A
sampler is an electronic musical instrument similar in some respects to a
synthesizer, but instead of generating sounds, it uses recordings (or "
samples") of sounds that are loaded or recorded into it by the user. These sounds are then played back by means of the sampler program itself, a keyboard,
sequencer or another triggering device to perform or compose music. Because these samples are now usually stored in digital memory, the information can be quickly accessed. A single sample may often be pitch-shifted to produce musical
scales and
chords.