General Questions

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Overview

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What is Sample Vault?

Sample Vault is a sample browser for music producers. It scans your existing folders, analyzes every file locally to extract tempo, key, and sound characteristics, then layers AI search and tagging on top so you can find sounds by describing them.

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What platforms does Sample Vault support?

• Windows
• Mac (Apple Silicon)
• Mac (Intel)
• Any modern browser (Chromium, Firefox, Safari) for paid plans — see Browser Access

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Can I use Sample Vault from a browser?

Yes, on Home Studio and Professional Suite. Sign in at samplevault.ai and click Open app. The Library, Deep Search, Sound Profile, Similar Samples, and AI Assistant all work against your cloud library. Library scanning, sample analysis, AI indexing, and Ableton Link still need the desktop app — they surface “desktop app required” prompts in the browser tab. See Browser Access for the full breakdown.

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Does Sample Vault work offline?

Yes. Browsing, filtering, the everyday search, audio playback, Sound Profile, and Similar Samples all run locally and work fully offline. The AI Assistant and Deep Search require internet. Sign in once while online before going offline. Changes made offline sync to the cloud when you reconnect (paid plans only).

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Does Sample Vault generate sounds using AI?

No. Sample Vault doesn’t generate audio. It analyzes the samples you already own and helps you find them.

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Does the AI assistant understand the contents of my samples?

The AI works from filename, folder structure, and the audio features extracted during analysis (tempo, key, spectral profile). It doesn’t listen to samples directly. For most production sample libraries this is enough, but unusual or poorly-named files can be misclassified.

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How does the AI analyze my samples?

Local analysis extracts tempo, key, and a set of sound characteristics (brightness, attack, stereo width, etc.) from every file. AI indexing then assigns genre, mood, instrument, creator, and sample-pack labels based on filenames, folder structure, and audio content. See Adding & Managing Samples for the full pipeline.

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What are collections in Sample Vault?

Collections are custom groupings of samples — by project, mood, or anything you choose. On paid plans, AI Collections will populate a collection automatically based on a description.

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Can I organize samples manually?

Yes. Sample Vault never moves or renames your files. You can manually tag, categorize, and collect samples while AI tagging runs in parallel.

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What happens to my samples after downgrading my plan?

Samples uploaded to cloud storage stay on our servers for 30 days after a downgrade. Re-upgrade within that window to keep access; after 30 days, anything over your new plan’s cap is deleted. Local files on your disk are never touched.

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Why is there a paid plan?

AI indexing, Smart chat, AI Collections, and cloud sync cost real money to run. The paid plans (Home Studio, Professional Suite) cover those costs. Local browsing, analysis, the everyday search, and playback are free on every plan and stay free.

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Is there a one-time purchase instead of a subscription?

Yes. Lifetime is a one-time license that unlocks the desktop app for good, with all future updates included. AI features run through your own key rather than managed pools, and you can back up samples through your own Dropbox or Google Drive. It activates on more than one machine, and you can add a subscription later if you ever want managed AI and built-in cloud. See Lifetime for the device limit and full breakdown.

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What audio formats does Sample Vault support?

WAV, AIFF, MP3, FLAC, and OGG.

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Does Sample Vault integrate with my DAW?

Yes. Drag samples directly into any DAW, or use Ableton Link to sync sample playback with your DAW’s transport. Combined with Tempo and Key Lock, you can audition samples in sync and in key with your project. Drag-to-DAW is a desktop-app feature — most DAWs reject drops from a browser tab. From the browser, right-click a sample → Copy to clipboard and paste into your DAW instead.

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Can I use my own Dropbox or Google Drive for cloud storage?

Yes. Connect your own Dropbox or Google Drive under Settings → Connections → Cloud storage to route new sample uploads through your own account instead of Sample Vault’s built-in cloud. Existing uploads stay where they are. Uploading to your own provider doesn’t require a subscription — that gate applies only to Sample Vault’s built-in cloud. See Cloud Storage for the full walkthrough.