful keyboard mapping…
You can choose between 4 sizes for the UI (from 800X600 to 1280X768)
and the plugin can record from its own inputs (DAW inputs).
This is also the more “up to date” plugin.
It can load wav, aiff ogg, flac + sf2 soundfonts and sfz.
2. Grace : Sampler
Grace Sampler
download : http://www.onesmallclue.com/plugin/grace/
Available for Windows in 32 & 64 bit VST format.
I find it more good looking than the TX16Wx!
It’s also very powerful; with keyboard mapping, envelope & modulation.
like the precedent, it can preview sounds, the browser is very nice.
can load wav, aif & snd + sfz bank sounds.
On the website you can also download library with good sounds.
3. ShortCircuit 2
download 4 free ! http://vemberaudio.se/shortcircuit.php
Availbable for Windows , 32 bit VST.
Sadly, Shortcircuit is discontinued.
But if you’re still using 32 bit VST, it’s one the best VST sampler around.
The Keyboard mapping (on a vertical view ! unlike the others), the modulation & evelope options, it’s very complete, and should work without any problems (you can also download older version if you experience some bugs)
can load wav files + AKAI sample file (AKAI S5000/S6000/ Z4 Z8) + sf2 files + Recycle REX files.
4. Paax 2 sampler
Paax 2 VST
direct download : http://www.behringerdownload.de/UCONTROL/p2_app.zip
Available for Windows 32 bit only VST.
Unfortunaly, the paax sampler has vanished from the internet, and is no longer developed.
The paax 3 was free for some time, and the paax 2 was always freeware.
The UI is small, but all the features are here.
Not the fastest workflow, but some like it like that.
5. EZ-Sampler
download : http://sbaudio.org/ez-sampler
Available for Windows, 32 bit VST only.
This one is simple, you can load only one sample, so no keyboard mapping.
Sometimes it’s just what you need ! and with EZ-Sampler, it’s fast and without troubles.
can load wav, aiff, ogg, flac, snd, wma & mp3 (need Lame Encoder).
Best Drum Sampler Vst
6. Helios VST !
Tobybear Helios VST
dowload : http://www.tobybear.de/files.html
Vst Sampler Free
Available for Windows, 32 bit VST only.
From the Tobybear “insbag” VST collection. This one is old school !
ADSR on volume + filter + delay + LFO + loop. Just load a wav file and let’s go!
drop some LFO on the loop start : instant funkyness!