Samplab is a free VST/AU plugin that lets you edit the notes in your polyphonic audio samples
Could the power of AI give you Melodyne-style editing for nothing?
Not so long ago, the idea that you’d one day be able to edit the individual notes in a polyphonic audio sample seemed like a pipedream. Then Melodyne’s Direct Note Access technology came along, providing exactly that kind of functionality. Now, thanks to the power of AI, Samplab puts this functionality into a free plugin.
OK, it’s not as sophisticated as the likes of Melodyne, but the Samplab demo is still pretty impressive.
Import a sample into one of your DAW’s audio tracks, open the plugin on a MIDI track and then drag the sample into it. The individual notes are then displayed in your piano roll ready for editing.
Processing is done on the Samplab server, meaning that it requires an internet connection to work. At the moment, only short samples can be separated, but the developers say that they’re working on adding support for longer audio files.
Samplab runs in VST/AU formats on PC and Mac. You can download it from the Samplab website.
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I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.