Orchestral sampling

Among the vast number of technological advancements in music, over the last 20 years, one of the most outstanding accomplishments relates to Direct-from-Disk sample retrieval. When digital audio recording first made it to computer desktops, it relied upon the speed of the computer, and more importantly the speed of the hard drive being used to store the audio.

Even for regular recording and playback, multiple tracks could put a huge pull on a computer system. It therefore makes the development of this technology even more groundbreaking, with the ability to play a sample, from a keyboard or pad, no longer dependent on looping to sustain a note for a discernible length.

The most widely recognised system of the early ’00s, was GigaSampler, which was a technology acquired by Tascam in 2001. For the first time, vast libraries of instrumentation could be exploited, to recreate large ensembles like a full symphony orchestra. The effect this had on film composers was groundbreaking; there were reports of many Hollywood composers owning up to eight GigaSampler systems, in order to host an entire orchestra in the virtual domain.

It didn’t take long for this technology to migrate to the consumer level, with companies such as VSL and Spitfire Audio releasing significant libraries, allowing the domestic composer and producer to replicate a full orchestra from their own home. GigaSampler has long gone, in favour of products such as NI Kontakt, but its legacy in development is nevertheless undeniable.