Description
SnapBeat – Simple Lofi Hardware Sampler
Discover SnapBeat, the Simple Lofi Hardware Sampler, designed for immediate use.
Add sample sounds to your tracks or begin beat-making effortlessly.
What is a hardware sampler?
A sampler (musical instrument) is an electronic musical instrument that records and plays back various sounds, such as drum patterns, vocal phrases, and sound effects.
You can trigger these samples by hitting pads on the device or by sending MIDI signals from external devices like sequencers and synthesizers.
They are electronic instruments that do not have their own sounds, but can play a variety of instrument sounds sampled from other instruments or musical sources.
Sampling music production equipment are widely used in hip hop music production and lofi music production.
There are two types of samplers:
- software samplers – run on a computer, low-cost and easy to expand
- hardware samplers – standalone physical devices, intuitive controls such as physical buttons and knobs, stable
Are Hardware Samplers Too Difficult? Worried You Can’t Master Them?
If you’re thinking about starting electronic music production and researching samplers online,
you might feel overwhelmed by the products you find.
Many modern samplers have too many features,
with lots of buttons and knobs, which can be confusing.
There can be a big gap between you, just starting out,
and online users who seem to master these complex tools.
Fortunately, if you’re interested in electronic music production and hardware samplers
but find most on the market too complicated, SnapBeat is the perfect choice for you.
SnapBeat, the Simplest Hardware Sampler Ever – No More Overwhelm
Designed with simplicity in mind, this hardware sampler is perfect for those who want to easily add sample sounds to their music tracks or create beats but find modern samplers too complex.
With SnapBeat, you can sample music and sounds with just a few clicks,
like using a compact camera compared to a DSLR.
No complicated manuals needed.
It’s so simple and easy to use that you can master it in a day.
Quickly and intuitively sample and play back any sound.
Minimum Functions as a Standalone Hardware Sampler
SnapBeat is designed for simple music sampling, focusing on only three features.
- Standalone Audio Sampling: Sample sounds and music through the LINE IN input.
- Sample Editing: Truncate sampled sounds to create perfect loops or a section of sound.
- Playback: Play samples using built-in pads or MIDI IN from external music devices.
That’s it. Pretty easy, right?
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Easy to Use Interface
Next, take a look at this simple design.
With just one dial and three buttons in the top area, you can perform all basic operations.
No need to remember complicated keyboard shortcuts.
Tap the eight pads in the bottom half to play sampled sounds.
Straight Forward Menu
SnapBeat is designed with minimal features for ease of use.
The menu is so simple it displays in just two lines.
There are no deep menu layers or complex navigation.
This means you can quickly sample great sounds without annoying menu operations hindering your creativity.
Easy connection
Additionally, SnapBeat uses very common interfaces like 3.5mm stereo jacks and RCA plugs for connecting external input and output devices.
This means you don’t need to buy special cables like 6.3mm phone jacks or professional XLR jacks.
Beyond Simplicity – Advanced Features
SnapBeat is simple and easy to use, but it also offers many playback modes and MIDI features for advanced music production.
By connecting to other electronic instruments or MIDI devices, you can create more professional music.
- Three Pad Responses (DRUM/GATE/TRIGGER)
Customize each of the eight pads with three different pad responses.
You can also choose to turn the loop on or off for each pad.
- MIDI IN
Connect other MIDI music devices to SnapBeat via the MIDI IN port to play sample sounds.
For example, use an external MIDI sequencer to play rhythm patterns with SnapBeat’s samples.
You can also use a MIDI keyboard to play sounds.
Let’s dive into sampling music production with SnapBeat!
Right out of the box, you can start playing SnapBeat with devices around you.
First, connect headphones for output and a PC or smartphone for input.
Then, play music on Spotify to use as your sound source.
There’s no need to buy an expensive record player right away.
Enjoy your beat-making journey!
BK –
Great, simple, retro-inspired sampler. Even better support, from a developer who really cares about his customers.
Kurt Fraussen –
Nice, smooth and handy sampler
A++ simple and handy sampler. Works flawless and fast. The buttons feel good and clicky and are nicely lit (green leds). Play, record, truncate (change begin/ending) is easy thanks to the simple menu. Switching between playing ,recording and truncating is piece of cake. It´s possible to let 1 sample play and repeat, as if it were a beat or song and then use the other samples to play along with this first sample. This way it feels polyfonic (though it has only 1 voice polyfony). The lo-fi character did not bother me at all. I liked the quality of the sound. It sounded naturally because of the analog way of sampling. I´m happy I purchased this.
Bob –
Great Lo-Fi sampler that is simple to use, or you need is a source and of you go. I have both iterations of the snap beat and am very pleased with them. And of course the customer service is great as well. Look forward to see what comes next.
Will D –
My SnapBeat is a delightful little sampler that packs a serious punch despite its small size. It’s an excellent choice for musicians like me looking to make beats without breaking the bank!
Daniel P –
I want to provide an honest review of the SnapBeat for potential customers.
Why did I buy it?
I’m a maker, but nowhere remotely close to Hiro’s league. But I hack and solder audio things. I already make beats from unlabelled flea market cassettes and contact sampling random objects. My point here is that I love weird, raw and gritty.
Who is this machine for?
This is for people who support independent makers. It’s original. It has a fairly simple workflow and might make you think of what you want to achieve from a slightly different angle. You might find odd timing coincidences that actually knock! Also, it’s not made by team of developers with hundreds of factory staff, it’s bespoke and perhaps not industrial strength, so needs to be treated with some respect. I actually like the raw needle drop sound, so I always turn off pad velocity. So it’s easy for me to be gentle. I think of it like a little tiny (easy to change) Mellotron.
Who is this not for?
If you want ultra precise chopping, tempo sync, pad velocity, aftertouch, gorilla-proof pads, 32-bit float… there’s a ton of highly engineered options, and some are very, very affordable.
Notable things to mention:
It’s valuable to be able to adjust your line levels etc, it’s on the quiet side. One of my keys is loose, which I believe is a recognised complaint, it honestly doesn’t bother me and I don’t want to glue it, though that would be a 10 second job. You can’t trigger more than one sample simultaneously, this is just part and parcel of the design and workflow.
I honestly love my Snapbeat and have zero regrets about buying it. I have other gear that’s more accurate, offers more functionality and is built to withstand punishment, yet it also has less personality.
PJSPRINKLES –
The SnapBeat was easy to start using as it doesn’t overcomplicate sampling. The result is great for making beats or triggering uploaded samples. Excited to keep creating with it!
Alec –
I wanted something simple to add drum loops and samples to my synth creations and Hiro answered! The SnapBeat is fun out of the box with its uploaded sounds and only gets better as you easily record samples to a pad. Drum, noise, and gate plus a truncate feature allow you to precisely place your sounds. The interface is easy to use and feels good to play with!