Sound Particles releases Explorer, a free standalone audio file manager for macOS and Windows.
Explorer is a new standalone audio file manager that aims to help you spend less time searching for sounds and more time making music.
Sound Particles Explorer isn’t the first sound library management tool we’ve seen, and they all have a similar goal. But, Sound Particles has taken a more inclusive approach by supporting surround formats rather than focusing solely on mono/stereo files. The extended file support should be good news for composers who work with 5.1 systems.
The first thing that Explorer does is organizes your imported files/folders in an intuitive way that allows you to find what you need quickly. You can browse the Universal Category System viewing waveforms, formats, sample rates, useful descriptions, and more.
There are lots of search parameters that will make the process quick and easy. Explorer lets you search by tags, most-used, category, star ratings, etc.
You can preview sounds in Explorer; sounds are automatically decoded to your speaker layout.
Once you find a sound that might be suitable, you can add effects right inside Explorer, with the choice to export the original or edited version. It even has a Convert button that changes the file format as needed.
When you look at what it does, none of it sounds bad at all. I’m one of those people who are generally well organized, but when things get busy, I take shortcuts, and after a while, files are scattered between so many folders and drives I forget I even have them. Typically, I have a massive reset, and everything runs smoother until it doesn’t again.
So, maybe it’s time for me to try something like Explorer to make things easier.
There are plenty of options if you need help keeping things organized – which ultimately lets us work faster. Not too long ago, we looked at SoundBuddy, a content management system for your DAW.
Speaking of Sound Particles, their Energy Panner ($49 value) plugin was the May freebie at ADSR Sounds, but it’s still worth checking out if you missed it.
Explorer is free for macOS (10.12 upwards) and Windows (10 upwards).
Download: Sound Particles Explorer
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19 Comments
Tomislav Zlatic
onThanks to BPB reader Aris for the info about Explorer!
Hell'ektrix
onWaves also make a new free samples manager, COSMOS.
With lot of samples.
I don’t know which one is the most interesting.
mx
onit was featured here already: https://bedroomproducersblog.com/2022/02/15/waves-audio-cosmos/
but in the comments there was a conversation about it being too cpu-hungry for what it does, with the suspicion that the reason might be some activities in the background.
i havent tried it myself because i use xo for drumsamples already, which is a brilliant way for browsing drums in my opinion.
also without having tried sound particles explorer i could imagine that it doesnt want to be connected to the internet?
maybe somebody could clarify that in the comments?
if it is so, it could be a much more sensible alternative to cosmos for loops and sounds, though it would not replace this very brilliant dot-field universe. but in my opinion this universe makes more sense with drum samples than with melody loops or soundeffects anyway.
whatever, i think soundparticles panning plugins are a really nice additional effect for panning, i like them and use them as experimental tools sometimes, and also this sample explorer makes a very good impression just from reading the article and looking at the pictures, i will definitely try it.
Gavz
onYeah I also do not really understand what the point it….
mimiacik
onthe Explorer seems to me as a better option for sound design in post production
samuel
oncan we get a consensus on these types of plugins/software?
loopcloud, adsr, waves, this, and i know there are more
all these try to differentiate themselves, by apperently adding support for surround files, or AI
others claim to detect your samples automatically (badly, based on reviews)
others add a sequencer in it, or the ability to change pitch from samples/loops, etc etc
all these extras aside though, is one of these significantly better at simple sample management compared to the rest, or even compared to a well organized folders system and browser in your DAW?
if yes, why/how?
would truly love to know
Gavz
onI second this…would be good to see an objective comparison.
Tomislav Zlatic
onInteresting idea, thanks for the suggestion. I added this article to my to-do list.
mx
onyes, a really detailed comparison would be very interesting to read, i like the idea!
Yambu
onA program that requires an online registration before each use, who needs something like that?
0kb
onDidn’t think YAMBY was right, since their Ennergy Panner plugin didn’t need a online activation…so I took a quick look at the manual and the only thing regarding online dependency I found was
“If Explorer is running on a computer with internet access, it is able to detect if a newer update is available, informing the user of the existence of a new update, ny showing a pop-up winodw when the app is initated”
Manual states that “When the user opens Explorer, he will be presented with the main view of the sound library.”
The first thing I see when I launch it is a Login/Password window…. FFS that’s the first thing that should be stated in a manual and clearly stated on the product page.
Don’t hide by the technicality that it says so on the website as in the vaguely stated small text “A free Sound Particles account is required to download ””AND USE”” Explorer” and then have the manual say nothing about it except: hey if you are online it can check for updates…that’s good right, being connected to the internet is is the best, right?” /s read as Dad who want to be cool voice
In no way would I spend/invest time to learn and incorperate a program like this in the daily workflow when it’s dependent on a server being maintained….doesn’t matter if it’s “only” for the activation….specially if it’s machine ID locked.
Even if I would be ok with machine ID authorization I find no way to use this on a offline machine at all…
The only reason I could see for this being a machine ID locked is if it’s going to be payware…if so why not say so?
If that’s not the case, the only other reason why it still needs to connect to a server everytime at launch would be to farm user data, but the manual clearly states it does not send any information from the user ove internet… so why then? if this this is true then it’s retarded as in profoundly stupid.
If the developer reads this, …. I would send you feedback since you asked for it (in the manual) but I can’t be borthered with this forced-online-connectivity trash. I write my feedback here in order to inform anybody else who may have similair preferences like me.
I would kindly ask BPB to actually include proper DRM information.
..and if I’m missed the information somewhere in the manual or on the site including the FAQ section, while actively being looking for it just further prove my point.
Alexandre F.
onAtm, Explorer only uses internet for update checking.
In the future it “might” get cloud functionality that’s why it has the account requirement, so that users already have an account when it happens :)
0kb
onWell, not only updates, it uses internet to force me to login to make it possible for me to run it at all, which is not possible on my working rig which is offline…but I guess that’s semantics.
Make it more obvious it has a online dependency in order to be useful at all, It would be appreciated by people who have no intress in such things… only reason why I even looked at this was because evey other application similair to this I’ve seen is dependent on a online/account/cloud-internet connection, I don’t deal with any of that, IMO everything that has a dependecy like that in order to work is garbage.
Alexandre F.
onThere will be an update that will just require the first login, and then save the token in the preferences file so you can use in offline mode.
But yes, I do understand your concern and reasoning. In order to work, it doesn’t need your login for anything, atm.
0kb
onWhat do you mean “In order to work, it doesn’t need your login for anything, atm” ?
Latest version and build on win7 SP1 just gives me a login window on launch, can’t do sh*t,
Perhaps this is just an win7 issue and you don’t get locked on that screen on win10…. but that’s what I get.
Requirement of a first login is mostly a non option on my offline station anyway… even more so if it’s due to a machine ID or C/R DRM.
I will stick with explorer in Reaper, at least that thing is portable and reliable. Wish you all the luck with your projects, you obviously have skills and good ideas.
BTW If you want a bug to fix then there’s one in Energy Panner… if you create a folder in the preset directory the plugin will only list about 4-5 entries even though the folder contains more… VST2 x64 win7 SP1.
0kb
on“In order to work, it doesn’t need your login for anything, atm.”
I’m sorry, I read it all wrong, I get what you’re saying now, my bad, disregard my other comment….
Jed
onAll sample explorers that ask for Username & Passwords to Launch their program are using algorithms for Statistics collecting about every user’s database. Including the Wave’s COSMOS one. the ADSR one does not (you can use it offline absolutely). Warning a user about an update calls absolutely another protocol that does not require your ONLINE presence.
“the manual clearly states it does not send any information from the user over internet” these are all b88ls1ts and lies. Just check your ARP ot TCP messages between those programs and the servers that they are connected to. I can even prove “if i want” that they fix every sample that a user add on his own database to their global one “Im talking about the METADATA, not the file itself : To which library it belongs, the titles and the amount of usage, drags, the sprcifics of the sounds that are mostly used every time by users, kicks, snares, loops….etc” .
Depending on those collected statistics they release their future Sample Packs that Should make more sells for them.
-How to solve that?
-Just close all the permissions in your firewalls for these protocols/messages between those software and the sites that they send data to. If the program stops working – Delete it. It is useless for you.
*Not any program in the world will require your LIVE participant or login just to “Check the update state” of the software itself. These are all excuses that are designed for kids.
Pacapaca
onI trust your opinion. Even if there is a future that will be linked to the cloud in the future, it should be a specification that can be used without logging in.
Kev Bolus
onHi, Does anybody know where the database file is stored on OS? trying to copy to another machine but can’t find it in application support.
Cheers
Kev