Apple MainStage 3 Instruments - MainStage 3 Instruments

Sampler instruments
Sampler instruments overview
A sampler instrument is the file type that is loaded into EXS24 mkII. You load sampler
instruments using the Sampler Instruments pop-up menu directly above the Cutoff knob. When
you choose a sampler instrument, the associated audio files are automatically located on the
hard disk (or disks), and are loaded into your computer’s RAM. You play and record the loaded
sampler instrument in the same way as any software instrument.
A sampler instrument tells EXS24 mkII which samples—audio files—to use, and how to organize
them into zones and groups.
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A zone is a location into which a single sample—an audio file—can be loaded from a hard
disk.
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Zones can be assigned to groups, which provide parameters that allow you to simultaneously
edit all zones in the group. You can define as many groups as required.
EXS24 mkII is compatible with the following audio file formats: AIFF, WAV, SDII, and CAF. Each
audio file is loaded into EXS24 mkII as a separate sample. Each audio file is then automatically
assigned to a zone in the EXS24 mkII Instrument Editor window. These zones can be edited and
organized into sampler instruments. See Zone and group edit overview on page 199.
Important: Audio files are not contained within a sampler instrument. The sampler instrument
only stores information about audio filenames, parameter settings, and locations on the hard
disk. If you delete or rename an audio file, any sampler instrument that uses this file will not be
able to find it. You can move audio files to another location on your system, however, because
EXS24 mkII automatically searches for files when you load a sampler instrument.
EXS24 mkII is compatible with the SoundFont2, DLS, Gigasampler, and ReCycle sample formats,
as well as the Vienna Library. See Import SoundFont2, DLS, and Gigasampler files on page 162
and Convert ReCycle files to sampler instruments on page 165.
Sample storage locations
To be visible in the EXS24 mkII Sampler Instruments pop-up menu, instruments must be stored
in the Sampler Instruments subfolder of any of the following folders:
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~/Library/Application Support/Logic: User-defined or edited instruments are stored here.
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/Library/Application Support/Logic: Factory-supplied sampler instruments are installed here.
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…/ProjectName: MainStage also searches for sampler instruments in the project folder.
Search by project is included for backward compatibility with existing projects.
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If you use the Save As command, old project files and folders are converted to project
bundles. The original files are not changed.
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If you save a new project, sampler instruments and samples are saved with the
project bundle.
Note: You can store your sampler instruments in any folder on any connected hard disk. Create
an alias pointing to this folder within a Sampler Instruments subfolder (using any of the paths
listed above) and they are shown in the Sampler Instruments pop-up menu.
Chapter 9 EXS24 mkII 159