News
Updates, announcements, and tips from SampleStack.
How to prepare samples for the Elektron Digitakt II
A complete guide to getting samples onto the Elektron Digitakt II: the Transfer app workflow, format requirements, +Drive organization, sample chains, and the most common problems.
Read more →32-bit float explained: when do you actually need it?
Most hardware samplers reject 32-bit float files. The Morphagene requires them. Here is what the format actually does, where it matters, and where it is irrelevant.
Read more →Version 1.3.3: REX files, the Roland TR-1000, and Bitwig export
SampleStack 1.3.3 imports ReCycle REX loops with their slices intact, adds the Roland TR-1000 plus Akai S1000 and SP-1200 preparation profiles, exports to Bitwig and Studio One, and fixes Deluge multisample export.
Read more →Best sample managers for 2026
The best sample managers of 2026, compared by the job they do: browsing for a DAW, searching a huge library, organizing drums, or prepping samples for hardware.
Read more →Free Morphagene reels: where to find them
Where to find pre-made Morphagene reels ready to load, plus the best free audio sources for making your own.
Read more →Octatrack sample chains: a complete tutorial
What sample chains are on the Elektron Octatrack MKII, how to build them, the math behind equal-length slicing, and how to trigger individual slices from the step sequencer.
Read more →A history of sampling
From Pierre Schaeffer's tape loops in 1940s Paris to the Fairlight CMI, the MPC, and the Eurorack modules on today's synth desks — how sampling became the most influential technique in modern music production.
Read more →How to organize a sample library that scales
A practical guide to building a sample library that stays findable as it grows: folder philosophy, naming conventions, tagging, and backup strategy for hardware producers.
Read more →How to prepare samples for the ALM Squid Salmple
A complete guide to the ALM Busy Circuits Squid Salmple's sample requirements: file format, the strict /alm022/ folder layout, the 11-second channel limit, USB drive setup, and the pitfalls that catch new users.
Read more →Version 1.3.2: Synthstrom Deluge, EP-133, Volca Sample 2, and TX16Wx
SampleStack 1.3.2 adds the Synthstrom Deluge, Teenage Engineering EP-133, and Korg Volca Sample 2, exports instruments as TX16Wx programs, and improves SFZ export.
Read more →1010music presets explained: structure, sharing, and multi-sample loading
How the 1010music preset model works across the Blackbox, Bitbox mk2, and Bitbox Micro: preset.xml, path-based sample references, Pack Preset, multi-sample mapping, and sharing presets between devices.
Read more →Sample rate explained: 44.1 vs 48 vs 96 kHz for hardware samplers
Why sample rate mismatches cause pitch and speed problems on hardware samplers, when 96 kHz actually helps, and how to pick the right rate for your instrument.
Read more →Version 1.3: Import SFZ and Decent Sampler instruments
SampleStack 1.3 imports SFZ and Decent Sampler instruments, with category browsing, an instrument card view, a redesigned sidebar, and the Venus Instruments Veno-Orbit.
Read more →How sample pitch detection works
What happens when a sampler auto-maps a folder of recordings to the keyboard, what makes a sample easy or hard to detect, and how to prep source material so zones land right.
Read more →How to make seamless loops for sustained samples
A practical guide to loop points for sustaining samples: finding zero crossings, crossfade looping, and carrying loops into SFZ, SF2, and Decent Sampler.
Read more →Round-robin explained: why repeated notes need alternates
What round-robin sampling is, why the machine-gun effect happens, how SFZ and Decent Sampler implement cycling alternates, and where hardware modules fit in.
Read more →Velocity layers explained: recording and mapping dynamics
What velocity layers are, how to record multiple dynamics of the same note, and how samplers assign those recordings to velocity ranges so your instrument responds to playing strength.
Read more →Free multisample instrument sources
A practical guide to the best free sources for multisample instruments: what each offers, which format it ships in, and what the license allows.
Read more →How to sample a synth into a playable instrument
A start-to-finish walkthrough: record a set of notes from a synth, map them across the keyboard in SampleStack, add velocity layers and an envelope, and export a playable multisample instrument.
Read more →Ableton Sampler instruments in SampleStack: how to build one
How to turn a folder of samples into a native Ableton Sampler instrument in SampleStack, what carries over, and the fine-tune and gain limits to know about.
Read more →Decent Sampler instruments in SampleStack: what it is and how to build one
What the Decent Sampler format is, why it's ideal for sharing playable instruments, and how to create and export a .dspreset with artwork and controls from SampleStack.
Read more →Disting EX and NT multisamples in SampleStack: how to build one
How to build a multisample instrument in SampleStack and export it to the Expert Sleepers Disting EX and Disting NT, so you can play it from a Eurorack rack.
Read more →SFZ instruments in SampleStack: what SFZ is and how to build one
What the SFZ format is, why it's a good default for multisample instruments, and how to create and export an SFZ from a folder of samples in SampleStack.
Read more →SoundFont 2 instruments in SampleStack: what SF2 is and how to build one
What the SoundFont 2 (SF2) format is, why a single self-contained file is useful, and how to create and export an SF2 from a folder of samples in SampleStack.
Read more →Version 1.2: Build and export multisample instruments
SampleStack 1.2 turns a folder of samples into a playable multisample instrument and exports it to SFZ, SoundFont 2, Decent Sampler, Ableton, and disting.
Read more →What I'm working on: multisample kits and a new Discord
A development update on SampleStack: multisample kit assembly with automatic zone and velocity mapping, a new community Discord, early Windows exploration, and the 1.1.3 release.
Read more →Bitbox mk2 sample management: a complete guide
How the 1010music Bitbox mk2 organizes samples, how presets reference files by path, how CV inputs work in a modular context, and the polyphony budget you're working within.
Read more →Choosing samples for Phase, the Reich-inspired looper for VCV Rack
How to choose and prepare source material for Phase, the Signal Function Set dual sample looper for VCV Rack built on Steve Reich's tape phasing.
Read more →Version 1.1.3: Lúbadh, Arbhar, ADDAC112, and Transcode Presets
SampleStack 1.1.3 adds support for the Instruō Lúbadh and Arbhar and the ADDAC112, introduces one-click transcode presets, and dramatically speeds up loading for very large libraries.
Read more →Loading samples on the 1010music Blackbox
A practical guide to getting samples onto the 1010music Blackbox: the preset model, multi-sample folder loading, Pack Preset, recording, and how to share presets between users.
Read more →Bitbox mk2 vs Blackbox: which 1010music sampler is right for you?
A side-by-side comparison of the 1010music Bitbox mk2 and Blackbox: shared engine, different contexts. What each does well, where they diverge, and which fits your setup.
Read more →Intellijel Multigrain sample management: a complete guide
How the Intellijel Multigrain organizes samples across projects, the format it needs, the 32-second limit, recording into the module, and how to keep a working library.
Read more →Sample manager vs DAW: which do you need?
A DAW and a sample manager solve different problems. Here's what each handles, where they overlap, and the hardware-specific issues a DAW leaves unsolved.
Read more →Octatrack sample management: a complete guide
How the Elektron Octatrack MKII organizes samples, the difference between Flex and Static machines, and how to prep, transfer, and manage a working library.
Read more →WAV, AIFF, and FLAC for hardware samplers: which format actually matters
A clear look at the three most common audio formats, what's inside each one, and which hardware samplers can actually load them.
Read more →Free sample sites for hardware producers
A practical guide to the best free sample sources online: what each offers, its license, and which hardware it suits best.
Read more →How to Prepare Samples for the Make Noise Morphagene
A complete guide to preparing samples for the Make Noise Morphagene: file format, splice markers, reel structure, naming, and the gotchas that trip up new users.
Read more →Version 1.0.2: 20 New Instruments
SampleStack 1.0.2 adds support for 20 new hardware samplers and grooveboxes, custom manufacturer icons for all 29 instruments, and performance improvements.
Read more →37 Instruments and Counting
The SampleStack instruments directory now covers 37 hardware samplers and Eurorack modules with full technical specs and folder structures.
Read more →