Setting Loop Points

Sampler and Sampling discussion (techniques, tips and tricks, etc.)
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Hi,
I am new to pitched sampling, having only done samples of drums and drum machines before.

I am looking for information on setting loop points, and also on some software in which to do it. I use Audacity for audio editing as it has all I need, but I can't see how to mark loop points in there. Are there any other cheap alternatives for this?

Thanks.
Last edited by pw on Sun Jul 10, 2005 10:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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SonicFoundry started the whole loop thing as I remember with Acid. And SoundForge does have some mighty fine loop tools built in. Now there are some automated looping tools I've heard of. But for absolute control I think SoundForge has the competition beat.
Pentagon,z3ta+,Tassman,Vsampler 3,FM7,Vocator,Sonar 3 Producer,SoundForge,Awave,Vegas 5
SFZ+,P5. And two kick ass DawBox machines!

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I tried a number of alternatives, but found Zero-X Seamless Looper to be the best. It makes setting loop points dead easy. It can actually find the best loop points for you, and offers alternative loop points you can audition. It's bug free, nice GUI, and cheap ($40.00). I don't know how I got along without it.
I also have/use Sound Forge, but it takes five minutes to do in Seamless Looper what might take an hour in Sound Forge, and the results are equally as good, or better.
www.beatcreator.com

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EZ Editor is what I use. It's made by Zero-X, distributed by Image-Line.

Doug
Logic is a pretty flower that smells bad - Spock, in "I, Mudd"

For a good time click http://www.belindabedekovic.com/video_fl_en.htm

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@lawapa:
Thanks lawapa, but I am talking about looping samples to map across a keyboard to use as an 'instrument' in a sampler, rather than acid-type loops.

@dougsyo and Cordelia:

These look good, although lots of the inks on the EZ-editor web are dead. I can't even find how much it costs, becuase the order link goes nowhere...(I am on IE lastest version).

A more general question: are loop points set on a per file basis, or is there a way to batch process, if, say, 20 samples are to be set with very similar loop points in order to make one 'instrument'. Make sense?
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You can try this http://www.kvraudio.com/get/174.html with REX files.
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scamme wrote:You can try this http://www.kvraudio.com/get/174.html with REX files.
thanks, but i am not after 'loops' in the acid or rex sense of the word.
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pw wrote:


These look good, although lots of the inks on the EZ-editor web are dead. I can't even find how much it costs, becuase the order link goes nowhere...(I am on IE lastest version).
do you have a popup blocker? when I disabled mine they worked
Nobody's a nobody...

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maximilians1 wrote:
pw wrote:


These look good, although lots of the inks on the EZ-editor web are dead. I can't even find how much it costs, becuase the order link goes nowhere...(I am on IE lastest version).
do you have a popup blocker? when I disabled mine they worked
ahh, yes I do and........I can access the pages now. Thanks for the heads up. At $24 this looks like a bargain.
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Well, i tried booth, EZ-Editor and the Zero - X Tool, EZ-Editor is f**ked up when it search for loop points, zero-x is working fine, the good thing is, Zero-X displays more then only one loop point, you change if you don't like the loop point zero-x found as first... Great tool..

Anyone here how know a tool like this for Mac running on OS X?

Frank
Voice, sample and factory content developer Particular-Sound / Facebook / Soundcloud

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pw,
You can't really batch process setting loop points, unfortunately, unless the samples are identical, because your loop points need to be at zero crossing. If you set the loop point even one sample off of zero crossing you will end up with a click in your audio. Cross fading can help in that regard, but you really have to treat each file individually.
There is a multi track version of Seamless Looper about to be released which will speed up the process. So, markers in one file can be synced to markers in other files.
I believe Seamless Looper has all the functionality of EZ Editor plus AutoSearch for loop points. If you're looping melodic files (let say a bass guitar note) finding smooth loop points is irritatingly difficult. For $16 more, I'd go with Seamless Looper.

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Cordelia wrote:pw,
You can't really batch process setting loop points, unfortunately, unless the samples are identical, because your loop points need to be at zero crossing. If you set the loop point even one sample off of zero crossing you will end up with a click in your audio. Cross fading can help in that regard, but you really have to treat each file individually.
There is a multi track version of Seamless Looper about to be released which will speed up the process. So, markers in one file can be synced to markers in other files.
I believe Seamless Looper has all the functionality of EZ Editor plus AutoSearch for loop points. If you're looping melodic files (let say a bass guitar note) finding smooth loop points is irritatingly difficult. For $16 more, I'd go with Seamless Looper.
Thanks for the advice Cordelia. I have downloaded both demo's and will give them a good run. I thought as much about the batch processing, but figured maybe there would be a way to define loop points in one sample, and apply it to other - at the nearest zero crossing-. Maybe the multitrack seamless looper will have such an option? Anyhow, I probably don't need it so much, just seeing what is available.
thanks.
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Zero-X Seamless Looper for PC

Antares Infinity for Mac

Nothing compares :)
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pw wrote:@lawapa:
Thanks lawapa, but I am talking about looping samples to map across a keyboard to use as an 'instrument' in a sampler, rather than acid-type loops.

@dougsyo and Cordelia:

These look good, although lots of the inks on the EZ-editor web are dead. I can't even find how much it costs, becuase the order link goes nowhere...(I am on IE lastest version).

A more general question: are loop points set on a per file basis, or is there a way to batch process, if, say, 20 samples are to be set with very similar loop points in order to make one 'instrument'. Make sense?
I understood what you wanted, SoundForge does set loops points for keymapped sample sets. That's all I've ever used since I don't use plain audio loops like Acid. SF does have some great sample tools as well. I turn key all my sets using it. I can go into the field, capture, process, and root key a multisample set and never use anything more. I map to keyboard using Awave Studio. But SF does not automate the looping process. And looping by hand is a tedious process, time consuming to say the least. I rarely loop any more anyway, Looping samples was a memory saving device when sample memory was at a premium. It does have it's uses though. And as a tool for sound manipulation it's good to have around. The best loop points in files might not come at zero crossings. But SF allows you to draw in a file for a silent loop. No other app does this that I know of. Like I said the sample tools in SF are hard to beat. But this takes time and patience.
Pentagon,z3ta+,Tassman,Vsampler 3,FM7,Vocator,Sonar 3 Producer,SoundForge,Awave,Vegas 5
SFZ+,P5. And two kick ass DawBox machines!

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lawapa wrote:
pw wrote:@lawapa:
Thanks lawapa, but I am talking about looping samples to map across a keyboard to use as an 'instrument' in a sampler, rather than acid-type loops.

@dougsyo and Cordelia:

These look good, although lots of the inks on the EZ-editor web are dead. I can't even find how much it costs, becuase the order link goes nowhere...(I am on IE lastest version).

A more general question: are loop points set on a per file basis, or is there a way to batch process, if, say, 20 samples are to be set with very similar loop points in order to make one 'instrument'. Make sense?
I understood what you wanted, SoundForge does set loops points for keymapped sample sets. That's all I've ever used since I don't use plain audio loops like Acid. SF does have some great sample tools as well. I turn key all my sets using it. I can go into the field, capture, process, and root key a multisample set and never use anything more. I map to keyboard using Awave Studio. But SF does not automate the looping process. And looping by hand is a tedious process, time consuming to say the least. I rarely loop any more anyway, Looping samples was a memory saving device when sample memory was at a premium. It does have it's uses though. And as a tool for sound manipulation it's good to have around. The best loop points in files might not come at zero crossings. But SF allows you to draw in a file for a silent loop. No other app does this that I know of. Like I said the sample tools in SF are hard to beat. But this takes time and patience.
Ok, sorry bout the misunderstanding, and thanks for the advice.
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