LiveSlice recording implementation thread

[ohm]

I'm currently working on input recording, here's how it works now:

There’s a rec button in the slicer that deletes the contents of the current loop and starts recording new audio.

The recording is looping and new audio is mixed with the recording from the previous loop - I’ll add a button to toggle rec. mode between mix and overwrite – overwrite enables liveslice to be used as an effect.

When the rec button is pressed a second time the recording is stopped and the display is updated (I’ll try to implement updates during recording, but I fear it will eat too much CPU with all the colors and stuff).

I’ll add the ability to set start and endpoints of the recorded loop and crop audio outside those markings, so you can record 32 beats and use just 4 of them.

- All comments and ideas are welcome in this thread

I imaging additions like:
- record without erasing the existing content
- select multiple loops and record to all of them in sequence.
- toggle mono / stereo recording
- save the recording

[R.A.W.]

an useful addition might be a setup-option to change the style of recording to something like automatic and synced drop-in/drop-out.

it could work like this:
- set the number of to be recorded beats in the slicer
- hit the rec-button
- the recording starts as soon as the first new bar starts and lasts till the number of beats is reached

[Maniah]

I'm not getting any monitoring during recording. Is this temporary or is it a bug?
In EXT i just route the plug's outs along with LiveSlice's outs to the mixer so i can hear while recording but i imagine monitoring w/i LS during recording should be included.

[Maniah]

- select multiple loops and record to all of them in sequence.

DO you mean multiple takes? So once a beat setting is reached it jumps to the next loop? This would be good.
Another neat idea could be multiple ins so that you can record multiple loops simultaneously (like multi tracks). Like with the case of recording a drum machine, each drum part could have it's own loop (track). From here you can send to the arrangements.
Remember that FR about an option where you can select multiple loops to automatically be sent to exclusive arrangement tracks in one shot? Here is where it would also benefit.
Also, +1 on overdubbing.

[ohm]

synced drop-in/drop-out

excellent idea, will do. I'm considering a "standalone mode" where the first recording defines the tempo (cannot be used with a host because plugins cannot set the tempo of the host - now this is an FR for Steinberg - put that in the VST spec. please if you read this Charlie

monitoring during recording

didn't think about it - I use energy XT myself, and prefer to route monitoring to headphones anyways - I'll add monitoring with a toggle switch.

- select multiple loops and record to all of them in sequence.

I meant like multiple takes, but multitrack recording could be a cool feature I agree - would be great for taping a whole band and remixing loops of their performance as they go I actually did this using Jeskola Buzz a couple of times.

[kejkz]

Will there be a vst effect version of Liveslice? If so, what about this feature: realtime FX. I mean realtime control of already present parameters in liveslice in this way: audio is coming to inputs, and passing thru liveslice. When you press, for example f#5 midi note you call a present preset in liveslice with volume, pan, pitch etc. that processes signal going to output.
And how about "freeze" button that freezes buffer going through Liveslice and repeats it until clicked again. It freezes audio with predefinded number of beats in slicer.
These are just toughts, feel free to comment of course, maybe I'm just mad in this late hours, playing with liveslice...

[R.A.W.]

Will there be a vst effect version of Liveslice?

technically LS is already an fx-plug as it has an audio-input
all hosts i know are able to route audio to an instrument when it has an audio-in, so there should be no need for a dedicated fx version i reckon.

When you press, for example f#5 midi note you call a present preset in liveslice with volume, pan, pitch etc. that processes signal going to output.

i think this is exactly ohm's idea. you still have to use presets which refer to a loop-slot you just use to record the audio, so you could just load a normal loop and program the preset and then overwrite that loop with the audio-input. that should do what you described.

And how about "freeze" button that freezes buffer going through Liveslice and repeats it until clicked again. It freezes audio with predefinded number of beats in slicer.

you could accomplish that by setting the slicer to a very short buffer.. i'm not quite shure if it should be added as a dedicated function as there are already many buffer manipulation plugins out there.


btw.:

Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2005 2:29 am
...
Joined: 08 Dec 2004 Posts: 1 Location: Belgrade

nice to see that your first post is in the livelab-forum after being a kvr-member for almost 1 year..

[ohm]

And how about "freeze" button that freezes buffer going through Liveslice and repeats it until clicked again. It freezes audio with predefinded number of beats in slicer.

As it is now it works the other way around - you press rec, and audio is recorded (liveslice now works as a "realtime" effect, with a delay corresponding to thenumber of beats). When you stop recording the recorded buffer is "frozen" as it is.

And as R.A.W. points out, the recordings replace the file loops, so they can be used in presets in the exact same way - brings new life to your existing liveslice arrangements

I will compile an effect version if there's a host that cannot send audio to a VSTi, I wouldn't be surprised if this was the case.

[kejkz]

Thanx for your replyes, it's morning now and I hear and see thing much clearer. I know for all the workarounds you pointed out. I found out how to use it as fx too (i'm using Buzz now for testing), but my point was quite different.
What I meant is using Liveslices presets for REALTIME MANIPULATION. For me that's not recording itself, which I think is a great addition, but manipulation of realtime signal.
OK, I know monitoring is not working right now, but it will in some of the next versions. My idea is to process the signal that is going through Liveslice, without recording it directly to loops.
I know it is maybe a too much right now, but that just crossed my mind yesterday as a good idea.

[spuddle]

Wow, this'd be a great feature. Will it be free to current users of Liveslice?

[R.A.W.]

My idea is to process the signal that is going through Liveslice, without recording it directly to loops.

well, then it's not liveslice anymore.

that would be a new effect for envelope, pitch, pan, reverse etc. with an internal step-sequencer based on liveslice's arranger-concept.
could be interesting for some people and perhaps it's easy for ohm to make such a derivate, but there are already plugs out there which do similar things. also some functions of such an effect can easier (and more comfortable) be programmed in most hosts themselves.

Will it be free to current users of Liveslice?

that depends on the version.. if the audio-in function turns out to be the v2 update, i reckon that there will be a little update-fee.

if you were referring to the LS-effect, it depends on if the fx will be done at all.

[spuddle]

Ahso, well I hope its as you say "little". I'll certainly pay for a grand feature like that, but hopefully not too much, being a poor student is no fun

[ohm]

Will it be free to current users of Liveslice?

This will be part of a free update. Please remember this when I charge a small update fee for v.2.0

My idea is to process the signal that is going through Liveslice, without recording it directly to loops.

You were thinking about using the volume / pan / probability envelopes in real time I guess - I've tried this actually, but it doesn't work with the pitch envelopes, and it's extremely difficult to get it running stable, without clicks and pops, this is why I introduced the 1 loop delay.

[mn]

The REC addition is great. Nice job, ohm. I have barely played with it yet, but from reading the thread I can +1 the sync'd record of a certain number of slices, and also the record to subsequent loops or certain number of loops. Any combination of those ideas should be fruitful, like recording a certain numnber of slices on a certain number of loops, etc.

edit: here's a crazy idea: how about allowing automation of some of the event parameters, like the pitch, etc. I really was thinking about being able to have a little finer control of the value, as I was having trouble getting the exact pitch I wanted with a mouse, and it occurred to me that maybe I could assign a controller fader or knob to it for fine tuning. From there it was only a short walk to the idea of being able to automate each event's parameters. edit2: Actually I was just reading thru DarkStar's guide (thx, mate ) and it appears you can do this thru the controller maps.