The Audio File Sampler Node is a low level sampler that does one thing: takes an audio file and a time value as its inputs, and then outputs the sample at the provided time.
This fundamental mechanism allows you to build a variety of samplers, including simple linear playback, reverse playback, looping playback, granular synthesis (where a single Audio File Sampler Node corresponds to a single grain), or even interesting wavetable synthesizers using loaded samples.
How to Use
The Audio File Sampler Node requires a control signal to control the current sample being output. Think of it as the playback head for the audio file being sampled.
One of the most basic ways to use this Node is to connect a gradually increasing signal to its Time Input, which achieves linear forward playback. The Timer Node is a good example of a Node that can output such a signal.
If you then multiply that control signal with a value larger than 1, playback will speed up, because time now progresses faster. Or, with a gradually decreasing signal, you get linear reverse playback. Give it something more extreme, like the output of an Oscillator Node, and you’ll quickly start to hear very interesting results.
Inputs
Audio File Input
A data input that expects an audio file, typically from an Audio File Param Node. This is the file that gets sampled.
Time Input
A control signal that marks which sample to output. The value is in seconds. See the How to Use section for examples.
Outputs
Audio Output
An audio signal containing the sample from the input audio file precisely at the value indicated by the Time Input. If the Time Input’s value does not precisely fit on a sample, the Audio File Sampler Node automatically performs interpolation for a smooth playback. The number of channels in this output depends on the input audio file.
If the Time Input is less than 0, or greater than the input audio file duration, or if there is no input audio file provided, the output will be 0.
Technical Details
The Audio File Sampler Node automatically resamples its input audio file, so that 1 second of time progression in the Time Input represents exactly 1 second of time progression in the original audio file, regardless of your system sample rate, without speeding up or speeding down (or without any pitch shifting).