LinuxSampler
LinuxSampler is a open source sampler under active development, aiming to provide a pure software audio sampler with professional grade features, comparable to both hardware and commercial Windows/Mac software samplers and to introduce new features not yet available by any other sampler in the world.
License
Each software component (libraries, sampler backend, frontends, instrument editor) of the LinuxSampler project is released under its own software license, most of them being either GNU General Public License or GNU Lesser General Public License. The sampler backend however is released with a commercial exception and due to this cannot be used in commercial software or hardware products without asking for additional permission from the developers, and thus does not qualify for many definitions of free software.[1] This commercial exception of the sampler backend however does not mean that commercial usage in general is prohibited. Usage for commercial music production is explicitly allowed.[2]
Concept
LinuxSampler was designed as a sampler backend, decoupled from any user interface. It provides a native C++ API as well as a network interface using an ASCII based protocol called LSCP for controlling the sampler and managing sampler sessions. Also, there are already two convenient frontends for LinuxSampler:
- QSampler - based on the cross-platform C++ GUI library Qt
- JSampler - Java based, thus platform independent
Due to the decoupled design the sampler can be controlled with the GUI frontend(s) even from another computer, probably even running another OS like Windows or OS X. With the planned SMP and cluster support LinuxSampler might become a very interesting tool for high-end studios and concerts in future. There is a graphical instrument editor called gigedt, based on the GUI library GTK+, which can be used to edit and create Gigasampler format instruments and can either be used as a stand-alone application or in conjunction with LinuxSampler. The latter case allows to play and edit instruments at the same time, making all modifications with gigedit immediately audible, without having to reload the instruments into the sampler.
Goals
It is planned to support all common sampler formats in LinuxSampler, but at the moment the work is concentrate on the Gigasampler format. Beside that, the goal is to design a new, sophisticated sampler format, more powerful and more flexible compared to any sampler format currently available in the world.
There is a feature list with more information about the current development plans available.
See also
- Free audio software (although note that LinuxSampler itself is not wholly free software)
External links
References
- ^ "Download page with license information".
LinuxSampler is licensed under the GNU GPL license with the exception that USAGE of the souce code, libraries and applications FOR COMMERCIAL HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE PRODUCTS IS NOT ALLOWED without prior written permission by the LinuxSampler authors.
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Every indirect commercial usage of LinuxSampler, which essentially means using its audio output, can of course be used in commercial applications like music productions, live shows, etc.
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