So, in despair I give up before giving it a truly good run-through.
An example:
I've been using eXT (VSTi version) to slice up and re-render some beats. So, I load the beatslicer up, hack it up, and export the MIDI to Tracktion. Within Tracktion, I render the new loop.
It's not too painful, and it works well. But what I'd rather do is this:
1. Load my loop into eXT
2. Hack it up (auto detection with occasional fine-tuning)
3. Designate its new tempo
4. Drag it as an audio file into Tracktion, or for eXT sequencer users, even as an audio clip in the sequencer.
Because I understand the immensely more flexible nature of keeping it as a MIDI + eXT thing, I figured "there's got to be a better way of doing this" and sat down to try to figure it out.
Not that particularly easy. A long time ago, nF helped with using switches to alternate between loops, but for an entire song this was looking like it would prove cumbersome, so I abandoned it.
So what I figured was-- hey, hey... easy enough. The first loop occupies C -2 up to F -2. Why not just import the next loop and assign it from F# -2 onward?
I couldn't do it. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but what I'm saying is that it wasn't obvious to me how to do it. I couldn't even truly figure out what the point was of adding a new slicer if they were just going to occupy the same trigger keys. A new layer, sure, because it might be a multi-layered instrument patch. But a new slicer?
Then it occurred to me that there are only a finite number of keys to trigger slices. A few loops that are 20+ slices long, and your range would be eaten up in moments. Since they don't need to be velocity sensitive, that gives another 126 times the possible "storage areas".
So, in practice, loop 1 might take up C -4 to F -4 at velocity 1. Loop 2 might occupy C -4 to F -4 but at velocity 2. Loop 3 would be the C -4 to G -4, with the first notes at velocity 3, but the F# and G back at 1. This way, you'd fill in all possible options.
At the end of the day, the actual note and velocity settings aren't in the least bit important, but you'd be able to store a whole lot of loop information in one instance of eXT VSTi.
----
Regardless of the "feature request", there are a few problems inherent in the current setup -- namely, if you even CAN re-assign the notes, it's not obvious enough how to. The interface simply doesn't give enough clues. Next, new slicers 'layers' within the sampler should automatically assign different 'trigger' values, no matter what method is used.
Am I still the only person who every time he tries to do something more 'involved' in eXT feels like the interface is a complete mystery? I can't make music when I feel like I'm working on a science experiment. I just want to make music.
Jorgen, don't take this the wrong way-- I'm sure you're used to all kinds of whining users by now, and you seem to have infinite patience for it.
Greg


