"What's new in latest beta & How to use it" Thread

[sinkmusic]

[MOD EDIT: I made this thread a sticky. It is supposed to only contain the explanation/discussion of features - you can make off topic posts all you like in here but be aware of me moderating this thread with an iron-claw - meaning that I'll rip out all posts after a while (which can be anything between a few minutes and several days) which I consider inappropriate - and I won't usually split these posts into a new thread but rather just delete them - Jens]
[mod soma- latest betas are here : http://www.energy-xt.com/xt2beta.php
youtube portal here: www.youtube.com/energyXT ]



Hi all

I am suggesting a thread dedicated to telling what is new in each latest betas & explaining both the possible uses of the new features and the way it works.
(Some kind of pre-tutorial, maybe ?)

This could avoid more specific threads to get bloated with digressive stuff (so no more reading 5 pages to get a basic info about a shortcut) & help newbies (like me) to get more easily their hands on Ext2b.

So if you don't know how a new feature work, just ask here,
And if you've found out some nice applications, made some templates, or know some tips & tricks, it oculd be the place to post... ?

What do you think about that idea ?


cheers
[edit - unstuck. Might need new one when new beta is out soma]

[sinkmusic]

might be a good idea - if there's a demand for it I could make it a sticky...

(which I would then heavily moderate to ensure it only contains the important 'on topic'-stuff)

great. This would be nice

[sinkmusic]

Ok, so i'll start, before next beta is out

about the XTC
I can't really figure out yet :

- what kind of files can you save as .xtc ?
(I guess sliced audio clips, but apart this ?)
And can you save only enveloppe data into an empty clip, and then drag that xtc clip onto an audio clip, in order to "put" that enveloppe on that audio clip ?

- How do you do to make a XTC ?

[jens]

there are three different .xtc-files:

- audio-clips

- midi-clips

- drum-clips

midi-clips contain the info (including the parameter vaules) about the vsti they're going through as you save them

drum-clips contain the drum-bank

for both you can avoid the loading of it if you drag the clips onto an existing track which is already going through a vsti/has already loaded a drum-track


audio clips contain all the samples the original part was conhtaining which you have saved as a clip.


Clips can be saved by selecting them and chosing 'save' from the 'part'-menu at the top of the main-window.

To save only automation-data and then include it in an existing part should be possible by gluing the imported clip and the part you want to import the automation to. The problem here is though that you currently can't glue midi-clips and audio-clips with each other.

[soma]

To use the midi mapper:
1) click on the keyboard icon next to tempo.
2) open VST(s)
3) move GUI
4) send CC [edit: I tried sending a CC with a midi plugin and it didn't learn the CC. Can someone try with hardware?]
5) repeat
6) click keyboard icon again!
Awesome!

You can also add programs, which are different sets of midi maps:
1) In Controller Map, click "..." next to program
2) "Add"
3) Follow steps above to make a new map
4) switch maps with the next/last program arrows in the Controller Map

[sinkmusic]

ok, thank you Jens. It makes sense.

So, with midi-xtc, it can work a little bit like a chainer (liek in Ableton Live), that's it ?
You can save the settings of a vsti, but also the settings of a chain ? If so, it comes very very handy

I'm going to put my hands on it

[sinkmusic]

You can save the settings of a vsti, but also the settings of a chain ?

nope, inserts are disregarded if that's what you mean

Well, not really.
What i was thinnking about was more usefull in "comps" mode : i thought you could select a chain of several modules (plugins -for example : an eq, then a compressor, and then a reverb on the left channel and a delay on the right), and save that chain as a XTC file you can drag and drop where ever you want later (like saving a .ext file and loading it into another instance of Ext in v1.41).
But well, As it is not here yet, i guess i'm getting OT

[jens]

that's what Jorgen has planned for the group-comps...

[sinkmusic]

ok. This is going to be really good.

[sweet_trip]

About the MIDI mapper, what is CC-1 (CC-1, CC0, CC1, CC2...CC127)??? is that Pitch Bend?

[sweet_trip]

4) send CC [edit: I tried sending a CC with a midi plugin and it didn't learn the CC. Can someone try with hardware?]

Works fine here with hardware (BCR2000)

I reckon it only takes the MIDI Cc messages from the MIDI in comp(s)

Dang! I guess because I can't automate the CC # assign to the parameter...
hopefully next time???

[jens]

About the MIDI mapper, what is CC-1 (CC-1, CC0, CC1, CC2...CC127)??? is that Pitch Bend?

Controller events

GM also specifies which operations should be performed by several controllers:

1 Modulation
6 Data Entry MSB
7 Volume
10 Pan
11 Expression
38 Data Entry LSB
64 Sustain
100 RPN LSB
101 RPN MSB
121 Reset all controllers
123 All notes off

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_MIDI

[sweet_trip]

Oh, sorry I didn't make myself clear... but thanks jens

In the MIDI mapper you can choose CC-1 (continuous controller -1 or negative 1). Point your mouse to the field and instead of dragging up to increase the numbers, drag down to decrease the numbers. You'll see that after CC0 there's CC-1.

Anyway, I was wondering what that was for, or if it is a mistake...

[sweet_trip]

ok cool... but in that note, it would be great if you could use pitch bend in midi mapper... but that's another topic... i'll make it a feature request

[sinkmusic]

Ok, the drum track is now midi triggable, so here is how it works (thank you dj subject) :

you musnt' just click on the track to make it active (like the midi tracks of the sequencer), but you first need to right click the drum track go to input, and then select the midi input.

My question now is : can we "swap" samples ? (in order to have the drum kick on C1, even if it was the third sample to get loaded)