LinuxSampler

Linux Sampler is a free software sampler that can be run on the platforms GNU / Linux, Mac OS X and Windows. The largest part of Linux Sampler is free software, with the exception of the backend whose license prohibits the use in commercial hardware or software products without permission of the authors.

Concept

Linux Sampler was designed as a back-end samplers, decoupled from the graphical user interface. The system provides a native C API and a network interface with an ASCII based protocol called LSCP for the management and control of sampler sessions. There are currently two graphical interfaces for Linux Sampler, qsampler and JSampler.

Due to the decoupled design of the sampler can use the GUI front end from another computer, for example, also be accessed on a different operating system such as Windows or Mac OS X on the back end. Other features include SMP and cluster support.

It is a graphical tool editor named gigedit to disposal, the is based on the GUI library GTK and can be used to create and manipulate samples in GigaSampler format. The editor can be used either as a stand- alone application or in the live editing mode in conjunction with Linux Sampler. In the latter case, the instruments can be played during editing at the same time so that all changes are immediately audible without a reload of the sample is required.

Platforms

Linux sampler was, as the name suggests, originally developed for the GNU / Linux operating system, but thanks to the abstraction of audio and MIDI drivers and platform-specific functions of the sampler has been successfully ported to the operating systems Windows and Mac OS X.

The Windows version of Linux sampler can operate in standalone mode and supports ASIO interface for audio playback and MME as a MIDI input. Linux sampler works as a VSTi plugin which full integration into VST -compatible sequencer offers. The Mac OS X version currently supports jackd, Core Audio and Core MIDI inputs outputs. An Audio Unit ( AU) plug-in is in the beta phase.

Objectives

It is planned to support all common sampler formats, but the development is concentrated at present on the GigaSampler format. A future goal is the design of a new sampler format which will be more powerful and flexible than existing formats.

It is a feature list with more information on the current development and future plans.

License

Most components are released as free software, under either the GNU General Public License or the GNU Lesser General Public License. However, the license for the backend module of the sampler prohibits the commercial use without the written permission of the developers. The use of the sampler to produce commercial music is expressly prohibited.