> ## 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. # Deep Search > Search by name and by how samples sound — then escalate to an AI pass when you want more precise matches ## Overview The Library has a single search bar with no modes to choose between. As you type, it searches two ways at once and blends the results: it matches your text against filenames and [tokens](/core-features/search-syntax), and it matches the *meaning* of your words against how each sample actually sounds. Exact hits and close-in-character matches come back together in one ranked list, updated as you type. This everyday search is free, works offline, and never leaves your machine. When you want sharper results for a tricky description, run **Deep Search**. It reads your request the way a person would — including the parts plain search struggles with, like exclusions ("no vocals") or nuance ("warm, nothing cheesy") — and turns it into a search plus a set of filters, checking the results and adjusting before handing them back. So you can: * **Look something up by name** — type part of a filename and the exact matches surface first. * **Describe a sound** — type `dark atmospheric pad` or `punchy vintage kick` and samples with that character come back, even when their filenames say nothing useful. * **Mix both** — names, tokens, and plain description all live in the same query. Describing a sound is what makes search work across a library full of cryptically-named files — the filename isn't the sound. A sample becomes reachable this way once it's been processed far enough to know what it sounds like; see [Adding & Managing Samples](/get-started/adding-samples) for the stages. ## Deep Search The everyday search runs the moment you type and costs nothing. **Deep Search** is the optional next step: it interprets what you asked for and sets up the search and filters to match, instead of leaving you to translate a vibe into filters by hand. Whatever it decides shows up as the normal, editable filters — so you can see why a result came back and change anything it chose. Use it when: * The quick results are in the right area but the best matches aren't at the top. * Your request has an exclusion or a subtlety that a straight description misses. * You're searching by feel across poorly-named samples and want the heavy lifting done for you. While it runs, Deep Search shows what it's trying, and when it finishes it leaves a short note about what it applied — including when your library doesn't contain what you asked for and it picked the nearest thing instead. Exclusions land as removable `not:` chips, and preferences ("ideally darker") as removable `~` chips that lean the ranking without hiding anything. ### Start from a sample When you've found something *close*, you can search from it instead of describing it from scratch: right-click a sample, choose to deep-search from it, and describe only the shift — "darker, more sub, less clicky". The search anchors to that sample's measured character and moves it the way you asked, so the results are variations of a sound you already like rather than fresh guesses. Deep Search needs an internet connection and draws on your plan's shared **AI actions** allowance — the same pool the assistant chat, Sequencer Designer, and library suggestions use. Free accounts get a one-time starter grant; paid plans are effectively unlimited under fair use. When the allowance runs out, the free blended search keeps working as normal — see [Plans & Usage](/reference/plans-usage#starter-pools) for how the allowance works. ## Writing effective descriptions When you search by character rather than by name, describe the **character, role, and vibe** you're after and let tokens and filters handle the exact 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 a description **under 100 characters** — the search bar enforces this limit. Don't pack BPM, key, or sample type into the words — pin those down with the [Filters](/core-features/filters) sidebar or [search tokens](/core-features/search-syntax) like `#120 @Cmin !loop` instead, and reserve the description for purely descriptive language. Tokens act as hard filters on top of the match, so `dark atmospheric pad #120 @Cmin` locks you to 120 BPM in C minor while the words find the vibe. ## Search suggestions Before you type, you'll see **suggestion chips** drawn from your search history — pick one to run that search immediately. As soon as you start typing, a **suggestion dropdown** opens with matching tags, genres, creators, sample packs, and collections, so you can insert the right token without remembering its prefix. See [Search Syntax](/core-features/search-syntax) for the full grammar and dropdown navigation. ## Combining tokens with search The same token grammar works in every query — `#120`, `@Cmin`, `!loop`, `$techno`, `%dark`, `&adam`, `+cymatics`, `*` (favorites), `category:`, `collection:`, `sort:`, plus sound-profile ranges like `atk:30-80`. Tokens are always **hard filters** that narrow the result set exactly; the remaining plain text drives the blended name-and-meaning match, whether you run the quick search or Deep Search. See [Search Syntax](/core-features/search-syntax) for the full reference. ## Multi-select in results `Cmd/Ctrl + click`, `Shift + click`, and `Cmd/Ctrl + A` all work on search results. Selection feeds the same bar used everywhere else, so you can drag a batch of results into your DAW or bulk-edit through the **More** menu. See [Multi-select & batch actions](/core-features/sample-browser#multi-select-batch-actions). ## Troubleshooting ### 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, or move them into [tokens](/core-features/search-syntax) where they act as filters * **Broaden the genre** — "electronic" instead of "future bass" * **Try Deep Search** — when the quick search is close but the ranking's off, the AI pass often surfaces matches the instant search misses The "No samples found" screen shows your exact query so you can refine it. ### Why don't I see all my samples in the results? Search ranks by how closely each sample matches what you typed rather than listing everything. To browse your whole library, clear the search bar or narrow down with the [filter sidebar](/core-features/filters) instead. ### A sample won't come up by description Describing a sound only works once a sample has been processed far enough to know what it sounds like. Until then it's still reachable by name and tokens. Check the **Library status** panel — see [Adding & Managing Samples](/get-started/adding-samples) for what each stage unlocks. ### Character limit Descriptions are capped at 100 characters. The search bar warns you when you go over. Trim to the most important descriptive words and pin specs (BPM, key, type) down with [tokens](/core-features/search-syntax) instead.