The Drum Sampler in Ableton Live 12.1 is a fresh instrument designed for one-shot samples in Drum Racks. If you’re thinking it sounds like Simpler, you’re not wrong, but Drum Sampler adds some extra features you might find handy, with a unique Ableton twist. I’ll probably mix up Simpler and Drum Sampler, even though it feels like they could’ve named it Drum Simpler for clarity.
Here’s what Drum Sampler features:
- One-shot playback with adjustable start and length
- Attack/hold/delay amplitude envelope tailored for one-shots
- Transpose and detune options
- A compact filter section with four filters: 12 and 24 dB low-pass, 12 dB high-pass, and a streamlined single-band parametric EQ usable as a notch
- Playback FX including frequency and ring modulation, sub-oscillator and noise layering, punch and degradation, stretching, etc.
- Assignable velocity, which can also modulate volume
What’s missing is looping, so it’s strictly for one-shots. For looping needs, you’ll still want to use Simpler or Sampler.
Visually, Drum Sampler is less cluttered compared to Simpler, which can be confusing with its Classic, 1-Shot, and Slice modes. Simpler’s Classic and Slice modes are still ideal for their respective uses, but Drum Sampler fills a crucial gap.
The new FX module is reminiscent of Meld’s oscillator types, packed with fun, accessible features without being overwhelming.
You can swap Drum Rack slots to Drum Sampler manually or make it your new default. However, it looks like Slice to MIDI presets for Drum Sampler aren’t included yet – fingers crossed for that in the future!