AudioLayer - SoundFont import IAP released

VirSyn

@Samu said:
@VirSyn This might be a long-shot but do your apps already share storage?
Ie. could for example TeraPro transparently access content from AudioLayer?

What I'm thinking about here is a pair of 'AudioLayer Oscillators' for TeraPro which could use the AudioLayer presets as is without any deeper editing capabilities? (Ie. 'playback only' oscillators).

For users without AudioLayer installed it could still feature Sample and SF2 import but no editing capabilities so it would be relatively simple 'Sample Playback Oscillator'.

I think this is at least worth to consider?

Cheers!

This is exactly what AudioLayer and XinematiX actually do already! You can edit/create Instruments for XinematiX in AudioLayer and you can use the fantastic performance interface of XinematiX to play AudioLayer samples. And the story continues of course...

jsmonzani

@VirSyn said:

@Birdpie said:

@VirSyn said:

@jsmonzani said:
@VirSyn I have a simple issue when creating an instrument with this new version:

• create a new instrument
• Load a sample from AudioShare
• Play notes. The “squares” of notes are triggered in the layer display but no sound is produced. I have to save my instrument, switch to another one, then switch back to my instrument to hear it. Pretty annoying.

Thank you!

Also a side request: I’d like to add a random offset to the sample’s start position. It’s possible in the layer’s properties but restricted to 100ms. Could you remove this limit and also enable setting directly a value rather than using + and - buttons please? My use case is with long looping drones where I’d like each note to start at a random position to add variety. Thank you!

Just fixed the AudioShare problem and added 1000ms! Direct value entry may come later, it helps a bit pressing long on the button it gets faster and faster...

it is a midi delay, not a sample random start/offset.
what does one do with 1000ms midi delay?

@jsmonzani convinced me...
It's not a midi delay - think of different values for different layers!
A midi delay would affect the whole instrument

Thank you! Actually, I'm sorry I misunderstood: I was actually speaking of modulating the sample's start position 😅 Sorry for my bad English.

Samu

@VirSyn said:

This is exactly what AudioLayer and XinematiX actually do already! You can edit/create Instruments for XinematiX in AudioLayer and you can use the fantastic performance interface of XinematiX to play AudioLayer samples. And the story continues of course...

Cool! Being able to combine TeraPro's VA capabilities, FM7, Brainz, WaveTables with samples from AudioLayer would be like a 'holy grail synth work-station'

Gavinski

@VirSyn said:

@dalton34gr said:
Hi I try to open the app but it stucks in the audiolayer screen and then crashes It opens ok on AUM as auv3 But not on stand alone
Does anyone have this problem ??

The usual fix for that is to trash the file last.state in the Folder AudioLayer with the Files app. Please try this

I had the same problem Harry, tried your solution, it didn’t help

dalton34gr

@VirSyn said:

@dalton34gr said:
Hi I try to open the app but it stucks in the audiolayer screen and then crashes It opens ok on AUM as auv3 But not on stand alone
Does anyone have this problem ??

The usual fix for that is to trash the file last.state in the Folder AudioLayer with the Files app.

It worked
Thank you Harry !!!!!

VirSyn

@Birdpie said:
can someone recommend a "must have" soundfont library?
is there one anyway?

Here are some good starting points:

https://musical-artifacts.com

https://www.polyphone-soundfonts.com/download-soundfonts

https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/soundfonts-and-sfz-files

My personal favourite on this last link is “Timbres of Heaven” for a GM compatible font

And the Digital Sound Factory examples from here:

https://hiphopmakers.com/over-2000-free-soundfonts-free-soundfont-player

VirSyn

@Gavinski said:

@VirSyn said:

@dalton34gr said:
Hi I try to open the app but it stucks in the audiolayer screen and then crashes It opens ok on AUM as auv3 But not on stand alone
Does anyone have this problem ??

The usual fix for that is to trash the file last.state in the Folder AudioLayer with the Files app. Please try this

I had the same problem Harry, tried your solution, it didn’t help

If this don't work then I can only think of reinstall helping as really last resort. But haven't had this for a long time.

Birdpie

@VirSyn said:

@Birdpie said:
can someone recommend a "must have" soundfont library?
is there one anyway?

Here are some good starting points:

https://musical-artifacts.com

https://www.polyphone-soundfonts.com/download-soundfonts

https://musescore.org/en/handbook/3/soundfonts-and-sfz-files

My personal favourite on this last link is “Timbres of Heaven” for a GM compatible font

And the Digital Sound Factory examples from here:

https://hiphopmakers.com/over-2000-free-soundfonts-free-soundfont-player

thanks for those links!

EdZAB

@Birdpie said:
can someone recommend a "must have" soundfont library?
is there one anyway?

I can also recommend this site, run by John Nebauer. I mostly use the pianos, and there are some very nice ones as soundfonts go, and some other good instruments and packs as well.

https://sites.google.com/site/soundfonts4u/

Robin2

@Robin2 said:
@VirSyn Does AudioLayer allow you to export to soundfont format as well?

Just bumping my own question as it seemed to get missed - @VirSyn? Does it allow you to export user made sample packs in any common formats or are they to be used exclusively with AudioLayer and Xinematix?

espiegel123

@Robin2 said:

@Robin2 said:
@VirSyn Does AudioLayer allow you to export to soundfont format as well?

Just bumping my own question as it seemed to get missed - @VirSyn? Does it allow you to export user made sample packs in any common formats or are they to be used exclusively with AudioLayer and Xinematix?

AudioLayer can export the samples and AudioLayer format instruments. It does not export any other format instruments as far as I know

espiegel123

The export options:

McD

The usual use of SF2 packaging is to load something like a General Midi rom: 128 standardized instruments to render General Midi or maybe Yamaha XG midi files. There are many apps that continue this hardware emulation scheme with the best being KQ Sampei and BS-16i.

To render General Midi files using Audiolayer you must load many AUv3 instances to cover the instruments.

Using KQ Sampei and Audiolayer together so the lead solo voice is enhanced like a SoundFonts4U Piano makes perfect sense. I haven’t tried putting these pianos into Xinematix yet. Not sure if that’s supported. Is it?

Robin2

Thanks @espiegel123, appreciate it, cheers.

Samu

@VirSyn Regarding ‘velocity sensitivity’, I do feel it would be a good idea to set it ‘per zone’ as drum kits as one example can have level envelopes per sound and setting velocity at ‘instrument scope’ level would override the zones envelope settings.

Cheers!

VirSyn

@Samu said:
@VirSyn Regarding ‘velocity sensitivity’, I do feel it would be a good idea to set it ‘per zone’ as drum kits as one example can have level envelopes per sound and setting velocity at ‘instrument scope’ level would override the zones envelope settings.

Cheers!

That’s exactly how i’ve done it with the new importer version. Instrument scope is only a convenient method to do it manually for all zones.

Samu

@VirSyn said:

@Samu said:
@VirSyn Regarding ‘velocity sensitivity’, I do feel it would be a good idea to set it ‘per zone’ as drum kits as one example can have level envelopes per sound and setting velocity at ‘instrument scope’ level would override the zones envelope settings.

Cheers!

That’s exactly how i’ve done it with the new importer version. Instrument scope is only a convenient method to do it manually for all zones.

Perfect!

Looking forward to it!

HotStrange

@Samu that’s an awesome idea. Being able to combine some of the crazy SFs out there with the other synthesis types in Tera Pro would be awesome.

McD

I couldn’t figure out how to get AudioLayer instruments into Xinematix but I figured it out.

1. The AudioLayer instrument must NOT use samples stored in iCloud.
2. If you keep all your Audiolayer instruments in icloud or on an external storage device the “share” that instrument to a “Zip Intrument + Samples” which will place the metadata and samples in “On My iPad/AudioLayer/Export”.
3. Change your storage use option in AudioLayer to local and import the exported instrument.
4. To move a copy of the AudioLayer instrument into the Xinematix Folder(s):
5. Select “Save…” -> “Move…” and pick a Xinematix folder to save(clone) the instrument into.

On Xinematix the saved instrument will be in the selected Xinematix folder and may have an appended 1,2,3 if an instrument with that name already existed there.

I have tested an instrument I made from Decent Sampler/Piano Book samples and one I pulled in from an SF2 file today.
So, I have the impressive Mark Dore Yamaha C5 piano available in Xinematix now.

Birdpie

do i need to have xinematix installed to get the iap demos in audiolayer?

iam still unable to delete xinematix content ( demo time out) in audiolayer

VirSyn

@Birdpie said:
do i need to have xinematix installed to get the iap demos in audiolayer?

iam still unable to delete xinematix content ( demo time out) in audiolayer

You don't need XinematiX to install the demos in AudioLayer. You can in fact install them there if they already expired in XinematiX. Kind of "second chance"...

You can't delete the base demo content in XinematiX at the moment. Only added demo content.

VirSyn

New version 1.9.1 released:

• SoundFont imported instruments get default velocity sensitivity
• Layer delay/random range now 1000ms
• Fixed problem with no sound after importing from AudioShare

Birdpie

@VirSyn said:

@Birdpie said:
do i need to have xinematix installed to get the iap demos in audiolayer?

iam still unable to delete xinematix content ( demo time out) in audiolayer

You don't need XinematiX to install the demos in AudioLayer. You can in fact install them there if they already expired in XinematiX. Kind of "second chance"...

You can't delete the base demo content in XinematiX at the moment. Only added demo content.

how do i delete added demo content?

Birdpie

i have no access to the xinematix add ons demos in audiolayer also. and i can't delete already demoed one.
haven't installed xinematix.

Samu

@VirSyn said:
New version 1.9.1 released:

• SoundFont imported instruments get default velocity sensitivity
• Layer delay/random range now 1000ms
• Fixed problem with no sound after importing from AudioShare

Nice Update! (tapped another 5-stars).

Now when the installed SF2 collections start to grow a preset search function would be much appreciated
Maybe a search already in the works?

Related to search a 'search' for TeraPro's FM7 presets would be nice but I get that it could be a challenge to implement as all installed *.syx files would have to be indexed.

Cheers & thanks for the update!

EdZAB

This question may belong in it's own thread, so let me know.

I'm familiar with the basics of getting samples into AudioLayer and setting different velocity levels for different zones, which can then be used to select different samples based on the incoming MIDI note velocity. I'm trying to understand how this would work for a soundfont file which has an instrument such as a piano with 15 velocity layers (I have one), and how AudioLayer could assign each sample to different velocity ranges, and if that is even possible with the import. If I can play 15 layers on a soundfont piano on BS-16i or KQ Sampei, but if I can't perform the equivalent on AudioLayer, it would be a major limitation for me. If the only option to do that would be to use the auto-sample, that's fine, but it would make the IAP for the SF2 import (which I am considering) less appealing.

Paulo164

@EdZAB said:
This question may belong in it's own thread, so let me know.

I'm familiar with the basics of getting samples into AudioLayer and setting different velocity levels for different zones, which can then be used to select different samples based on the incoming MIDI note velocity. I'm trying to understand how this would work for a soundfont file which has an instrument such as a piano with 15 velocity layers (I have one), and how AudioLayer could assign each sample to different velocity ranges, and if that is even possible with the import. If I can play 15 layers on a soundfont piano on BS-16i or KQ Sampei, but if I can't perform the equivalent on AudioLayer, it would be a major limitation for me. If the only option to do that would be to use the auto-sample, that's fine, but it would make the IAP for the SF2 import (which I am considering) less appealing.

I think you are worrying unnecessarily.
The 15 velocity ranges of your sf2 file will very likely be mapped accordingly when imported/converted in AudioLayer.
So 15 zones x 88 notes = 1320 zones (or less if one sample covers several notes) on one single layer.

Samu

@VirSyn I think there's a slightly buggy behavior when using sound fonts with a LOT of zones, they are simply properly not shown but playback works perfectly. (11" M1 iPadPro, iPadOS17.0.3).

The sound font in question is the latest 'GeneralUser GS 1.471' downloaded from.
https://schristiancollins.com/generaluser

Don't know if it's an 'error' in the SF2 file (works fine in all other SF2 players)
But sustain level gets 'crazy' high level on a few presets 6309576% which causes pretty heavy distortion

Cheers!

Paulo164

Hi @VirSyn ,
Thanks for all your updates on AudioLayer.
Just a feedback regarding the automatic instrument recording :
When we create a new instrument and automatically record on a 1st layer, then a 2nd layer, samples from the 2nd recording overwrite samples from the 1st one.
This is because the naming convention is instrument_name+note+velocity for either of the 2 recording without including the layer name.
So unless you define a different velocity steps value between the 2 recordings, 2nd recording will overwrite samples of 1st recording, which is annoying 😅
Thank you !

Paulo164

Okay, I found a workaround (but read to the end):

• after layer 1 recording, “save as…” my instrument to give a different name
• record layer 2 with the new instrument name.
• then “save as…” back again to original instrument name (overwriting #1)
• Finally delete the #2 copy, making sure to opt for “‘DO NOT DELETE SAMPLES ATTACHED TO THE INSTRUMENT”
• but all my samples have been deleted anyway => @VirSyn maybe you can reproduce this and fix the issue ? 🙏