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Documentation Index

Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.samplevault.ai/llms.txt

Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

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Search Modes

The Sample Browser’s search bar has three modes that change how your query is interpreted. Switch between them with the toggle in the toolbar, or press Tab while the input is focused. Each panel remembers its own mode in your dock layout. The ? button at the end of the search bar opens a quick reference with the same info.
ModeHow it worksTriggerCost
Find (default)Filters by filename and tokensLive as you typeFree, offline
PromptAI semantic search — describe any sound in plain EnglishEnter or Search buttonUnlimited on paid plans (fair-use); 100 starter searches on Demo Room
InstantOn-device matching using a local model — fast but less accurate than PromptEnter or Search buttonFree, offline
  • Find is best when you know the sample name or want to scope by tokens. Fully offline.
  • Prompt is best when you’re searching by vibe or mood, especially across poorly-named samples. Requires internet.
  • Instant is best for quick exploratory searches without an internet connection.

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Writing effective prompts

Prompt and Instant both match on how the sound feels, not on exact specs. Describe the character, role, and vibe you’re after and let the filters handle the numbers.
  • Mood and character: dark and atmospheric, warm and nostalgic, aggressive and gritty
  • Instrument or role: trap hi-hats, analog bass line, ambient pad for a breakdown
  • Production style: lo-fi dusty drums, vintage tape saturation, clean modern synth
  • Adjectives that describe timbre: warm, punchy, smooth, gritty, airy, metallic
Keep prompts under 100 characters — the search bar enforces this limit.
Don’t pack BPM, key, or sample type into the prompt — the AI doesn’t weight them reliably and they eat into the character limit. Pin specs down with the Filters sidebar or search tokens like #120 @Cmin !loop, and reserve the prompt itself for purely descriptive language. Tokens act as hard filters on top of the AI match, so dark atmospheric pad #120 @Cmin locks you to 120 BPM in C minor while the AI focuses on the vibe.

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Search suggestions

Before you type, you’ll see suggestion chips personalized to your search history. Click any suggestion to run that search immediately. Suggestions adapt over time as you search more. As soon as you start typing, the smart suggestion dropdown opens with matching tags, genres, creators, sample packs, and collections grouped by dimension — pick from the list to insert the right token automatically. The dropdown also offers shortcuts to run your current query in the other search modes (e.g. while typing in Find mode you can jump straight to Prompt or Instant search without changing modes manually first). See Search Syntax for the full grammar and dropdown keyboard navigation.

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Multi-select in results

Cmd/Ctrl + click, Shift + click, and Cmd/Ctrl + A all work on prompt-matched samples. Selection feeds the same bar used elsewhere, so you can drag a batch of search results into your DAW or bulk-edit through the More menu. See Multi-select & batch actions.

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Combining tokens with prompts

All three modes support the same token grammar — #120, @Cmin, !loop, $techno, %dark, &adam, +cymatics, * (favorites), category:, collection:, sort:, plus all 16 sound profile characteristics like atk:30-80. In Prompt and Instant, tokens become hard filters on top of the AI match, so only the plain-text portion drives the semantic search. See Search Syntax for the full token reference.

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Troubleshooting

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No results

If a search returns nothing, try:
  • Simplify — fewer, more common terms
  • Reword — try “synth” instead of “synthesizer”, “drums” instead of “percussion”
  • Loosen specifics — drop very narrow BPM or key requirements; add them back as tokens instead of in the prompt
  • Broaden the genre — “electronic” instead of “future bass”
The “No samples found” screen shows your exact query so you can refine it.

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Why don’t I see all my samples in Prompt Search results?

Prompt Search only returns samples that closely match your description — it ranks by semantic similarity rather than listing every possible match. To browse everything, switch to Find mode or use the filter sidebar.

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Character limit

Search prompts are capped at 100 characters. The search bar shows a red warning and disables the search button if you go over. Trim to the most important descriptive elements; pin specs (BPM, key, type) down with tokens instead of words.