How to Make Multisamples for the EP-40 Riddim
A step-by-step guide to building your own multisamples for the EP-40 Riddim: map samples across the keyboard, set root notes and zones, and send the patch straight to the device.
The EP-40 ships with some lovely multisampled keys, guitar and melodica, but the real fun starts when you build your own. A multisample lets you play one instrument across the whole keyboard, with the right sample triggering at the right pitch, instead of stretching a single sample until it sounds like a chipmunk.
Here's how to make one from scratch in EP-PatchStudio and send it to your EP-40 over USB.
What a multisample actually is
It's a set of samples spread across the keyboard. Each one covers a zone (a range of keys) and has a root note, which is the key where it plays back at its original pitch. Play above or below the root and the EP-40 pitch-shifts the sample to match.
The EP-40 gives you up to eight zones per multisample, with about 20 seconds of total sample time across all of them. That's plenty for a playable instrument. You sample an instrument every few notes and let the EP-40 fill the gaps by pitching.
One thing worth clearing up early: EP devices don't do velocity layers. On a big software sampler you might stack soft, medium and hard recordings on one key. The EP-40 maps by pitch only, one sample per zone. It keeps things simple, and it's why a well-chosen handful of samples gets you a long way.
What you'll need
- An EP-40 Riddim and a USB-C cable
- EP-PatchStudio installed (download it free)
- A few WAV samples of the instrument you want to map, ideally recorded at a known pitch (say one every third or fourth note up the range)
Step 1: Add your samples
Open EP-PatchStudio, start a new multisample, and drag your WAV files into the drop zone. They'll land in the sample list, where you can drag them around to reorder. Start with samples spread across the range you want to cover: a few low, a few mid, a few high.
Step 2: Map them across the keyboard
This is where it comes together. EP-PatchStudio shows you a virtual keyboard with markers for every zone boundary, so you can see how each sample is mapped.
Two ways to set it up. Auto zone mapping assigns root notes and zone boundaries from your samples automatically, which is the fastest route to something playable and a good starting point. Manual mapping lets you drag the zone boundaries yourself and set each root note by hand, for when you want precise control over where each sample takes over.
If your samples are named or tagged with their pitch, auto mapping usually gets you most of the way there.
Step 3: Pick a play mode
The EP-40 has several playback modes. For a melodic instrument you'll want multisample mode, which spreads your samples across keyboard zones. The other modes (one-shot, loop and so on) are there for pads and single-sample sounds. Whichever you pick is saved with the sample and travels to the device.
Step 4: Set loop points (for sustained sounds)
If your instrument needs to hold, like pads, strings or organ, set loop points so the tail sustains cleanly instead of cutting off. EP-PatchStudio can detect sensible loop points for you. If you hear a click at the loop seam, nudge them by hand to a zero crossing.
Step 5: Shape the sound
Use the attack and release envelope and the other controls to shape how the instrument responds. The EP-40's envelope is global to the whole multisample, not per zone, so dial it in once for the instrument as a whole. A couple of quick wins:
- Balance your sample levels before you import them. The EP-40's amplitude is global too (there's no per-zone volume), so even out the loud and quiet samples up front. The Batch Processor's normalise makes that quick.
- Set sensible root notes so the pitch-shifting stays subtle, and add a touch of release so notes don't stop dead.
Step 6: Send it to your EP-40
Connect the EP-40 over USB-C and hit send. The multisample transfers straight to the device, ready to play. You can also export it as a project file to save, back up or share your work.
That's the whole thing. Drag, drop, map, send.
Tips for better-sounding multisamples
- Sample more often in the low end. Pitching a low sample up tends to sound worse than pitching a high one down, so capture more zones down there.
- Match your recording levels before importing, so the zones sit at a consistent volume.
- Trim the silence off the start of each sample so notes trigger tightly.
- Keep an eye on the 20-second total. If you're tight on space, a few well-placed zones beat lots of redundant ones.
If something's off
A whole zone playing out of tune is almost always the wrong root note. A click in sustained notes means the loop points need nudging to a zero crossing. There's a full rundown in Fixing Detuned or Clicking EP-40 Multisamples.
Ready to build one?
EP-PatchStudio is free to download, and multisample creation is included. Map an instrument across your EP-40 in a few minutes.