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What are the best options to use loops alongside audio?
Let me try and explain what I'm trying to do.
Typically I use Logic Pro and work with long audio instrument tracks, recorded acoustic guitar etc. So typical basic DAW workflow I guess.
For the new stuff I'm doing with the iPAD and AUM so far I've been building the 'shell' of the piece and recording each track separately into Logic. This has worked so far as they have been generative things that I then automate the fade in in Logic so I don't have to take care about things being in sync as it's a big ambient mush! ;-)
However now I want to have some audio generated from Xynthesizr (some generative stuff which i can layer in where I want) but the problem I have is that I have for example 3 different patterns in PlayBeat that I need to sync to Xynthesizr (plus fugue machine etc). So running in AUM happy days but cannot record all out as separate tracks. Was then plannning to use Mutlitrack recorder, record the Xynth track, then a whole track of PlayBeat pattern 1, then a whole track of PlayBeat pattern 2 and then 3. Then export all tracks into Logic. In Logic I would then try and cut and paste the 3 PlayBeat tracks so that I end up with one pattern, i.e starts with pattern 1, then 2 etc.
That seems a little 'clunky' as the PlayBeat patterns are loops effectively.
So is there a 'better' way? i.e. try and record each pattern as 1 loop and somehow loop in logic for x times, then x times for the next pattern etc?
Or should I record each pattern into a loop into and trigger them somehow in AUM? ARGHHH!
Or should I use Atom and send a CC (never tried this, presume it's possible) to PlayBeat to change the preset at bar x, etc.
Finding it difficult to find a way to build a 'song' and ideally want to contiune working with AUM/Logic and not introduce another DAW if I can help it. But seems like a need some other sequencer or something to trigger loops either directly to PlayBeat or from recorded loops.
I'm sure there are loads of way to do this and it will depend on how I want to work but open to suggestions as to how others do it.
If ONLY I could get a RELIABLE way of doing a multitrack record from AUM! :-( I could then try and program PlayBeat to play the patterns in a 'song' - not too sure if that's possible.
Don't really want to confuse things with something like Drambo yes as still finding my feet.
Hope that makes sense. Thanks all! :-)
Comments
If they are separate tracks in AUM, record each track’s audio in AUM then airdrop to your Mac. Is there a reason that doesn’t work for you?
Well I could but my "drum part" will be 3 tracks of PlayBeat audio chopped into 1 with automation
Track 1 XXXX--------------------------------------------------------
Track 2 -------XXXXXXXXXX--------------------------------------
Track 3-------------------------XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Like that which seems a little crazy and hard to align
Havent got around to making a track but theory wise. If you make noodles then you might need a way to build a track from noodles. If a serious track. You might use Drambo to trigger drum patterns x amount of times. Then maybe midi mixer in aum or just the record volume in aum. With midi mixer you get to re-tweak drums and synths after sorting patterns and volumes. Maybe the opposite of a noodle. Additionally with recording in aum maybe you could start synth program without start stop link, so sort of a noodle again. What annoys me about Daw I bought for ios. Dosent even have link but figure I could start msic in daw then still be using midi in aum because Id be using drambo. Think this is why I havent bothered making a track or the excuse for being lazy. I think the problem with noodles to a daw is maybe a blessing to build a better track in aum. I bet someone is laughing at these theories.
You can set things onto the same bus that you want recorded together.
^ This
Track 1 Output > Bus A
Track 2 Output > Bus A
Track 3 Output > Bus A
Bus A > Record
I don't think I am explaining my problem very well. In PlayBeat I have three patterns. I want to be able to "chain" them into a "song" in AUM (if possible)
In this example should I use Atom or something to trigger the PlayBeat patterns? Thanks!!!
Yes.
Ah ok ta will try and figure out how!
Sorry, I don't have PlayBeat, so I won't be of much help.
Sonobus has just learned how to send multitrack audio from iOS AUv3 to your desktop DAW.
Join the public beta here:
https://sonobus.net/
Triggering patterns by MIDI messages using Imaginando LK and the Matrix IAP works great.
WOW! Joining!!!
How do I get Atom 2 to send CC?
It doesn't
This sounds like a Playbeat question. Perhaps ask on a thread about Playbeat to get some advice from Playbeat experts.
I don’t use Playbeat as much as i want since it does not have a song mode as far as i can tell. Which is very strange IMO for a pattern based drum machine to lack, however it isn’t the only one like that. Patterning 2 / drum computer / have song modes and you can even set up poly 2 in drambo to change parts with p locks thanks to @aleyas for his drambo tool 😎 also London and vancouver gadgets are another place i create drums that i want to advance to the next part.
You can use midi apps to advance patterns in Playbeat somehow but I’ve never really taken the time to mess with it. The set up is too much for my mind id rather just use a drum app that can play thru patterns.
But if you’re wanting to stay with Playbeat you’ll have to record each part and then line them up in your daw or find a way to trigger them with midi. In a live performance while trying to control other things in your song it’sa lot to keep track of especially after you haven’t opened a project in a while and you have to try to remember how you did it LOL.
Maybe you can use rozeta rhythm to program beats with Playbeat and use its song mode as well
I think it'll be easier to figure out how best to trigger patterns if you break it up into two problems. First, you need to understand how patterns can be triggered in PlayBeat. Does it have midi learn so that you can send any MIDI message to it? Or, does it require sending CC's? Or Program Changes? Every app has different ways of doing things.
What kind of midi message is needed will help determine the best way to trigger the patterns from a sequencer. It would be easiest if you can trigger patterns using MIDI notes. Then you could use Atom. If it requires CC's then you need a tool that can send them, such as LK or StepBud.
Or ... just record to stems the shortest performance of the song you can that contains all the patterns, take the audio files to you DAW, and chop them up there. Or, since all the stems will end up in AudioShare anyway, you could use its basic audio trimming features there to shorten up the files before sending to Logic.
Spending a bunch of time figuring out how to sequence something that you're just going to arrange in a DAW anyway seems like maybe it's not worth the effort.
@wim thank you for your wise advice! Yes it makes little sense to make it hard for myself and it's a great solution.
I've taken a slight detour and sampled the PlayBeat sounds into Digistix and will rebuild the drum there as that does have the patterning I need abeit not the racketing (I've emailed 4pockets to see if that could be added). But think I will have to record each PlayBeat pattern as a stem and try and figure out how best to build up the track in Logic.
One other question, is there anything sensible in AUM AUv3 world I could use to build up a 'song' of each of the stem parts parts recorded from Playbeat (so one bar of each) and then get those stems triggered from something?
The first idea that comes to mind is Multitrack Recorder from the same developer as Digistix. You can send the audio from Playbeats into it and record clips of the output. So, you could record from PlayBeat into MTR, chop them up as needed, then arrange those clips along the timeline. Kind of like what you're doing in Logic now.
Another approach would be to use EG Pulse. You can record each PlayBeat pattern into a pad, then trigger those pads from something like Atom or LK. @Jamie_Mallender has a good video on sequencing audio patterns using EG Pulse and MTR. He involves a DAW to do the recording, but you can do the same recording directly into EG Pulse as well.
Just some ideas. I'm kind of shooting in the dark since I don't use PlayBeat.
That also sounds like a good option. I've now recreated 3 of the four patterns in Digistix. And it does have a rachet ability as there are modifiers for the notes!
In this video
there is mention of recording a loop and assigning to pads so similar to what you are suggesting but now I've sampled into Digistix then I have far more granular control over each pattern now.
I also have MTR and yet to really explore it. Will check out EG Pulse!
Lots of fun!
@NimboStratus - Read through MTR’s online help (under the ‘+’ menu) to become familiar with its capabilities. All of the YouTube video tutorials are available there, along with quick start instructions for various usage scenarios.
I would do it like this:
Record each drum part as a separate audio loop, either in AUM or in the stand-alone drum app.
Load each loop into your linear DAW of choice. GarageBand is perfect for this. Just loop each part for as many bars as necessary and put each part on the same track. ( I also like NS2 on the iPhone and as it doesn’t have audio tracks I load the loops into Slate pads set to sustain and trigger them with MIDI on one track).
I Then build the rest of the track and when happy export as stems and import those into Logic. Easy. GarageBand projects can be opened directly by Logic so if you “Merge” each track first (bounces a track to audio) you don’t have problems with missing plug ins.
It’s dead simple. I don’t like to mess around with pattern switching and complex AUM setups. It’s much easier for me to build arrangements in a linear DAW. I like to use AUM and various other apps to make small sections of a song and use the resulting audio loops as building blocks elsewhere.
When I want Ableton style loop triggering I use BlocsWave/Launchpad to jam out song ideas and arrangement.
TLDR
make each drum part into an audio loop. Place the loops (on the same track) in a DAW looping/duplicating as necessary. Build up the rest of the song in said DAW. When happy, export stems to Logic. Finish in Logic. Done.
Thank you Wim! I’ve never looked at PlayBeat. Should that be another for my list? 😂
I dunno. I don't have it either.
I'm trying to limit my app acquisitions lately.
Just push the pattern buttons manually at the right time while you record the audio in AUM.
It is not that complicated, or at least it doesn’t have to be.