Multisample
Build a playable instrument from a folder of samples and export it to the format your player, DAW, or hardware reads. Here's every format SampleStack exports, and what each one keeps.
-
SFZ
.sfzThe open, text-based standard that plays almost everywhere.
Software Open format -
SoundFont 2
.sf2One self-contained file, with the audio embedded, that loads almost anywhere.
Software Open format -
Decent Sampler
.dspresetA finished instrument with its own artwork and controls.
Software Open format -
Ableton Sampler
Live instrumentA native Live instrument, ready to map to macros and play.
DAW -
Disting EX & NT
SD cardPlay your instrument from a Eurorack rack.
Hardware
What a multisample format stores
A multisample instrument is more than a folder of WAV files. The format has to record how those samples map to a keyboard and how they behave when played. The formats differ in how much of this they keep, which is what the matrix below compares.
- Key zones and root note. Which range of notes each sample covers, and its natural pitch so it tunes correctly across the zone.
- Velocity layers. Different samples for the same note at different playing strengths, so a soft hit and a hard hit use separate recordings.
- Amp envelope. The ADSR shape applied to each note, and in some formats the curve of each stage.
- Loop points. Where a sustaining sample loops so it can hold indefinitely.
- Stereo. Whether the format keeps stereo samples, and how it stores them.
- Packaging. Whether the instrument is one self-contained file or a folder that references its samples, and whether it can carry its own artwork and controls.
Export format support
What each format preserves when you export.
- Key zones
- ✓
- Velocity layers
- ✓
- Root note
- ✓
- Fine tune (cents)
- ✓
- Amp envelope (ADSR)
- ✓
- Envelope curve shapes
- ✓
- Loop points
- ✓
- Stereo samples
- ✓
- Output gain
- ✓
- Artwork / UI
- —
- Self-contained (embeds audio)
- —
- Key zones
- ✓
- Velocity layers
- ✓
- Root note
- ✓
- Fine tune (cents)
- ✓
- Amp envelope (ADSR)
- ✓
- Envelope curve shapes
- ◐
- Loop points
- ✓
- Stereo samples
- ✓
- Output gain
- ✓
- Artwork / UI
- —
- Self-contained (embeds audio)
- ✓
- Key zones
- ✓
- Velocity layers
- ✓
- Root note
- ✓
- Fine tune (cents)
- ✓
- Amp envelope (ADSR)
- ✓
- Envelope curve shapes
- ◐
- Loop points
- ✓
- Stereo samples
- ✓
- Output gain
- ✓
- Artwork / UI
- ✓
- Self-contained (embeds audio)
- —
- Key zones
- ✓
- Velocity layers
- ✓
- Root note
- ✓
- Fine tune (cents)
- ◐
- Amp envelope (ADSR)
- ✓
- Envelope curve shapes
- ✓
- Loop points
- ✓
- Stereo samples
- ✓
- Output gain
- ◐
- Artwork / UI
- —
- Self-contained (embeds audio)
- —
- Key zones
- ✓
- Velocity layers
- ✓
- Root note
- ✓
- Fine tune (cents)
- —
- Amp envelope (ADSR)
- —
- Envelope curve shapes
- —
- Loop points
- —
- Stereo samples
- ✓
- Output gain
- —
- Artwork / UI
- —
- Self-contained (embeds audio)
- —
Frequently asked questions
What is a multisample instrument?
A multisample instrument is a set of samples mapped across the keyboard so it plays like a real instrument. Each sample covers a range of notes around its recorded pitch, and you can stack several samples on the same note for different playing strengths (velocity layers) and shape the whole thing with an amp envelope. SampleStack builds one from a folder of samples, then exports it to the format you need.
Which multisample format should I export?
It depends on where the instrument is going. SFZ is the safe default for maximum compatibility and no lock-in. SoundFont 2 gives you a single self-contained file. Decent Sampler is best for sharing a finished instrument, since the player is free and the format carries artwork and controls. Ableton Sampler drops the instrument straight into Ableton Live. And the Disting EX and NT take it to Eurorack hardware.
Can I export the same instrument to more than one format?
Yes. You build the instrument once in SampleStack and export it to as many formats as you like. The same set of samples can become an SFZ for general use, a Decent Sampler preset to share, and a Disting card for the rack.
What's the difference between SFZ and SoundFont 2?
SFZ is a plain-text file that references separate WAV samples, so it travels as a folder but stays readable and editable. SoundFont 2 packs the samples and the mapping into one self-contained binary file, which is easy to move but not human-readable. SFZ is the more open and flexible of the two; SF2 is the more portable.
Do I need to buy software to play these formats?
Not for most of them. SFZ, SoundFont 2, and Decent Sampler all have free players (sforzando and the free Decent Sampler plugin among them). The Ableton Sampler export needs Ableton Live, and the Disting exports need the Disting EX or NT hardware.
How do I know what each format keeps?
The comparison matrix on this page shows what every format preserves on export, from key zones and velocity layers to envelopes, loops, and artwork. SampleStack also shows the same matrix inside the app before you export, so you can confirm the target keeps what you need.
Multisample export is part of SampleStack, available on the Mac App Store.