AudioLayer by VirSyn - The mobile Sampling Solution for iOS

Philandering_Bastard

@zvon said:
Hi everyone,

2 things that may interest AudioLayer users, first I released for free my IYTTIW modified trumpet sample set. Made with resynthesized short trumpet samples, available in wav, sfz, soundfont and Native Instruments Kontakt 3.5 formats. More info and download here:

https://lesproductionszvon.com/freesounds.htm

Here's a collage of 4 audio examples that are a few years old, so none was made with AudioLayer. Note that the 3rd one is using pitch randomization and the 4th one features a sound specific to the Kontakt version!

---

And here's using the LFO to fool around with the pitch of a sample:

Many thanks!

espiegel123

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

Take a look in Audio Layer's local file manager to see if the samples are there. That window in the picture indicates that the samples actually got imported. You might find that power-cycling the iPad and re-importing straightens things out.

McD

@Yalexein said:
This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

I recall it just rips through the listing of samples (which are all listed in the *.exs file) almost as fast as if copy the names but NOT processing anything. Look for the file extensions of the samples with the Files App.

I recall the culprit for broken imports is:

Apples 's CAF File Structure
CAF files begin with a file header, which identifies the file type and the CAF version, followed by a series of chunks. A chunk consists of a header, which defines the type of the chunk and indicates the size of its data section, followed by the chunk data. The nature and format of the data is specific to each type of chunk.

The only two chunk types required for every CAF file are the Audio Data chunk (which, as you might have guessed, contains the audio data) and the Audio Description chunk, which specifies the audio data format.

The Audio Description chunk must be the first chunk following the file header. The Audio Data chunk can appear anywhere else in the file, unless the size of its data section has not been determined. In that case, the size field in the Audio Data chunk header is set to -1 and the Audio Data chunk must come last in the file so that the end of the audio data chunk is the same as the end of the file. This placement allows you to determine the data section size when that information is not available in the size field.

Audio is stored in the Audio Data chunk as a sequential series of packets. An audio packet in a CAF file contains one or more frames of audio data.

CAF supports a wide range of other chunk types, which can be placed in any order in the file except first (reserved for the Audio Description chunk) or last (when the Audio Data chunk size field is set to -1). Some chunk types can be used more than once in a file. Some refer to—or are referred to by—chunks of other types.

espiegel123

@McD said:

@Yalexein said:
This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

I recall it just rips through the listing of samples (which are all listed in the *.exs file) almost as fast as if copy the names but NOT processing anything. Look for the file extensions of the samples with the Files App.

I recall the culprit for broken imports is:

Apples 's CAF File Structure
CAF files begin with a file header, which identifies the file type and the CAF version, followed by a series of chunks. A chunk consists of a header, which defines the type of the chunk and indicates the size of its data section, followed by the chunk data. The nature and format of the data is specific to each type of chunk.

The only two chunk types required for every CAF file are the Audio Data chunk (which, as you might have guessed, contains the audio data) and the Audio Description chunk, which specifies the audio data format.

The Audio Description chunk must be the first chunk following the file header. The Audio Data chunk can appear anywhere else in the file, unless the size of its data section has not been determined. In that case, the size field in the Audio Data chunk header is set to -1 and the Audio Data chunk must come last in the file so that the end of the audio data chunk is the same as the end of the file. This placement allows you to determine the data section size when that information is not available in the size field.

Audio is stored in the Audio Data chunk as a sequential series of packets. An audio packet in a CAF file contains one or more frames of audio data.

CAF supports a wide range of other chunk types, which can be placed in any order in the file except first (reserved for the Audio Description chunk) or last (when the Audio Data chunk size field is set to -1). Some chunk types can be used more than once in a file. Some refer to—or are referred to by—chunks of other types.

@McD said:

@Yalexein said:
This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

I recall it just rips through the listing of samples (which are all listed in the *.exs file) almost as fast as if copy the names but NOT processing anything. Look for the file extensions of the samples with the Files App.

I recall the culprit for broken imports is:

Apples 's CAF File Structure
CAF files begin with a file header, which identifies the file type and the CAF version, followed by a series of chunks. A chunk consists of a header, which defines the type of the chunk and indicates the size of its data section, followed by the chunk data. The nature and format of the data is specific to each type of chunk.

The only two chunk types required for every CAF file are the Audio Data chunk (which, as you might have guessed, contains the audio data) and the Audio Description chunk, which specifies the audio data format.

The Audio Description chunk must be the first chunk following the file header. The Audio Data chunk can appear anywhere else in the file, unless the size of its data section has not been determined. In that case, the size field in the Audio Data chunk header is set to -1 and the Audio Data chunk must come last in the file so that the end of the audio data chunk is the same as the end of the file. This placement allows you to determine the data section size when that information is not available in the size field.

Audio is stored in the Audio Data chunk as a sequential series of packets. An audio packet in a CAF file contains one or more frames of audio data.

CAF supports a wide range of other chunk types, which can be placed in any order in the file except first (reserved for the Audio Description chunk) or last (when the Audio Data chunk size field is set to -1). Some chunk types can be used more than once in a file. Some refer to—or are referred to by—chunks of other types.

He is importing aifs in that picture. AudioLayer handles quite a few sample formats now.

Samflash3

@McD said:

@Yalexein said:
This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

As I recall, I think apple support some audio formats in the EXS exports from the the Mac that AudioLayer cannot recognize. Aiff's are good but there's some with a CAF extension that just doesn't load. Nothing you are doing work... it just won't expose any valid samples. Frustrating AF... after 2-3 attempts and the wasted time. And those instruments sound great on the Mac. I recall I wanted some of the Smart Strings. Maybe someone has more understanding.... I just know it didn't work and instruments with AIF samples seem to import fine. You can see the text showing success as AuriodLayer imports valid samples.

I imagine real sample gets from work arounds with audio file conversion tools since there are 16-24 bit samples in there in the wrong container type. Just need to pour the samples into another container somehow I suspect. That type of audio file conversion/hacking really takes me back.

We live in a much better world where users just expect common file formats and push a lot of vendors that try to use proprietary containers buy avoiding these products as "damaged". Common Standards tend to win out in the end.

Here's a pro tip. You can rename the extension .caf to .wav and it should work.

McD

@espiegel123 said:
He is importing aifs in that picture.

Might be a problem with files importing from iCloud? Just a guess. I switched to "local files" myself for
loading speed but I also suspect it simplifies complexity for detective work.

If you can see any audio file in the files app you can load it into AL for testing purposes. File naming schemes (to indicate Root values and Velocity ranges) can be implemented as a workaround.

It will be nice having more eyes on these problems. Harry gave us the tools to consider many approaches.

rs2000

I have had issues with EXS import repeatedly in the past years, not only with AudioLayer. It's not only the file names, it's also the path references to the files that can go wrong.

AL supports auto-mapping based on file names containing name, velocity and note number (see manual for details) and since that works very well, I've switched to this much more reliable procedure that also works in NanoStudio 2 (at least for the note-to-keyrange mapping).

Yalexein

@rs2000 said:
I have had issues with EXS import repeatedly in the past years, not only with AudioLayer. It's not only the file names, it's also the path references to the files that can go wrong.

AL supports auto-mapping based on file names containing name, velocity and note number (see manual for details) and since that works very well, I've switched to this much more reliable procedure that also works in NanoStudio 2 (at least for the note-to-keyrange mapping).

Do you have any good batch renaming software for Mac to suggest me?

Yalexein

@espiegel123 said:

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

Take a look in Audio Layer's local file manager to see if the samples are there. That window in the picture indicates that the samples actually got imported. You might find that power-cycling the iPad and re-importing straightens things out.

They are there but if I select them from AudioLayer after opening the exs there is no proper exs mapping anymore.

rs2000

@Yalexein said:

@rs2000 said:
I have had issues with EXS import repeatedly in the past years, not only with AudioLayer. It's not only the file names, it's also the path references to the files that can go wrong.

AL supports auto-mapping based on file names containing name, velocity and note number (see manual for details) and since that works very well, I've switched to this much more reliable procedure that also works in NanoStudio 2 (at least for the note-to-keyrange mapping).

Do you have any good batch renaming software for Mac to suggest me?

Yes, bash scripts 😅

But seriously, I've tried a bunch and "A better finder rename" is the best one I have found. You should know a bit about regular expressions though to get the most out of it.
It can even extract capture-related EXIF info from camera jpeg and raw files and add selected data to the file name.

The only thing I still need a script for is the conversion between note numbers and note names but I think that the current version of AL can already handle both.

https://www.publicspace.net/ABetterFinderRename/index.html?lang=en

Paa89

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

@espiegel123 said:

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

Take a look in Audio Layer's local file manager to see if the samples are there. That window in the picture indicates that the samples actually got imported. You might find that power-cycling the iPad and re-importing straightens things out.

Hi there don’t know if you’ve got the solution.
These are the steps to make it work.
1. Put your samples and .exs file in the same folder.
2. Copy the folder and place it into iPad/AudioLayer/ import folder.
3. Tap on the .exs file and AudioLayer would open, then tap on import.

rs2000

@Paa89 How did you create your EXS file that worked in AL?

Paa89

@rs2000 said:
@Paa89 How did you create your EXS file that worked in AL?

Hi there. I basically got the sample pack from this site.
http://blog.imamusicmogul.com/2019/05/metro-boomin-space-cadet-iamm-remake/
He does track remakes in logic and then share the logic sessions on his site.
When you download the logic session, it has EXS24 patch in there ( he uses EXS24 mainly for drums and 808 subs).
I could try and find other sites and also make a video on that.
Just a min
If you have logic, you can create EXS24 patches and export them to you iPad.
Also MainStage.you can sample vst plugins and create EXS24 patches
For some reason, some EXS24 patches work fine all you have to do is tap on import and some Don’t even if saved under AudioLayer import folder @VirSyn any idea on what the issue could be?

Yalexein

Guys after all these problems I think that the best solution for sampling is SynthJacker, since there are undefinable problems with exs24 import at least from MainStage. However, the sampler in Logic Pro X functions very well and I found no problem in importing form there (wav).

Paa89

@Yalexein said:
Guys after all these problems I think that the best solution for sampling is SynthJacker, since there are undefinable problems with exs24 import at least from MainStage. However, the sampler in Logic Pro X functions very well and I found no problem in importing form there (wav).

What’s really strange is that AudioLayer can see the samples and does import them at least according to what it shows on the screen while importing but then when it’s done, there are no samples to play with

rs2000

@Paa89 said:

@Yalexein said:
Guys after all these problems I think that the best solution for sampling is SynthJacker, since there are undefinable problems with exs24 import at least from MainStage. However, the sampler in Logic Pro X functions very well and I found no problem in importing form there (wav).

What’s really strange is that AudioLayer can see the samples and does import them at least according to what it shows on the screen while importing but then when it’s done, there are no samples to play with

Again, I suspect wrong sample file path references inside some EXS files.

Yalexein

@rs2000 said:

@Paa89 said:

@Yalexein said:
Guys after all these problems I think that the best solution for sampling is SynthJacker, since there are undefinable problems with exs24 import at least from MainStage. However, the sampler in Logic Pro X functions very well and I found no problem in importing form there (wav).

What’s really strange is that AudioLayer can see the samples and does import them at least according to what it shows on the screen while importing but then when it’s done, there are no samples to play with

Again, I suspect wrong sample file path references inside some EXS files.

@Paa89 said:

@Yalexein said:
Guys after all these problems I think that the best solution for sampling is SynthJacker, since there are undefinable problems with exs24 import at least from MainStage. However, the sampler in Logic Pro X functions very well and I found no problem in importing form there (wav).

What’s really strange is that AudioLayer can see the samples and does import them at least according to what it shows on the screen while importing but then when it’s done, there are no samples to play with

I too, I hope in some future update, right now you need SynthJacker for serious sampling.

silent1

@Yalexein said:

@rs2000 said:
I have had issues with EXS import repeatedly in the past years, not only with AudioLayer. It's not only the file names, it's also the path references to the files that can go wrong.

AL supports auto-mapping based on file names containing name, velocity and note number (see manual for details) and since that works very well, I've switched to this much more reliable procedure that also works in NanoStudio 2 (at least for the note-to-keyrange mapping).

Do you have any good batch renaming software for Mac to suggest me?

Just found out you can easily do it in finder:
1. select all files to be renamed in the finder list
2. click on the 'Action' cogwheel, select 'Rename x items...'
3. Put '.caf' in Find and '.wav' in Replace with
4. Done!

rs2000

@silent1 said:

@Yalexein said:

@rs2000 said:
I have had issues with EXS import repeatedly in the past years, not only with AudioLayer. It's not only the file names, it's also the path references to the files that can go wrong.

AL supports auto-mapping based on file names containing name, velocity and note number (see manual for details) and since that works very well, I've switched to this much more reliable procedure that also works in NanoStudio 2 (at least for the note-to-keyrange mapping).

Do you have any good batch renaming software for Mac to suggest me?

Just found out you can easily do it in finder:
1. select all files to be renamed in the finder list
2. click on the 'Action' cogwheel, select 'Rename x items...'
3. Put '.caf' in Find and '.wav' in Replace with
4. Done!

True, for simpler rename operations this is already quite good!

Yalexein

@silent1 said:

@Yalexein said:

@rs2000 said:
I have had issues with EXS import repeatedly in the past years, not only with AudioLayer. It's not only the file names, it's also the path references to the files that can go wrong.

AL supports auto-mapping based on file names containing name, velocity and note number (see manual for details) and since that works very well, I've switched to this much more reliable procedure that also works in NanoStudio 2 (at least for the note-to-keyrange mapping).

Do you have any good batch renaming software for Mac to suggest me?

Just found out you can easily do it in finder:
1. select all files to be renamed in the finder list
2. click on the 'Action' cogwheel, select 'Rename x items...'
3. Put '.caf' in Find and '.wav' in Replace with
4. Done!

My problem is not the extension, but the structure of the file name at this point. Like velocity, note, layers.. However, thanks.

royor

@Yalexein said:
Do you have any good batch renaming software for Mac to suggest me?

I‘ve used Renamer for ages.. I love how it shows me a live preview of the newly named file names.. tweak them until you’ve got what you want and then commit..
The newest version requires macOS 10.14 Mojave or higher

espiegel123

Btw, it isn't a good practice to change the extension of an audio file to a format different from the actual format. The current version of AudioLayer handles quite a few audio file formats including flac. On import, AL converts the samples to its preferred audio file format.

I think there is confusion on this front because a long time ago there was an app that was generating files and applying the wrong extension.

McD

On another issue. I was surprised how few samples it can take to make a useful instrument.
A single tone can instantly be mapped across all the MIDI notes as a first pass. Then play it and when you find the edges that don't work add a 2nd sample to map to that note range.
Continue until you have a playable instrument. Some great sounding pianos can be made with a few samples. They work effectively in mixes because they have a nice edge.

This same strategy can be used to keep adding extra layers for the softest piano strikes (which might even be the same sample but those some EQ to roll off the highs and boost the bass),

Sometimes it's faster to craft an instrument by hand from a set of 50 samples and use 5 than it is to download, import and auction the big SFZ zips.

It's also a lot of fun to design an instrument with a Marimba attack, a flute's long tones and
a Hard Mallet Vibraphone attack mixed in for the upper velocities... like the change in tone
of a loud Rhodes attack.

AudioLayer has features for blending samples across layers. Dialing one up with volumes and the other down.

At it's core it's still a type of synth with LFO's, pitch, ADSR and EQ tweaks available.

It could be used to load Loops too and then triggered from external controllers using a
MIDI FX script.

As you get creative please share your techniques and demo the results. If you own the samples used consider sharing the instrument and as AL instrument. Can we start a PatchStorage file type for AudioLayer?

espiegel123

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

....

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

I just noticed that there are only a few samples in that instrument. What happens if you create a new instrument from scratch and import those samples by hand?

VirSyn

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

Just tried two factory instruments from EXS24, exported in MainStage and they were imported ok in AL.
If you can send me your exs test with samples (support(at)virsyn.de) i will check it.

[Deleted User]

@Yalexein When you create an EXS sample instrument in MainStage, you need to store the created instrument and the samples in a way that they’re recognized by AudioLayer when they’re imported. If you don’t end up with blue regions after your import, it means AudioLayer wasn’t able to find them even if AudioLayer gives you the Import EXS24 file successful message. In the example the EXS file and sample folder are placed in the following locations using the Files app:
On My iPad/AudioLayer/import/Dream VoiceNV.exs for the EXS sample instrument file and
On My iPad/AudioLayer/import/Dream VoiceNV for the folder which contains the samples.

Below is a screenshot after successfully importing the EXS instrument and its samples by pressing on the icon for the Dream VoiceNV.exs file in the Files app. This automatically opens AudioLayer in its import screen. I created an EXS instrument folder previously to separate them from my SFZ instruments and moved the EXS instrument as a step of the import process.

Yalexein

@InfoCheck said:
@Yalexein When you create an EXS sample instrument in MainStage, you need to store the created instrument and the samples in a way that they’re recognized by AudioLayer when they’re imported. If you don’t end up with blue regions after your import, it means AudioLayer wasn’t able to find them even if AudioLayer gives you the Import EXS24 file successful message. In the example the EXS file and sample folder are placed in the following locations using the Files app:
On My iPad/AudioLayer/import/Dream VoiceNV.exs for the EXS sample instrument file and
On My iPad/AudioLayer/import/Dream VoiceNV for the folder which contains the samples.

Below is a screenshot after successfully importing the EXS instrument and its samples by pressing on the icon for the Dream VoiceNV.exs file in the Files app. This automatically opens AudioLayer in its import screen. I created an EXS instrument folder previously to separate them from my SFZ instruments and moved the EXS instrument as a step of the import process.

I'm doing the same thing but why several results, I will send the exs to VirSyn because I really do not know what is the problem.

Yalexein

@VirSyn said:

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

Just tried two factory instruments from EXS24, exported in MainStage and they were imported ok in AL.
If you can send me your exs test with samples (support(at)virsyn.de) i will check it.

I sent an email this morning. Thanks very much for your support, really appreciated.

VirSyn

@Yalexein said:

@VirSyn said:

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

Just tried two factory instruments from EXS24, exported in MainStage and they were imported ok in AL.
If you can send me your exs test with samples (support(at)virsyn.de) i will check it.

I sent an email this morning. Thanks very much for your support, really appreciated.

Fix got just approved by Apple review team ! Hopefully much more EXS files now working...

Yalexein

@VirSyn said:

@Yalexein said:

@VirSyn said:

@Yalexein said:

@Yalexein said:
Someone can help me with exs import? I don't know what I am doing wrong. I create a simple test from Mainstage but with no result. It seems that the exs file does not work after importing in Import folder of Audiolayer. I can open it, there is the command line going on as a successful import, but at the end it does not connect to the samples.

This is the kind of screen I got after importing a simple exs test produced by Mainstage. All ok but without samples.

Just tried two factory instruments from EXS24, exported in MainStage and they were imported ok in AL.
If you can send me your exs test with samples (support(at)virsyn.de) i will check it.

I sent an email this morning. Thanks very much for your support, really appreciated.

Fix got just approved by Apple review team ! Hopefully much more EXS files now working...

It works PERFECTLY and seamlessly. Thanks again. Your are an example of one of the best developers in iOS music software. I will continue to support you.