Faster Indexing, Heavier Right-Click
Parallel Indexing Pipeline
Local audio analysis (tempo, key, spectral, stereo) and AI classification now run as independent workers with their own thread pools. Tempo, key, and waveforms show up much sooner on a fresh scan, and tagging no longer throttles DSP work.- Richer System Status panel: processing now breaks into six stages — Total, Analyzed, Classified, Uploaded, Enriched, and Embedded — each with a tooltip explaining what it unlocks (tempo/key search, similarity, sync, genre/mood filters, prompt search)
- Classify samples on demand: right-click a sample or folder and pick Classify samples to re-run AI classification without redoing local analysis
Right-Click, Edit Anything
The sample right-click menu now has quick editors for Key, Scale, Tempo, Creator, Sample pack, Type (loop/one-shot), and Category. Creator and Sample pack open a searchable picker; Tempo suggests your library’s most common BPMs as chips; Category mirrors the full tree.- Batch-edit directories: right-click any folder in the File Browser to set the same properties on every sample under it, with live progress on large folders
- Tags and genres, inline: dedicated Tags and Genres dialogs on samples, and Add/Remove Tags/Genres on directories. Remove dialogs only list values that actually exist under that folder
- Rename or delete tags and genres library-wide: right-click any tag or genre chip in the filter rail or Sample Info pane to sweep or strip it from every sample at once
Per-Folder Upload and Indexing Control
The Add Directory dialog now shows your sample folders as a tree with per-directory checkboxes for cloud upload (☁) and AI indexing (✨). Live directory count, file sizes, and credit estimates update as you toggle folders, so you can see exactly what a scan will cost before committing.- Simplified credits: removed the Safety Reserve setting — your whole balance is now available for both AI features and background processing
Also New
- Smarter search for poorly-named samples: each sample now inherits its parent folder’s AI description when generating its embedding, so a file like
01.wavinside a “Vintage 70s funk drum breaks” folder matches searches for that vibe. Applies to newly enriched samples
Bug Fixes & Performance
- Faster local analysis on laptops: background analysis no longer oversubscribes CPU threads when multiple classifier sessions run in parallel; audio resampling during tagging is also ~3× faster. Biggest gains on 4–8 core machines
- Smoother indexing throughput: results now save as each file finishes instead of waiting for the whole batch, so one slow file no longer stalls the rest
- Fixed the assistant sometimes failing to send a message and leaving behind an empty chat that couldn’t be reopened after refreshing
- Fixed re-indexing a folder while a previous index was still running queueing duplicate jobs for the same directories
- Fixed dragging a sample and dropping quickly occasionally loading the audio file in the app window and forcing a restart (mostly on macOS)
- Fixed similar-samples search breaking after downloading a bundled library. Existing libraries are repaired automatically on next launch
Unified Search: Find, Prompt, and Instant
The Sample Browser now has three search modes in one place — pick the one that fits how you’re searching right now.Find · Prompt · Instant
A mode toggle above the search bar lets you switch between three ways to search. PressTab while typing to cycle modes.- Find (default): filters by filename as you type. Free, instant, fully offline.
- Prompt: describe any sound in plain English — AI returns the best matches even when filenames don’t help. Costs 5 credits per search.
- Instant: free on-device matching using a local model. Fast and offline, but less accurate than Prompt.
#120 @Cmin !loop %dark $techno) for filtering by tempo, key, type, tag, and genre. In Prompt and Instant, tokens act as hard filters while the rest of your query drives the AI match.The search bar and sidebar filters now stay in sync — type @Cmin and the Key dropdown updates, or pick a key from the dropdown and the search bar updates to match.Analysis Speed
A new single slider in Settings → Processing replaces the old separate thread and model controls. Four presets — Battery, Balanced, Fast, Max — with a live RAM and CPU estimate so you know what to expect. Also available in the Add Directory dialog and the System Status panel while analysis is running.User Experience
- Favorites moved to the top of the filter sidebar for quicker access
- Active filters are now visually highlighted so you can see at a glance what’s narrowing your results
- Search help button (?) opens a quick reference with mode comparison and token syntax
- New Help button in the sidebar footer links to the documentation
Bug Fixes & Performance
- Fixed the update notification showing “Update & Restart” before the download finished
- Fixed sign-in and sign-up links dropping the redirect parameter after authenticating
- Fixed the Getting Started checklist briefly flashing on launch for users who had already completed it
v2.2.2
User Experience
- Font picker: Choose your preferred UI font in Settings → Preferences. Ships with Space Grotesk (default), Inter, Geist Sans, Plus Jakarta Sans, Sora, Exo 2, Oxanium, and JetBrains Mono
Bug Fixes & Performance
- Significantly faster sample and directory deletion, especially for large libraries
- Fixed scanning directories failing with “An unexpected error has occurred” when a filename contained unusual control characters
- Directory scans that were interrupted by closing the app now automatically resume on restart
Ask Your Library Anything
The AI assistant can now query and edit your entire sample library directly. Ask analytical questions, run similarity searches with filters, and make bulk changes — all with inline approval before anything is written.
Assistant SQL Tools
- Ask questions about your library: “how many kicks between 60–80 BPM?”, “which genre has the most samples?”, “show me favorited samples I haven’t played in a month”
- Similarity search with filters: “samples that sound like this one but only lofi, under 80 BPM, in F minor” — combines vector similarity with any filter you describe
- Make bulk changes: “archive everything tagged lofi that isn’t favorited”, “remove the 808 tag from all kicks” — the assistant proposes the change and you approve it inline before anything happens
- Safe by default: Destructive statements are blocked automatically, and every write shows a confirmation card with a plain-English summary before executing
The assistant can now answer questions and act on your library in ways we haven’t pre-built features for — any question you can describe, it can query.
User Experience
- Prompt Search now works in the browser demo
- Web account area consolidated into a single page — plan, usage, referral, and settings in one place
- Email preferences now sync between desktop and web
- Assistant chat messages pin your question to the top so you read the response from the beginning
- Tool steps in the assistant are now compact — in-progress steps show a spinner, completed steps collapse to a single line
- Notes editor is tighter and more compact
- The app uses custom scrollbars in more places to provide a more native feel
Bug Fixes & Performance
- Fixed web account page throwing errors when adjusting preferences
- Fixed global shortcuts not being recognized
- Fixed demo video not playing on some browsers
- Fixed email verification sign-in bouncing back to the sign-in page
v2.0.8
User Experience
- “Check for Updates” in the user menu now opens the update dialog directly when a new version is found
Bug Fixes & Performance
- Fixed sign-in on macOS silently returning to the sign-in screen after a successful browser auth
- Fixed a potential race condition when authenticating leading to authentication failing silently
v2.0.1
User Experience
- Added “Copy sign in link” option on the sign-in waiting screen for cases where the browser doesn’t open automatically
- Landing page navbar now shows an Account button in place of “Try Demo” for signed-in users, linking to account settings
Bug Fixes & Performance
- Fixed “Analyze samples” context menu not queuing analysis jobs
- Fixed sync pulling from remote after a failed push, which could overwrite local data
- Fixed potential database corruption from background and manual syncs running simultaneously
- Fixed fresh installs with sync credentials failing on a nonexistent remote database
- Optimized database size and sync throughput when it’s idle
The Rebuild: Offline-First, Faster Everything
Sample Vault 2.0 is a ground-up rebuild of how the app stores and processes your data. Every operation is faster, everything works offline, and a new processing pipeline gives you more control over how your samples are organized.Offline-First Architecture
The local database has been completely replaced. The previous in-memory engine was fragile and kept all data in RAM — the new one writes to disk, syncs reliably, and uses a fraction of the memory.- Faster everything: Browsing, searching, and filtering are all significantly faster
- Lower memory usage: Data is no longer held entirely in RAM
- More stable: Fewer crashes and edge cases from the previous in-memory database
- Full data sync: All data in the app now syncs to the cloud — previously only a subset was synced
The AI Assistant still requires an internet connection. All other features work
fully offline after initial sign-in.
Sound Profile
A new Sound Profile tab in the Sample Browser filter sidebar lets you filter samples by their sonic characteristics using range sliders.- Core: Tonality, Percussiveness, Brightness, Noisiness, Complexity, Attack, Rhythmic Density, Pitch Stability
- Frequency Content: Sub Bass, Bass, Low Mids, Mids, Highs
- Stereo & Temporal: Stereo Width, Temporal Centroid, Dynamic Range
Sample Enrichment
Sample processing is now split into two distinct stages:- Analysis — Local audio processing that extracts tempo, key, spectral features, and sound characteristics. Deterministic, fast, and free
- Indexing — AI scans your directories and generates relevant labels: genres, tags, creators, and sample packs. Costs 20 credits per indexed folder — a fraction of the previous per-sample cost, which has been removed entirely
Prompt Search for Everyone
Prompt Search is now available to all users, not just premium subscribers. Each search costs 5 credits. Free plan users receive 100 daily credits — enough for about 20 searches per day.Samples must be enriched and embedded to become available for Prompt Search.
Processing Settings
New Settings > Processing tab gives you control over how the app uses your hardware during audio analysis.- Processing Threads: Control how many CPU threads are used for audio analysis — higher values process faster but use more CPU
- Classification Models: Control how many audio classification models run simultaneously — each instance uses approximately 500 MB of RAM
User Experience
- Copy with effects rendered: When time stretch or key transposition is active, right-click any sample to copy it with the effect baked in using “Copy timestretched”, “Copy pitched”, or “Copy timestretched & pitched”
- Master volume in title bar: A volume slider is now accessible directly from the title bar with a click-to-mute toggle
- Activity log refresh: The activity log has been streamlined to surface only the most relevant background events, reducing clutter
Performance and Bug Fixes
- Sample analysis is up to ~10x faster
- RAM is now properly released after analysis completes
- File browser is drastically faster for large libraries (100k+ samples)
- Fixed a race condition where the AI Assistant’s tools would occasionally stop responding
- Fixed auth deep link occasionally failing to complete sign-in
Native Experience Update
The Sample Vault desktop app now runs entirely from your machine. The interface is bundled directly into the application instead of loading from a remote server.- Instant startup: The app launches immediately — no waiting for a remote connection or loading screen
- Full offline UI: Every part of the interface works without an internet connection, not just the local features. Previously, a network hiccup could leave you staring at a blank screen mid-session
- Faster across the board: Navigation, panel switching, and UI interactions are snappier since nothing is fetched over the network
- More reliable updates: App versions are fully self-contained — what you download is what you run, with no risk of UI/backend version mismatches
Cloud features like the AI Assistant, Prompt Search, and
sample sync still require an internet connection.
Analysis Overhaul and Playback Controls Update
Auto-Loop and Play Controls
New Auto-Loop and Play buttons are now accessible directly from the title bar — start playback and toggle looping without reaching for a panel.Sample and Directory Reanalysis
Right-click any sample or directory in the File Browser to trigger reanalysis, updating audio features without a full library rescan.User Experience
- Richer progress status: Scanning and analysis now display extended progress details so you always know what’s happening
- App data directory links: Settings → App Data now includes direct links to reveal cache, logs, and other app-related directories on your system
- Improved playback behavior: Pressing Space now always restarts playback from the beginning. Use Shift+Space to resume from where you left off
- New macOS icon: Redesigned app icon that feels more native on macOS
Performance and Bug Fixes
- 10–20x faster sample analysis — major optimizations to the audio analysis pipeline dramatically reduce processing time across your library
- Fixed samples not obeying Link and not playing in sync
- Fixed AI Assistant chat input not rendering properly in certain cases
- Fixed assistant sample player using outdated sample info/edit dialogs
- Fixed download link on the web detecting the wrong architecture on macOS
Recall, Refinement, and Waveform Update
Recall Tab
Sample Vault now remembers what you do. The new Recall tab keeps a running history of every sample you drag, copy, search for, or ask the assistant about — organized by workspace.- Tracks five interaction types: samples dragged to DAW, samples copied, browser searches, prompt searches, and assistant messages
- Filter by interaction type to quickly find what you were working with
- Embedded sample players let you re-audition directly from the history
- AI-aware context: Your recent activity is automatically passed to the AI Assistant, so it understands what you’ve been working with and gives more relevant responses — no need to re-explain
Similar Samples Refinement
The Similar Samples panel now lets you approve or reject results to steer the similarity search toward exactly what you need.- Hover over any result to reveal a checkmark (more like this) and X (not like this)
- Approved samples pull the search toward their sonic characteristics; rejected samples push it away
- Results update in real time as you refine
- Click Reset to return to the neutral similarity search
Waveform Visualizer Tab
A new Waveform Visualizer panel provides a detailed, interactive view of the currently playing sample.- Click anywhere on the waveform to seek playback
- Scroll to zoom in/out (cursor-anchored)
- Shift+scroll (or trackpad horizontal scroll) to pan
- Enable Tempo Sync to display beat and bar markers aligned to the sample’s BPM — musical intervals replace the default time ruler
Improved Tempo and Loop Detection
The audio analysis pipeline now uses a multi-algorithm approach for more accurate tempo and loop detection.- Tempo detection combines spectral flux, high-frequency content analysis, phase deviation, and inter-onset interval histograms to produce more reliable BPM estimates
- Loop detection classifies samples as loops or one-shots using separate heuristics for percussive, tonal, and mixed content
- Grid-based matching cross-references detected BPM against expected loop durations (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 bars) for higher confidence on loops
Also New
- Sample Info player: The Sample Info tab now includes an embedded audio player with waveform visualization at the top — audition and inspect without leaving the detail view
- UI scale setting: Adjust the interface scale in Settings → Appearance to match your display and preferences
- Web browser demo: Try Sample Vault directly in your browser at samplevault.ai/demo — no download required
- Public roadmap: See what’s coming next and vote on what’s important to you on the public roadmap
User Experience
- Sample reconciliation: If samples are moved or deleted from disk, Sample Vault detects the missing file on playback and offers to locate the file at its new path or remove it from your library. Relocating a sample automatically finds and updates other samples from the same original directory.
- Extended activity log with more processing events
- AI Assistant now has access to the most up-to-date documentation
- New progress bar in the Sample Browser shows analysis progress more cleanly — samples now auto-refresh every 60 seconds instead of continuously, reducing browsing interruptions
- BPM sync now falls back to 120 BPM when no tempo is detected, instead of showing an empty state
- (Experimental) Database backups available in Settings → App Data — may not handle very large datasets yet
- Right-clicking the user icon now shows the same menu as left-clicking
- Added a default right-click context menu anywhere in the app with links to keyboard shortcuts, settings, Discord, documentation, changelog, and more
Performance and Bug Fixes
- Audio analysis processing speed improved up to ~5×
- Reduced RAM usage during processing
- Improved Prompt Search accuracy
- Fixed Assistant occasionally responding with empty messages due to invalid tool calls
- Fixed playing assistant samples not triggering the Similar Samples panel to update
- Fixed chat context menu action redirecting to an old route
- Fixed samples not being properly deleted during server sync
- Fixed samples not grouped correctly into original directories when pulling from server sync
- Fixed errors when extracting metadata from files during processing
- Fixed virtual file tree being built incorrectly (Settings → App Data → Rebuild File Tree if needed)
- Fixed system status button in the title bar continuing to play sheen animation after analysis finishes
- Fixed samples being visible across accounts on the same PC
- Fixed links in AI Assistant chat not opening in the browser window
Dock Layouts Update
Dock Layouts
Sample Vault now has a fully customizable layout engine. Arrange any combination of panels — sample browser, file browser, AI assistant, similar samples, note editor, and more — into your own tabbed workspace.- Drag and drop panels to rearrange or split the interface
- Resize panels to fit your workflow
- Save and switch between named layouts
- Use as many or as few panels as you need
Improved Sample Info Tab
The sample info tab has been redesigned with three focused tabs: General, Characteristics, and Metadata.- Characteristics tab shows all audio features extracted during processing (tempo, key, spectral data, and more)
- Editing sample metadata is faster with a cleaner layout
- Tab automatically refreshes based on the last selected sample
Improved File Browser Tab
The file browser now more closely mirrors how DAWs handle file trees.- Collapse and expand directories just like in your DAW
- Right-click a directory to mark all samples underneath for upload/analysis, or delete them by directory
- Collapse All button for quickly folding the entire tree
- Search bar to filter by filename
- Virtualized rendering for smooth scrolling across very large libraries
- Add new samples directly from the browser
New Similar Samples Tab
A new Similar Samples tab automatically surfaces the most sonically similar samples whenever you play one. No searching required — just audition a sample and the tab updates instantly.Control Which Samples Get Analyzed and Uploaded
You can now choose which samples get analyzed and synced to the cloud — both during the initial directory import and at any point afterward.- Configure during the Add Sample Directory flow
- Right-click individual samples or entire directories in the File Browser to update the setting at any time
Activity Log
All background events are now captured in an Activity Log, viewable in Settings → Activity Log. See a full timeline of sample processing steps and cloud sync events in one place.New Note Editor
The note editor has been rebuilt with richer authoring support.- Full Markdown support — see Markdown reference
- Slash commands for quick formatting
- Drag and drop to reorder sections
- Create to-do lists with
- [ ]syntax — previously separate to-do lists are now consolidated into notes
User Experience
- Discord OAuth is now available as a sign-in option
- Workspace selector has moved to the title bar as a persistent global switch (previously called Projects)
- When switching workspaces, the key and BPM are automatically applied to playback
- Sample processing and sync status are now consolidated into a single System Status indicator with more detail and recent activity log entries
Performance and Bug Fixes
- Drastically improved sample player rendering performance
- Prompt Search results are now more accurate
- Prompt Search results now display a similarity level next to each result
- Fixed an error that occurred when using “Reveal in Path” on certain samples
- Changed the icon to look better on MacOS
- Fixed MacOS tray icon not showing menu actions on click
- Fixed tray icon not having proper tooltip
Quick Actions Update
Quick Actions
PressCmd/Ctrl + Shift + Space to open the new Quick Actions menu — a fast way to search and filter your sample
library using search phrases and tokens.Tokens let you narrow results instantly:!loop/!oneshot— filter by sample type@Cmaj/@F#— filter by key#120/#140-160— filter by tempo or tempo range$edm— filter by genre%dark— filter by mood
Sample Browser Filters
Some of the sample browser filters have been rewritten. The were two goals with these changes:- Make sample filtering more efficient by eliminating redundant interactions
- Provide a visual representation of possible options without having to click and browse through menus
User Experience
- Restored the ability to delete sample directories
- Key transposition buttons no longer jump unexpectedly
- Expanded the user profile menu with additional links
- AI Assistant chat now properly displays the character limit in the prompt instead of silently crashing
- Added feedback buttons below assistant messages to improve model behavior over time
Performance and Bug Fixes
- Fixed a critical bug on Windows where undownloaded samples would fail to download/play, showing an unexpected error
- Fixed samples occasionally not playing at random
- Fixed waveform progress not displaying correctly
- Improved synchronization timing with Link
- Improved sample categorization into virtual directories — fewer misassigned samples (e.g., samples incorrectly tagged as hats)
- Time-stretching and key transposition are now bypassed when not in use, preserving original audio quality
- Optimized rendering in the Sample Browser and other views with sample players
- Uploads now handle choppy network conditions more gracefully and wait to reconnect before retrying
Link, Tempo and Key Lock Update
Lock Playback Tempo and Key
Sample Vault now has a time-stretching and key transposing algorithm built-in. Globally define the tempo and key at which all samples play.Tempo lock requires samples with detected tempo. Key transposition requires samples with a detected key.
Link — Synchronize Playback With Your DAW
Sample Vault now supports Ableton Link to synchronize sample playback with your DAW. Enable it by clicking the Link button in the title bar. See your DAW’s documentation for how to enable Ableton Link — most major DAWs support it, including Ableton Live, Bitwig, and Logic Pro.When Link is enabled, sample playback loops until paused. Enabling Link automatically locks tempo playback.Sample Processing
- Sample directory view now shows richer details per sample and per processing step
- Samples that fail to process or upload now automatically retry
- More descriptive error messages for common processing errors
- Directory scans now automatically resume if interrupted
User Experience
- New waitlist on the pricing page for a one-time purchase license
- Removed upsell banner from sample browser for free plan users
- New onboarding survey for a more personalized experience
- Smoother application update flow for future updates
- Public sample libraries are bundled with the app for faster first launch
Performance and Bug Fixes
- Sample browser search is significantly faster
- Fixed AI Assistant chat errors caused by invalid tool calls
- App no longer crashes after server-side updates — it gracefully reloads instead
Known Issues
- Link peer detection: Link may occasionally fail to detect other peers on the network. Toggle Link off and on to reconnect.
- Drag-and-drop with lock enabled: Dragged samples do not yet preserve tempo/key lock settings. This will be addressed in a future update.
Offline Mode and Unlimited Free Plan Update
Offline Mode (Local-First)
Sample Vault now works fully offline.- Zero Latency: Searching and organizing happens locally on your device
- Auto-Sync: Changes made offline automatically sync to the cloud once you reconnect (paid plans only)
The AI Assistant and Prompt Search still require an internet connection. You must sign in while online before using
offline mode.
Unlimited Free Plan
The Free Plan no longer has sample limits. Add as many samples as you want — all samples are analyzed locally. Cloud sync and AI analysis remain exclusive to paid plans.AI Assistant: Fast Mode
New Fast Mode toggle for the AI Assistant, optimized for quick questions, precise sample searches, and documentation lookup.
Sample Libraries Management
Enable or disable specific public sample collections to declutter your library. Configure this in Settings → Sample Libraries.
Performance and Bug Fixes
- Search performance: Sample browser loads faster and scrolls more smoothly
- AI Assistant reliability: Reduced hallucinations and significantly lower error rate