diff --git a/packages/webdirt/sampler.mjs b/packages/webdirt/sampler.mjs
index b50b134e..39a15fea 100644
--- a/packages/webdirt/sampler.mjs
+++ b/packages/webdirt/sampler.mjs
@@ -1,11 +1,20 @@
 const bufferCache = {}; // string: Promise<ArrayBuffer>
+const loadCache = {}; // string: Promise<ArrayBuffer>
 
 export const loadBuffer = (url, ac) => {
-  if (!bufferCache[url]) {
-    bufferCache[url] = fetch(url)
+  if (!loadCache[url]) {
+    loadCache[url] = fetch(url)
       .then((res) => res.arrayBuffer())
-      .then((res) => ac.decodeAudioData(res));
+      .then(async (res) => {
+        const decoded = await ac.decodeAudioData(res);
+        bufferCache[url] = decoded;
+        return decoded;
+      });
   }
+  return loadCache[url];
+};
+
+export const getLoadedBuffer = (url) => {
   return bufferCache[url];
 };
 
@@ -70,6 +79,32 @@ export const loadGithubSamples = async (path, nameFn) => {
   return githubCache[path];
 };
 
+/**
+ * load the given sample map for webdirt
+ *
+ * @example
+ * loadSamples({
+ *   bd: '808bd/BD0000.WAV',
+ *   sd: ['808sd/SD0000.WAV','808sd/SD0010.WAV','808sd/SD0050.WAV']
+ *  }, 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tidalcycles/Dirt-Samples/master/');
+ *  s("bd <sd!7 sd(3,4,2)>").n(2).webdirt()
+ *
+ */
+
+export const samples = (sampleMap, baseUrl = '') => {
+  sampleCache.current = {
+    ...sampleCache.current,
+    ...Object.fromEntries(
+      Object.entries(sampleMap).map(([key, value]) => [
+        key,
+        (typeof value === 'string' ? [value] : value).map((v) =>
+          (baseUrl + v).replace('github:', 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/'),
+        ),
+      ]),
+    ),
+  };
+};
+
 export const resetLoadedSamples = () => {
   sampleCache.current = undefined;
 };
diff --git a/packages/webdirt/webdirt.mjs b/packages/webdirt/webdirt.mjs
index 0e6e63b0..36637818 100644
--- a/packages/webdirt/webdirt.mjs
+++ b/packages/webdirt/webdirt.mjs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import * as strudel from '@strudel.cycles/core';
 const { Pattern } = strudel;
 import * as WebDirt from 'WebDirt';
-import { getLoadedSamples, loadBuffer } from './sampler.mjs';
+import { getLoadedSamples, loadBuffer, getLoadedBuffer } from './sampler.mjs';
 
 let webDirt;
 
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ Pattern.prototype.webdirt = function () {
       const deadline = time - currentTime;
       const { s, n = 0, ...rest } = e.value || {};
       if (!s) {
-        console.warn('webdirt: no "s" was set!');
+        console.warn('Pattern.webdirt: no "s" was set!');
       }
       const samples = getLoadedSamples();
       if (!samples?.[s]) {
@@ -79,13 +79,18 @@ Pattern.prototype.webdirt = function () {
         return;
       }
       if (!samples?.[s]) {
-        console.warn(`webdirt: sample "${s}" not found in loaded samples`, samples);
+        console.warn(`Pattern.webdirt: sample "${s}" not found in loaded samples`, samples);
       } else {
         const bank = samples[s];
         const sampleUrl = bank[n % bank.length];
-        const buffer = await loadBuffer(sampleUrl, webDirt.ac);
-        const msg = { buffer: { buffer }, ...rest };
-        webDirt.playSample(msg, deadline);
+        const buffer = getLoadedBuffer(sampleUrl);
+        if (!buffer) {
+          console.log(`Pattern.webdirt: load ${s}:${n} from ${sampleUrl}`);
+          loadBuffer(sampleUrl, webDirt.ac);
+        } else {
+          const msg = { buffer: { buffer }, ...rest };
+          webDirt.playSample(msg, deadline);
+        }
       }
     };
     return hap.setContext({ ...hap.context, onTrigger });