Recording a 128 step loop

[Azzarole]

Hey there, I have recorded a bunch of 64 step loops of patterns with long releases (sample of steps 1-64 for first trig, sample of steps 65-129 for clickless looping on every further trig). This makes for clickless loops, but fills up my sample slots quite fast. Thinking of two solutions and am thankful for suggestions:

1. Recording a 128 step loop via internal recording of sequenced sample 1-64 followed by sample 65-129. Then setting the loop of the newly recorded 128 step sample to steps 65-129 in SRC/AED. Should make for a clickless loop?
   Problem for playback then can be that I have to mess with scale settings to play back this loop. When using methods for recording longer loops by messing with scale (as explained above by @sezare56, DN/DT patterns can break, I assume mostly due to delay/reverb time settings. Or am I missing something with scale settings on OT + DN/DT for playing back 128 step patterns?
2. Ideal way seems to me to make a longer recording of all of the “pattern A steps 1-64 + steps 65-128, pattern B respectively etc.” which I could then slice according to patterns and set the loops to steps 65-129 within each slice. What would be the best way to make such a recording only using OT and no DAW? Setting up steps and then make an internal recording with ~ infinite scale settings which I can then assign as a flex/static sample? Or is there a way to merge several saved static/flex samples into one long sample without having to use the recorder?

If there are any other good options, let me know.

[sezare56]

Without scale, you can use QREC (Rec setup 2, QREC=PLEN ) and stop recording during second (ONE 2 mode in rec setup 1).

You can also set your max recording length in MEMORY settings, with RESERVE LENGTH. This values is in seconds, hence not precise, but it corresponds to a number of steps. Choose 128 steps (or 129?).
Trim / crop the sample or not.

[Azzarole]

Thanks! But that’s all for recording 128 step patterns, right? How would I best go about recording a longer (e.g. 6x128 steps) playback of several samples which I could then slice?

[darenager]

@igtheflig

A loop without clicks and pops when it is a big smeary reverb drenched pattern.

Clicking at loop boundaries can be fixed in AED using micro fades like this:

Hit AED, go to EDIT tab, zoom in to max, press A encoder to get to start, select a small portion, press EDIT tab again select FADE IN SELECTION, do it, press C encoder to go to end, select a small portion, hit EDIT, select FADE OUT SELECTION, do it.

These micro fades when done correctly should be inaudible and get rid of any clicks, it can be a bit trial and error to get the right amount selected, but once you know how it becomes second nature and pretty quick to do.

[sezare56]

@Azzarole

recording a longer

With QREC, you can record up to 1024 steps loops…(Scale Per Track, Master Scale 1024 steps).

With RESERVE LENGTH, you can record up to 508s, 4064 steps at 120 bpm (set RESERVE RECORDINGS to R1, record with track recorder 1.

[darenager]

@craig

What’s up with the 64 or Max setting in the Rec Setup anyway?

Exactly.

@craig

Is it worth a feature request to increase the number to 128, 256 or 1024 (for example) just to make it easier to record perfect loops longer than 64 steps without workarounds?

Please do, I asked for it a few times, others too probably, but more people asking might help to bump it

@craig

now that I think about it, it must be because of the 64 steps of the sequencer.

No, because if set to max it can record beyond 64 steps, but not in exact specified step lengths unless in a tempo multiple that is divisible in integers of seconds, which you have to set in memory setup.

[sezare56]

@darenager

Please do

feature-request@elektron.se

@ oll (can’t find exact spelling) said it wasn’t easy to entend RLEN.

At least having a RLEN = PLEN setting would do the job, or set exact steps instead of seconds in memory settings…
@Patrik, did you investigated in solutions for this ?

[darenager]

They said other things were not possible too, then eventually implemented them

[craig]

@darenager

Please do, I asked for it a few times, others too probably, but more people asking might help to bump it

Consider it done

[darenager]

@sezare56

elektron.se

@ oll

@olle When working at Elektron - possibly @Quaristice now on forum, either way

[Azzarole]

Thanks for that! Is there a minimum size for the selection to be able to apply fade in/out? It sometimes just won‘t do anything after selecting a small part of the sample, selecting fade in/out and pressing yes. Also, is there a way to revert if the fading doesn’t work well? Function + play doesn’t do the job.

[darenager]

@Azzarole

Thanks for that! Is there a minimum size for the selection to be able to apply fade in/out?

You’re welcome, around 70-500* samples is probably in the useful range, you can see the number of samples selected at the bottom left when moving the end point selection.

*experiment, it is material dependent. You get a feel for what works after a while.

@Azzarole

It sometimes just won‘t do anything after selecting a small part of the sample, selecting fade in/out and pressing yes.

You are probably selecting too small a range to notice, it actually will go down as far as 2 samples resolution (in fact 1, but nothing to fade to/from so pointless)

@Azzarole

Also, is there a way to revert if the fading doesn’t work well? Function + play doesn’t do the job.

No undo on audio editor, but if you save the file before editing, you can revert to saved if you don’t like the edits. It is in the file tab at the bottom.

[Azzarole]

@darenager and @sezare56, thank you so much for your OT onboarding! I have finally found a method that works pretty well for me. The only thing that still makes me scratch my head is how to set the loops.

My method is:

1. Set reserve buffer to a high number of steps for recorder 1
2. Perform all patterns on DN for 128 steps each in a row
3. Edit this recording in Ableton: Chopping it into separate samples of 128 steps each for individual samples on OT + duplicate some patterns to make the original recording of all patterns match for slicing to exactly 12/24 etc. slices. (My sample was 9x128 steps, so I duplicated the last one three times so that I can use a slice grid of 12).
4. Import to OT and use individual samples or slices

These samples were looping perfectly in Ableton by setting the loop points precisely at the half of each sample, indicated by standard grids at 120 bpm (looping grid 3 and 4 in Ableton for each pattern, corresponding to step 65-129 of the DN pattern). How can I quickly jump to the half point of the sample in AED for setting the loop like I would do in Ableton? Pressing encoder B and scrolling doesn’t bring me there. If I manually navigate there, I don’t seem to find the half point. I am sure there is an obvious solution I haven’t figured out yet. The sample is set to 120bpm, my exported audio in Ableton was for 8 (seconds?), so half point should be at 4s in AED, but loop point here doesn’t work.

Thanks again!

[sezare56]

@Azzarole

half point

Total length in samples, divided by 2.
Or slice in 2. Check slice 2 beginning value.

I’m not 100% sure if SLICE selection remains in EDIT. (It is the case for TRIM)

I didn’t understand your method (9x128 steps, 12/24 slices), I’d record desired length with QREC / PLEN settings and slice with OT.

[Azzarole]

Thanks! Method: Total loop time is 1.152 steps / 9 loops of 128 steps. OT slice grid only allows me to choose 8 or 12 slices, so I added 3x128 steps in Ableton. Now the first nine slices are exactly like I want them to be.

Concerning half: My slices are now 16s, so I should set the loop point to 8s. However, I don’t see any information on where my loop cursor is set when trying to position it manually while in slice menu. It’s only indicated when in trim mode, but I need to set loops to slices. Where can I see when loop point has reached 8s? I don‘t want to use slicing for setting loop points because I have already determined perfect slices that work best when using trigs on the sequencer. Also running into the same problem when using the prepared 9 samples of 128 steps each (see above).

[Azzarole]

I can see where the loop cursor is positioned when in trim mode. But there I can’t see the slices I want to apply the looping points to. When in slice menu, no values are indicated while scrolling.

I have also prepared 9 samples with 128 steps each. Setting the loop point to exactly half of it in Ableton plays a perfect loop without any clicks. Setting it to the same position in OT trim mode (in this case L=4 for a sample that has S at 0 and E at 8) produces clicks.

[sezare56]

@Azzarole

don’t see any information on where my loop cursor is set when trying to position it manually while in slice menu

Indeed.
Feature-request@elektron.se
I can see a workaround with more slices.

@Azzarole

in this case L=4 for a sample that has S at 0 and E at 8) produces clicks.

These values aren’t precise at all.
It should be when you reach those values from the left imho.
Chose sample values, use a calculator.
Feature-request@elektron.se

Finding exact start/end/loop point in audio editor

Exemple, you want 1 bar at 60 bpm Bar = 1.00 is shown at 175 518 samples Bar = 1.01 is shown at 177 282 samples Average : (177 282+175 518)÷2=176 400 The exact value is 176 400 I’d want Bar = 1.00 to be shown at 176 400 samples

[Azzarole]

Thanks! How can I make the OT show me loop position in samples instead of seconds?

[sezare56]

In TRIM page, samples values are displayed in the left.
Nothing displayed in SLICE page as you pointed at. (I never use loop points).

[Azzarole]

Awesome, works perfectly! Thank you SO much, now I can finally get to actually make music with my OT. Maybe I would have quit frustrated without your help!