You might be able to render 8 bars after sampling as long as the start point is right… and the bpm matches.
you can set up an empty row with one chain that is the amount of bars you want to record. you could make it a metronome click to keep time. then when in the REC screen under SONG in the top right you choose the empty row you metronome chain is on. then adjust the arm threshold depending on if you plan on starting with a note or with silence. this works better for live recording stuff. it isnt exactly what youre looking for but once you set it up and include it in a template it makes the process much faster. could include many different chains of different bar lengths in your template too
you could also use the external instrument to set it all up via midi and that streamlines the process
but end of the day its all gonna be faster for what you want to do to just stop recording at the right time and the auto slice function will work in most cases
One option here to record for a fixed length and then stop on the M8 is to set up a chain with phrases of the desired length, then use the HOP FF fx command to stop the sequencer. This is discussed briefly in the second discord meetup video, and a couple of caveats are mentioned. IIRC, jitter and timing deviations may prevent you from getting precise sampled loops this way, so you still might find that you want to record a bit extra and then trim that off. Could be worth a try though.
I have done this when recording MIDI notes from an external keyboard, and it has worked fine.
That’s a good idea. I have a tracker background, but never used the M8 or LSDJ, so I’m sure there will be a learning experience at first. I might pick up a Teensy and set up headless while waiting for the next batch to be shipped.
Is that just running on TouchDesigner in macOS?
1 Like
TouchDesigner works, but there are a few other options:
Web Display: M8 Display
2 Likes
Thanks! Are you saying these the are better than TouchDesigner? And do you have a preference between all these options?
In my experience, grain of salt, etc:
Web Display: the dead simple “just works” option. Requires a web browser
TouchDesigner: can do both basic screen mirror and also let you add your own visuals, but getting connected is occasionally finicky
M8C/RM8: the standalone application for when you don’t have easy web browser access, like on an Anbernic or other embedded system
I use Web Display most often.
3 Likes
Thanks!
In the sample editor if you use opt instead of edit when changing any of the numerical values, it snaps/increments to the current tempo so it is easy to just trim the selection to a loop length.
14 Likes
Wow awesome had no idea about this, Tnx!
Yes indeed!
I am not a specialist, I just followed the steps of this guide:
1 Like
Possibly dumb question from a non-owner: Does the M8 have a view where you can see the sequences of all 8 tracks side-by-side ? Doesn’t look like it from the manual but I can’t be sure.
No,
you have song view, which is one thing
and you have phrase view, where you see one sequence at a time.
I think you’re asking if you could see phrase view of different tracks at the same time? You would need a big screen for that 
2 Likes
To add to this, though, when you’re in a phrase, Opt-Left/Right will navigate you to the phrase in the adjacent column. That’s the quickest way from what currently exists to see everything
2 Likes
Just to say I bought one of these and I have to say it failed utterly on my M8. trying to edit long samples and it freezes and the m8 does a soft re-boot… I wouldn’t recommend personally ymmv
Sorry to hear this! I’ve had mine a pretty long time and take it everywhere without the slightest issue. I’ve cut up samples in the 7 minute range. I’d highly recommend contacting Dirtywave. His support to the user community is massive.
Yeah fair enough. May well have done something wrong during set up
1 Like
Possibly just bad luck. There’s a list of recommended cards on the Dirtywave site. That 128 gb Kingston one apparently has variable results.
It’s not unheard of for manufactures to lump several different varieties with different flash chips (NAND chips?) under the same model.
2 Likes
For all the “screen is too small” people, the new beta has a large font mode.
This is one of the most complete pieces of hardware I have ever owned. Just incredible how awesome the updates are.
17 Likes
I’ve owned one 3 times now. I just cant get over how much I need to program…for me it’s just like work…but I do see the value in it…wish I could get along with it.
1 Like