Today, a sampler is a software program that enables you to take recorded sounds in wave file format (raw data), import them into the program, and then, using the tools of synthesis, edit the sound for musical or sound effect use. Once the editing is completed, the finished sound is either saved in the format of the sampler it was edited in, or exported and saved into a different playback program.

The first samplers were hardware. The most well known were created by E-MU Systems of Scottsdale, California and Akai. The E4 XT Ultra pictured below is an example of a hardware sampler.

When purchased “fully loaded” the E4 came with an internal drive, and memory could be expanded to 128MB (compared to 32GB or better in a dedicated computer system today). Sound programming took place using a proprietary E-MU operating system (EOS) and software. The E4 also came with various reverb effects and a basic sequencer. The E4 had 8 audio outs on the back and one pair of MIDI connectors. Fully loaded, the E4 could be valued at $4200US. As a comparison, today’s professional PCs with 8GB RAM and with two hard drives and a DVD/RW cost just approximately $2995US with sampler programs having a typical “street” price of $399US.

Unlike synthesizers, the original hardware samplers came with no sounds. This requiring the user to purchase libraries in the format of that sampler.

Today, dedicated software samplers like Native Instruments’ Kontakt 3, come with a full range of sounds giving the user a serious music production package.

These sounds are but a starting point since there are many dedicated libraries created specifically for Kontakt.

The Rise of Sample Players
Because of the complexity involved with samplers, the next step for widespread consumer acceptance was the licensing of the sampler technology to create a sample player. The sample player works like a synthesizer in that it comes with a lot of sounds with basic user programming for editing (also called tweaking). Below is a sample player called Symphonia from Project SAM.

Other sample players are the Vienna Instruments player from the Vienna Symphonic Library, PLAY from EastWest, and ARIA from Garritan.