Differences

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--- sampler-import [2022/02/08 19:14] – [Changes in Unify v1.7] shane
+++ sampler-import [2023/05/08 18:59] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 ===== Changes in Unify v1.8 =====
-Unify v1.7 includes a few more changes, mostly aimed at improved compatibility with [[https://www.bjoernbojahr.de/bjoerns-sample-mapper.html|Bjoern's Sample Mapper]], an excellent free SFZ map-creation utility from German developer Björn Bojahr.
+Unify v1.7 includes two more changes, mostly aimed at improved compatibility with [[https://www.bjoernbojahr.de/bjoerns-sample-mapper.html|Bjoern's Sample Mapper]], an excellent free SFZ map-creation utility from German developer Björn Bojahr.
 **1. default_path tag:** Using full //absolute paths// for every sample tends to be repetitive, since all the sample files used in a given SFZ file are usually located in the same folder. You can now include a line at the top like this:
@@ Line 112: / Line 112: @@
 and then use //relative paths// in your ''region'' lines. The ''<control>'' line is optional; it is tolerated if present, but is not required.
-**2. //loop_mode// tag is now optional:** Looping will be enabled for a sample if any tag starting with ''loop_'' is present, with the exception of the special tag ''loop_end=0'' which causes looping to be enabled only if //Guru Sampler// finds loop-start and loop-end data in the sample WAV file.
+**2. loop_mode tag is now optional:** Looping will be enabled for a sample if any tag starting with ''loop_'' is present, with the exception of the special tag ''loop_end=0'' which causes looping to be enabled only if //Guru Sampler// finds loop-start and loop-end data in the sample WAV file.
+===== Changes in Unify 1.9 =====
+The sense of the //tune=// tag was wrong in all versions of Unify prior to 1.9.x, but has now been corrected. **If you had created any SFZ files using the //tune=// tag, you will need to update them.**
+  * E.g., //tune=12// should become //tune=-12// and vice versa.
+  * You won't need to change any SFZ files in which you did not use the //tune=// tag at all.
 ===== Converting from other sampler formats =====
@@ Line 123: / Line 130: @@
 //Translator// is **no magic bullet**. It's an exceptionally quirky and confusing program. If you use it, steel yourself for frustration, confusion, and regret about how much you paid for it. Its user-interface is not at all intuitive, especially the "bulk conversion" features (which can easily leave you wondering why you suddenly have  //multiple copies// of //many large WAV files// on your disk).
-===== Are you SURE you want to try this? =====
+If you have used Apple's //ESX24// plug-in to create sample maps, an excellent free option is [[https://www.bjoernbojahr.de/bjoerns-sample-mapper.html|Bjoern's Sample Mapper]], which is able to import //.esx// files and export SFZ files compatible with //Guru Sampler//.
-Seriously, unless you're a bit of a masochist, save yourself the money, time, and trouble, and wait until we can add all the easy, drag-and-drop, graphical-editing loveliness Unify users have asked for.
+===== Unify/Guru Sampler folder structure =====
+All Unify's content lives in what we call the "main data folder", which you were asked to specify when you installed Unify. If you don't remember where it is, go to [[settings|Settings]] and look about half-way down for the line marked "Data folder".
+{{::sampler-import-1.png|}}
+The full path to the main Unify data folder is on the right, and you can quickly open it in Finder/Explorer by clicking the **Open...** button. (Concerning the **Change...** button, see [[moving-data|Moving Unify's main data folder]].)
+Here's a simplified view of a typical Unify data folder:
+{{::sampler-import-2.png|}}
+Note that there is a //Samples// folder at the top level (beside //Libraries//, //Presets//, etc.), and also one inside each library's folder. The one at the top level is called the "global samples folder", and is where you should typically put your own //.sfz// files. Each library can also have its own //Samples// folder, for samples that are part of that library. (If you don't have a global //Samples// folder, you can create one manually.)
+//Guru Sampler// provides a row of three pop-up menus for selecting a sample-set (i.e., an //.sfz// file).
+{{:guru-sampler-4.png|}}
+From left to right:
+  - The **library menu** lets you choose any library, and this effectively selects that library's //Samples// folder. At the very top of the list, you can also choose "<Samples Folder>", which selects the global //Samples// folder.
+  - The **bank menu** lets you select a sub-folder under the selected //Samples// folder.
+  - The **sound menu** lets you select a //.sfz// file within the selected sub-folder.
+These three menus enforce the following simple rule about where //.sfz// files live in the folder hierarchy: **.sfz files always live in //sub-folders// of a //Samples// folder**---either the global one, or one in a library folder.
+  * The left menu in //Guru Sampler// selects the //Samples// folder
+  * The middle menu selects a sub-folder (aka "bank") under that, and
+  * The right menu selects a //.sfz// file in the sub-folder.
+This expanded view of a typical global //Samples// folder illustrates two typical ways in which sample and //.sfz// files can be organized:
+{{::sampler-import-3.png|}}
+  * The //DX7// bank has all the samples referred to by both //Today  EP offset.sfz// and //Today EP.sfz// thrown together into a single folder called //samples//.
+  * The //My Samples// bank is a bit more organized, with each //.sfz//'s own samples grouped together into their own folder (whose name matches that of the //.sfz// file).
+Note **//Guru Sampler// only cares about where //.sfz// files sit in the folder structure**, not where the sample files are, because each //.sfz// file includes all necessary information about where to find the samples.
+Starting with Unify v1.8, sample files don't even have to live under any of the //Samples// folders; they can live anywhere, in any folder on any drive on your computer. The //.sfz// files, however, must all live in sub-folders of some //Samples// folder.
-And remember what we said at the start: **WE DO NOT PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THESE PROCEDURES**. You're on your own.
+**One last thing**: If you explore the //Samples// folder of any Unify library, you'll usually see groups of large files with the file-type //.gsd// (Guru Sampler Data), While those libraries were being developed, the sample and //.sfz// files were set up as in the example. When a library is processed to prepare it for publication, each //.sfz// file gets replaced by a corresponding //.gsd// file.