Retain sample length while overdubbing

[milt]

Hi There,

Just got my sp-555 last Friday and have been loving it but I seem to cutoff small chunks while using the start/stop of the loop capture. I'm betting this is simple user error, but I was wondering if it was possible to "lock" the length of the loop capture so when layering "part B (guitar)" over part A (drumloop) - I don't lose the timing of part A.

Also I'm looking at adding a MPC1000 to my setup, if I added this - recorded into sp555 (for fx) to > MPC1000 > Save > Playback sample > Overdub Part B (guitar part) would this be an easier solution to the overdubbing?

I apologize if this info is somewhere in the forums already and I've seen lots of suggestions for the MPC1000 / SP555 combo so any help would great.
Thanks!

[sharpmotif]

There are a few workaround for making the loop capture slightly more useful. First thing I'd recommend is getting a footswitch 'cause it makes a little bit easier to get the timing right to punch in and out.

It doesn't have to be an MPC, basically any other sampler you use with the SP-555 will make your life easier..

[springwater]

well definitly dont use autostart, cuts off a few milliseconds at the beginning. i dont really understand your question because once you capture a loop then overdub, everything should fit within the amount of bars you started with. it wont lenghten at all. one tip is i usually turn on the metronome and record nothing(silence with my bars set to, lets say 4 measures or something. so it grabs exactly how many bars i want then its looping silence. keep that metronome rockin and start recording layer after layer. recording the air is just so i know that my loop capture has captured the right amount of bars for the tempo i want. if you were to record something and punch in and out, you might be a tad off. thats why setting the measures is so cool. but if your lookin for perfection using the loop capture then your in for a ride. kinda hard. better to be groovin than capture the perfect loop. nine time out of ten you'll always get a clicked loop, clickin when it loops.
try sampling with the pads normally, get all your parts then loop capture and overdub with the pads. if that auto start worked right then that would be the best of both worlds but it doesnt.
hope it helps.