Help me develop the best sampling software
You're thinking about programming a sampler??? That's sweeeeeet!
My dream sampler would be a software hybrid of an MPC-style sampling and chopping mechanism (time-based) with the flexibility of something like Logic's EXS24.
I think the number one thing is latency. Kontakt is cool, but I'll never use it because of the latency... I like to play my sample track live over my drum beat and even with latency compensation and low-latency mode I still get about 11ms of latency. EXS24 gives no latency, and is actually programmed to spread out your CPU load when multiple instances are used.. even though the rest of Logic isn't... however EXS24 has no way of easily chopping long samples to be assigned...
...so...number two would be an internal chop and slice mechanism. EXS24 is great, but can only load pre-chopped samples or pre-sliced REX files... either way, you have to involve another program to achieve the end result of assigning individual samples to keys.
It would also be really important, if there was an internal sample chopping mechanism, that there be multiple methods of chopping. I really like the MPCs time-based sample chopping, but I hate using MPCs personally. I also really like ReCycle's way of chopping based on transients and a simple sensitivity slider... then you can make precise changes after that. If there were a sampler out there that let you choose and/or integrate both methods of sample chopping that would be awesome. Even if that would limit the total number of sample chops that can be performed, I would be willing to sacrifice that for more functionality from the sampler. Sonnivox's Sampla has a mechanism like this, but I don't particularly care for the interface..
...which brings me to number 3, interface. If the interface isn't smooth and sensible, the sampler is useless as a sampler and only useful as a highly-technical method of sample playback. Of course, in a similar way to the EXS24, there has to be a back-end or a separate panel/view that allows for manipulation of important parameters like crossfade, sample start and end, choke groups, etc...
Also, there's something to be said for native formats... if your sampler can handle files that were native to other samplers, that would be a godsend... I've spent so many damn hours converting GigaSampler files into EXS24 files that I could use in Logic that it makes my brain numb. If you can figure out a way to reverse-engineer another sampler's format and produce something worthwhile at the same time... you would be a god among men.
