11.3

NN-19 SAMPLER476
Introduction
The NN-19 is a sampler capable of playing back - but not editing - sound files.
The program comes with numerous ready-made sample patches, covering all kinds of instrument types. In addition to
this there are plenty of single samples that can be used for creating your own patches.
There are also plenty of relatively inexpensive (and even free) audio editing software for both the Windows and the
macOS platforms, that will allow you to both record audio (via your computers or audio cards audio inputs), and to edit
the resulting audio file. Virtually every software that is capable of this, can create sound files which can be loaded di-
rectly into the NN-19.
Also, there are thousands of high quality sample libraries available, covering every conceivable musical style or direc-
tion ranging from professionally recorded orchestral samples to esoteric electronic noises.
General sampling principles
Background
Before a sound can be used by a sampler, it must be converted to a digital signal. Hardware samplers and computer
audio cards provide audio inputs that can convert the analog signal to digital, by the use of an “A/D Converter” (ana-
log to digital). This “samples” the signal at very short time intervals and converts it to a digital representation of the an-
alog signal’s waveform. The sample rate and the bit depth of this conversion determines the resulting sound quality.
Finally the signal is passed through a digital to analog converter (D/A) which reconstructs the digital signal back to
analog, which can be played back.
Multisampling vs. single samples
Most of the included NN-19 patches are made up of a collection of several samples. This is because a single sam-
pled sound only sounds natural within a fairly narrow frequency range. If a single sample is loaded into an empty NN-
19, the sample will be playable across the whole keyboard. The pitch (frequency) of the original sample (called root-
key) will be automatically placed on the middle C key (C3).
Note that this has nothing to do with the actual pitch the sample itself produces! It may not even have a pitch as such,
it could be the sound of someone talking for example.
If you play any single sample about two octaves above or below its root key, it will most likely sound very “unnatural”.
In the case of it actually being a sample of someone talking, playing two octaves up will make the talking voice sam-
ple sound squeaky, short and most likely unintelligible. Two octaves down the voice will sound something like a
drawn-out gargle.
Thus, the range that most samples can be transposed without sounding unnatural is limited. To make a sampled pi-
ano, for example, sound good across the whole keyboard, you need to first have made many samples at close inter-
vals across the keyboard, and then define an upper and lower range for each sample, called a Key Zone. All the
keyzones in the piano sample patch then make up a Key Map.
How to create key zones is described in “About Key Zones and samples”.
To sample real instruments accurately requires a lot of hard work. Firstly, you need the original instrument, which
should be in perfect working order. For acoustic instruments you need a couple of good microphones, a mixer or
other device with high quality microphone preamps, and a room with good acoustics. You need to be meticulous
when recording the different samples, so that levels are smooth and even across the range etc.
Fortunately Reason provides a wide range of high quality multisampled instruments, so much of this hard work has
already been done for you.