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 Post subject: Multisamples on the sp-606
PostPosted: Mon May 07, 2007 2:33 am 
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Multisamples!!!

Yes, you can use multisamples on the sp-606. And they sound awesome too!

There is no dedicated ‘load multisample’ function though. So you have to do a bit of work (soooo 20th century I know) to get it to happen. With a little bit of practice, you can have a multisample in and ready-to-go in less than five minutes. Not bad for a machine that was clearly not designed for this purpose.

There are basically three different types of ‘multisample’ that you might want to use.

The first is a VSTi sampled across the keyboard – great for using VST instruments without having a computer attached. They also sound fatter on the 606 and can be played with zero latency, which is nice if you can’t stand recording with latency.

The second is when you have an actual multisampled instrument that you would like to use without using the computer. The same fatness and zero-latency advantages apply here.

Finally, there’s the old-school ‘pitched sample’ – a single note taken from another recording that is pitched up and down the keyboard. I’ll deal with this one in another post, as there are a few issues that apply to it that don’t apply to the other two…

OK then, first the VSTi. (synths and samplers work the same for this).

The trick with multisampling VSTi’s is setting up a file in your sequencer to make the process painless. I use Acid 6, but it should work the same way in most sequencers. This method is for using multisamples in the first 4 pad banks – the ones that have the naff presets loaded when you get the 606 home. I find that using these pad banks is the easiest as you don’t have to worry about controller lanes and suchlike. You don’t want the presets anyway do you? These banks cover a whole keyboard; I find that having two multisamples on half the keyboard is more useful in most cases.

Now, the first thing to do is find out which keys play which pads. With my controller keyboard C1 = bank 1, pad 2. I dunno why it starts at two but it does. It may be different on your keyboard so test it first! Even if you have no samples on the pads they will light up when you hit the right keys. From C1 the pads correspond to the keys all the way up the keyboard.

Next, make a note of which note ends the first pad bank. On my keyboard this is D2. The next bank goes from D#2 to about F#3. So, two banks will give you the best part of three octaves to play with, which is usually enough. If you really need more you can keep going up the keyboard. You will only ever need to do all this work once!

Now it’s time to set up a midi file in your sequencer. Luckily you only need to do this once too, as it’s a bit time consuming. You need to make a file that plays the notes in order, up the scale. Because the first pad does not play from the midi keyboard (in my case anyway), the first set of sixteen notes needs to have C twice (so that the chopper doesn’t get confused and you don’t miss a note).

You should end up with a 16, 32 or 64 note ‘sequence’. Start at the bottom and work your way up the scale – making sure not to miss a note! The reason for this is that to get the sample into the 606, it’s far quicker to let the machine spread the notes across the keyboard (using the chopper) than it is to do it manually…

Once you have a sequence, save the file – this will be your ‘template’ for loading up multisamples from now on. Oh – make sure there is some form of gap between the notes for the chopper to detect! A really slow tempo helps too (100 bpm or less).

Now, export as audio. You will have a long sample that boringly goes up through the notes.

Load the sample into Soundforge. Use the Acid Markers to split the sample into halves (for a 32 note sequence) or quarters (for 64 notes). If you are only using one pad bank you won’t need to do this.

Save each part out. Load them into the 606.

Now comes the fun bit. Load your multisamples into a pad bank up the back, like bank 30 or something. Use the chopper to take each sixteen-note sample and break it up into each individual note. The way that the chopper works is still a bit of a mystery – one of the ten (level) settings will work, but it could be a different one each time! I find that in most cases, 1 works. If 1 is bum, try 3 (seems to work better than 2). I’ve also had success with level 5 and 7. It really depends on the sample. When you are happy, assign the chopped sample to pad bank 1. Repeat for bank 2.

Nearly there now! Play some notes – you should hear sound! Not quite right yet though….. 2 more things to do. 1: make sure each of your samples is in the same mute-group. This ‘monosynth’ style just sounds better, imo – it also saves on polyphony. Second, set the samples to ‘gate’ so that they only sound while you fingers are actually on the keys. Obviously, plucked string sounds and the like would need to be on ‘shot’ – but I’m only using hard synth and big bass sounds at the mo’…

Whew; I’ve definitely left bits out here, but feel free to ask any questions if you wish to have a crack at this. There’s a lot of fun to be had. I’ve even ‘rediscovered’ the sequencer in the 606 – it’s great to use with multisamples!!!

While I admit it takes about an hour to set up for the first time, once you’ve done it once it becomes VERY easy. Now it takes me less than five minutes from discovering a sound to jamming with it!


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:28 am 
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Joined: Wed Feb 14, 2007 1:28 am
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Location: Melbourne, Australia
Just moving this to the top for Derocker to find!!


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