A modern and open multi-sample file format for data exchange between sample-based instruments, to simplify the workflow for end users and sound designers. The format is limited to basic sample mappings, leaving out all playback and sound-shaping parameters to the preset of the relevant instrument.
Authors: Bitwig & PreSonus Software
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As a sample-player user I would like to transfer a single, playable instrument sound that contains multiple single samples across a music keyboard, with multiple velocity layers and possibly multiple samples playing simultaneously. [in scope]
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As a drum-sample-player user I would like to transfer a single drum or percussion instrument into an existing kit that contains multiple single samples in velocity layers, with multiple alternate samples (round-robin) per dynamic layer. [in scope]
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As a producer, I would like to transfer a set of corresponding drum or instrument loops with multiple musical variations. [out of scope]
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As a sample-player user I would like to transfer a complex instrument containing multiple articulations and / or voicing (filters, envelopes, effects). [out of scope]
A multisample can be packed into a single file using the ZIP container format. The mapping information is stored in the multisample.xml file in the root folder of the archive.
Filename extension: .multisample
Alternatively, a file system folder can be used, following the same naming convention.
The ZIP file should embed files uncompressed using the STORED method to allow sample-data to be streamed without prior extraction.
Embedded sample files should be RIFF WAVE files in either PCM or IEEE_FLOAT format. A player is expected to play back mono and stereo files with arbitrary sample-rates and bit-depths between 8 and 32.
Multichannel files are allowed, but it is not to be expected that all players support it.
A multisample may contain groups, which organize samples into logical groups. A group does not have any meaning for the sound synthesis, it is used to organize samples in an editor.
A sample references an audio file on disk and adds mapping information. It can either be ungrouped (-1) or be part of a specified group.
<multisample>
<group name="First"/>
<group name="Second"/>
<sample/>
<sample/>
</multisample>| name | String attribute | Name of the multisample. |
|---|---|---|
| generator | String element | Software which generated the file |
| category* | String element | Category of the multisample (ie Drum / Keyboard / FX) |
| creator | String element | User who created the file. |
| description | String element | A longer description of the multisample. |
| keywords |
Apart from the groups and samples, the multisample element also contain metadata of the sample.
<multisample name="Acoustic Bass">
<generator>Bitwig Studio</generator>
<category>Bass</category>
<creator>Genys</creator>
<description>A nice acoustics bass recorded at a 9562 m altitude.</description>
<keywords>
<keyword>Bass</keyword>
<keyword>Acoustic</keyword>
<keyword>Plucked</keyword>
</keywords>
<group … />
<group … />
<sample> … </sample>
<sample> … </sample>
</multisample>
| Property | Unit | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| sample | |||
| name | String | Displayed name of the group | |
| color | Hex string | Like in HTML: d92e24 |
<sample file="AcBass bowloop E1.wav" gain="0.000" sample-start="0" sample-stop="5669442" round-robin="1">
<key root="40" tune="-50.22" track="1" low="24" high="40" low-fade="10" high-fade="0"/>
<velocity high="127" low="0"/>
<loop mode="loop" start="256.22" stop="56694.42"/>
</sample>| Property | Unit | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| sample | |||
| file | String | Relative path to audio file | |
| sample-start | Samples | Sample start position | 0.0 |
| sample-stop | Samples | Sample end position | file length |
| gain | Decibels | 0.0 | |
| group | int | Index of group (-1 means ungrouped) | -1 |
| parameter-1 | float -1 … 1 | Exposed as P1 modulation source | 0 |
| parameter-2 | float -1 … 1 | Exposed as P2 modulation source | 0 |
| parameter-3 | float -1 … 1 | Exposed as P3 modulation source | 0 |
| reverse | bool | false | |
| zone-logic | String | always-play or round-robin | |
| key | |||
| root | semitone | 60 (C3) | |
| track | float 0 … 2 | 1 = 100% | 1 |
| tune | relative semitone (float) | Fine tuning or transposition of the sample. | 0.0 |
| low | semitone | 0 | |
| high | semitone | 127 | |
| low-fade | semitone | 0 | |
| high-fade | semitone | 0 | |
| velocity | |||
| low | velocity | 1 | |
| high | velocity | 127 | |
| low-fade | velocity | 0 | |
| high-fade | velocity | 0 | |
| select | |||
| low | select | 1 | |
| high | select | 127 | |
| low-fade | select | 0 | |
| high-fade | select | 0 | |
| loop | |||
| mode | String | off, loop or ping-pong | off |
| start | Samples, float | 0.0 | |
| stop | Samples, float | file length | |
| fade | 0 .. 1 | Multiply with (stop - start) to the get crossfade length | 0.0 |
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<xs:schema version="1.0" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
<xs:element name="group" type="group"/>
<xs:element name="multisample" type="multisample"/>
<xs:element name="sample" type="sample"/>
<xs:complexType name="multisample">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="generator" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="category" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="creator" type="xs:string"/>
<xs:element name="description" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0"/>
<xs:element name="keywords" minOccurs="0">
<xs:complexType>
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="keyword" type="xs:string" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
</xs:sequence>
</xs:complexType>
</xs:element>
<xs:element ref="group" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
<xs:element ref="sample" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/>
</xs:sequence>
<xs:attribute name="name" type="xs:string" use="required"/>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:complexType name="group">
<xs:sequence/>
<xs:attribute name="name" type="xs:string" use="required"/>
<xs:attribute name="color" type="xs:string"/>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:complexType name="sample">
<xs:sequence>
<xs:element name="key" type="key"/>
<xs:element name="velocity" type="range"/>
<xs:element name="select" type="range"/>
<xs:element name="loop" type="loop" minOccurs="0"/>
</xs:sequence>
<xs:attribute name="file" type="xs:string" use="required"/>
<xs:attribute name="sample-start" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="sample-stop" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="gain" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="group" type="xs:int"/>
<xs:attribute name="parameter-1" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="parameter-2" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="parameter-3" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="reverse" type="xs:boolean"/>
<xs:attribute name="zone-logic" type="zoneLogic"/>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:complexType name="key">
<xs:complexContent>
<xs:extension base="range">
<xs:sequence/>
<xs:attribute name="root" type="xs:int"/>
<xs:attribute name="track" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="tune" type="xs:double"/>
</xs:extension>
</xs:complexContent>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:complexType name="range">
<xs:sequence/>
<xs:attribute name="low" type="xs:int"/>
<xs:attribute name="high" type="xs:int"/>
<xs:attribute name="low-fade" type="xs:int"/>
<xs:attribute name="high-fade" type="xs:int"/>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:complexType name="loop">
<xs:sequence/>
<xs:attribute name="mode" type="loopMode"/>
<xs:attribute name="start" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="stop" type="xs:double"/>
<xs:attribute name="fade" type="xs:double"/>
</xs:complexType>
<xs:simpleType name="zoneLogic">
<xs:restriction base="xs:string">
<xs:enumeration value="always-play"/>
<xs:enumeration value="round-robin"/>
</xs:restriction>
</xs:simpleType>
<xs:simpleType name="loopMode">
<xs:restriction base="xs:string">
<xs:enumeration value="off"/>
<xs:enumeration value="loop"/>
<xs:enumeration value="ping-pong"/>
</xs:restriction>
</xs:simpleType>
</xs:schema>