Moving Logic X EXS24 sampled instruments into Ableton?

[gavin_here]

Hi All,

Really struggling with this one... so need a bit of a brain to help!

I have been a long time Logic user, but would like to move my software synths to Ableton and play in a live performance.

I have sampled all my Logic synths into Logics EXS24 sampler.

I would simply like to import these sampled instruments into Live and load and play them from within Ableton.

The internet seems to have no clear answer for this, so I'd be very grateful for some insight!

[Pitch Black]

In Live's built-in browser, click "Add Folder" and use the window that opens to select your Logic "Sampler Instruments" folder. After a few seconds (once Live has scanned the folder) you will see your EXS library (and it's inherent folder structure). Now, you can drag, or double-click, any EXS preset to bring it into Live. Live will immediately prompt you to tell it where the first related sample for that EXS instrument is located. You can use the Finder search field that appears top right of the Finder window that just opened to search for this sample. Once you have searched and found that first sample, select it in the Finder window and click "Open". Live will add the sample, and all the other samples for that EXS instrument if they are in the same location, automatically.

Done! You can now drag n drop, or double-click that preset from Live's browser to open it in your Live project.

(You only have to locate the samples the first time you open each EXS preset. Live remembers where they are on each subsequent opening.)

HTH

[arafel]

As per Pitch Black (Ty for succinct explanation):

Just a couple additions.

A user has to do the above operation for Each and Every EXS instrument.
There is no en-mass import of EXS instruments. (Please advise if I am in error).
Dragging an EXS instrument from original folder, into a Live midi track has worked for me, but double clicking has not (just tried again).

The converted EXS instrument shows up in the Live Library under User Library / Sampler / Imports.

This new Sampler instrument (ADV), is just dumped in the Imports folder without any of the original EXS Folder structure.
Or an option to put the ADV in a folder of your choosing.

So if you are trying to import a small batch of EXS instruments.. this works ok.
If your trying to import a large Folder of EXS instruments (several thousand) that is classified in sub-folders (eg - leads, basses, pads, texture, fx, etc, etc), you will need to rebuild that folder structure, and spend some time resorting. YMMV.

Not elegant/ not Abes best system.
This sets me off...my apologies for the rant/ my beef.
Info still relevant.

Sampler still awesome.

[Stromkraft]

According to a Chickensys response to me in late 2014 they have been working on incorporating Live Sampler support. I don't see it here though: TRANSLATOR™ 6 > Supported Formats. Tell them you're interested.

[Stromkraft]

In Live's built-in browser, click "Add Folder" and use the window that opens to select your Logic "Sampler Instruments" folder. After a few seconds (once Live has scanned the folder) you will see your EXS library (and it's inherent folder structure). Now, you can drag, or double-click, any EXS preset to bring it into Live. Live will immediately prompt you to tell it where the first related sample for that EXS instrument is located. You can use the Finder search field that appears top right of the Finder window that just opened to search for this sample. Once you have searched and found that first sample, select it in the Finder window and click "Open". Live will add the sample, and all the other samples for that EXS instrument if they are in the same location, automatically.

Done! You can now drag n drop, or double-click that preset from Live's browser to open it in your Live project.

(You only have to locate the samples the first time you open each EXS preset. Live remembers where they are on each subsequent opening.)

How do you find Live's ability to get filters, loops and other match related settings?

[gavin_here]

Pitch Black, thanks a bunch for the reply - you are awesome and it worked for me. Many thanks.
A question for you below...

Arafel, I feel your pain. I have to save the logic chanel strip, then sample the sound, then move into EXS24 and then move to Ableton. It's only for 30 or so sounds for a live set, but still, urgh.
I could use Mainstage but for some reason I see everyone using Ableton and I figure I should learn.

Hey Pitch Black & Arafel, seeing as I have your ear... if you simply wanted to trigger a backing track and then play various software instruments over the top, how would you configure that in Ableton specifically?
Talk to me like a child as I'm just learning...

For EG;
Would you set up the backing track as a clip or scene?
If the set was 8 songs long, would you change sets, scenes or clips for the next song in the set?
And once the backing track was playing, how would you easily flip between different soft synths?

I thinking about getting the Novation Launchkey 49 as it has keys and pads and looks to integrate well st a good price.

Would it be simple to just use a buttons to trigger the backing track and another button to flick to the next software instrument?

Look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Gav

[Stromkraft]

According to a Chickensys response to me in late 2014 they have been working on incorporating Live Sampler support. I don't see it here though: TRANSLATOR™ 6 > Supported Formats. Tell them you're interested.

I just read elsewhere that Chickensys Translator 6 has Live Sampler support and that they will release a specific Live Sampler edition before the end of the month.

[Paulyclarke]

I noticed in there is a au sampler in the LOGIC au plugins in ableton. I use this and at the top right you can load an exs file to play.

[JM90]

In Live's built-in browser, click "Add Folder" and use the window that opens to select your Logic "Sampler Instruments" folder. After a few seconds (once Live has scanned the folder) you will see your EXS library (and it's inherent folder structure). Now, you can drag, or double-click, any EXS preset to bring it into Live. Live will immediately prompt you to tell it where the first related sample for that EXS instrument is located. You can use the Finder search field that appears top right of the Finder window that just opened to search for this sample. Once you have searched and found that first sample, select it in the Finder window and click "Open". Live will add the sample, and all the other samples for that EXS instrument if they are in the same location, automatically.

Done! You can now drag n drop, or double-click that preset from Live's browser to open it in your Live project.

(You only have to locate the samples the first time you open each EXS preset. Live remembers where they are on each subsequent opening.)

HTH

Hey there,

it all works to the point where I am supposed to locate the instrument. All my exs-Instruments are greyed out. Why is that? (I'm in Logic Pro X and Ableton Live 10 if thats of any importance)

[aioffermann]

I was importing EXS instruments as per Pitch Black's instructions without a problem for a couple days. Then, suddenly, Ableton's behavior seemed to switch and it would ask me to locate each sample individually, as opposed to only needing one sample located and filling in the rest automatically. Another thing I noticed is that it is looking for Ableton's reference name for the file, which is different from the actual filename. The filenames are something along the links of Shakers-A1-48-R2 while the reference names are more like Shakers #00283E. Any tips for the way forward? Is there a hidden preferences file I can reset or something?

[aioffermann]

In Live's built-in browser, click "Add Folder" and use the window that opens to select your Logic "Sampler Instruments" folder. After a few seconds (once Live has scanned the folder) you will see your EXS library (and it's inherent folder structure). Now, you can drag, or double-click, any EXS preset to bring it into Live. Live will immediately prompt you to tell it where the first related sample for that EXS instrument is located. You can use the Finder search field that appears top right of the Finder window that just opened to search for this sample. Once you have searched and found that first sample, select it in the Finder window and click "Open". Live will add the sample, and all the other samples for that EXS instrument if they are in the same location, automatically.

Done! You can now drag n drop, or double-click that preset from Live's browser to open it in your Live project.

(You only have to locate the samples the first time you open each EXS preset. Live remembers where they are on each subsequent opening.)

HTH

Hey there,

it all works to the point where I am supposed to locate the instrument. All my exs-Instruments are greyed out. Why is that? (I'm in Logic Pro X and Ableton Live 10 if thats of any importance)

Make sure you're looking for that instruments' SAMPLES, not the exs instruments themselves. You should be looking for a folder of audio files (.aif, .wav, etc).

[maky355]

According to a Chickensys response to me in late 2014 they have been working on incorporating Live Sampler support. I don't see it here though: TRANSLATOR™ 6 > Supported Formats. Tell them you're interested.

I just read elsewhere that Chickensys Translator 6 has Live Sampler support and that they will release a specific Live Sampler edition before the end of the month.

I am warning you - chickensys say a lot of things which are not delivered. Check KVR forum. A lot of complaint there reported. People buy that software and then they can't use it because of various and numerous bugs between translation.

To be fair - In best case try the demo or ask developer directly about conversion. Ask him over email so you have written proof. If chickensys developer confirm that his product can translate between your formats then buy it - otherwise do not. Again what is on website is not true sometimes.

[doghouse]

I'm just grateful that Sampler can import any non-native formats.

I helped Chickensys with testing when they were developing a translator for the Yamaha Motif. They really do try to get their stuff to work properly but it's an endless task...even within a single format eventually there will be some library from some vendor that in some way breaks the translator. Then it's off to trying to find the bug and fixing it. Now multiply that by all possible formats and it becomes a daunting task for a small software company. There's no way they can try every possible sample library that's ever been made to make sure the translation works.

[JM90]

In Live's built-in browser, click "Add Folder" and use the window that opens to select your Logic "Sampler Instruments" folder. After a few seconds (once Live has scanned the folder) you will see your EXS library (and it's inherent folder structure). Now, you can drag, or double-click, any EXS preset to bring it into Live. Live will immediately prompt you to tell it where the first related sample for that EXS instrument is located. You can use the Finder search field that appears top right of the Finder window that just opened to search for this sample. Once you have searched and found that first sample, select it in the Finder window and click "Open". Live will add the sample, and all the other samples for that EXS instrument if they are in the same location, automatically.

Done! You can now drag n drop, or double-click that preset from Live's browser to open it in your Live project.

(You only have to locate the samples the first time you open each EXS preset. Live remembers where they are on each subsequent opening.)

HTH

Hey there,

it all works to the point where I am supposed to locate the instrument. All my exs-Instruments are greyed out. Why is that? (I'm in Logic Pro X and Ableton Live 10 if thats of any importance)

Make sure you're looking for that instruments' SAMPLES, not the exs instruments themselves. You should be looking for a folder of audio files (.aif, .wav, etc).

thanks a lot

[JM90]

In Live's built-in browser, click "Add Folder" and use the window that opens to select your Logic "Sampler Instruments" folder. After a few seconds (once Live has scanned the folder) you will see your EXS library (and it's inherent folder structure). Now, you can drag, or double-click, any EXS preset to bring it into Live. Live will immediately prompt you to tell it where the first related sample for that EXS instrument is located. You can use the Finder search field that appears top right of the Finder window that just opened to search for this sample. Once you have searched and found that first sample, select it in the Finder window and click "Open". Live will add the sample, and all the other samples for that EXS instrument if they are in the same location, automatically.

Done! You can now drag n drop, or double-click that preset from Live's browser to open it in your Live project.

(You only have to locate the samples the first time you open each EXS preset. Live remembers where they are on each subsequent opening.)

HTH

Hey there,

it all works to the point where I am supposed to locate the instrument. All my exs-Instruments are greyed out. Why is that? (I'm in Logic Pro X and Ableton Live 10 if thats of any importance)

Make sure you're looking for that instruments' SAMPLES, not the exs instruments themselves. You should be looking for a folder of audio files (.aif, .wav, etc).

thanks man. now it works with some of them. but
it seems all my favorite one's i can't find. there is a lot of samples missing although i use them in logic. the specific sample folder doesnt even show. do you know why and whether i can find them. or does that mean some work and some are not compatible?