Skip to main contentPrompt Search
Prompt Search is Sample Vault’s AI-powered search feature that lets you find samples using natural language descriptions instead of manually browsing through filters and tags. Think of it as having a conversation with your sample library - just describe the sound you’re looking for, and the AI will find the most relevant samples for you.
Why Use Prompt Search?
Save Time on Sample Discovery: Instead of spending 20 minutes clicking through genre tags, BPM filters, and browsing folders, you can find the perfect samples in seconds by simply describing what you need.
More Creative Search Options: Traditional search relies on predefined tags and metadata. Prompt Search understands context, mood, and musical relationships that go beyond basic categorization.
Perfect for Workflow Integration: When you’re in the creative flow and need “something dark and atmospheric for a breakdown” or “punchy trap drums around 140 BPM,” you can express exactly what you need without breaking your creative momentum.
Discover Hidden Gems: The AI can surface samples that match your vibe but might be tagged differently than you’d expect, helping you discover sounds you might have missed with traditional filtering.
Using Prompt Search Effectively
The Search Interface
The search bar is your main tool for finding samples. You’ll see:
- A search input with a magnifying glass icon
- A help button (?) for quick tips and examples
- A bright search button with a lightning bolt icon
- Character limit indicator (100 characters maximum)
Writing Effective Search Prompts
The key to great results is being descriptive and specific. Here’s how to craft effective searches:
Include Multiple Elements:
- Genre/Style: “trap”, “jazz”, “ambient”, “techno”
- Instruments: “piano”, “drums”, “bass”, “synth pad”
- Mood/Feeling: “dark”, “uplifting”, “melancholic”, “aggressive”
- Technical Details: “140 BPM”, “C minor”, “distorted”
Good Examples:
"dark trap drums 140 bpm" - Specific genre, instrument, tempo, and mood"vintage jazz piano chords" - Era, genre, instrument, and type of sound"ambient pad C minor ethereal" - Genre, instrument, key, and mood"punchy kick drum for house music" - Characteristic, instrument, and genre context"warm analog bass line funky" - Tone quality, instrument, and style
What Makes Searches Work Better:
- Use descriptive adjectives (warm, punchy, smooth, gritty)
- Mention specific BPM ranges when tempo matters
- Include key signatures if you’re working in a specific key
- Reference musical eras or production styles (vintage, modern, lo-fi)
Search Suggestions
Before you type your own search, you’ll see suggestion chips that provide quick-start options. These suggestions are AI-generated based on your previous searches and are personalized to your search patterns and library. Simply click any suggestion to run that search immediately.
The suggestions appear as small, clickable tags and adapt over time to reflect your most common search themes and preferences.
Understanding Your Results
Results Overview
When your search completes, you’ll see:
- Total number of results (e.g., “47 Results”)
- Your search query displayed in a highlighted badge
- Sorting options to reorganize results
- Numbered sample list with relevance ranking
Result Ranking
By default, results are sorted by relevance - the AI ranks samples based on how well they match your description. The most relevant samples appear at the top, with each result numbered for easy reference.
Sorting Options
You can reorganize results using the sort dropdown:
- Most relevant first - AI’s best matches at the top (default)
- Most relevant last - Less relevant matches first
- Alphabetical A-Z - Sort by filename
- Alphabetical Z-A - Reverse alphabetical order
- Newest first - Recently added samples first
- Oldest first - Show older samples first
- Random - Shuffle results for serendipitous discovery
Playing and Using Samples
Each search result appears as a playable sample card showing:
- Relevance ranking (numbered badge on the left)
- Sample name and path
- Play/pause controls
- Waveform visualization
- Sample metadata (BPM, key, duration when available)
- Right-click menu for additional actions (add to collection, copy path, etc.)
Samples start loading when you hover over them for instant playback.
Accessing Your History
The left sidebar shows your Search History - a chronological list of all your previous searches. This helps you:
- Return to previous results without re-searching
- Compare different search approaches
- Keep track of successful search strategies
Using Search History
- Click any previous search to return to those exact results
- See the search prompt for each historical search
- Searches are numbered for easy reference
- The currently active search is highlighted
When History is Empty
If you haven’t performed any searches yet, you’ll see a message encouraging you to start searching. Your history will populate automatically as you use the feature.
Troubleshooting and Tips
No Results Found
If a search returns no results, try:
- Simplifying your query: Use fewer, more common terms
- Changing terminology: Try “synth” instead of “synthesizer” or “drums” instead of “percussion”
- Being less specific: Remove very specific BPM or key requirements
- Using broader genres: Try “electronic” instead of “future bass”
The “No samples found” screen will show your exact search query to help you refine it.
Getting Better Results
Too Many Results: Add more specific details to narrow down the search
- Instead of just “drums”, try “dark techno kick drums 128 bpm”
Results Not Quite Right: Experiment with different descriptive words
- Try “aggressive” instead of “heavy” or “smooth” instead of “clean”
Missing Expected Samples: Remember that AI search works differently than tag-based search
- Your samples might be described differently in the AI’s understanding
- Try alternative ways to describe the same sound
Character Limit
Search prompts are limited to 100 characters to ensure optimal AI processing. If you exceed this limit:
- The search bar will show a red warning
- A character counter appears showing your current count
- The search button becomes disabled until you’re under the limit
Focus on the most important descriptive elements if you hit the character limit.
Common Questions
Q: Why don’t I see all my samples in Prompt Search results?
A: Prompt Search uses semantic similarity matching, which means it only returns samples that closely match your description. It’s designed to show you the most relevant results rather than every possible match. If you need to browse all samples, use the Sample Browser instead.
Q: Can I search for specific sample pack names or artists?
A: Prompt Search is optimized for describing sounds and musical characteristics rather than searching for specific metadata like pack names. For finding samples by pack or creator, use the dedicated filters in the Sample Browser.
Q: Why do my results change when I search the same thing again?
A: Your results shouldn’t change for identical searches - the AI provides consistent results. However, if your sample library has been updated (new samples added or removed), this could affect results. Different sorting options will also change the order of results.
Q: Can I save or bookmark good searches?
A: While there’s no explicit bookmarking feature, your Search History sidebar keeps track of all your searches automatically. You can always return to previous searches by clicking them in the history list.
Q: What’s the difference between Prompt Search and the Sample Browser?
A: Prompt Search is best for finding samples when you know what you want to achieve musically (“I need something dark and atmospheric”). The Sample Browser is better for systematic exploration, browsing by tags, or when you want to see everything in a specific category.
Q: Can I use Prompt Search to find samples in a specific key or BPM?
A: Yes! Including technical details like “C minor” or “140 BPM” in your search will help the AI find samples with those characteristics. However, keep in mind that not all samples have this metadata, so results may vary.
Q: How do I search for samples with multiple instruments?
A: You can include multiple instruments in your search, like “piano and strings cinematic” or “bass and drums funk groove.” The AI will look for samples that contain these elements together.
Q: Why does the search take a few seconds to complete?
A: Prompt Search uses AI processing to understand your query and compare it against your entire sample library. This semantic analysis takes a moment but provides much more intelligent results than simple keyword matching. 