livepilot 1.4.2 → 1.4.4

package/plugin/skills/livepilot-core/references/device-atlas/samples-and-irs.md

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+# Samples & Impulse Responses — Deep Reference
+
+Complete atlas of the 3,889 samples and impulse responses available in this Ableton Live 12 installation. All files live in a flat structure (no subfolders) and are searchable by name via `search_browser`. Covers drums/percussion, multisampled instruments, vintage equipment IRs (Encoder Audio Mojo collection), textures, loops, FX, vocals, and field recordings.
+
+**File formats in library:** .wav (2,492), .aif (1,382), .mp3 (13), .mp4 (2)
+
+---
+
+## Quick Decision Matrix
+
+"I want..." -> search for:
+
+| Desired Sound / Character | `name_filter` | Notes |
+|---|---|---|
+| Punchy acoustic kick | `"Kick"` | 377 options — mix of acoustic, electronic, processed |
+| Crispy snare | `"Snare"` | 390 options — widest drum selection |
+| Closed/open hihats | `"Hihat"` | 367 options |
+| Real toms for fills | `"Tom"` | 320 options |
+| Finger snaps / claps | `"Clap"` | 100 options |
+| Rimshot groove | `"Rim"` | 81 options |
+| Analog tape warmth | `"Revox"` or `"Studer"` or `"Ampex"` | Load into Convolution Reverb |
+| Console glue / color | `"SSL"` or `"Neve"` or `"BBC Mixer"` | Console IRs — subtle harmonic character |
+| Vintage compression character | `"1176"` or `"Fairchild"` or `"Vari Mu"` | Compressor IRs — dynamic imprint |
+| Lo-fi sampler grit | `"MPC"` or `"Akai"` or `"S950"` | Sampler IRs — aliasing and color |
+| Guitar fuzz tone | `"FZ-2"` or `"HM-2"` or `"Screamer"` | Pedal IRs |
+| Microphone coloration | `"Coles"` or `"RE20"` or `"AKG"` | Mic IRs — reshape frequency character |
+| Full piano across octaves | `"GrandPiano"` | 120 multisampled notes C1-C7 |
+| Electric piano | `"E-Piano"` | 11 samples |
+| 808 bass / sub | `"808"` | 21 samples |
+| Stab chords | `"Stab"` | 54 one-shot stabs |
+| Synth textures | `"ARP"` | 19 analog synth samples |
+| Ambient pads / drones | `"Galactica"` or `"Phantasm"` | Atmospheric textures |
+| Industrial / abrasive textures | `"Sandblaster"` or `"Infected"` | Harsh, gritty textures |
+| Breakbeat loops | `"Break"` | Classic breakbeats |
+| Nature / ambience | `"Rain"` or `"Birds"` or `"Airport"` | Field recordings (mp3) |
+| Vocal hits / chops | `"Vocal"` | 44 samples |
+
+---
+
+## Drums & Percussion (~2,029 samples, 52% of library)
+
+The largest section of the library. All one-shots, all flat-named (no subfolder hierarchy), all searchable by instrument type prefix.
+
+---
+
+### Kicks (377 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Kick"`
+- **What they are:** Single-hit kick drum samples spanning acoustic, electronic, processed, and hybrid varieties. At 377 samples, this is the second-largest drum category.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Foundation of any beat. Layer two kicks (one for sub, one for attack) in a Drum Rack. Use Simpler in one-shot mode for sequencing.
+
+- **Creative uses beyond the obvious:**
+  - Pitch a kick down 12-24 semitones in Simpler for a sub-bass tone — works especially well for trap and dub
+  - Layer a short kick with heavy reverb (100% wet, long decay) for cinematic booms
+  - Run through Corpus or Resonators to create tuned percussion
+  - Feed into a vocoder carrier for rhythmic bass textures
+  - Stretch in Simpler (Texture mode, long grain size) for ambient sub drones
+
+---
+
+### Snares (390 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Snare"`
+- **What they are:** The largest single drum category. Acoustic snares, electronic snares, processed and layered variants.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Backbeat, ghost notes, fills. Load into Drum Rack pads with velocity layers for realism.
+
+- **Creative uses beyond the obvious:**
+  - Reverse a snare and place it before the hit for a classic pre-snare swell
+  - Layer a snare with a Clap for wider backbeats
+  - Run through Spectral Resonator for pitched metallic textures
+  - Use as a sidechain trigger for Compressor/Gate on other tracks
+  - Process with Convolution Reverb using one of the tape IRs for vintage snare character
+
+---
+
+### Hihats (367 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Hihat"`
+- **What they are:** Closed, open, and pedal hihats. Third-largest drum category.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Rhythmic motion, groove definition. Map closed/open to different Drum Rack pads with choke groups so open hats cut when closed hats hit.
+
+- **Creative uses beyond the obvious:**
+  - Run through Auto Pan with fast rate for trance-gate hihat patterns
+  - Feed into Grain Delay for glitchy metallic textures
+  - Layer with Shaker samples for organic groove textures
+  - Process with Chorus-Ensemble for widened stereo hihats
+  - Pitch up for bright tick sounds, pitch down for trashy lo-fi hats
+
+---
+
+### Toms (320 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Tom"`
+- **What they are:** Floor toms, rack toms, electronic toms. Large collection enabling full tom arrays.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Fills, melodic tom patterns, tribal rhythms. Map low/mid/high toms across Drum Rack pads.
+
+- **Creative uses beyond the obvious:**
+  - Tune toms to scale degrees and play melodic lines — classic Simmons-style technique
+  - Process through heavy compression + distortion for industrial percussion
+  - Layer with Conga or Bongo samples for hybrid world/electronic percussion
+  - Stretch in Simpler Texture mode for ambient drone material
+
+---
+
+### Electronic Percussion (108 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="E-Perc"`
+- **What they are:** Synthetic percussion hits — zaps, clicks, blips, digital transients.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Adding electronic texture to beats, fills, transition FX.
+
+- **Creative uses beyond the obvious:**
+  - Use as click layers on kicks/snares for added transient attack
+  - Sequence rapidly for glitch/IDM textures
+  - Run through long reverbs for sci-fi ambience
+
+---
+
+### Claps (100 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Clap"`
+- **What they are:** Handclaps — single, stacked, processed. Classic drum machine and acoustic varieties.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Backbeat layering with snares, call-and-response patterns, buildup FX (stacked clap rolls).
+
+---
+
+### Rim Shots (81 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Rim"`
+- **What they are:** Rim shots and cross-sticks. Tight, cutting transients.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Ghost notes, minimal beats, reggaeton/dancehall patterns where the rimshot drives the groove.
+
+---
+
+### Rides (65 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Ride"`
+- **What they are:** Ride cymbal hits — bell, bow, and edge strikes.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Sustained rhythmic patterns, jazz/fusion grooves. The bell hits work well for accent patterns.
+
+---
+
+### Crashes (55 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Crash"`
+- **What they are:** Crash cymbal hits for accents and transitions.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Downbeat accents, transition markers. Reverse crashes for builds.
+
+- **Creative uses:** Layer with a white noise sweep and automate filter for hybrid crash/riser FX.
+
+---
+
+### Shakers (55 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Shaker"`
+- **What they are:** Shaker percussion — egg shakers, maracas, cabasa-like sounds.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Adding organic motion to electronic beats. Shakers fill the high-frequency rhythmic space between hihats.
+
+---
+
+### Congas, Bongos & Hand Percussion
+
+- **Conga (47):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Conga"`
+- **Bongo (14):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Bongo"`
+- **Timbale (7):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Timbale"`
+- **Tabla (7):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Tabla"`
+- **Triangle (11):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Triangle"`
+
+- **What they are:** World percussion one-shots. Enough variety for authentic Latin, Afro-Cuban, and Indian rhythmic patterns.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Latin percussion layers, Afro-house grooves, fusion arrangements. Congas and bongos are particularly useful for adding human feel to quantized patterns.
+
+- **Creative uses:** Run Tabla samples through Spectral Resonator tuned to the track key for melodic tabla. Process Congas through tape IRs (Revox/Studer) for vintage Fela Kuti-style warmth.
+
+---
+
+### Other Percussion
+
+- **Percussion misc (52):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Perc"`
+- **Cymbal (38):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Cymbal"`
+- **Tambourine (34):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Tamb"`
+- **Cowbell (32):** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Cowbell"`
+
+- **Primary uses:** Groove augmentation. Tambourine on 8th notes is instant Motown. Cowbell on the downbeat is instant disco/house. Misc percussion fills gaps in rhythm.
+
+---
+
+## Instrument Samples (~200+)
+
+---
+
+### Grand Piano (120 multisampled notes, C1-C7)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="GrandPiano"`
+- **What they are:** A fully multisampled grand piano spanning 6 octaves. Individual note recordings meant to be loaded into Simpler or Sampler for a playable instrument.
+
+- **How to build a playable instrument:**
+  1. Create a MIDI track
+  2. Load Sampler (not Simpler — Sampler handles multisample mapping)
+  3. Load all 120 samples into the Zone editor, map each to its corresponding note
+  4. Alternatively, load a single sample into Simpler and let it pitch-shift across the keyboard (faster setup, less realistic at extreme transpositions)
+
+- **Primary uses:** Realistic piano parts, ballads, jazz voicings, classical passages.
+
+- **Creative uses:**
+  - Load a single mid-range sample into Granulator II for evolving piano textures
+  - Reverse samples and load into Simpler for reverse piano swells
+  - Process through Convolution Reverb with a long hall IR for cinematic piano
+
+---
+
+### Stabs (54 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Stab"`
+- **What they are:** Chord stabs — pre-recorded chord hits, likely synth and keyboard stabs. 54 varieties.
+
+- **Primary uses:** House/disco chord stabs on off-beats, transition accents, rhythmic chord patterns.
+
+- **Creative uses:**
+  - Chop and rearrange in a Drum Rack for stab sequencing
+  - Process through Ping Pong Delay for dub-style stab echoes
+  - Run through Convolution Reverb with console IRs for vintage house character
+
+---
+
+### 808 Bass & Sub (21 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="808"`
+- **What they are:** 808-style bass tones and sub hits. Essential for trap, hip-hop, and bass music.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Load into Simpler in Classic mode, enable pitch tracking, play chromatically. These are the foundation of modern trap/hip-hop bass.
+
+- **Creative uses:**
+  - Layer with a short kick for the classic 808 kick-bass combo
+  - Run through Saturator (Analog Clip, Drive 6-12 dB) to add upper harmonics that translate on small speakers
+  - Process through the Akai S950 IR for gritty, aliased 808 character
+
+---
+
+### ARP Synth (19 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="ARP"`
+- **What they are:** Samples from ARP synthesizers — likely ARP 2600 or Odyssey. Analog synth tones.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Retro synth leads, bass, and texture. Load into Simpler for playable analog tone.
+
+- **Creative uses:** Process through tape IRs for authentic 1970s analog-through-tape character.
+
+---
+
+### Bass (17 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Bass"`
+- **What they are:** Bass instrument samples — electric bass, synth bass, acoustic bass hits.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Quick bass lines without loading a full instrument. One-shot bass in Simpler.
+
+---
+
+### Electric Piano (11 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="E-Piano"`
+- **What they are:** Rhodes/Wurlitzer-style electric piano samples.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Neo-soul chords, lo-fi keys, jazz fusion. Process through Overdrive + Chorus-Ensemble for classic Rhodes tone.
+
+---
+
+### Upright Piano (12 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Upright"`
+- **What they are:** Upright/vertical piano samples. More intimate and characterful than the grand piano.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Jazz, indie, lo-fi. The mechanical imperfections of an upright add charm that a grand piano lacks.
+
+---
+
+### Ikembe (8 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Ikembe"`
+- **What they are:** African thumb piano (mbira/kalimba family). Metallic, bell-like plucked tones.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Melodic hooks, ambient textures. Load into Simpler and pitch-shift for a full playable range. The metallic overtones are beautiful through reverb and delay.
+
+---
+
+### Other Instruments
+
+- **Berimbau:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Berimbau"` — Brazilian single-string percussion bow
+- **Banjo:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Banjo"` — Plucked string instrument
+
+---
+
+## Vintage Equipment Impulse Responses (~200+ from Encoder Audio Mojo)
+
+This is an exceptionally valuable collection. These IRs capture the frequency response and harmonic character of real vintage studio hardware. They are NOT reverb IRs — they are equipment character IRs designed to imprint the sonic fingerprint of classic gear onto any audio signal.
+
+### How to Use Equipment IRs in Ableton
+
+**Method 1 — Convolution Reverb (native, recommended):**
+1. `find_and_load_device("Convolution Reverb")` on the target track
+2. Load the IR sample into the convolution engine
+3. Set Dry/Wet to **100%** (these are character IRs, not room reverbs)
+4. Disable the reverb tail processing — set decay/size to minimum
+5. The IR will imprint the equipment's frequency curve and harmonic character
+
+**Method 2 — Convolution Reverb Pro (if available):**
+Same as above but with more control over early reflections vs. tail, which helps isolate the equipment character.
+
+**Key principle:** These IRs capture what happens to a signal when it passes through the physical circuit of each piece of gear. The result is subtle frequency shaping, harmonic coloration, and the characteristic "sound" of that equipment — not spatial reverb.
+
+---
+
+### Compressor IRs
+
+These capture the frequency response and harmonic signature of classic compressors — NOT their dynamic behavior. You get the tonal color the circuit imparts, not the gain reduction. For actual compression, use a compressor plugin; for the tonal character of the hardware, use these IRs.
+
+| Equipment | `name_filter` | Character | Best On |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| **API 525** | `"API 525"` | Punchy, forward mids, slight edge. American console-era sound. | Drums, bass, vocals |
+| **BBE Sonic Maximiser** | `"BBE"` | Phase-corrected brightness and low-end extension. Adds clarity and "size" without obvious processing. | Mix bus, full mixes, anything that needs "opening up" |
+| **dbx 160SL** | `"dbx 160"` | Clean, tight, controlled. Very transparent circuit path. Subtle high-end sheen. | Drums (especially snare), bass, clean vocal |
+| **EMT 156** | `"EMT156"` | Warm, smooth, slightly dark. European broadcast character. Gentle high-frequency roll-off. | Vocals, strings, acoustic instruments |
+| **Fairchild 670** | `"Fairchild"` | Rich, warm, tube-saturated mids. The most "expensive-sounding" compressor IR. Adds weight and presence. | Vocals, mix bus, anything that needs to sound "expensive" |
+| **Glennsound** | `"Glennsound"` | BBC broadcast character. Clean with subtle mid-range presence. | Vocals, dialogue, broadcast-style processing |
+| **JoeMeek SC2** | `"JoeMeek"` | Characterful, slightly colored, mid-forward. Optical compressor color. | Vocals, bass, guitar |
+| **Manley Vari Mu** | `"Vari Mu"` | Smooth, open, tube warmth. Less colored than Fairchild but still lush. Classic mastering character. | Mix bus, mastering, stereo submixes |
+| **Neve Portico 5043** | `"Neve Portico"` or `"5043"` | Neve transformer saturation. Thick low-mids, silky highs. | Drums, bass, vocals, mix bus |
+| **Oram Sonicomp** | `"Oram"` or `"Sonicomp"` | Rare British console compressor. Warm, slightly gritty, characterful. | Drums, guitar, anything needing vintage British color |
+| **Symetrix 528** | `"Symetrix"` | Voice processor character. Tailored for vocal frequencies. | Vocals, dialogue |
+| **UA 1176 / Urei 1176** | `"1176"` | Fast, aggressive, FET circuit color. Adds bite and presence. The most "rock and roll" compressor tone. | Vocals, drums, bass, guitar — anything needing energy and edge |
+
+---
+
+### Console IRs
+
+Console IRs capture the summing amplifier and channel strip character of mixing desks. These add the "glue" and "togetherness" that engineers associate with mixing through a large-format console. Subtle but transformative on buses and mix bus.
+
+| Equipment | `name_filter` | Character | Best On |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| **BBC Mixer** | `"BBC Mixer"` | Clean, transparent, slightly warm. British broadcast quality — designed for accuracy with subtle musicality. | Mix bus for transparent glue, mastering |
+| **Neve 8014** | `"Neve 8014"` | Thick, warm, harmonic-rich. The classic Neve transformer sound — adds weight to everything that passes through it. Low-mids become fuller, highs get a silky sheen. | Drum bus, mix bus, anything needing weight and warmth |
+| **SSL 4000E** | `"SSL 4000E"` | Punchy, forward, slightly aggressive. The sound of 1980s-90s pop/rock/hip-hop. Adds clarity and punch with a characteristic mid-range presence. | Drum bus, mix bus, pop/rock/hip-hop mixes |
+| **SSL 9000K** | `"SSL 9000K"` | Refined, open, detailed. The evolution of the 4000E — cleaner but still characterful. More headroom, less obvious coloration. | Mix bus, mastering, pristine mixes where subtle character is wanted |
+
+**Usage tip:** Put a console IR on every bus (drums, bass, keys, vocals) using the same console type. This creates the effect of mixing through that console — everything shares the same harmonic fingerprint, which creates cohesion. The Neve 8014 for warm genres (soul, R&B, jazz), SSL 4000E for punchy genres (pop, rock, hip-hop).
+
+---
+
+### Enhancer IRs
+
+| Equipment | `name_filter` | Character | Best On |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| **Aphex Aural Exciter** | `"Aphex"` | Adds synthesized upper harmonics for "air" and presence. Makes things sound brighter without EQ boost. | Vocals, acoustic guitar, dull mixes |
+| **Dolby A** | `"Dolby A"` | The encoding side of Dolby A noise reduction — a studio trick. Adds high-frequency energy and subtle compression character. Bright, airy, slightly hyped. | Mix bus for "expensive studio" sheen, vocals |
+| **Dolby SR** | `"Dolby SR"` | More sophisticated than Dolby A. Smoother high-frequency enhancement with better low-level detail. | Mastering, full mixes |
+| **SPL Vitalizer** | `"Vitalizer"` | Psychoacoustic bass enhancement + high-frequency harmonics. Adds perceived loudness and "life" without raising levels. | Mix bus, individual tracks that sound "flat" |
+
+---
+
+### EQ IRs
+
+These capture the frequency curve of classic equalizers at specific settings. Unlike parametric EQ plugins, these IRs include the nonlinear phase response and harmonic coloration of the analog circuits.
+
+| Equipment | `name_filter` | Character | Best On |
+|---|---|---|---|
+| **API 5500** | `"API 5500"` | Punchy, musical, proportional-Q. American studio EQ character. Mids are forward and present. | Drums, vocals, guitar |
+| **BBC EQ** | `"BBC EQ"` | Gentle, broadcast-quality curves. Designed for transparency and natural-sounding correction. | Vocals, dialogue, subtle tonal shaping |
+| **Calrec 1061** | `"Calrec"` | Clean British EQ with musical curves. Used in BBC and UK studios. Subtle but characterful. | Vocals, acoustic instruments |
+| **Neuman EQ** | `"Neuman"` | German precision. Very clean, very musical. Subtle harmonic character from the transformer path. | Mastering, vocals, anything needing precision with character |
+| **Neve 1073** | `"Neve 1073"` or `"1073"` | THE classic EQ sound. Thick, warm, harmonically rich. The fixed frequency bands have a characteristic "Neve sound" — musical and flattering on everything. | Vocals, drums, bass, guitar — truly universal |
+| **TC Electronics 2240** | `"TC 2240"` | Clean, detailed, slightly clinical. Danish precision engineering. | Mastering, corrective EQ tasks |
+
+---
+
+### Tape Machine IRs
+
+Tape IRs are among the most useful in the collection. They capture the frequency response, head bump, harmonic saturation, and high-frequency roll-off of real tape machines. Running audio through these IRs adds warmth, smooths harsh transients, and creates the cohesive "tape sound" that defined recorded music for decades.
+
+| Equipment | `name_filter` | Count | Character | Best On |
+|---|---|---|---|---|
+| **Ampex ATR-102** | `"Ampex"` or `"ATR"` | ~5 | The gold standard of mastering tape. Warm, open, slightly flattering bass bump. Smooth high-end roll-off that tames digital harshness. Wide, dimensional stereo image. | Mix bus, mastering, stereo submixes |
+| **Revox** | `"Revox"` | 27 | Swiss semi-pro tape machines. More colored than Ampex — narrower bandwidth, more obvious saturation and compression. Each of the 27 IRs likely captures different speeds, bias settings, or tape formulations. | Individual tracks for lo-fi warmth, drum bus for vintage character, creative sound design |
+| **Studer** | `"Studer"` | 13 | Swiss professional multitrack. Clean, warm, authoritative. Less colored than Revox but more characterful than Ampex. The sound of professional recording studios from the 1970s-90s. | Drum bus, mix bus, vocals, bass — anywhere you want "studio quality" analog warmth |
+
+**Usage tip:** Use tape IRs on the mix bus at 100% wet for instant vintage character. For more subtle use, blend with Dry/Wet at 60-80%. Stack a tape IR after a console IR for the full analog signal path experience: audio -> Neve 8014 console IR -> Studer tape IR = instant 1970s studio sound.
+
+**Speed and character:** Faster tape speeds (15/30 ips) are cleaner with extended highs. Slower speeds (7.5 ips) have more pronounced bass bump and high-frequency roll-off. If the Revox IRs are labeled by speed, use faster for mastering clarity and slower for lo-fi warmth.
+
+---
+
+### Guitar Pedal IRs
+
+These capture the frequency response of guitar effects pedals. Useful for imprinting the character of specific pedals onto any audio source — not just guitar.
+
+| Equipment | `name_filter` | Count | Character | Best On |
+|---|---|---|---|---|
+| **Boss FZ-2** | `"FZ-2"` | 15 | Hyper Fuzz — the legendary stoner/doom pedal. Massive scooped mids, heavy low-end, aggressive fuzz character. Each IR likely captures a different gain/tone setting. | Bass guitar for doom/stoner tone, synths for aggressive character, drum bus for crushed lo-fi |
+| **Boss HM-2** | `"HM-2"` | 5 | Heavy Metal pedal — the Swedish death metal chainsaw tone. Extreme mid-scoop, buzzing high-gain character. THE sound of Stockholm death metal (Entombed, Dismember). | Guitar for death metal, synths for aggressive industrial textures, creative destruction of any source |
+| **BYOC Screamer** | `"Screamer"` or `"BYOC"` | 4 | Tube Screamer clone. Mid-hump, warm overdrive, the most "musical" of the pedal IRs. Tightens low-end, boosts mids. | Guitar, bass, synths — anything needing mid-range presence and warmth |
+
+---
+
+### Microphone IRs (69+ samples)
+
+These capture the frequency response of classic microphones. Each microphone has a distinct frequency curve that shapes how audio sounds. Using these IRs lets you "re-mic" any source through the character of legendary microphones.
+
+**Dynamic microphones:**
+- `"AKG D12"` — Classic kick drum mic. Deep low-end presence peak, rolled-off highs. Warm and thumpy.
+- `"EV RE20"` — The broadcast standard. Smooth, flat-ish response with controlled proximity effect. Clean and authoritative.
+- `"Beyer M260"` / `"M360"` / `"M500"` — Beyerdynamic ribbon and dynamic mics. Warm, smooth, slightly dark. M260 is a classic jazz/vocal mic.
+
+**Ribbon microphones:**
+- `"Coles 4038"` — The BBC ribbon. Warm, smooth, gorgeous on everything. The quintessential "expensive vintage" mic sound. Gentle high-frequency roll-off, rich mids.
+- `"B&O BM2"` / `"BM6"` — Bang & Olufsen ribbons. Rare, characterful, warm with a unique mid-range presence.
+
+**Condenser/Other:**
+- `"Altec 639"` / `"670A"` / `"670B"` — Vintage broadcast condensers. Each has a distinct character from different eras of broadcast engineering.
+
+**Usage tip:** Apply a mic IR to a synth pad or electronic source to make it sound like it was recorded through that microphone — adds organic, analog character to purely digital sources. The Coles 4038 IR on synth pads is particularly beautiful.
+
+---
+
+### Sampler IRs (26 samples)
+
+These capture the DA/AD conversion character, filter curves, and aliasing artifacts of classic hardware samplers. Each sampler had a distinct sound due to its bit depth, sample rate, and converter quality.
+
+| Equipment | `name_filter` | Count | Character | Best On |
+|---|---|---|---|---|
+| **Akai MPC60** | `"MPC60"` | ~5 | 12-bit, 40 kHz. The sound of golden-era hip-hop (J Dilla, Pete Rock, DJ Premier). Gritty, warm, slightly crunchy. Low-resolution converters add a characteristic "dusty" quality. | Drums, samples, loops — anything you want to sound like classic 90s hip-hop |
+| **Akai S950** | `"S950"` | ~5 | 12-bit, variable rate. Dirtier than the MPC60. More aliasing, more grit. The sampler of choice for house and jungle producers. | Drums, breaks, bass — lo-fi and rave aesthetics |
+| **Akai S3000** | `"S3000"` | ~5 | 16-bit, 44.1 kHz. Cleaner than S950 but still colored. The transition-era sampler between gritty and clean. | Drums, instruments — subtle vintage character |
+| **Akai S3200XL** | `"S3200"` | ~5 | 16-bit, 44.1 kHz. Similar to S3000 but with slightly different converter character. | General-purpose vintage coloring |
+| **Akai 4000DS** | `"4000DS"` | ~3 | Reel-to-reel tape recorder (not actually a sampler). Tape character with Akai's specific head/motor coloration. | Tape warmth, lo-fi aesthetic |
+
+**Usage tip:** Chain a sampler IR after a drum rack to make modern samples sound like they were loaded into a vintage MPC. The MPC60 IR on clean drum hits instantly creates that J Dilla / Madlib dusty quality. Stack with a tape IR for maximum vintage character: drums -> MPC60 IR -> Revox tape IR.
+
+---
+
+## Textures & Atmospheres (~100+)
+
+---
+
+### Sandblaster (24 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Sandblaster"`
+- **What they are:** Industrial, abrasive, harsh textures. Gritty, sandpaper-like noise and distortion.
+- **Best for:** Industrial music, noise layers, aggressive transitions, sound design for tension and unease.
+- **Creative uses:** Layer under a build section at low volume for subliminal tension. Process through a bandpass filter (Auto Filter) and automate the cutoff for sweeping industrial textures.
+
+---
+
+### Galactica (20 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Galactica"`
+- **What they are:** Spacious, cosmic, ethereal textures. Pads and drones with a sci-fi quality.
+- **Best for:** Ambient intros, breakdowns, cinematic scoring, space-themed sound design.
+- **Creative uses:** Load into Granulator II for evolving ambient beds. Layer multiple Galactica samples at different pitches for dense ambient walls.
+
+---
+
+### Infected (14 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Infected"`
+- **What they are:** Dark, corrupted, glitchy textures. Digital decay and mutation sounds.
+- **Best for:** Horror/dark scoring, glitch music, transition FX, unsettling atmospheres.
+
+---
+
+### Phantasm (13 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Phantasm"`
+- **What they are:** Ghostly, spectral, ethereal textures. Haunting pads and atmospheric sweeps.
+- **Best for:** Dark ambient, film scoring, ghost-tone layers under melodic content.
+- **Creative uses:** Reverse and process through Spectral Time for otherworldly shifting textures.
+
+---
+
+## Loops (~121 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Break"` for breakbeats, or search by BPM/style keywords
+- **What they are:** Pre-made loops covering breakbeats, percussion patterns, guitar riffs, and atmospheric loops. BPM range: 70-174 BPM.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Quick arrangement building, layering under original beats, breakbeat chopping.
+
+- **How to use effectively:**
+  1. Load into an audio track or Simpler
+  2. Enable Warp (Complex or Complex Pro mode for loops)
+  3. Ableton will time-stretch to match session tempo
+  4. For breakbeat chopping: load into Simpler, switch to Slice mode, which auto-maps slices to a Drum Rack
+
+- **Creative uses:**
+  - Chop breakbeats in Simpler Slice mode and rearrange for custom patterns
+  - Time-stretch loops to extreme tempos for ambient/drone material
+  - Layer a percussion loop under programmed drums at -10 to -15 dB for added organic feel
+  - Run guitar loops through Convolution Reverb with equipment IRs for processed texture
+
+---
+
+## FX & One-Shots (~90 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="FX"` or more specific terms
+- **What they are:** Impacts, risers, sweeps, transitions, and miscellaneous sound effects.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Transitions between sections, build-ups, drops, accent hits.
+
+- **Creative uses:** Reverse FX hits for pre-drop builds. Layer multiple FX samples for complex transition moments. Run through Spectral Resonator tuned to the track key for harmonically-related transition FX.
+
+---
+
+## Vocals (44 samples)
+
+- **Search:** `search_browser` with `name_filter="Vocal"`
+- **What they are:** Vocal hits, chops, phrases, and textures.
+
+- **Primary uses:** Vocal hooks, chops for house/techno, rhythmic vocal layers.
+
+- **Creative uses:**
+  - Load into Simpler and trigger chromatically for pitched vocal stabs
+  - Process through Grain Delay for stuttered, glitchy vocal textures
+  - Run through Corpus for vocoder-like resonant vocal effects
+  - Feed into Beat Repeat for rhythmic vocal glitching
+
+---
+
+## Field Recordings (~13 mp3 files)
+
+- **Search by type:**
+  - `search_browser` with `name_filter="Rain"` — Rain recordings
+  - `search_browser` with `name_filter="Birds"` — Bird song
+  - `search_browser` with `name_filter="Airport"` — Airport ambience
+  - `search_browser` with `name_filter="Botanical"` — Botanical garden atmosphere
+
+- **What they are:** Environmental recordings capturing real-world sonic spaces. MP3 format (lossy, but fine for atmospheric use).
+
+- **Primary uses:** Ambient beds, intro/outro atmosphere, transitions between sections.
+
+- **Creative uses:**
+  - Layer rain or birds under a quiet breakdown for emotional contrast
+  - Process airport ambience through heavy reverb + EQ for abstract drone
+  - Use as a sidechain source — the random dynamics of field recordings create organic pumping when sidechaining a pad or bass
+  - Run through Spectral Resonator to extract pitched tones from noise — rain through Spectral Resonator can produce shimmering melodic textures
+
+---
+
+## Chaining IRs: The Analog Studio Recipe
+
+The most powerful use of this IR collection is chaining multiple IRs to recreate a complete analog studio signal path. Here is the recommended chain order:
+
+1. **Mic IR** (optional) — Reshape the source character (e.g., Coles 4038 for warmth)
+2. **EQ IR** — Shape the tone (e.g., Neve 1073 for thick, musical EQ character)
+3. **Compressor IR** — Add circuit color (e.g., 1176 for energy, Fairchild for warmth)
+4. **Console IR** — Add summing character (e.g., Neve 8014 for weight, SSL 4000E for punch)
+5. **Tape IR** — Final analog printing (e.g., Studer for professional warmth, Ampex for mastering)
+
+Each stage adds its own Convolution Reverb instance. Set all to 100% wet. The cumulative effect is remarkably close to the sound of a fully analog studio signal path.
+
+**Example — "vintage soul vocal" chain:**
+- Convolution Reverb #1: Coles 4038 mic IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #2: Neve 1073 EQ IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #3: Fairchild 670 compressor IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #4: Neve 8014 console IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #5: Studer tape IR (100% wet)
+
+**Example — "gritty 90s hip-hop drums" chain:**
+- Convolution Reverb #1: MPC60 sampler IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #2: SSL 4000E console IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #3: Revox tape IR (100% wet)
+
+**Example — "Swedish death metal guitar":**
+- Convolution Reverb #1: Boss HM-2 pedal IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #2: 1176 compressor IR (100% wet)
+- Convolution Reverb #3: SSL 4000E console IR (100% wet)
+
+---
+
+## Search Tips
+
+**All samples are flat (no subfolders),** so `search_browser` with a `name_filter` is the only discovery method. Tips:
+
+1. **Be specific:** `"Kick"` returns 377 results. If the user says "punchy kick," search for `"Kick"` and pick from the results based on file names that suggest the character they want.
+
+2. **Equipment IRs use full names:** Search `"Fairchild"` not `"FC"`. Search `"1176"` not `"Urei"`. Search `"SSL 4000"` not just `"SSL"` if you want a specific console.
+
+3. **Combine with context:** If the user wants "vintage" anything, reach for the IR library. If they want "lo-fi drums," combine drum samples with sampler IRs (MPC60, S950). If they want "warm," reach for tape IRs (Studer, Ampex) or tube equipment IRs (Fairchild, Vari Mu).
+
+4. **File format awareness:** Most samples are .wav (best quality) or .aif (same quality). The 13 .mp3 files are field recordings. The 2 .mp4 files may need special handling.
+
+5. **Naming patterns for drums:** Samples are named with the instrument type prefix (Kick, Snare, Hihat, etc.) so partial matching works reliably.