One Shot or Hold to Play: control when a sample stops

One Shot plays the whole sound after a tap. Hold to Play stops it when you let go of the key. Use One Shot for full drum hits from short notes, and Hold to Play when the note length should decide how long a phrase plays. A saved Chop loop needs Hold to Play.

Updated 7 November 2026 · S9 Audio

This matters most with short MIDI notes. A phrase can sound cut off even though the audio is all there, or a hit can ring on after the note ends.

For S9 Sampler 0.1.6 (paid beta). More help inside the app: Help & Shortcuts → Keys & Key Map.

S9 Sampler with one Chop selected for its own pitch and sound edits
The real S9 Sampler interface. Open full size.

Step by step

  1. Pick a clear sound

    Choose a short Chop with an obvious start and end.

  2. Tap, then hold

    Tap a key and hold a key in One Shot. Then switch to Hold to Play and do the same.

  3. Check your MIDI notes

    If Hold to Play cuts a phrase short, make the notes longer or switch to One Shot.

  4. Loops need Hold to Play

    For a saved Chop loop, choose Hold to Play and hold the key. It stops when you let go.

Good to know

A tail isn’t a stuck note

Reverb and delay can keep ringing after the sample stops. Switch the effect off to check.

Don’t trim to fix this

Before you cut audio or delete a Chop, check the playback mode and the note length.

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Sources