loops and midi editing

mecanoiz · Post by **mecanoiz** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 1:50 pm

Hello I'm a new creamuser and as it involves lots of changes in my way of working I'm looking for certain functionality I was used too.
Can anyone tell me where I can find the following:
1) Recently I'm using a lot of loops for my work. I've worked with pro tools TDM and it offered something amazing. Loops can be time streched and synced in a sec. First you use "indentify beat" which analyzes the tempo and after that u time stretch. So far nothing too special but then u have a plugin called beat detective. It rearranges the loop so it fits the grid in ur pro-tools sequencer. This way you can easily make very complex rythmes using different loops layered upon eachother
Is there any software that offers the same?
2) Something as easy as the piano-roll in fruity loops. It's probably me, but i can't play notes on my keyboard very well. I'm used to the step sequencing (tr-roland-style) and after that i used the piano roll to adjust.
I've only tried cubase sx and logic for a while but i'm not fully satisfied

[ This Message was edited by: mecanoiz on 2003-03-02 13:57 ]

[ This Message was edited by: mecanoiz on 2003-03-02 13:57 ]

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 3:56 pm

I think Steinberg's ReCycle does exactly what you describe at point 01.

Post by **hubird** » Fri Feb 28, 2003 5:54 pm

1.
I don't know for Cubase SX, but Cubase 5.x does timestretching while keeping the pitch very easy:
just open de audio editor, make the disired loop length in the loop editor (little oval circel and use the numeric field or the white line in the edit bar), choose the little 'do' menu, choose 'fit event to loop range', choose fit audio to tempo, and there you go.
After two times you can do this while sleepng.
Works!

2.
not sure, but doesn't Cubase SX allow midi editing very easy?
I would say Cubase 5.x does.
you have a editable grid and a piano roll.

good luck.

_________________
Let There Be Music!

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2003-02-28 17:54 ]

Post by **Neil B** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 2:24 am

I agree with Hubird regarding Cubase 5.x but I'd go a bit farther and recommend taking a copy of your wav files first. Cubase has various audio operations to your loops - some are non-destructive - that is, it doesn't affect the original file. Other operations though overwrite the audio file on your hard disk and if you didn't get the result that you were after - you're scuppered.
Cubase also has the full flexibility of the piano roll grid with step input if you need it.

Post by **hubird** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 8:57 am

thanks Neil, indeed I forgot to mention the destructive character.
(about once a year I myself step in this boobytrap hehe).

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Sat Mar 01, 2003 6:38 pm

I'm used to the step sequencing (tr-roland-style) and after that i used the piano roll to adjust.
I've only tried cubase sx and logic for a while but i'm not fully satisfied

Cubase sx has got a builtin step sequencer. After creating a midi track you have just to open the sx mixer and there you go - above the fader section you'll find many creative tools like arpeggiator and the mentioned step sequencer.

AFAIR Logic has got the ability to find a tempo for a certain loop; something like the beat detective. I don't remember where exactly (I don't use Logic) but somewhere handy.

Welcome on Creamboard

[ This Message was edited by: samplaire on 2003-03-01 18:42 ]

mecanoiz · Post by **mecanoiz** » Wed Mar 12, 2003 11:19 am

Hmmm can't find the step sequencer or arpegiator in the mixer section. But i guess you mean the key editor right? Well it's just that its response and graphical layout don't fit me well. It doesn't feel natural to me. Anyways i'll have to get used to it as learning logic for pc doesn't make much sense anymore.
And for the beat detective it also finds the different parts in the loops (as recycle does) but it places them automaticaly on the right spot. example: You have a simple original kraftwerk beatloop where the snare falls on the second count well the beat detective analyzes the the timestretched loop and puts the snare exactly back on the second count in the grid. It's rather strange but when i try this in cubase using some latin salsa samples it's constant choas but in protools the beats are synced to each other (as you can see in the grid) Can anyone help me out describing a work around technique for cubase

Post by **garyb** » Wed Mar 12, 2003 7:30 pm

yeah,i haven't had any luck with this with logic either.that'd be something worth having.......

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Wed Mar 12, 2003 8:12 pm

Nothing handles audio so well and so fast as AcidPro.

Post by **garyb** » Thu Mar 13, 2003 4:05 am

how about live?

mecanoiz · Post by **mecanoiz** » Thu Mar 13, 2003 9:10 am

Live everyone I know is very impressed with Live's audio looping funtions but they all say it sounds like crap.Maybe I have to find out myself... Acidpro is also an option but does it do what i described? Got to find a copy somewhere first. Anyway if anyone knows a good technique or a well hidden sfp device: let us know

ChrisWerner · Post by **ChrisWerner** » Sat Mar 15, 2003 5:58 am

I work a lot with acid pro special for drumloops. You can drag drop the wav files from a browser to the arrangement window. Acid scans the original tempo and fits it to your arrangement tempo in seconds.

You can cut copy paste all tracks and build an arrangement like working in cubase or logic. Direct X plugIns can work on each track too.
Once you have build your "pre arrangement" you can export/render all tracks in any resolution to new wav files and import them back to your Cubase Audio Pool or Logic Sequencer.
I never tried to route Acid tracks to Asio Channels but I guess this can be done as well.
I don´t know really but I think Acid 4 supports midi sequenceing now.