Ableton Forum

I'm currently converting a load of my tracks into Live for gigging purposes. Fine, you might think. I have struck an issue with tweaking sounds. If I use all audio clips, it's going to sound pretty one-dimensional and not, well, 'Live' enough! To combat this, I've been building instruments from the ground up using Simplers within Instrument Racks, but this still isn't perfect (although it 'does the job'!)

My synth/pad sounds are still coming out a bit cack, what with them having the reverb tails and suchlike. Simpler isnt' quite cutting the mustard. Would you...

a) Buy Sampler and tweak the audio clips until they are right

or

b) Buy Operator and rebuild the sounds from scratch but have much better control.

I've got a pretty big CPU-usage issue at the moment, and don't know which will be more friendly to my ol' laptop.

Hm, kind of a tough decision. Personally, I would go with sampler if I was in your case - especially with your laptop specifications. Operater is nice, but sampler can be an amazing asset to your (seemingly) audio-rich library, and if done right you can create new sounds via sampler. There are free synthesizers out there that you can download (VSTi) and plug into Ableton. I haven't come across any free samplers, though - although I haven't really looked.

Seems more people are choosing operator for you. The only issue I have right now, especially on a piece-of-crap laptop, is the fact that the more soft-synths running = the more CPU it uses up - and boy they can use up a lot of cpu power. Out of all my soft-synths (I have a few), operator uses the least amount of cpu power, though - so that's a good bonus.

I'm trying to go through my bookmarks to find this online repository of synthesizers for you to check out, but I can't find it. Maybe someone here can throw it out to you. My main desktop crashed, so I can't get on and find it.

What style of music do you normally play?

I love both, but Sampler is way more powerful ounce per ounce, and you can convert your simpler patches with one click.

Cheers, both. I think Sampler is going to be 'the one'. Just found out, too, that I can convert my EXS24 patches directly. Sweet!

@Silwolffe - I usually play chill-out electronic & liquid drum'n'bass. Real funky stuff; loads of Rhodes, and swooshy pad sounds! And you can never have enough 808!

Just found out, too, that I can convert my EXS24 patches directly. Sweet!

i want to use a multi sample vintage key that is exs formatted with sampler. is there a way to import it without having to load samples individually?

thanks in advance,
bbm

brightbluemetal wrote:

Just found out, too, that I can convert my EXS24 patches directly. Sweet!

i want to use a multi sample vintage key that is exs formatted with sampler. is there a way to import it without having to load samples individually?

thanks in advance,
bbm

As soon as I have Sampler, I can tell you! Or, have a little looky in the manual; I'm sure the answer's in there.

For me, Operator by a long mile. I never get tired of it.

I agree with ^^ that both are fantastic purchases. However, if I had to get only one, I'd get Operator...mainly because with Racks and Simpler, you can do many of the multisampling tasks of Sampler (albeit with more work). Meaning you can get by with Simpler, but you'll never get FM with Sampler.

Also, there was a post last week about some offer that lets you buy/upgrade Live with Operator for free? If you use that option, maybe you can spend a bit more and get both.

I'd say that these two native tools are way WAY better than the AAS addons.

When it comes down to it, OPERATOR is sold here way way way more frequently than SAMPLER, for considerable savings. I bought my OPERATOR license used. Transferring licenses is ultra-straight forward.

Also there's an OPERATOR promotion at the moment, those upgrading to L7 get it for free.
I'd say, if upgrading folks have their wits about them, they'll sell their OPERATOR licenses before getting the L7 upgrade. I expect to see more FS: OPERATOR threads in the coming weeks.

You can also use operator LIVE, for your gig, in demo mode....the only issue is you can't save. Which probably isn't an issue for a live gig, right ? using operator in demo mode at home in the studio is worthwhile too..... all you got to do is FREEZE your operator clips and go to the project folder and nab the .wavs before closing the set. maybe you know that already...



in short - I'd wait for a used OPERATOR license, because the odds of you getting one are great, and I'd buy SAMPLER 'new' considering used licenses aren't sold nearly as often.

Sampler; Although I would not dismiss Operator for something to get in the near future as well.

b0unce wrote: in short - I'd wait for a used OPERATOR license, because the odds of you getting one are great, and I'd buy SAMPLER 'new' considering used licenses aren't sold nearly as often.

Agreed completely - I bought both Sampler and Operator "used" and got good deals.

Also, Operator has gone thru some great improvements in L7, and I expect even more in L8, so it's not some dying dinosaur.