Proposed module: Flexi Looper
I'm extracting this from a previous discussion with @rs2000: https://forum.beepstreet.com/discussion/2985/shared-buffers-for-flexi
The purpose of this post is to check if there's any others interested in it and flesh out its working details.
My proposal is as follows:
- It's based on Flexi Sampler, and behaves like it in all respects except for what I'm adding next.
- In terms of UI, two new elements are added to the Recording panel: an "Overdub" button and a "Feedback".
- When Overdub is disabled, the module works exactly as Flexi Sampler.
- When Overdub is enabled and recording is active (by tapping either Rec button), the module works at first exactly as Flexi Sampler (including possibly being triggered for playback)
- When Overdub is enabled and recording has been disabled (meaning the buffer is already populated), the module overdubs the incoming signal onto the buffer content. This is indicated by the recoding (red) playhead looping over the buffer.
- If feedback is at less than 100%, then the volume of the buffer is reduced accordingly when the recording playhead travels across it.
- Disabling Overdub stops the recording playhead and prevents the buffer from being modified any longer.
- Enabling and disabling Overdub respects the existing Sync recording options.
- All playback functionality works exactly as it does with Flexi Sampler, including polyphony.
Other options I'm leaving out that could be interesting but add complexity:
- Predefine the length of the buffer ahead of time. It can be work around by having silent files that can be loaded.
- Variable recording speed.
Comments
Really hoping for this one!
Maybe this overdubbing Flexisampler could get the rightmost (+) button found in the DelayRack, for adding processing modules to the feedback path? Then you could build up some tape degradation fx, for instance.
Wow, you turned something I don't really need but wanted, into something I really want :)
The inspiration was the Enso looper, where you can set its internal saturation and tape hiss to build up over time while overdubbing. You may consider getting that in this sale while waiting for Flexi:)
I have it and was also inspired by it and other loopers, like Gauss. My original proposal was meant to be the bare minimum over what's already there in Flexi Sampler, assuming that it'd be easier to be implemented, possibly as just an extension of the existing module.
if this was implemented without the feedback loop like in the delay rack it would almost certainly still be able to set the source as another track in which case you could set it up yourself using feedback modules
Flexi Looper is a new instrument or did you build it yourself? I didn't find it in the menu
Sorry for the misunderstanding; this module does not exist, I’m proposing it gets implemented as a feature request.
+1 I want to see Looper in Drambo
well, Im a new +1 for looper on Drambo! hehe
for me only a PLAY AFTER RECORDING would be awesomely enough
I think you could create all this behavior using the record module, morph module, and a bunch of logic and clocking. I had mocked up an example that would automatically drop in and out of record based on bar numbers, but I can’t find it. I was running into the morph module bug where my assignment kept getting lost so I stopped working on it.
if you visualize how to this with record module, please share with us…
indeed the record module is good, but for the looper be operational we need at least a auto play function… and recorder doesnt latch to bar lenghts… so dont understand well how build this behavior with modules
You trigger the record and play buttons with morph modules. The morph modules are driven by gates synced to a clock. Like I said though, there was new bug introduced that kinda breaks the morph modules for this.
This was a drawing I made for what I was working on. It was supposed to be a take recorder so you could mess with plugins and record the takes live, and have the recordings be perfect loops. Could probably be turned into a loop recorder fairly easily.
mate thx for your effort sharing this, but I tottally don't understand how to achieve this inside of Drambo =(
how make RECORDER quantized to bars? how set 8 bars per take? how make it trig it selfs right after recording?
The point is you don’t rely on the recorder module to do any of that, you rely on the rest of the logic utilities inside Drambo to drive the morph modules. If I have time maybe I will rebuild an example. I really wish I could find the one I made.
@jagwag, I think I've found a simpler way. It's based on the fact that Recorder's Play and Rec buttons can be p-locked. Although I'm not sure how accurate the timing is going to be. I tested it a couple of times and I think it's good.
Steps:
Here’s also a video demo. Be warned that it will expire 2 days from now.
This could be also done slightly differently so you don't have to rely on Drambo's pre-roll to hear the metronome before you record.
Follow steps 1 to 5 (described above) then:
This concept can of course be tweaked to suit one's specific end goal but it does work surprisingly well (at least in my few tests so far).
I would of course prefer a Flexi looper because that would allow us instant mangling of the recorded loop by tweaking the offset and playback speeds which is not possible in the Recorder module.
That’s pretty cool @oben you gave me some interesting ideas. Keep up the good work 👍
@oben @zachthms @jagwag thanks for chiming in here! These are pretty good ideas for a looper. My own wish is more around the 'Flexi' part of it, but it's nice to know of other approaches. I wonder if the feedback module could be used for overdubbing, my guess is not reliably due to sample delay
thx a lot @oben !!
I didnt realize the use of p-locks. was doing some crazy midi mappings lol
in my case, I want to use as simple looper for my eletric bass… will try slightly different: p-lock for play, REC in a midi controller. dont need click as Im going to loop above drumtracks.
@NoiseFloored you can also test this method with Flexi.
1 - insert a TRIGGER BUTTON module in the beggining of the chain
2 - p-lock the tigger on the first step (to play the flexi sampler)
3 - midi map the REC from flex
4 - it will playback the sample in the beggining of the pattern
guys guys guys
by nos I think I achieved what I was pursuitin
https://youtu.be/PRY3ifr4gC0
it was late night and my cellphone isnt helping with my typing lol
@NoiseFloored this example on the video I executed the idea I sent you.
will try make a 4 track looper later today
ps: fellas, note at the beggining of the video I clicked REC, it was blinking red. when it come to the first step of the patern, instead of record, it turned off the REC function… seems to me a unstable behavior
There was an early prototype on beta, should be finished :)
Of course, as a looper it can't be triggered and doesn't have envelopes or polyphony, like Flexi.
It follows the standards: first REC - start recording, second REC - stop recording (bar synchronized), third REC - overdubbing, long press REC - clear
I would add signal inputs for start / stop / recording / clear and a bipolar playback offset knob.
yesss that module would be amazing!
looking forward for this to come out 🥹
Nice! :)