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Looper's Delight
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I eventually want to compose loops in ACID and import them onto tracks in
Repeater to use in live applications. I would also like to dump my
Repeater
loops onto my PC and add them to a loop library. But this is much easier
imagined than done (especially when I am new to both ACID and Repeater!)
First, I tried to export files from my Repeater to my PC. Once I got my
CFC
reader/writer installed it was no problem at all - just drag and drop. But
the first thing I noticed was a discrepancy between Repeater's loop lengths
and ACID's calculation of the loop length. They are way off and I can't
seem to find a pattern that explains the discrepancy. I included some
numbers to see if one of you brainiacs can figure it out.
Also, when I play Repeater WAVs in ACID (as well as n-Track) there is space
at the end of the loop that makes it basically unusable. This is sometimes
accompanied by a 'click' sound that is definitely not very musical. Of
course, I could edit the file to make it sound like a seamless loop, but
then I would end up with a file that is no longer the same size as the
original - which prevents, as you may know, Repeater from being able read
the file. So if want to be able to use a loop on Repeater again, I better
not touch it. But if I want to be able to use it in ACID, I have to edit
it.
I wrote down the info that Repeater displays about a loop and compared it
to
how ACID and n-Track view the WAV files that comprise the loop. Like I
mentioned, there is a big difference. Here are the Repeater stats for the
first 10 loops on my CFC card. All bpm's are native tempos. Please keep
in
mind that I used loop multiply and resample on some tracks, but that
doesn't
explain the discontinuity.
Repeater Loop/Track Stats
Folder #bars time sig bpm #tracks
LOOP1 32 4/4 93.0 4
LOOP2 4 3/4 90.3 4
LOOP3 2 4/4 131.0 1
LOOP4 8 4/4 69.8 2
LOOP5 2 3/4 88.6 2
LOOP6 1 7/8 94.7 2
LOOP7 4 3/4 84.0 3
LOOP8 4 4/4 107.0 1
LOOP9 4 4/4 119.9 1
LOOP10 5 2/4 161.0 4
And here are the WAV's as I saw them on my computer:
WAV General WAV info ACID analysis of WAV
(loop#.track#) length size beats bpm
1.1 00:06:04 527k 8 78.3
1.2 01:22:25 7135k ? ?
1.3 01:22:25 7135k ? ?
1.4 01:22:25 7135k ? ?
2.1 00:05:00 431k 8 95.7
2.2 00:04:08 367k 8 112.4
2.3 00:08:05 703k 16 117.5
2.4 00:08:05 703k 16 117.5
3.1 00:04:19 399k 8 103.4
4.1 00:07:24 671k 16 123.1
4.2 00:27:26 2399k 64 137.8
5.1 00:05:00 431k 8 95.7
5.2 00:04:08 367k 8 112.4
6.1 00:05:12 463k 8 89.1
6.2 00:04:19 399k 8 103.4
7.1 00:04:19 399k 8 103.4
7.2 00:05:06 447k 8 92.3
7.3 00:04:25 415k 8 99.4
8.3 00:10:01 863k 16 95.7
9.1 00:08:27 767k 16 107.7
9.2 00:08:27 767k 16 107.7
10.1 00:03:27 335k 8 123.1
10.2 00:04:19 399k 8 103.4
10.3 00:04:03 351k 8 117.5
10.4 00:04:03 351k 8 117.5
I noticed that a couple of WAVs were actually the same exact size/length as
a WAV in another loop. Ah! My lucky break. I could test WAV 'imports'
that were not only the same file size, but they were generated on Repeater
itself.
First I simply copied and pasted the same WAV and renamed it with another
track number. For instance, in LOOP3 I copied TRACK1.wav and renamed the
copy TRACK2.wav. This didn't work. I assume that's because the new track
had no track info file.
Then I resampled track 1 to track 2. This gave me two tracks of the same
size and two Repeater generated info files to match each track. I took the
CFC out and connected it to my PC. Then I copied TRACK1.wav from LOOP7
(which is exactly the same size), renamed it TRACK2.wav and dropped it into
the LOOP3 folder. Bingo. It played back without any alteration in pitch
and generally sounded like the same audio sample. But it still didn't line
up properly. I can only attribute this to the fact that I was still using
the info file that was created for LOOP3. According to Repeater, LOOP3 is
2
bars of 4/4 @ 131bpm and LOOP7 is 4 bars of 3/4 @ 84bpm. So even though
ACID saw both files as the same length, number of beats and bpm, Repeater
saw a difference. And the difference that was distinguished by Repeater
affected the LPA trim points which affected the way the WAV played back.
Also, tracks 3 and 4 of loop 10 are resamples of track 1 and 2,
respectively, but they are a different size than either of the originals.
Weird. Even weirder is that they are the *same* size, even though the
originals were different. Very weird. Perhaps resamples are new
recordings
of the original LPA'd audio files (i.e. they are the same size because both
originals are bound to the trim points of the loop during playback). But
then why does track 1 sound the same as the track 3 resample on the
Repeater? And why do both files share the same awkward hesitation in ACID?
That's downright super freaky weird.
So my questions remain:
Is there a way to edit the proprietary files in the loop folders to handle
imported WAVs?
Is there a way to create these files to accompany ACID loops for import
into
Repeater?
Is there a way to alter the WAV file on Repeater so that the start and end
points of the loop are the same as the start and endpoints of the WAV?
This
would allow for accurate playback on my PC without having to change the
file.
Is it possible to 'Repeaterize' ACIDized WAVs for play back on a Repeater?
I'm also wondering if there is a looping program that lets you specify the
*exact* file size to 1/100th of a second? Does ACID Pro do this?
Anywho, I'm tired and need to sleep. I'm still buzzing from the events in
New York and DC. However, I think I'm finally exhausted enough to go lie
down. I hope this info can be of use to someone. That's why I posted it.
I am actually more confused than anything (which is probably obvious to the
discriminating reader). But my efforts are sincere. :)
--
Tim