The developers of AI-based sample editing software Samplab have released a new free VST3 plugin called TextToSample. This plugin allows you to generate samples from text prompts, such as “bubbly synth melody” or “dark ambient pad.”
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TextToSample utilizes Meta’s open-source AI-based sound generation toolset, MusicGen, and was trained using data provided by the algorithm. You can also drag and drop pre-existing sounds into the plugin and have it generate related samples.
The UI is extremely minimal and sparse, which makes it easy to use. However, this also means that there are some inherent limitations. For instance, the plugin doesn’t take pre-existing music on your track into account, so your first, second, and even third attempts will likely not match the tone you are going for. It also has trouble recognizing basic music concepts like keys, scales, and BPM.
Just like most AI-creation platforms, you aren’t going to get a perfect match right away. You’ll have to tweak, augment, and provide further instructions, bit by bit, until satisfied.
However, when you get there, it’s pretty darn fun, creating the kinds of happy accidents you’d never stumble into on your own. Check out the demo video and that little flourish of guitar at the tail end of the sample as an example.
This is an AI tool in the year 2023, so there are some bugs. During experiments, we ran into issues like the plugin adding drums when we clearly stated that we didn’t want percussion. To that end, Samplab says the tool is not intended to “replace human musicians, which it’s not capable of doing anyway.” It’s free, though, so there’s no harm in checking it out, and the technology should improve as more people use it.
Here are some of the features of TextToSample:
- Generates samples from text prompts
- Uses Meta’s open-source AI-based sound generation toolset, MusicGen
- Can also drag and drop pre-existing sounds into the plugin
- Minimal and sparse UI
- Can be used to create happy accidents
- Not perfect, but still fun to use
- Free to download
Overall, TextToSample is a promising new tool for music producers. It’s not perfect, but it’s a lot of fun to use, and it can create some really interesting sounds. If you’re looking for a way to add some AI-powered creativity to your music, TextToSample is worth checking out.
