Grace Sampler Vst
grace
Grace is a sampler built for producers who’d rather craft instruments from their own samples than scroll endlessly through preset libraries.
It’s compact, stable, and geared toward patch building, with enough modulation and filtering to push a single sample into something that feels like a playable synth.
System Requirements:
- 32 & 64-bit
- VST 3 / AU
- Windows
Sound design workflow
Grace treats sampling like synthesis. You load a WAV, AIF, or SND, then shape it with two filters per voice that go beyond the usual LP/BP/HP duties. Comb filtering opens up physical, resonant tones, while lo-fi and ring modulation options can take patches into gritty, metallic territory without needing extra plugins.
It’s the kind of setup that encourages you to turn a plain one-shot into a moving, characterful instrument.
Modulation is where Grace earns its keep. You’ve got two AHDSR envelopes and two LFOs for the fundamentals, plus two step sequencers for rhythmic motion and evolving patterns.
The four XY pads make it performance-friendly too, letting you map multiple parameters to a single gesture, which is perfect for live automation, resampling sessions, and quick sound design experiments.
Import, browser, and included content
Grace is designed to stay out of your way while you work. Some DAWs support drag-and-drop sample loading, and the built-in browser includes sample preview, so you can audition sounds quickly before committing.
It also supports SFZ import, which is clutch if you’ve already built SFZ instruments or want to bring older sample structures into a modern workflow without rebuilding everything from scratch.
For starting points, Grace includes a WaveShaper library of 54 patches made from samples captured from analog synths and drum machines. It’s not trying to overwhelm you with content, it’s more like a set of proof-of-concept instruments that show what Grace can do when you lean into its modulation and filtering.
Patch import and export support via Chicken Systems also helps if you’re moving between samplers or maintaining a larger patch archive.
Key Features:
A patch-first sampler designed for deep modulation and fast sample-to-instrument workflow.
- 2 filters per voice with LP, BP, HP, comb, lo-fi, and ring modulation modes
- 2 × AHDSR envelopes for detailed shaping and dynamics
- 2 × LFOs for movement across pitch, filter, amp, and more
- 2 × step sequencers for rhythmic modulation and evolving patterns
- 4 × XY pads for performance control and macro-style modulation
- Loads WAV, AIF, and SND formats
- SFZ patch import for bringing in existing instruments
- Browser with sample preview for faster auditioning
- Patch import/export support via Chicken Systems
FAQ
Grace leans into synthesis-style control. Dual filters per voice (including comb, lo-fi, and ring modulation options) plus multiple modulation sources make it better suited to transforming samples into playable instruments rather than just playing back static multi-samples.
Step sequencers are ideal for rhythmic modulation such as gated filter movement, stepped pitch patterns, tremolo-style amplitude motion, and evolving parameter shifts that repeat in time, which is especially useful for electronic production and resampling workflows.
SFZ import is primarily about getting existing SFZ instruments into Grace’s workflow faster. Depending on how complex the SFZ is, you may still need to check mappings and modulation behavior, but it’s a strong bridge for compatibility and rebuilding.
XY pads are perfect for macro control, linking multiple parameters to one gesture. Producers often map them to filter cutoff/resonance, sample start, modulation depth, or FX-style movement, then automate or perform changes for expressive transitions and resampling.
The included WaveShaper pack provides 54 patches built from analog synth and drum machine samples. They work well as starting points for vintage-flavored instruments and as examples of how Grace’s filters and modulation can turn sampled sources into animated patches.
