XLN Audio - XO - Improvement, Pros, Cons

[yellowmix]

Random. Is it possible to make a random kit?

Yes. In the Edit screen pull up the Sample Combiner.

It'll give you kits in columns, the closer to the left the more similar, the more to the right the less similar. Just keep smashing the rightmost one. You can also hit the curved arrow to make the current kit the starting point for a new similarity.

There's also a random dice thing on the bottom right that shuffles which kits the the samples are taken from in the given view.

If you're happy, click the green checkmark up top to commit it.

[yellowmix]

Another tip:

If you like what you're hearing and haven't committed in the Beat or Sample Combiner, you can export what you're currently hearing. So print it to WAV, MIDI, or drag individual kit pieces to your DAW. You can churn out a ton of different beats from the Beat Combiner this way and basically construct a complete beat track for a song really quickly.

[m-ac]

Random. Is it possible to make a random kit?

Yes. In the Edit screen pull up the Sample Combiner.

It'll give you kits in columns, the closer to the left the more similar, the more to the right the less similar. Just keep smashing the rightmost one. You can also hit the curved arrow to make the current kit the starting point for a new similarity.

There's also a random dice thing on the bottom right that shuffles which kits the the samples are taken from in the given view.

If you're happy, click the green checkmark up top to commit it.

True, you can get to fairly random variations doing the dice - new samples - dice - new samples thing a few times, but no, there is no true random kit feature, which is a real pity IMO. You always need to start with a kit of some kind and create variations. It would be brilliant to have XO create you a truly random kit from your library. Yeah, sometimes you might end up with 6 claps and 2 air horns, but that's how happy accidents are made.

[markhw]

I'm going to throw in my vote for the ability to browse presets without changing the current drum samples. The most useful part of presets is likely to be the beats, not the factory samples. Many people will want to swap out the samples (that's what xo is about right?), or they may have already constructed a kit but want an inspiring starting point for a beat. Lets have the preset browsing option to only load up the beat! This is a rather simple feature to implement with clear value.

[gExpectations]

Quick question (maybe its somewhere in the thread), is there anyway to have multiple datasets saved you can build your cloud out of? It's been a while since I demoed it. Thanks!

[WatchTheGuitar]

Quick question (maybe its somewhere in the thread), is there anyway to have multiple datasets saved you can build your cloud out of? It's been a while since I demoed it. Thanks!

The ‘Space’ as its known is built up from layers based on what is has found in the source sample folders that you add and you can go in and switch those layers on or off with ticking or unticking checkboxes. Equally you can just drag a folder in and it’ll build a Space just off samples in that folder or within its subfolders.

[gExpectations]

Quick question (maybe its somewhere in the thread), is there anyway to have multiple datasets saved you can build your cloud out of? It's been a while since I demoed it. Thanks!

The ‘Space’ as its known is built up from layers based on what is has found in the source sample folders that you add and you can go in and switch those layers on or off with ticking or unticking checkboxes. Equally you can just drag a folder in and it’ll build a Space just off samples in that folder or within its subfolders.

Thank you for kindly informing me . Im probably picking it up next sale, its still the best solution to organize drums apart from making kits for any drum vst.

[noiseboyuk]

I'm going to throw in my vote for the ability to browse presets without changing the current drum samples. The most useful part of presets is likely to be the beats, not the factory samples. Many people will want to swap out the samples (that's what xo is about right?), or they may have already constructed a kit but want an inspiring starting point for a beat. Lets have the preset browsing option to only load up the beat! This is a rather simple feature to implement with clear value.

Amen to that. It's so easy to switch sounds, but grooves are quite limited - it's ok to tweak something 90% there, but I've love a much bigger selection of midi grooves, especially since we can't import our own. So yes to being able to switch presets without sounds, and yes to midi import.

[boriskarloff]

I'm going to throw in my vote for the ability to browse presets without changing the current drum samples. The most useful part of presets is likely to be the beats, not the factory samples. Many people will want to swap out the samples (that's what xo is about right?), or they may have already constructed a kit but want an inspiring starting point for a beat. Lets have the preset browsing option to only load up the beat! This is a rather simple feature to implement with clear value.

Amen to that. It's so easy to switch sounds, but grooves are quite limited - it's ok to tweak something 90% there, but I've love a much bigger selection of midi grooves, especially since we can't import our own. So yes to being able to switch presets without sounds, and yes to midi import.

It would be nice to have implemented something like Patternarium by Sonic Charge. After that XO might be a real game-changer.

[anoise]

Anyone noticed that the internal sequencer is not sample accurate? I use an oscilloscope (Signalizer in beat mode) to check the transients and they are fluctuating on the grid, also they are ~1 ms early. However, exporting the midi to the DAW and using it like that is rock stable and works as expected. So, if you want precise hits on the grid you need to trigger XO by MIDI from the DAW, until they fix this.

[machinesworking]

Anyone noticed that the internal sequencer is not sample accurate? I use an oscilloscope (Signalizer in beat mode) to check the transients and they are fluctuating on the grid, also they are ~1 ms early. However, exporting the midi to the DAW and using it like that is rock stable and works as expected. So, if you want precise hits on the grid you need to trigger XO by MIDI from the DAW, until they fix this.

Didn't really notice, but it's definitely not something I would have noticed since I only use the step sequencer to sketch out basic parts before importing MIDI into the DAW.

I also tend to just use XO as a sample finder at times, dropping it into DPs built in drum plug in.
Guaranteed sample saving with the DAW that way.

[SLiC]

I bought XO about a year ago and I think it is very clever and inspirational. I was hoping that by now they would have improved the sequencing section which would not take a lot of work (see all the suggestions in this thread) to be great...I hope XLN have a 'major' update planned for this great drum machine, it deserves some love

[WatchTheGuitar]

Definitely due an upgrade. Would hope they'd bring out a v2 in the early new year with extra features and patterns and possibly some extra samples (if for instance they introduced the possibility of round robins, which would make me very happy).

[Exoena]

Does anybody know how to change time signature on Xln Audio?! I’m trying 6/8 and 3/4 but I can’t make it work, it doesn’t fit. Help?!!

[WatchTheGuitar]

Does anybody know how to change time signature on Xln Audio?! I’m trying 6/8 and 3/4 but I can’t make it work, it doesn’t fit. Help?!!

Current version of XO seems to assume 4/4 as your base tempo when building up beats so unless you can subdivide your BPM in a way to fit that other time signature into the 4/4 then you'll probably be out of luck.