I tend to use number of slices based on how many “hits” in the sample, mostly, although it can be interesting slicing into fragments, using looping per slice etc.
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Same here.
For long samples a bit uniform, i eventually go for 64 slices equals, can’t be bothered. I wish there was auto slicing bit better done though.
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One tip is to use as close to number of slices required, then set trig mode to slices, enter AED, then you can quickly use trig buttons and start/end encoders to fine tune slice points. Bit quicker to edit this way than using arrow keys.
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Cheers i was using the arrow keys. 
I guess you’re talking about loops.
I like to prepare looped samples in a DAW, following a grid, in order to slices them with OT’s slice grid. For Amen Break I use 8 slices for 1 bar (32 for 4 bars).
So in general for basic beats I prefer 8th rather than 16th…
64 slices on a short sample can be interesting for granular stuff. Each slice can be looped, and its length reduced in time mode (hence very short loops).
In start mode, you have 128 slices, also interessting for granular. Length is global.
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Not loops no. But playing with slice mode and recording with the metronome. Ive disabled loops and timestretch. I may do in the future but for now just having fun creating this way. I may do in the future though cheers.
I use slices only on longer (drum) loops. How many slices depends on how long your loop is. If it loops around for 1 bar you might want to try 8 or 16 slices, 16 or 32 slices for 2 bar loops, etc. Play around with what works best on a particular sample.
One thing I like to do is slice drumloops up so that there’s a slice for each step on the sequencer (16 slices per bar), then map them correspondingly (step 1 = slice 1, step 2 = slice 2, etc.), and play around with rearranging the slices to create a new beat. Or throw a random LFO onto the slice/start parameter and you get weird/nice varying drum patterns.
Being new to the OT myself, playing around with the megabreak of doom technique also gave me a bit more insight into how and when to use slices. Check it out:
Megabreak of Doom
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Just last night I made and used for the first time, 64 chord sample chains. Some from the below method and files graciously provided by Barker. Some from chains made using his MIDI files. The results are fantastic!
I intend on using Plugin Boutique’s Scaler 2 to create my own custom, 64 chord MIDI files to use.
The method:
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Interesting. I will check out all the things suggested. Megabreak of Doom. Great name!
Are they?
I used to make sample chains with 64 samples on every chain.
I no longer make chains this long. Now i go for 16 max. Why? Its easier, quicker, on both ends of the production line… making them/using them.
For chopping loops of what ever, I usually know how many bars long the sample is, then i decide what note division I want then chop from there.
Or I do it manually. Lots of people frown at manual chopping, saying its too laborious. Pppffff, for me, the work is worth it.
Anyway, my point is, there are no rules. Do what ever works for you.
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I use slices a lot. 64 per sample usually.
Octa chain is very useful (thx @Abhoth) to create your own chains painlessly.
Some use sample chains with only one kind of sound, eg kicks. I prefer to have whole consistent drum kits.
For such rhythmic slices I try to be coherent, eg kicks from 1 to 4, snares from 5 to 8, hats from 13 to 16. For each slice page I’ll have a similar scheme with different flavors (eg tape saturated ones, high distorsion, etc).
I also like to use the editor to make slices out of free sound samples (check Make Noise’s Morphagene chains there). You quickly become proficient with it, using start encoder with Fn, then End encoder with Fn, add slice, move level encoder a tiny bit, repeat.
This makes more experimental slice chains, but using one extensively you’ll soon get the hang of it. It can be good to move slices a bit so that it’s more usable.
Beware with stereo samples: zero-crossing points are valid only for one of the mono waveform, so you can still have clicks.
Which is why Octachain is a very convenient tool.
Last thing: as Barker explains in one of his videos, it’s easy to make your own, sequencing external synth and sampling the output! Very rewarding.
I wonder if there’s an equivalent to op1.fun for OT. Would be cool to have a place to test chains from the community!
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This. I could not turn my head around thinking this 0 crossfade point detection don’t work.
It does with mono samples or chains made properly, with 0 crossing both on Right and Left channel.
With clicks I use AED fade function to get rid of them, zoom right in, select small segment around the click, then fade out, kind of a micro fade.
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…all that slices thang depends on the sample chains U prepare…
i mean, how many kik sounds do u need?..one chain with 64 different snippets of all ur most fav kiks gets that mostly sorted and covered, i guess…
start thinking in chains, before u start thinking in slices…
is it all bass or kik or clap or snare sounds u wanna convolute within a chain…or maybe more thinking in drumsets…where one chain always contains at least a BOOM AND a TSCHAK…
that’s all essential chains…
but there are also sounddesign chains…that might contain whatever u can think of…
it’s UR designs…
some chains might have their single sound snippets for adressing them one by one…others might contain longer sounds u cut into various pieces by slicing them…all up to u…
covering essentials with 64 slices per chain is a good thing…
for the specials, more than 32 slices can easily go out of hand…lacking overview…
within single loops u better go for 8 or 16 individual slices each…
hitting exact zero crossings or not is by far not that essential as most people think…
u got decent plockable amp envelopes at hand at any given moment…
bouncing dedicated sample chains is big fun, once u start thinking a bit ahead whenever prefab ur own…
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Well i got some stelllar sounds from an old sample vinyl record that just landed perfectly on the trigger. But by going through each trig i can tell which ones are keepers. A bit like MPC sampling i guess. Then i played them like a chord progression, and created something.(out of nothing really). I reversed the samples and lowered the pitch. (and tempo only 30). Wow. like having a new synth in the studio. I think im going for quality over quantity for now.
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Hey sabana, I just came across this video which you may find interesting as well. https://youtu.be/bbowNJCT1dg It’s Ricky Tinez explaining his faster way of slicing on the OT.
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This is exactly the method Ricky Tinez explains in his vid. 
Works like a charm.
Haha, it was a feature request I sent in, sadly though the slice number is not displayed as it is when using the arrow keys.