ST4 saves all current settings in its environment and recalls them as multis. You can star your favorites to make them easier to find later. Clicking a result presents the related details in the right pane, complete with a 3D thumbnail of the instrument and effects. ST4’s refined browser helps navigate a sonic embarrassment of riches, narrowing instrument searches down by selecting multiple categories, genres, styles, and moods. Each part has controls for MIDI channel, transposition, solo, mute, pan, volume, and meters. The sister Layer Editor page lets you restrict each part to a desired key and velocity range. You can layer as many as 16 parts or use them as sources for DAW tracks. The Parts page is the hub for assigning instruments. A refined instrument browser also lets you find what you’re looking for faster. IK has increased the sound library in every edition by an approximate factor of four. The reengineered sound engine facilitates faster loading via disk-streaming, and it has a powerful modulation matrix. The line’s fourth incarnation brings welcome improvements that make the entire experience more elegant and powerful. Miroslav Philharmonik 2, for example, is highly recommended. You can expand on your ST4 edition’s core instruments by purchasing additional collections in a variety of categories and genres. I worked with the flagship SampleTank 4 MAX edition. All editions work as plug-ins or in a standalone player that’s handy for fast inspiration or live gigs. The paid versions are SampleTank 4 SE ($150), SampleTank 4 ($300), and SampleTank 4 MAX ($500). It features 50 instruments adding up to 4GB. You can even get into the world of ST4 for free with the recently released SampleTank 4 CS.

ST4 is available in four editions, differentiated only by the included library size and pricing. It delivers a formidable collection of high-quality instruments and loops comprising pro samples processed through a versatile synth engine and top-notch effects, rounded out with a full complement of mixing and performance controls. SampleTank 4 is a 16-part multitimbral sound/groove workstation for the Mac and PC that improves on a respected legacy. Can a virtual warehouse full of instruments maintain quality along with quantity? Even the free version?

Sampletank 4cs