EXS24 to DecentSampler conversion

[Luis Lucho]

Hi everyone!

In this video, I explain how I converted 103 Pianobook EXS24 instruments into DecentSampler format -> https://youtu.be/zoI72uGVPzQ

Here are some informations about my process.

GENERAL THOUGHTS:
It is really incredible how creative this community is. The samples I listened to are great, and the way the EXS24 instruments were made was sometimes very imaginative!
Thank you for the pictures you provided with the instruments, it really helped to create the GUI and background.
For the pitch conversion: DS uses only one value (pitch) and EXS24 has 2 values (coarse and fine). Here is the formula to get the correct DS pitch value: (coarse) + ((fine value sign, +/-) 0.(fine value))

INSTRUMENTS NOT CONVERTED:

– Ye Oldee Piano: samples missing
– Ultra Ambiant Pad: AccessDenied on website
– Bass Face: AccessDenied on website
– Antique Zither v0.1: Download not working

PRESETS NOT CONVERTED:

– 12 String Guitar Piano – 12STR_PAD: samples missing
– 12 String Guitar Piano – 12STR_PAD_1: samples missing
– Pots and Pads – Bowed Pan Wobbly Pitch: samples missing
– Pots and Pads – Thermos Hit: samples missing

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN EXS24 AND DECENTSAMPLER:

ASAT CLASSIC VARIATIONS
The DI and Clean presets use EXS modulation matrix to link velocity to filter cutoff and attack, so it sounds a bit different, quite more bright.

BROADWOOD
Thanks to DS format, there are pedal noises when you press the sustain pedal!

FAMILY PIANO PADS
I merged the 3 pads into one preset, with 3 level knobs.

HUNSICKER HELPENSTILL
Both signals (DI and Mics) are merged into one preset, with 2 level knobs.

LYRA PAD
The EXS version uses extensively EXS24 features like monophonic voicing, glide, LFO, filter, etc. so the DS version sounds quite different, but still cool.

MICKLEBURGH PIANO
Thanks to DS format, there are pedal noises when you press the sustain pedal!

SOFT STRING SPURS
I created a new patch: SSS Swells Multi, inspired by Christian and his « pitch and transpose » trick. You have 4 layers of SSS Swells, the first is pitched normally, the second is pitched -3 semitones, the third -5, and the fourth +3. Use the modwheel to add layers.

SPRING PIANO
The 3 signals (Apollo, M149, Soyuz) are merged into one preset, with 3 level knobs.

METAL SAUCER
I merged the Hard and Soft signals into one preset, with 2 level knobs.

TRACKED PIANO
The 3 signals (KM, SM, Solo) are merged into one preset, with 3 level knobs. I created another preset with Take 1 on low velocity range and Take 2 on high velocity range for maximum playability.

TRIPLE FELT EXPERIMENT
The Piano Pad is included with the Piano preset. Thanks to DS format, there are pedal noises when you press the sustain pedal!

KNOBS:
I created templates to convert faster, so the knobs format follows some rules:
Knobs width and height are 120px (except when there are 7 knobs, it turns to 108)
Y value for all knobs is 80.
X value for 1 knob:
346
X values for 2 knobs:
278 413
X values for 3 knobs:
211 346 482
X values for 4 knobs:
142 278 413 549
X values for 5 knobs:
75 211 346 482 617
X values for 6 knobs:
9 142 278 413 549 681
X values for 7 knobs:
9 123 237 351 465 579 693
This way, the knobs stay well centered!
For the knobs colours, I went with trackForegroundColor=”E63D99F4″ (a light blue) and trackBackgroundColor=« 80808080 » (a semi transparent grey)

For now, the conversion tool made by my brother in law Julien is only available for Windows (I made it work on my Mac through Wine) and still have some bugs sometimes, so it is not really optimal to share it for now, I will see with Julien if there is a way to make this tool available for everyone. I think the best way to make this tool works for everyone on every platform would be to have it in a web-based tool, so if you are reading this and you have web skills, let’s talk about this!

Enjoy all these instruments, and don’t forget to leave reviews!

Fred.

[Christopher Aaron]

Just watched your video Fred! I am someone who can’t justify spending that sort of money on Kontakt so this is a game changer for me. Really appreciate your efforts man!

[Steven Hopkins]

Saw this video on YouTube and was blown away. What a great contribution. Amazing stuff.

[Luis Lucho]

mkberlin on Youtube asked for a list of the 103 DecentSampler instruments of Pianobook, so here it is:

PIANOS
Antique (DS)
Bluthner – Leipzig (DS)
Broadwood (DS)
Butter Knife Upright (DS)
Church Steinway (DS)
College Kemble (DS)
Dead Line Samples (DS)
English Classic (DS)
Everett Upright (DS)
Family Piano (DS)
Ghost Piano (DS)
Harp Piano (DS)
Hunsicker Helpenstill (DS)
Jaymar Toy Piano (DS)
JM Felt Piano (DS)
Kristiansand Concert Steinway (DS)
Mickleburgh Piano (DS)
mRhodes (DS)
MVP Prototype (DS)
Prepared Staccato Cartoon Piano (DS)
Robs Perfectly Imperfect Piano (DS)
Schwechten Grand (DS)
SKY Felt Piano (DS)
Southsea Glimmer (DS)
Spring Piano (DS)
Study Piano (DS)
The Emperor & King (DS)
The Kawai Talkbook MiniCassette Piano (DS)
The Rose Piano (DS)
Tracked Piano (DS)
Triple Felt Experiment (DS)
Winter Felt Piano Prototype (DS)
Winter Piano (DS)
Wonky Piano (DS)

PADS & SYNTHS
A Piano in Rome (Pad) (DS)
A Very Cheesy EVO Pad (DS)
Bowed Oven Rack (DS)
Classic Dance Synth (DS)
Clustered Cloud Piano (DS)
Cow Pad (DS)
Cream Soda Atmos Pad (DS)
DX7 Clockwork Swarm (DS)
Ethanolia (DS)
Family Piano Pads (DS)
Fuckbox Samples (DS)
Hildur’s Harpsichord (DS)
Hurum Pad (DS)
Ice Choir (DS)
Lyra Pad (DS)
MS20 and SH01 A (DS)
Synth Glimmers (DS)
Steinway Pads (DS)
Thrumming Textures – Pads (DS)
Waves (DS)
Yo Pad (DS)

DRUMS & PERC
Bedroom Drum Kit (DS)
Lorenzo’s Drums V1 (DS)
Timpani (DS)
Tongue Drum (DS)

FOUND SOUNDS
Chpoki (DS)
Fire Extinguisher (DS)
Glass of Water (DS)
Insta Found Sounds – Vol 1 (DS)
Metal Saucer (DS)
Pots and Pads (DS)
Pouring (DS)
Rob’s Coffee Can Gamelan Metallophone (DS)
Rubber Upright (DS)
Singing Bowl (DS)
The Lamp (DS)
Toilet Lid Drone (DS)
Wine Glass Tool Kit (DS)

KALIMBA
Array M’Bira (DS)
Kalimba Rain (DS)

GUITARS & BASS
12 String Guitar Piano (DS)
62 Reissue Stratocaster (DS)
ASAT Classic Variations (DS)
Bowed Electric Guitar (with release) (DS)
Bass Harmonic Chimes (DS)
Pointillism Guitar (DS)
Romantic Guitar Harmonics (DS)
Thrumming Textures – Acoustic Guitar (DS)
Thrumming Textures – Electric Guitar (DS)

ORGAN
Requiem (DS)

STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
James’ Ukulele (DS)
Phil’s Banjo (DS)
Plucked Irish Banjo (DS)
Saraswati Veena (DS)
Soft String Spurs (DS)
Soft String Spurs Extras (DS)
Thrumming Textures – Amped Ukulele (DS)
Tsouras (Bouzouki) (DS)

METALLIC
Orff Chimes (DS)
The Glass (DS)

WIND INSTRUMENTS
Distant Brass (DS)
Oboe Choir (DS)
Robs Andean Quena Flute (DS)
Vandengengel Harmonica (DS)
Water Trumpet and Double Bass (DS)

CHOIR
The Discord Choir (DS)
VoxSepulvedae (DS)

OTHER
German Jubilate Harmonium (DS)
Musical Stones (DS)

[Nigel Turley]

Hi – just found the library – I use Decent Sampler on an iPad and Mac and the instruments that have been converted are simply amazing. I am having a problem with ‘Winter Voices’ though – I’ve downloaded the zip, renamed it and tried to load in the same way as the other instruments I’ve downloaded, but it doesn’t open in Decent Sampler on either device – the interface just stays blank…Is there a problem with this instrument, or am I missing something?

[Sid]

Nigel,
I don’t think you want to rename the zip file. I believe the files you want are inside the zip file. Unzip to a folder.

[Nigel Turley]

Great – thanks, that worked! I’m so used to the process of adding dslibrary files to the iPad version, where you need to rename the zip files…

[Anson Ong]

Hello there this is Anson Ong all the way from Malaysia – HELP…! I cannot find the download link to the 103 DS instruments!

[bo din]

That’s because there isn’t one !

You have to download them one at a time but there is no category for Decent Sampler.

However, as Fred has mostly converted exs instruments go to the Library tab and then perhaps Pianos and then select EXS24 and there may well be an option for decent sampler on those particular pianos. Always open as a new window to save time clicking back.

Or copy the name of the library listed above and use the search tool to find any libraries you might be interested in.
Always open as a new window to save time clicking back.

Apparently you can use google search as well. Always open as a new window to save time clicking back ?

Good hunting Anson.

btw; there are even more than 103 now.

[bo din]

see also the thread titled 18 EXS24 INSTRUMENTS IN DECENTSAMPLER!

[Anson Ong]

Thanks a lot for the explanation, Bo Din 😀 😀 Now, it’s either SWIM or SINK for me and I am enjoying it quite a fair bit so far 😀 😀

[preilly157]

Thank you for this awesome gift. WOuld love it if you could find time to convert this to Decent Sampler : https://www.pianobook.co.uk/packs/exit-ghosts-choir/

[ma]

Have been wondering if anyone is going to convert Dan Keens Gentle grand to DS, no worries if not just thought I would put in a polite request.

[carl]

Hey I am quite confused, I have read people have converted these files into DS, but I am unable to find any of these 103 instrument converted.
I have to do it myself? Or these 103 instruments on DS format has been posted somewhere?

[carl]

Edit: I have read a post above telling there is no specific path, instead these are spread around pianobook, hope I understood it correctly, thanks for your efforts, this project is amazing.
P.S Preilly user asked here before about this link: https://www.pianobook.co.uk/packs/exit-ghosts-choir/ coincidentally that is how I found about your project, would also like if it gets converted.

[Author]

Posts