Software for sample playback with live control.

Sampler and Sampling discussion (techniques, tips and tricks, etc.)
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I'm having a very difficult time finding something that will play looped samples that can be controlled live. I have a Big Fish Audio sample cd called "Brush Artistry". Their not samples like individual wav files for hi-hat, toms, snare, etc. The samples are like this: one wav file for the intro, another for a fill, another for the ending, and one for the main loop. So it's not like I need to map a zillion wavs to each key on the keyboard. I just want to be able to assign the wavs to a button, so I can trigger it when I want a fill or the ending, and so forth. What software can do this?

I've tried Kontakt, but I couldn't figure out how to do it, even with the manual. I tried Battery, but gave up. I was able to get close in Ableton Live, but I couldn't really get full control of it like I described. I was able to lay out a track, but couldn't set it up where I can trigger fills and endings easily.

What do people use to playback samples like this? Remember those hardware drum machines back in the day? People would just hit "start" and a drumtrack would play, and then they'd hit "end" and the ending would start at the next available measure. I want something like that.

Thanks.

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I believe some (or maybe all) Akai MPC machines will do that, but I'm not sure. Recently, I bought a Yamaha QY70, a small hardware midi sequencer that does that as well. It doesn't have sampling possibilities, so you'd have to hook it up to a sampler, or use the internal sounds.

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I'm sorry, I should have been more clear...is there a software that can do this?

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Audiomulch or Ableton Live can be used to do that.

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Live should be perfect for this. I don't think you need to look any further. If you have the correct tempo set, it should trigger flawlessy. I don't use Live, I tried the demo a while back, so I can't be specific. I'm sure one of the Live users here will be able to help you out though.
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I'm sorry, I should have been more clear...is there a software that can do this?
O, I'm sorry, it was clear enough. I just thought I'd give you some hardware options as well.

I know that the Reaktor ensemble Scenario, that works with loops, lets you hit a button to trigger a loop that will start playing the next measure. So it must be possible to build something you described in Reaktor. Maybe someone already has, or maybe it's even what you're looking for; the ensemble is quite suitable for controlling loops live. But Reaktor is quite a package if you only need this feature...

I also think that, given the kind of software it is, Live should be able to do what you want. But I'm not a Live user; I guess what you didn't find (yet?) in Live is the option to trigger the loops for the next available measure (and be able to trigger something so the current loop stops at the end of the measure).

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not to sound like a broken record here, but i do think LIVE can do exactly as you ask. I can't walk you thru all the steps myself, as I don't use it in that way, but you can control how/when a 'clip' triggers just like on those old hardware boxes. you can set the clips to trigger immediately when you hit them, or at the next measure after you hit them and everything in between. Plus, you can assign buttons, knobs, sliders, letters on your keyboard to trigger the clips for 'live' use. Lots of cool stuff in that program..... :)

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OK, I will look at Live in more detail. Thanks for emphasizing it. What I couldn't find the first time using Live was how to "program" the file so that it knows that after the intro, to loop the loop file, and if I hit fill, to go back to the loop, etc.

Pouckypluysch, thanks for the hardware suggestion, I will look at that if nothing else works. By the way, this is just to practice playing when the band is not around, and since I already have a laptop, I wouldn't want to get more gear if I don't have to.

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I see. If it still comes to that: the QY70 cost me about 160 euros on Ebay.

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