VST to a Sampler instrument, formats, process, help!

[BenAtWork]

So I've got a VST I need to convert into a Sampler instrument (or realistically, any kind of sample based playback plugin or device but this would be preferred). I had heard about Sample Robot that automates a lot of the process which is cool, but it doesn't export to anything Ableton friendly. It does export to Reason NNXT (and I have reason) but NNXT can't deal with note release audio, crucial to what I'm doing (the VST has a bit of internal reverb that would need to be captured on the tail). It does export to SFZ (which does deal with release audio) but that's of no use as I've nothing to play that (what does??).

Additionally I'm also aware of Chicken Systems Translator and I had a go at a SFZ to EXS conversion but that didn't work. EXS is the only file format I know that abletons sampler is supposed to be able to import. Are there others? Is there a compatibility list documented somewhere (I could find nothing)?

In short, I have a VST. I want to turn it into a set of audio samples for a sample based instrument. How the hell do I do this??? What are you using?

I've been at this all day coming at a variety of new and weird stumbling blocks, tearing my hair out. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks so much in advance.

[yur2die4]

I don't know if this would be helpful, as it is a lazy way of doing this, but you can make a midi clip that has say, 1 bar length notes, chromatically (perhaps with a bar of space between each. Then you can freeze the track, and use the clip as an audio track. From there, add warp markers to each sound and slice to Sampler

[oddstep]

i thought sampler could play sf2 files. is it only sf it can play?

[BenAtWork]

Cheers for the help guys,
@yur2die4; Well getting it into sampler can definitely be done the long manual way, but I'm attempting to create a more automated workflow. There's always going to be some manual tweaking required though.

@oddstep; SFZ it cannot, but as I've discovered SF2 it can. I finally found the list of supported formats in this video;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=pl ... bxL4#t=15s

So exporting SF2 from Sample Robot seems pretty decent. The biggest downside is that it would appear Sampler itself doesn't support release audio clips. Does anyone have any suggestions for a third party sample based VST that would? I can emulate the release effect ok with the amp envelope and a sustain loop in the sample (with some 'verb and other effects to help that tail) but would still like to know my options.

In addition I've got an instrument that has a different attack if the next note is moved to without a break from the previous (there would be a better way to word that but I'm missing the jargon). So if you do staccatto notes in isolation they have a filter spike but if it comes in immediate transition from another note, no filter punch up front. Does anyone have any ideas how to replicate this with the sampled instrument? The problem is sampling the notes they will always have that filter spike. I need a way to convert the logic of "If your a note coming immediately after another with no break, start the sample once second in" into something in samplers modulation section or something... any ideas?

In case your wondering, the reason I'm trying to take these instruments away from a VST is because the VST in question (surge) wigs out when it intercepts a MIDI program change call and you have to re-open the file. No good for live when program changing is how I'm switching between instruments!

[oddstep]

I get what you're saying. Its called legato mode. On sampler.. make it monophonic, switch glide on and turn off retrigger. No its not obvious and the manual doesn't spell it out.

[BenAtWork]

Awesome oddstep thanks! I couldn't find a monophonic switch per se but simply turning glide on seemingly made it monophonic. Also couldn't find any retrigger setting but yeah, once again just using glide (and in my case, making the glide time super short) emulated the effect exactly. Thanks heaps