I want to run an old giga sampler library, how to ?

Discussion in 'Film / Video Game Scoring' started by dydythug, May 13, 2025 at 9:01 PM.

  1. dydythug

    dydythug Ultrasonic

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    Hello, so I got an old Giga sampler library,

    I tried installing tascam gigastudio v3 but of course it doesn't run on windows 11.


    I have 0 idea how to read the library, here are few screenshots from the architecture folder. Can't even open the .rar files.

    Please any recommendations?

    upload_2025-5-13_21-59-23.png
     
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  3. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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    The rar extraction could be failing for a few reasons. Back when Gigasampler was a "current thing", downloads were much more frequently corrupt, crc errors, etc. So you do need a working fix for whatever that problem is. What is the actual title of the sample library? It has to be ancient.

    After that, GPT results with this to actually use a .gig library:

    what modern samples can use content from gigasampler?

    ChatGPT said:


    Modern samplers that can use content from GigaSampler (.gig) format include both hardware-compatible software and powerful plugin samplers. Here’s a breakdown:

    Modern Software Samplers That Support GigaSampler (.gig) Files
    1. Tascam GVI (Giga Virtual Instrument)
    • Direct descendant of GigaStudio, designed to load .gig files natively.

    • Discontinued, but still usable on older Windows setups.
    2. LinuxSampler (cross-platform)
    • Fully supports .gig format (including advanced programming).

    • Available on Windows, macOS, and Linux.

    • Free and open-source.

    • Best for preserving Giga format features (filters, layers, keyswitches).
    3. Kontakt (by Native Instruments)
    • Does not natively support .gig files, but...

    • You can convert .gig to .nki using:
      • Extreme Sample Converter

      • CDXtract

      • Awave Studio
    • Be aware: Some advanced scripting and modulations may not translate perfectly.
    4. Sforzando (by Plogue) + .sfz Conversion
    • Convert .gig to .sfz format via tools like:
      • gigedit + LinuxSampler export

      • Translator (by Chicken Systems)
    • Use .sfz in Sforzando or other SFZ players.
    5. HALion (by Steinberg)
    • Also supports imported samples from .gig via conversion tools like Awave or Translator.

    • Offers deep editing like Kontakt.
    Converters and Utilities
    Tool Purpose
    Awave Studio
    Converts .gig to many formats (Kontakt, SFZ, EXS24, etc.)
    CDXtract Windows-only; extracts and converts from .gig
    Extreme Sample Converter Another powerful option for format conversion
    Chicken Systems Translator Converts .gig to multiple formats (Kontakt, EXS24, HALion, SFZ, etc.)
    gigedit + LinuxSampler Edit .gig files directly before using/exporting
    Not Compatible
    • Logic Pro's EXS24/Sampler: No direct .gig support, needs conversion.

    • Ableton Sampler: Needs conversion to .sfz or .nki.

    • Mainstage / GarageBand: Same as Logic—conversion required.
     
  4. Smeghead

    Smeghead Audiosexual

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    There's a giga sampler emulator out called G-player or something like that. It runs perfectly fine as a modern VST- I'll find it and put a link.
     
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  5. ItsFine

    ItsFine Rock Star

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    Open archive with 7-Zip.
    Default Win archive s*cks.
     
  6. Smeghead

    Smeghead Audiosexual

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  7. belucky

    belucky Member

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    GOS should stand for Garritan Orchestral Strings.
     
  8. Will Kweks

    Will Kweks Audiosexual

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  9. orbitbooster

    orbitbooster Audiosexual

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    VirtualBox and any VM windows able to launch it. (XP? 7?).
    Share a folder in VB, copy, install and test it.
     
  10. xorome

    xorome Audiosexual

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    The error appears to be saying that you're trying to open the archive with a program (Windows Explorer?) that does NOT support the archive format. Did you try with WinRAR or 7-Zip? Those support all features of RAR4.

    You can probably load the extracted .gig library in G-Player by Soundlib - it's a bit crashy though and doesn't support all GIGA features. Failing that, LinuxSampler (works on any OS despite the name) is an option.

    If you have a really old Kontakt 5 copy (not all Kontakt 5 versions will do), you can import .gig into Kontakt 5, export to .nki and load in any version of Kontakt.

    The Kontakt 5 converter is based on the Chickensys Translator IIRC.

    Russian torrent tracker may have a conversion of your library to Kontakt.
     
  11. Synclavier

    Synclavier Rock Star

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    try to update Winrar if the file was archived recently there may be errors

    For Giga libraries try sample lib converters wonderful Awave Studio or old but good Extreme Sample Converter, CDXTRACT4
     
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  12. dydythug

    dydythug Ultrasonic

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    thanks for your answears. It's garritan orchestral strings. Anyone had luck with it.

    The VM idea is clever, but how to route the audio out of giga sampler into my main machine inside the daw ? @orbitbooster
     
  13. Will Kweks

    Will Kweks Audiosexual

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    Kontakt 5 can open Gigasampler files, but later won't. I haven't tried it with .gig files though, but it's been pretty good at loading some older Akai CDs.

    It's Kontakt for better or worse, but it does work in Windows 11.
     
  14. dydythug

    dydythug Ultrasonic

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    issue is I read is that it doesn't convert well garritan orchestral strings because of some script named maestrotool
     
  15. soundog

    soundog Member

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    If you can't get anything else to work, find a copy of Chicken Systems "Translator".
     
  16. Smeghead

    Smeghead Audiosexual

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    Correct. I had these back in the day- they sounded really good too- but without Maestro Tools to help script them into something useful they're probably not worth the effort. It was a proprietary thing that ran outside of GigaStudio somehow, kind of like what Vienna had to do as well in the early days.
     
  17. clone

    clone Audiosexual

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    That is probably what this release was made for: Garritan.Orchestral.Strings.MaestroTools.v2.71.Inc.Keygen-ECLiPSE

    Description: Garritan Orchestral Strings MaestroTools extends the capabilities of GigaStudio with new legato phrasing, mono, and auto-alternation features. The Garritan Orchestral Strings sample library takes special advantage of these features to offer an advanced new level of performance realism in strings.
    With MaestroTools, you can play legato passages, monophonic lines, and alternate notes and takes with a single key. Without latency or system performance penalties, MaestroTools allows you to easily control new aspects of the orchestral sound and enjoy a more realistic sound. MaestroTools runs alongside GigaStudio and can be used with or without a sequencer.

     
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