organizing samples

T

Tracedubs

PAISTYBOY
Joined
Sep 2, 2010
Basically i've got a ridiculous amount of samples on my computer and the only way of looking through them is just going into finder and scrolling through hundreds of random folders.

Does anyone know of any programs that I could use to organize my samples in a slightly less random manner, that can also preview the samples?
 
I used to have a random program for this but the amount of effort taken to organize meant less time for writing. Ableton has an awesome file browser and the workspace in Pro tools is decent too, that allows you too preview different stretching methods on the fly. But both require you to be organized first. To keep things simple, I like to separate bought samples to my own created. Plus for all things Reason/Recycle, I like to create a Propellerheads library which contains all the reason files... rex2, refills, patches, etc. As we have more than one machine to maintain, it just makes it easier to update. Can't really help on the specific program though bud.

Peace
 
bite and gouge said:
I used to have a random program for this but the amount of effort taken to organize meant less time for writing. Ableton has an awesome file browser and the workspace in Pro tools is decent too, that allows you too preview different stretching methods on the fly. But both require you to be organized first. To keep things simple, I like to separate bought samples to my own created. Plus for all things Reason/Recycle, I like to create a Propellerheads library which contains all the reason files... rex2, refills, patches, etc. As we have more than one machine to maintain, it just makes it easier to update. Can't really help on the specific program though bud.

Peace
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A problem I find infuriating with ableton is that if you rename or move a folder, it won't detect it again in a tune you've used a sample from that folder in, so what happens is that you have to search through and locate the samples one by one...
 
Roadrunner21 said:
A problem I find infuriating with ableton is that if you rename or move a folder, it won't detect it again in a tune you've used a sample from that folder in, so what happens is that you have to search through and locate the samples one by one...
Click to expand...

Fair enough, I don't remember having an issue like that but then I will usually leave my samples in one location and then do a collect all and save off the file menu. That will gather all the files used and duplicate them into the session folder... all tidy for moving. I thought Ableton had an auto find function but I may be getting that confused with Pro Tools. Hope that helps?

Peace
 
when i use logic it saves all of the samples i use as new files in the project folder for the track.
 
do it gradually man, folder them up yourself over time. its like housekeeping. someones gotta do it hehe. I got the odd straggling sample but im pretty tucked away now
 
T Leaf said:
do it gradually man, folder them up yourself over time. its like housekeeping. someones gotta do it hehe. I got the odd straggling sample but im pretty tucked away now
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yeah might as well, its not causing any serious probems of yet.
finders actually surprisingly usefull on the mac for finding samples acually
 
How are you going about finding samples tho? You using the Media brower in the top right of the screen? I think this where you're going wrong.. You can look through your whole computer from here and preview them by pressing space bar (y)
 
I'm just ridiculously organised with every file.. it helps with sample packs like vengeance etc when they're already split into folders (soft kicks, hard kicks, snares, etc) but with my breaks and stuff I organise them by BPM and suitability to a genre, my sound FX's by what kind of FX they are, etc. In terms of previewing the sample, if the DAW i'm using doesn't have a built-in preview or I just don't like using it (reaper, for example) then I'll go through all my sounds in something like recycle until I find the one I want then I'll just click & drag it into reaper straight from the recycle browse menu.
 
i just organise samples into catagories ie, dnb, dubstep, hip hop, house, classical etc.. then into sub catagory ie, drum & breaks, individual hits, sound fx, rise, drops. no software tho.
 
The most important rule is this:
Delete everything that is crap.

If you've downloaded some sample CD and its a load of bollox, then dont leave it hanging around, thinking that it might be useful some day. It wont be. Crap is crap, and it'll only cause problems like the confusion you are having. Save the best two or three samples from it into a neat structure, and delete all the rest.

Limiting yourself, and doing so with rigorous discipline, is the only way to go.
 
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