/ Getting started

The installer is on
its way down.

If your download didn't start, grab it again from the downloads page. While you wait, here's what to do once it's installed.

/ 01 — First run

Four steps to a
searchable library.

No tutorial pop-ups inside the app. The flow is meant to be obvious — but here it is, written out, so you know what to expect.

  1. 01

    — Setup

    Add your sample folders.

    Open Sample Vault. The app starts empty — no library, no preset folders. Click + Add directory and point it at your samples folder. Sub-folders are scanned automatically.

  2. 02

    — Indexing

    Let it analyse, locally.

    Sample Vault analyses every file locally — tempo, key, brightness, stereo width, transient density. Nothing is moved, nothing is renamed, nothing is uploaded. The first index of a large library can take a few minutes; you can start browsing while it runs.

  3. 03

    — Search

    Describe the sound.

    Type how you'd describe a sound out loud — "warm 808 with sub", "airy female vocal chop in F minor", "lo-fi piano around 80 BPM". Results rank by how well the audio actually matches, not by filename.

  4. 04

    — Workflow

    Wire it into your DAW.

    Pin the window above your DAW, enable Ableton Link to lock playback to your project tempo, and drag any sample straight onto a track. Tempo Lock and Key Lock keep auditions in time and in key.

— Before you start03 notes

Name folders like a producer would

Folder names feed the AI alongside the audio. "Drum One Shots / Kicks / 808" indexes more accurately than "new folder (3)".

Your files stay put

Files are read in place. Add as many directories as you like — external drives, network shares, your Splice folder. Nothing gets moved.

Free covers most of it

Your library size is unlimited on every plan. Local DSP analysis and a starter AI pool are free forever. AI indexing across your whole library, AI-generated collections, and cloud sync require a paid plan.

/ Optional — Account

Sign up to sync,
index, and back up.

The free desktop app works without an account. Create one only if you want cloud sync, AI indexing, AI-generated collections, or the same app in any browser at samplevault.ai — all on a paid plan.

Create an accountSee pricing first
/A

Talk to other producers.

Producers, beta testers, and the team. Real conversations, no marketing channels.

DiscordJoin Discord
/B

Read the documentation.

Setup walkthroughs, every feature documented, troubleshooting, FAQ.

Open docs
/C

Help shape what's next.

See what's shipped, what's in progress, and vote on what we build next.

See the roadmap