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External Audio Looper

2

Comments

  • 7
    CreativeLemmingCreativeLemming London, UKPosts: 4

    +1
    ...plus the ability to start/stop sampling/looping for any assigned track using a midi foot pedal for those instruments that require the use of both hands while playing :-)

  • 8
    HarryFoxHarryFox LeedsBeta Tester Posts: 3

    I envision this to work in the way specified below. If this is not possible due to hardware or software restrictions, then I’m open to suggestions.

    The basic premise, is the ability to sample phrases at a loop length specified by the user before recording is initiated. Only line in or mic will be recorded, and it will appear in the row of the kit selected, no other track is required e.g. synth track with sustained note to hear audio in for auditioning.

    Once recording is initiated, it begins at a specific point in that loop, be it at the beginning, or wherever playback is at that time related to the loop (some people would like recording to start after a count in, if this could be coded in as an option too, it would be nice). This needs to be able to be initiated just using the record button, which can be assigned to a footswitch as is currently available.

    Once playback reaches the end of the loop, the loops begins playing.

    If record stays activated, the Deluge will ‘overdub’ onto the recorded loop that is now playing.

    Further phrases can be selected by pressing another row.

    There should be no need to enter the file browser for the recorded loop, load it up to an kit track channel, edit start and end, then start playing with it.

    I understand that this could probably be heavy in ram usage, and reduce general polyphony. Therefore, if needed this mode could be limited (the Kaossilator I currently use for this has only 4 phrases per song, and limited loop length of 8 bars). Perhaps it could be in another page of track mode, similar to how arrangement is another page of song mode. Or a function of osc type (phrase) that then forces you to specify a loop length, that’s not important, it depends on how it slides into the current firmware code, which is for Rohan to decide.

    Rohan has already worked wonders with this machine, and it’s a big ask (based on my veeeery limited - i.e zilch - knowledge of coding etc. But this is a feature that is talked about a lot in the facebook groups, but has a muddled and confusing presence on the feature request forum due to people having all sorts of different ideas about crazy indepth things that they think this machine should do, or functions that are already available. If you like this idea give this an upvote. For those of us that don’t have a phrase sampler, or do not want to carry an extra bit of hardware to gigs, the addition of this function could mean that a Deluge owner may not have to shell out £500 + for another machine that would allow them to riff on their guitar/Rhodes, whatever, and hit a footswitch that enables them to record a phrase and have it instantly become part of the music, without having to stop playback, load the sample, trim it, sequence its length, then press play again. Especially not something you want to do if you have a guitar in your live rig, or want to beatbox a bit of percussion over a track and give the audience something to think “oh, that’s cool, I actually watched him make that”.

    I really want to ditch my Kaossilator, and not have to spend over £500 on a Boss looper, as that is currently the best option. These machines are expensive, and an extra thing to carry to gigs. If the Deluge added this function, it would be pretty awesome, and I can imagine a lot of beatboxers, keyboard players, guitarists etc will want to buy a Deluge if they can phrase sample with it as well as all the other amazing things you can do with it.

  • 0
    chorus7chorus7 CanadaPosts: 4

    A simple SOS audio looper mode would be amazing!...

  • 1
    VJFranzKVJFranzK Los Angeles USABeta Tester Posts: 129

    I had imagined it as one loop per track in Song view, easy to incorporate in your verse / chorus structure. Grabbing, and overdubbing a loop with ease from the audio in.
    The UI is of prime importance, and it's generally a great strength of Deluge.

    ( A secondary thought is how that loop might be chopped or re-arranged? It could be done in the screen that opens when you press the track. )

    Theoretically, if you have one loop track, you could have 10, which outdoes all(?) hardware loopers, and opens the device to another set of "live looping musicians". ; - )

    Music, Visuals, Reviews of Synths, Drum Machines, Apps
    YouTube: VJFranzK

  • 13
    bjoerngieslerbjoerngiesler Ingolstadt GermanyPosts: 4

    You have my vote.

    Here's what I suggested to the FB group yesterday, which is similar but not quite the same to what HarryFox wrote yesterday. I still think I might share it; this would be my preferred way of sampling. Because I often play and record manually-played instruments over an electronic backing track, I need a record mode that is synced to the Deluge's loop structure but not directly coupled to it; and because I often record drum samples from analog synths or acoustic sources, and find it tedious to adapt the sample start each time, I would like a triggered mode :smiley: Here's the writeup:

    We differentiate between three modes of recording: resample mode, triggered / direct mode and "loop" mode.

    Resample mode:

    This is exactly what we have today. It records / resamples the Deluge output (including any external input channeled through the Deluge's sound generation).

    Primary purpose: Resampling (duh :smile: )

    Engage and start recording:
    * Pressing Shift+Record begins output-recording instantly.
    * To begin output-recording at the exact same instant that playback is begun, press Record+Play.
    * To begin output-recording at the exact same instant that a voice is sounded, hold down Record and press an Audition pad (or one of the main pads if you're in keyboard view.

    Stop recording:
    Press Record again. To stop at the exact instant that a loop finishes playing, press Record+Play.

    Triggered / Direct mode:

    This is the audio recording / sampling mode that is used when the Deluge is not actively playing.

    Primary purpose: Sampling drum sounds (triggered) or arbitrary sounds (direct). Sounds recorded by trigger do not have to have their start time adapted but will begin directly at the transient.

    Engage recording: While the Deluge is not playing, in a Kit track, hold an Audition button and press Record. The Mute/Launch and Audition/Section columns become the left/right VU meter for the Line In jack. The trigger level at which recording will start is highlighted as one row on the VU meter. It can be adapted with the Up/Down knob. The Audition button is highlighted. The Record button starts blinking.

    Start recording: When the input volume surpasses the set trigger level, recording starts automatically. Alternatively, recording can be started manually by pushing the Up/Down knob. The Record button lights up permanently.

    End recording: Press "Record" again.

    Note: Can possibly be started from the synth menu as well.

    Loop mode:

    This is the audio recording mode that is used when the Deluge is actively playing.

    Primary purpose: Sampling acoustic instruments, vocals, etc. that play along with the Deluge, and loop them.

    Engage recording: While the Deluge is playing, in a Kit track, hold an Audition button and press Record. The Mute/Launch and Audition/Section columns become the left/right VU meter for the Line In jack, but without a trigger level display. The Audition button is highlighted. The Record button starts blinking just as a Mute/Launch button does when it is waiting for playback to roll around.

    Start recording: When playback rolls around to the start of the pattern, recording is automatically started. Monitoring is switched on. When the pattern loops, recording changes to overdub, allowing several loops to be overdubbed over a single sample.

    End recording: Press "Record" again.

    Any and all input is very welcome!

  • 0
    chorus7chorus7 CanadaPosts: 4

    Great ideas!

  • 0
    EzelEzel Dominican RepublicBeta Tester Posts: 9

    +1

  • 0
    alexblaxxalexblaxx Bristol UKPosts: 4

    +1

  • 0
    bjoerngieslerbjoerngiesler Ingolstadt GermanyPosts: 4

    Awesome guys, but can I ask you (apart from +1'ing via post) to also uprank the thread? It's still at 33 votes, I'm pretty sure that Ezel's and alexblaxx's votes are not in there yet (unless they were in before).

  • 3
    alexblaxxalexblaxx Bristol UKPosts: 4

    Just to keep this hot.. Quantised start/stop recording from external input is the only thing stopping a dozen of my modular/octatrack combo friends from buying the deluge. Recording fresh loops from the modular in time with the rest of the deluge would completely change the game, especially with the arranger mode.

  • 0
    sinelanguagesinelanguage TotnesPosts: 1

    @alexblaxx said:
    Just to keep this hot.. Quantised start/stop recording from external input is the only thing stopping a dozen of my modular/octatrack combo friends from buying the deluge. Recording fresh loops from the modular in time with the rest of the deluge would completely change the game, especially with the arranger mode.

    Agreed. This is the one feature holding me back from getting a Deluge also, although I think I'll need to get on board pretty soon anyway. But I hope they know just how important this one feature is to so many performers.

    Funnily enough I notice you're in Bristol, i used to live there and it was watching Dub FX busking on the street that began my whole love affair with live looping and made me get an Octatrack.

    Having this functionality with the workflow and almost limitless capabilities of the Deluge in one small battery powered box would be insane.

  • 1
    booyipbooyip UKPosts: 10

    As s new owner (hi!) a lot of feature requests are dealing with frustrations I am weeks or months away from discovering, but this one has me really excited. Wouldn't it just be FUN to play around with, and perfectly suited to the spirit of the Deluge (sounds over screens).

    BTW, this guys YouTube channel is making me look at loopers in a new way - simple approach but really innovative and fun. Get him on board for the Delooper!

  • 0
    mattypaxtonmattypaxton SydneyPosts: 7

    Try to resample things live whilst in kit mode based on the instruction manual..

    I think if bjoerngiesler ideas were implemented things could be really good.. (perhaps with the option to set to MIC or Internal Output)?

  • 0
    darenagerdarenager Between a rack and a hardware placeBeta Tester Posts: 222

    +1 sounds like a great idea!

  • 0
    XLZXLZ GermanyPosts: 2

    Imagine all the possibilities of Deluge plus an easy to use Looper without all the pain you have e.g. with Octatrack and its pickup machines (complex setup, no undo of last overdub, etc.) --> AWESOME!!!

  • 0
    EarthCryEarthCry Asheville NCPosts: 15

    A quantized (or not) looper would be a full on game changer for the deluge. I'd love to see the ability to also incorporate clip chops like more of live loops. Then I would never put the thing down ha

  • 0
    SamuelSamuel Rotterdam, NetherlandsPosts: 35

    SO MUCH UPVOTE FOR THIS

  • 3
    darenagerdarenager Between a rack and a hardware placeBeta Tester Posts: 222

    I think a looper needs to be a joy to use so that in the heat of the moment you can control exactly what happens (unlike the pickup machines in the otherwise excellent Octatrack)

    One idea for implementation could be this:

    Select new kit, turn select CCW to enter LOOP mode rather than load a kit.

    Now Instead of a drum/sample assigned to each row, we have a loop recorder.

    First we set up the recording parameters:

    Pressing shift and the mute pad for a row allows the recording IN and OUT times to be set, default is MANual, x encoder sets IN point, y encoder sets OUT point, so for example you could have recording start (IN) on step 1 and end (OUT) on step 72.

    Pressing shift and audition pad sets recording type, ONCE or ODUB using x encoder, and source INT, EXT, BOTH using y encoder.

    Continue for each row setting as desired, you can always go back and change as long as loop is empty.

    Now recording:

    To arm a track for recording hold Record and press the audition button for the row(s) which you want to record onto. Assuming the sequencer is stopped the next time play is pressed recording for the selected track(s) will commence according to the parameters set. In the case of MANual nothing happens until you press the relevant audition pad, then recording starts, press pad again to stop.

    As soon as a recording is finished - according to its IN and OUT points it starts to play, a note event automatically appears on the grid. If the type is set to ODUB pressing REC and the mute pad stops overdubbing.

  • 1
    RandomAztecRandomAztec IrelandPosts: 108

    Off topic slighty : Darenger bravo, your clarity of thought is impressive. I presume you have experience in beta testing products. I never quite grasped the nature of such a role until i became a deluge user. I now see the importance as a user describing to the delveoper how you would like to see a feture implemented. My past self would have just requested " live looping please" but after seeing the implementation of the waveform view and how closely this has matched the suggestions made on that thread the importance of giving concrete proposals that are realistic and thought out

  • 0
    AeCartAeCart Goshen, IN USABeta Tester Posts: 15

    Darenger, any thoughts about starting/stopping recording via footswitch? Perhaps in the set up process, there could be an option at the same level as MANual for EXTernal triggering of start/stop recording. I'm certainly not as familiar with the limitations/complications this would entail as some, but midi control/external control of start/stop seems like it should be part of the equation.

  • 1
    darenagerdarenager Between a rack and a hardware placeBeta Tester Posts: 222

    @RandomAztec Thanks, I have been a beta tester/preset contributor for Elektron since they started and I have done stuff with Teenage Engineering, Bugbrand, and a few others too.
    Trig conditions is probably one of my best suggestions that made it into a product(s), but there have been quite a few more too.

    But yes it is quite important to try to think of how the idea would be implemented so that it works within the flow of the machine, and that the idea is realistic and would be of benefit to many users, it is also important IMHO to make suggestions public so that other users can help to refine the idea and give input.

    I’m not a beta tester for the Deluge as it is currently only done via facebook and I do not have an active facebook membership or any plans ever to.

  • 0
    VJFranzKVJFranzK Los Angeles USABeta Tester Posts: 129

    Also note Kaoss Pad 3 for a "hardware looping" reference. Particularly, see 4:12 ( loop editing )

    Music, Visuals, Reviews of Synths, Drum Machines, Apps
    YouTube: VJFranzK

  • 1
    isakisak SwedenPosts: 1
    edited September 2018

    This would be amazing, it's the thing that'd make me buy the deluge. Especially if it would work as intuitive as the RC-505.

    Post edited by isak on
  • 1
    VJFranzKVJFranzK Los Angeles USABeta Tester Posts: 129

    Here was what I did at the Deluge Demo / Meetup in LA!
    Using Deluge and RC505, but how great would it be to use only Deluge, and get a lot more than 5 loops going?

    Music, Visuals, Reviews of Synths, Drum Machines, Apps
    YouTube: VJFranzK

  • 0
    MPrinsenMPrinsen NetherlandsPosts: 157

    Voted!

  • 0
    poldensteinpoldenstein italyBeta Tester Posts: 43

    +1

  • 0
    ELEVENELEVEN Zagreb, CroatiaPosts: 60

    +11
    this feature is essential not only for live looping, but also for recording live stuff like vocals, guitar riffs and such without the painful start/end editing. like in ableton
    ❤️

  • 1
    ClemClem AUckLand Aotearoa NeuZEULOND Posts: 11

    This would massively increase the usefulness of the (already awesome) Deluge for me too, and the ability for it to perform this task is so tantalisingly close - the only real challenge to achieve it is finding a good UI workflow.

    A big plus for me, over using external looping devices, would be having my audio loops stored in the same device and therefore song file as everything these they go with ... so if you open up a song later you don't have to remember where the hell you stored the audio loops for it and how they match up. And also one less device and all the wires that goes with it!

  • 0
    ClemClem AUckLand Aotearoa NeuZEULOND Posts: 11
    edited October 2018

    Also someone above mentioned a foot control option for this - definitely it would make this feature loads easier to use if it included midi mapping options to start / stop record the loop (currently midi mapping the record button doesn't work for audio sample recording). So you can just jam away on bass or whatever until you come up with something good, then hit the mapped foot controller button and it starts recording on the next loop start. And with a mapped stop button the loop length wouldn't need to be set to the current playing loop, it just keeps recording until the next loop end after you hit the mapped stop button.

    Post edited by Clem on
  • 0

    Ability to take advantage of new coming multisample function(hey why not create multisamples via this looper feature !) and select various multisamples for ability to loop loaded multisamples on per track basis.

    Pre - determine effects to be applied to individual loops before recording.

    Ability for backing song or arranger mode tracks to play as Looper records

    Loop has ability to mute previous loop take for "solo" recordings of selected internal/external synth patch, multisamples, guitar, etc.

    (Simply place loops in desired correspondence after stop recording by using further right two columns as directional left/right markers to manually navigate loops)

    Adopt and update some of the essence of RC505 for individual loop/track control.

    Ability to loop record for different durations per selected track

    Ability to loop record entire duration of song in song mode.

This discussion has been closed.