How to remove clicks and pops from a looped sample
A click in a looped sample happens at the loop seam — the point where the end jumps back to the start. If those two points don't match in level and direction, the waveform steps instantly and you hear a click. Two fixes remove it: move both loop ends to zero crossings so there's no jump, or crossfade the seam so the end blends into the start. Xampler does both — snapping to zero crossings as you set the loop, and crossfading on export — so the downloaded instrument loops cleanly across SFZ, SF2 and Korg KMP/KSF.
- 1Set the loop — Xampler snaps both ends to zero crossings as you drag the sliders.
- 2Pick a detector that finds a clean repeating window (five to audition).
- 3On export, a crossfade is baked across the loop seam.
- 4The downloaded SFZ / SF2 / KMP loops exactly like the editor preview — no click.
01Why does my sample click exactly at the loop point?
Why does my sample click exactly at the loop point?
Because the level at the loop's end doesn't match the level at its start, so the waveform makes an instant vertical jump there. That step is the click. It's purely a seam-matching problem, not a problem with the sample itself. Fix the match (zero crossings) or hide it (crossfade) and the click is gone.
02What's the difference between zero-crossing looping and crossfade looping?
What's the difference between zero-crossing looping and crossfade looping?
Zero-crossing looping moves the loop ends to points where the waveform crosses silence, so start and end already line up — no blend needed. Crossfade looping overlaps the end and start and fades between them, hiding any mismatch even when the points don't perfectly match. Zero crossing is cleanest for simple tones; crossfade is better for rich or evolving sounds. Xampler uses both.
03How does a crossfade loop actually remove the click?
How does a crossfade loop actually remove the click?
Instead of a hard cut from end to start, the last part of the loop fades out while the start fades in over the same span — so there's no instant jump, just a smooth blend. Any tiny level difference at the seam is smeared across the fade instead of snapping. It also makes long loops on textured sounds (pads, strings) sound continuous. Xampler bakes the crossfade into the exported file.
04I added a crossfade but it still clicks. Why?
I added a crossfade but it still clicks. Why?
A few reasons: the crossfade may be too short to cover the mismatch, the loop points may be in a part of the sound that's still changing fast (the attack), or the export didn't actually include the crossfade. Move the loop into the steady sustain, use a longer crossfade, and make sure the fade is written into the file. Xampler places the loop in the stable region and bakes the crossfade on export, which covers the common cases.
05Does fixing clicks change how the sample sounds?
Does fixing clicks change how the sample sounds?
Zero-crossing snapping doesn't change the tone — it just nudges the loop ends a few samples to silent points. A crossfade blends a short region at the seam, which is inaudible for a well-chosen loop and actually smooths textured sounds. Neither alters the body of the sound; they only clean up the wrap point.
06Should I fix clicks in the sample file or in my sampler?
Should I fix clicks in the sample file or in my sampler?
Fix it in the file you load. Some samplers can crossfade loops live, but if you bake the clean loop into the exported file it plays clean everywhere — software and hardware — without depending on the player's settings. Xampler bakes the loop points and crossfade into the export, so the file itself is click-free.
07Can I remove clicks from a one-shot too, not just a loop?
Can I remove clicks from a one-shot too, not just a loop?
Clicks at the very start or end of a one-shot come from cutting mid-waveform there, and a tiny fade-in/fade-out removes them. That's a different fix from loop-seam clicks, but the same idea — don't start or stop on a steep part of the wave. Xampler trims one-shots cleanly and can fade the start so attacks don't click.
08Why does it loop clean in my editor but click on my Korg / hardware?
Why does it loop clean in my editor but click on my Korg / hardware?
The clean loop usually didn't make it into the exported file — the loop points or the crossfade weren't written, so the hardware loops the raw seam. The fix has to live in the file, not just the preview. Xampler writes the loop points and crossfade into SFZ, SF2 and Korg KMP/KSF, so what your hardware plays matches the editor.