title: The ConvertWithMoss Manual author: Jürgen Moßgraber geometry: margin=2.5cm papersize: a4paper date: \today ...
Converts multisamples in a specific source format to a different destination format. Furthermore, it can create multisample files from plain WAV files.
Run the matching installer for your operating system. After that you can start the application ConvertWithMoss.
IMPORTANT: Macos Mojave and later: Mojave prevents now software to run which is not authorized by Apple. But instead of telling you so, you get an error that the files are corrupted (so, your OS is lying to you now...).
To fix it open the Terminal app and enter the application folder:
cd /Applications/ConvertWithMoss.app
Then remove the evil flag with:
sudo xattr -rc .
[Enter your administrator password to execute the command]
Since this seems not to work for everybody, there is another solution:
Temporarily, disable the Gatekeeper with
sudo spctl --master-disable
Open the application (should work now). Close it and enable Gatekeeper again to feel safe...
sudo spctl --master-enable
The application should now run also with Gatekeeper enabled.
Macos 13
It got worse on Macos 13 and you need to take another step:
- after you did the xattr thing run it again and click away the error.
- now open the system settings and go to Privacy & Security Settings.
- at the very end there should now be a message saying something like 'publisher of ConvertWithMoss could not identified'.
- Click on the allow anyway button
- when you start ConvertWithMoss again you need to click away another 1000 dialogs but then it works.
Finally, have fun.
The conversion process reads and write metadata (name, category, creator, description and keywords) if supported by the format. If the source format does not support the information a guessing algorithm is applied to the name.
Furthermore, samples can be grouped in velocity layers and key ranges. Each sample can have 1 or no loop and parameters for pitch and different playback parameters.
The converter does not support any sophisticated synthesizer parameters like envelopes, filters or modulation.
- Select a source folder, which contains one or multiple folders with multisamples in the selected source format. The files can also be located in sub-folders.
- Select the output folder where you want to create the multisamples. This folder must be empty. You can add a non-existing folder to the name, which then is automatically created. E.g. you could select the Desktop and then add a folder Conversions.
- Press the Convert button to start the conversion. The progress is shown with notification messages in the log area, which you should check for potential errors like defect source files, skipped folder, etc. Alternatively, press Analyse to execute the same process as Convert but does not write any files. Use this to check for errors before finally running the conversion.
- Renaming: Allows to rename multi-samples. Enable the checkbox to use this feature. If enabled select the file which contains the mapped names. The file is a simple text file in UTF-8 format (important if non-ASCII characters are used!). Each row contains one mapping. A mapping consists of 2 names separated either by ';' or ','. E.g. a row which contains "AcPno;Acoustic Piano" would name a multi-sample with the name "AcPno" into "Acoustic Piano" as output.
- Create folder structure: If enabled, sub-folders from the source folder are created as well in the output folder. For example, if I select my whole "Sounds" folder, there are sub-folders like "Sounds\07 Synth\Lead\01W Emerson'70 Samples". In that case the output folder would contain e.g. "07 Synth\Lead\01W Emerson'70.multisample" if Bitwig multisample is selected as the destination format.
- Add new files: Starts the conversion even if the output folder is not empty but only adds files which are not already present.
- Dark Mode: Toggles the user interface between a light and dark layout.
The following multisample formats are supported as the source format:
- Akai MPC Keygroups (*.xpm)
- Bitwig Studio multisample (*.multisample)
- DecentSampler (*.dspreset, *.dslibrary)
- Korg KMP/KSF (*.KMP)
- Korg wavestate/modwave (*.korgmultisample)
- Native Instruments Kontakt (*.nki) 1-4
- SFZ (*.sfz)
- SoundFont 2 (*.sf2)
- WAV files (*.wav)
The following multisample formats are supported as the destination format:
- Akai MPC Keygroups (*.xpm)
- Bitwig Studio multisample (*.multisample)
- DecentSampler (*.dspreset, *.dslibrary)
- Korg KMP/KSF (*.KMP)
- Korg wavestate/modwave (*.korgmultisample)
- SFZ (*.sfz)
- WAV files (*.wav)
The following multisample formats can be the source of a conversion.
A MPC Keygroup or MPC Drum setup is stored in a folder. It contains a description file (.xpm) and the sample files (.WAV). Both keygroup and drum types are supported.
There are currently no metadata fields (category, creator, etc.) specified in the format. Therefore, the same guessing logic is applied as with plain WAV files (see the metadata parameters of WAV above for an explanation).
The parser can read all information from Bitwig Studio multisamples except the layer color, select and parameter 1 to 3, which are not mappable.
A Bitwig multisample file is a zip archive which contains all samples in WAV format and a metadata file in XML format. This converter supports (split) stereo uncompressed and IEEE float 32 bit formats for the WAV files.
The Decent Sampler plugin is a free (but closed source) sample player plugin that allows you to play sample libraries in the DecentSampler format (files with extensions: dspreset and dslibrary). See https://www.decentsamples.com/product/decent-sampler-plugin/ The format specification is available here: https://www.decentsamples.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/format-documentation.html#the-sample-element
A preset file contains a single preset. A dspreset file contains only the description of the multisample. The related samples are normally kept in a separate folder. Only WAV files are supported. A dslibrary file contains several dspreset files incl. the samples compressed in ZIP format.
There are currently no metadata fields (category, creator, etc.) specified in the format. Therefore, the same guessing logic is applied as with plain WAV files (see the metadata parameters of WAV above for an explanation).
The KMP/KSF format (*.KMP) was first introduced in the Korg Trinity workstation (1995) and since then supported in many Korg workstations and entertainment keyboards up to the latest Korg Nautilus (2020). The following keyboards are known to support the format:
- Trinity
- Triton
- OASYS
- M3
- Kronos
- KROSS (only for pads)
- PA1X/PA800/PA2X/PA3X/PA4X
- Nautilus
The format is documented in detail in the appendix of the respective parameter guides. The KMP format contains only 1 layer of a multisample, which means there are only key splits but no velocity layers. The file references several KSF files which contain the sample data for each key region.
The korgmultisample format is currently used by the Korg wavestate and modwave keyboards. Files in that format (*.korgmultisample) can be opened with the Korg Sample Builder software and transferred to the keyboard.
Since the format is pretty simple all data stored in the file is available for the conversion.
Kontakt is a sampler from Native Instruments which uses a plethora of file formats which all are sadly proprietary and therefore no documentation is publicly available. Nevertheless, several people analysed the format and by now sufficient information is available to provide the support as the source.
However, the format changed many times across the different Kontakt versions. So far, the following formats are known:
| Kontakt Version | Supported | Monolith supported |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yes | No |
| 2 - 4.1.x | Yes | Yes |
| 4.2.2+ | No | No |
| 5 - 7 | No | No |
A NKI file contains one instrument which is a multi-sample with many parameters. Currently, the multi-sample parameters are supported incl. loops. Furthermore, metadata information, the amplitude envelope and pitchbend.
The SFZ format is a file format to define how a collection of samples are arranged for performance. The goal behind the SFZ format is to provide a free, simple, minimalistic and expandable format to arrange, distribute and use audio samples with the highest possible quality and the highest possible performance flexibility (cited from https://sfzformat.com/).
The SFZ file contains only the description of the multisample. The related samples are normally kept in a separate folder. The converter supports only samples in WAV format encoded as (split) stereo uncompressed and IEEE float 32 bit format.
There are currently no metadata fields (category, creator, etc.) specified in the format. Therefore, the same guessing logic is applied as with plain WAV files (see the metadata parameters of WAV above for an explanation).
The original SoundFont file format was developed in the early 1990s by E-mu Systems and Creative Labs. It was first used on the Sound Blaster AWE32 sound card for its General MIDI support.
A SoundFont can contain several presets grouped into banks. Presets refer to one or more instruments which are distributed over a keyboard by key and velocity ranges. The sample data contained in the file is in mono or split stereo with 16 or 24 bit.
The conversion process creates one destination file for each preset found in a SoundFont file. The mono files are combined into stereo files. If the left and right channel mono samples contain different loops, the loop of the left channel is used.
This is not a multisample format but a clever algorithm tries to detect the necessary information from each multisample file. It uses metadata found int the WAV file or from its' name.
WAV file can contain different sample formats. This converter supports (split) stereo uncompressed and IEEE float 32 bit formats.
All WAV files located in the same folder are considered as a part of one multisample. You can also select a top folder. If you do so, all sub-folders are checked for potential multisample folders. The algorithm tries to detect as much metadata as possible from the WAV files:
- Notes are first detected from the sample chunk in the wave file (if present). If this is not set different parser settings are tried on the file name to detect a note name (or MIDI note value).
- The category is tried to be extracted from the file name. If this fails it tries with the folder names (e.g. you might have sorted your lead sounds in a folder called Lead). Furthermore, several synonyms and abbreviations are considered (e.g. Solo as a synonym for Lead).
- Characterizations like hard are tried to be extracted with a similar algorithm as for the category.
Detected velocity layers will be equally distributed across the velocity range. E.g. if 2 layers are detected the first will be mapped to the velocity range of 0-63 and the second to 64-127.
- Detection pattern: Comma separated list of patterns to detect velocity layers. The pattern must contain a star character ("*"), which indicates the position which contains the layer number.
- Order of layer numbering: Enable to map velocity layers inversed. This means that the highest number will be mapped to the lowest velocity range.
Stereo samples might be split up into 2 mono files (the left and right channel). This tool will combine them into a stereo file.
- Left channel detection pattern: Comma separated list of patterns to detect the left channel from the filename. E.g. "_L".
- Only WAV files in Mono or Stereo are supported.
- Prefer folder name: If enabled the name of the multisample will be extracted from the folder instead of the sample names.
- Default creator: The name which is set as the creator of the multisamples, if no creator tag could be found.
- Creator tag(s): Here you can set a number of creator names, which need to be separated by comma. You can also use this to look up other things. For example, I set the names of the synthesizers which I sampled. My string looks like: "01W,FM8,Pro-53,Virus B,XV" (without the quotes).
- Crossfade notes: You can automatically create crossfades between the different note ranges. This makes especially sense if you only sampled a couple of notes. Set the number of notes, which should be crossfaded between two samples (0-127). If you set a too high number the crossfade is automatically limited to the maximum number of notes between the two neighbouring samples.
- Crossfade velocities: You can automatically create crossfades between the different velocity layers. This makes especially sense if you sampled several sample layers with different velocity values. Set the number of velocity steps (0-127), which should be crossfaded between two samples. If you set a too high number the crossfade is automatically limited to the maximum number of velocity steps between the two neighbouring samples.
- Postfix text to remove: The algorithm automatically removes the note information to extract the name of the multisample but there might be further text at the end of the name, which you might want to remove. For example the multisamples I created with SampleRobot have a layer information like "_ms0_0". You can set a comma separated list of such postfix texts in that field.
The following multisample formats can be the destination of a conversion.
A MPC Keygroup is stored in a folder. It contains a description file (.xpm) and the sample files (.WAV). This format has some restrictions:
- A round robin keygroup can only contain up to 4 layers. An error is displayed in this case but the file is converted anyway.
- Only 128 keygroups are allowed. An error is displayed in this case but the file is written anyway but might not be loadable.
This format can be loaded in the Bitwig Sampler device. It supports multiple layers, key and velocity crossfades as well as several metadata information: creator, sound category and keywords.
Writes a dspreset or dslibrary file (see above) depending out the setting. Samples are stored in a sub-folder with the same name.
Further options:
- Make monophonic: Restricts the sound to 1 note, use e.g. for lead sounds.
- Add envelope: Create 4 knobs to edit the amplitude envelope.
- Add filter: Adds a low pass filter and creates a cutoff and resonance knob for it.
- Add reverb: Adds a reverb effect and creates two parameter knobs for it.
Since the KMP format can only contain 1 layer of a multisample, sources with multiple velocity layers are split up into several KMP files. Due to limitations of the format only uncompressed 8 or 16 bit samples up to 48kHz are supported.
The korgmultisample format is currently used by the Korg wavestate and modwave keyboards. Files in that format can be opened with the Korg Sample Builder software and transferred to the keyboard.
Since the format supports only one layer of a multisample, multiple files are created for each layer available in the source. If there is more than one layer in the source the name of the created file has the velocity range of the layer added. Using that information a multisample with up to 4 layers can be created as Performance in the device.
Writes a SFZ file (see above) and puts all samples in a sub-folder with the same name.
Only stores the WAV files from the source format in a sub-folder. Use e.g. to extract the audio files from a SF2 file.
- Native Instruments NKI files
- New: Added support for AIFF files (will be converted to WAV).
- New: Added support for reading Kontakt NKI files stored in big-endian format. But could not test with any monolith file, therefore an error is shown.
- New: Added option to rename multi-samples (thanks to Philip Stolz).
- New: Improved mapping of envelopes to MPC keygroups (thanks to Philip Stolz).
- New: Added support for reading Kontakt NKI files (only the format of the versions before Kontakt 4.2 are supported, thanks to Philip Stolz).
- Fixed: Added missing reading of panorama value.
- Fixed: Bitwig Multisample files with old layer formatting had duplicated layers as output.
- Fixed: Missing trigger types in Decenter Sampler files did show an unecessary error.
- New: Added support for trigger type (attack, release, first, legato) for SFZ, Decent Sampler, MPC Keygroups (only attack, release on instrument).
- New: WAV files are added as destination format e.g. in case you only want to extract WAV files from SF2 files.
- New: Store WAV ending in lower-case when converted from MPC Keygroups.
- Fixed: (Bitwig) Multisample files must not be compressed for faster access. Bitwig can also handle compressed files but other hosts supporting the format might fail. If you created Multisample files with this converter, simply run a new conversion on them with Multisample as source and destination to fix the issue.
- Fixed: Created (Bitwig) Multisample metadata file contained wrong group indices (off by 1).
- New: Added reading/writing of Korg KMP/KSF files.
- New: Added icons to the buttons.
- Fixed: Name detection was broken (if 'Prefer folder name' was off).
- Fixed: Akai XPM: Velocity range was not read correctly.
- New: WAV: Layer detection pattern fields are now checked to contain a '*'.
- Fixed: WAV: Having the layer detection pattern field empty led to undetectable MIDI notes.
- Fixed: WAV: The order of potential note names in file names could have been wrong and therefore a detection could fail.
- New: SF2, SFZ, MPC: Support for Pitch bend range settings.
- New: SF2, SFZ, Decent Sampler, MPC: Support for filter settings (incl. filter envelope).
- New: SF2, SFZ, MPC: Support for Pitch envelope settings.
- Fixed: SFZ: Logging of unsupported opcodes did add up.
- Fixed: SFZ: Sample paths in metadata now always use forward slash.
- Fixed: Decent Sampler: Sample files from dslibrary could not be written.
- Fixed: Decent Sampler: Tuning was not read correctly (off by factor 100).
- Fixed: Decent Sampler: Round-robin was not read and not written correctly.
- New: Support for amplitude envelope: Decent Sampler, MPC Keygroups, SFZ: read/write; SF2: read
- New: Decent Sampler: Support 'tuning' and 'groupTuning' on group tags as well as 'globalTuning' on the groups tag.
- New: SF2: Support initialAttenuation generator.
- Fixed: SF2: Sample files extracted from Sf2 were always set as 44.1kHz.
- Fixed: SFZ: Presets with illegal characters were corrected for the sample folder name but not in the SFZ file reference.
- Fixed: SFZ: Loop attributes were not read when loop_type was missing.
- Fixed: SFZ: Loop attribute alternative names loopstart, loopend were not read.
- Fixed: SFZ: Loop was not set to off when no loop was present.
- Fixed: MPC Keygroups: Loop end was not set correctly if different from sample end.
- Fixed: Decent Sampler: group name was wrongly reported as not supported.
- Fixed: WAV: Check of sample chunks when combining mono to stereo does now only require to have the same pitch.
- Fixed: Error message for left/right mono samples with different pitch was missing.
- New: Added reading/writing of Korg Wavestate (.korgmultisample) files.
- New: Added reading of Akai MPC Keygroup files.
- New: Added the WAV creator detector parameters to SFZ, Decent Sampler and MPC Keygroups as well.
- New: Added a dark mode.
- Fixed: WAV: Detection of root note from sample names could be wrong when multiple options apply and the last one was wrong.
- Fixed: SFZ: Ignore illegal characters in SFZ files.
- Fixed: Bitwig multisample: Key tune parameter was not stored correctly.
- New: Support WAV files in extensible format.
- New: SFZ: Create names for groups without a name.
- New: SFZ: Check for trigger opcode but only 'attack' is supported.
- Fixed: SFZ: Key values which did not use MIDI note numbers were not read (e.g. c#3).
- Fixed: Improved handling of large chunks in WAV files.
- Fixed: Fixed issues with sample paths created on different OS.
- Fixed: Fixed some issues with error message formatting.
- Fixed: Do not create the top source folder in the output folder (only the sub-folders).
- New: Akai MPC Keygroup - round-robin groups are now converted (up to 4).
- New: Akai MPC Keygroup - more than 4 velocity layers can now be converted; this creates multiple keygroups.
- Fixed: Akai MPC Keygroup - root notes of samples were off by 1.
- New: Added writing of Akai MPC Keygroup files.
- New: DecentSampler creator got some options to choose which controls to create and to make the sound monophonic.
- Fixed: WAV detector: Upper velocity layer was not always 127.
- Fixed: WAV detector did not read loops from WAV files.
- Fixed: WAV detector did also deliver results for empty folders.
- Fixed: Setup for created DecentSampler Filter and Reverb is working now.
- New: Added reading and writing of DecentSampler preset and library files.
- New: Improved note detection from file names.
- Fixed: SFZ detector - global_label was not read.
- Fixed: SFZ parser - Comments at line end were not removed which conflicted with attribute values.
- Fixed: WAV detector - Crash if left and right mono sample had different lengths.
- Fixed: Creating folders for SFZ could raise an exception.
- Fixed: Source and destination tabs could be removed.