Apple’s Logic Pro has some great samples, but most of them are clearly not based on actual recordings. When I have to evaluate a digital audio sample or recording, I always tend to go back to that “audible knowledge” in order to make out for myself if it’s any good or downright rubbish. I’ve learned how a cello is meant to sound, the difference between a Steinway and a Yamaha piano, the difference between several baroque and romantic church organs, etc. However, by listening to this specific kind of music I like for four decades, I have learned a thing or two about what instruments should sound like. You won’t see me jumping up and down when the latest album of “The boss” is released or when I hear Adèle’s voice on a radio, but I won’t try to vehemently force my personal preference for Harnoncourt or Rattle over von Karajan either. I am not a fanatic at anything but I do listen to classical (from polyphony times to the early 20th Century) music almost exclusively. More often than not, the SE, LE and other “Light” editions of software is either crippled or sounds like crap, but much to my surprise my leisurely Sunday download of SampleTank 3 SE was a pleasurable experience, especially in terms of sound quality of the included audio samples. In the SE edition, there are about 400 of them, but if you buy the MAX edition you’ll get about ten times as many. SampleTank SE is IK Multimedia’s app for creating and processing samples. SampleTank 3 SE has great sounding and real-world audio samples and works both as a stand-alone app and a plug-in to your DAW. What I first thought to be part of some free perks that come with an iRig product, turned out to be quite a wonderful sound and groove app/plug-in.

Sampletank se