Advice on my first sampler purchase

Other Gear
#1

I’d like to sample sounds and play them back, with the ability to tweak their pitch and wave forms on the box somehow.


I’d like something small, preferably hackable, inexpensive and option for battery powered, that I can plug into the input of my PO-20.

I’ve seen the micro granny, but is there anything else out there that will fit?

What else should I look for in a sampler?
#2

volca sample. micro granny. old MPC’s.



but the king…OP1 or a computer.

i really would love a cheap on the fly sampler. if the volca sample had a built in Microphone/line in as opposed to the stupid ios integration it would be perfect. maybe T.E. is gonna make a sampler PO(that would be great) ive long since been searching for a hyper portable sampler for inspiraton and jam filler etc… also somewhat an easier way to get field recordings/samples that I then will use in my productions. thats the dream atleast. the op1 gets close but not portable enough imo… maybe a modded microgranny.


if your tech savy a raspi could handle all this with a midi controller. DIY ive seen things like this already somewhat available(code etc…) i.e. google if interested most of the leg work is prolly already done.


the circuit might be able to load samples. havent paid much attention to it cuz then id have to buy one… lol






#3

The sp-404sx is like the standard go-to sampler right now if you are into hardware. MPC is coming out with a new sampler based on the MPC touch controller, that should be in 2017.

What you described in your wish list doesn’t exist, though.
I disagree with the master of stuff, I don’t think the OP is a better sampler than my 404

404 will not be able to pitch things though (use op for that), or show you a waveform (display only shows words/nums) - but it is portable, battery powered, very accessable, and a very capable sampler. long samples, short samples, chops, drum loops, etc, it is great for it all. I love mine to death.

What it lacks is a pitching function like an MPC, but there is no MPC to fit ur criteria.

Microgranny is very limited and it is a mono sampler jsyk

#4

My favorite is Octatrack.
Misses some things like chords but usually you can find a way to get where you want.
I love Elektron sequencer.

#5

Thinking more about what masterofstuff said, I bet you could build one… What is that one thing, axoloti?
anyone know if it’s anything like the organelle’s pd patches? A few cool samplers in the organelle
That dude really is a master haha why did I disagree

#6

Just to know about the Volca Sample: it can’t record samples directly - you have to use your phone/tablet/computer.

#7

OP-1 is out of the question, way out of my budget :frowning:
building one would be nice, but that’s what the microgranny is :slight_smile:

uuniverse, what’s limiting in the microgranny?

what about a patchblock or trinity?

#8

I think it’s only playing one sample at a time.

#9
OP-1 is out of the question, way out of my budget :(
building one would be nice, but that's what the microgranny is :)

uuniverse, what's limiting in the microgranny?

what about a patchblock or trinity?

If octatrack/Op1 out of budget and you wanna buy new id agree look at Sp404sx. Or possibly the recent electribe sampler. Both have limitations but do a lot too. Never used an electribe but have an Sp404 and still one of my favourite pieces of hardware even alongside more expensive stuff like OT/OP. Resampling with Sp404fx is fun and normally winds up somewhere interesting. Cool as a straight fx box for other gear too.

#10

"I think it’s only playing one sample at a time."


Is that what the mono/poly means? That’s ok isn’t it?
I don’t need more than one at a time. It’s just to learn.

SP404SX seems daunting and also over my budget at $400+

There doesn’t seem much out there for the modest tinkerer like myself
#11

404sx is the best around your budget period…if you use a computer or tablet then Volca sample would be ok or Microgranny would be cool but if you’re gonna spend 200 why not spend a little more, I’ve made that mistake. Micorgeanny might be better for you tho if you’re looking to do like pitch shift type stuff, 404 you’re basically sampling and resampling the same pitch and using just effects or clever pre sample tricks. There are some stand alone old Mpcs but I think you’re still looking at 4-500. I own a 303, 404sx, kaoss pad (which is very cool but too limiting to be the only sampler), op-1, octatrack (which is the best hands down but more expensive), some loop pedals and a zoom multi track recorder which also samples and sequences. 404sx has patterns so you can make samples and then make a pattern, you can play multiple samples at once, you can fill all your banks and pads and then just save that and open a clean slot on your memory card and start over without loosing everything like on 303, has two inputs and two outputs, a built in mic, sampling threshold for starting right on time when sampling and at battery powered. Has tons of effects but sadly isn’t designed to do pitch shift type stuff. But I’m sure if you made a very very tiny almost just single waveform sample you could pitch shift that and spread it across your pads super easy, then just resample a performance… you live in America? Go to sweetwater.com and ask to do three payments.

#12

Or get a small portable Sony Tascam recorder or a multi track recorder that loops and you’re all set should You choose microgranny. If
You don’t use a midi sequencer this would
Be the only other option for
Me in order to not have to ply all samples live unless you want that but microgranny seems rather small and cumbersome

#13

are there portable multi track recorders that loop? love something like that saves to SD card… really could use a good portable mic that records for sampling and field recordings while out and about.

#14

All the zoom multi tracks like the r8 or r16 will loop, they have built in sample players and sequencers you can just sample from your recording or straight to sample, whatever…they are battery powered too and have built in mics… my portable tascam dr 05 has a loop function too but not the best for on time stuff there’s generally a slightly delay before loop begins again

#15

I have an r8 I will sell

#16

I think it’s going to be the microgranny.
I like open hardware, with open source code running on the micro-controllers.

Are there more open hardware “projects” out there? I found the auduino so far.

Thank you for all your tips and advice.

#17

if you’re interested in open hardware projects you might be interested in the Teesny - you can programme with Arduino but lots more powerful - also has a library of audio function. cheers, Paul

#18

microgranny is open source? well maybe i should just make a diy one… hmmmmm

#19

very much so

https://github.com/bastl-instruments/bastlMicroGranny

schematics are available on their website

#20

The MicroGranny is an awesome little granular monophonic sampler for creating crazy sounds or textures or for adding loops or one-shots to live performances. What the MicroGranny definitely is not is a sequencer for creating full songs. Yes you could rig it up to somthing like a beatstep to trigger the 8 sounds but you can only ever play one at a time.

For something more multi-track then you’d be better going for the 404, MPC 500/1000, OP-1, Octatrack, Korg KP3