I have a bunch of sample libraries on one of my hard drives, but they're obviously scattered in each product folder etc. Just wondering what you guys use as a sample manager to manage your content and audition samples etc within your DAW?

I think Splice and LANDR Samples only use their own products/libraries, and there's obviously things like ADSR Sample Manager, which I know nothing about really. Any recommendations on how you guys manage samples?

 

Cosmos (with the Waves CR8 Creative Sampler)

free https://www.waves.com/plugins/cosmos-sample-finder#introducing-cosmos-sample-finder

 

Last edited: Apr 27, 2022

No longer free and you need to login to use it, so no offline usage

 

XLN Audio XO

 

I use the Finder or Import File into Logic. I don't like using a manager software much, so I organize my samples a bit. And then in an "audition" sense, I will load whatever sampler as a Midi instrument and check them out in there. They never get these utilities 100% perfect, and I have mostly given up on them speeding anything up. It's always DAW specific little quirks, like old sample conversion utilities and midi librarians.

 

Loopcloud and Sononym.

 

Here too. Tried a bunch of sample managers and these two do everything I need.

 

Loopcloud. Since v6 the ability has been added to find similar sounds (just like Sononym).

Interestingly, there is also a feature that aids you in finding complementary sounds, i.e.: Drums that match your Bass.

 

XLN XO. Although lately the one from the sister site on windows has been giving me an error message 1 or 2 days after I install it (works initially on install)

Anyone seen this error message? https://imgur.com/a/Teqoy2H

 

I have noticed that the Daw browser is much faster (Studio one) and I can play right away and then drag and drop.

 

ADSR Sample manager, free. Its using a DbMS (I think mySQL) so it will manage even huge libraries with not degrading speed. It automatically detects changed folders and indexes them. It works as standalone with drag&drop or as a VST plugin inside tha DAW.
The ADSR store is integrated but one can buy a version without the integration (I don't know why I should its not very intrusive)
https://www.adsrsounds.com/product/software/adsr-sample-manager/

 

Last edited: Jun 22, 2022

Sound Particles releases Explorer, a free standalone audio file manager for macOS and Windows. - JUNE 7, 2022
https://soundparticles.com/products/explorer

 

Studio One has a good browser window already built-in. I can make shortcuts for specific folders and search in them. So that's enough for me to not looking an extra software.

 

I just use Reaper Media Browser. The key is to sort your samples properly beforehand, although I like it when I encounter an unexpected sample somewhere. I also have a ton of my own samples and loops.

 

<- This

 

kjlkljlkj

 

Last edited: Aug 12, 2022

fl studio browser


i manually organize on a external hd in folders by loop or sample pack name , and have folders for midi files, misc , soundfonts , old preset fst files.

its pretty much drag and drop or send to channel and done.

i just like the simplicity of it.

 

Well, that's the problem with sample management software. At least in my experience, they take a lot of time to scan the samples, then if you do any editing you may have a pc crash (depending on how powerful it is).
That is why, from my point of view, Daw managers are more efficient, since it does not have to be supporting an additional load on the cpu, simply if you have the folders organized or as other users said, if you make a direct link, you have everything there by hand and simply drag and drop and test on your project.
The difference between the manager of a Daw and that of an external program is that some external programs can recognize the track and search for similar ones, in the case of the manager of the daw not. at least not the one i use

 

I'm exactly like @genophyte I just use the browser inside Cubase. If I need a one shot bass, I go to my Samples/One Shots/Basses folder, and from there, each library I own has its own folder in there. I know what packs sound like what, easy enough to narrow it down from there. If I need a riser, I go to the FX/Risers folder, Impacts, go to the Impact folder. You want loops? Back out into /Samples/Loops and then what? Basses? Rhodes? Percussion? Lazer Zaps? Keep your samples organized well enough and you dont need a fancy librarian app for anything.