SynthMaker

Random sample layering module. Idea and questions.

Archive · 2009 5 old posts

From the original SynthMaker forum (2004–2014), with its members’ names and dates.

maelstrom ·

-= Random sample layering module =-

Most of great/cool sounds are made from several samples. Kicks, Snares, Synths, hats, crashes and rides. So, I want to make a drum/synth sampler with 3 layers. First idea is making punchy snares and kick for drum and bass. But it also can be used for any king of sounds.

As example of snare layering there is a simple adea of 3 components of snare: - low (15-250Hz) - punch - mid - character - hi (hat, clap, crash)

There is a 3 directories with collection of samples (for low mid and hi or whatever), samples CAN BYT CHOSEN RANDOMLY (for all three samples, and for every freq). For each band (sample) is a separate effect chain: tune, offset of sample, ADSR, EQ (ex: 200Hz punch, 300-500HZ, >500Hz), compressor may be saturator). Final compressor for all bands.

The main advantage of all this module: - You make a punchy sound in second ! You'll only have to tune a little low and mid! (or not tuning at all if all samples in directories are in same tuning) - Make infinite variations of crashes and combinations with rides. - Create sound like 'THAT' but with your own sonic color (basses, reeces, and other) - Another idea is to separate MIDI keyboard in two section: one - trigger random sound (all random sounds but be in the same key), another - tune a note (c,g,a,c#). So you can make complex lines (baselines and stabs things)

=============== Similar idea was used in mdrummer (http://www.meldaproduction.com/mdrummer/). There is such section called MSubSampleSynthesizer: http://www.meldaproduction.com/mdrummer ... esizer.php

[MSubSampleSynthesizer is absolutely unique spectrum based synthesizer that allows you to generate inexhaustible lots of drum sounds using our subsample libraries.

It is generaly designed for electronical drums, however it seems, it is also very good for natural sounds, especially cymbals. Randomizer useful to generate random settings. About 150MB of subsample libraries available in all commercial editions. This covers natural and electronical drums - bass, snare, tom, cymbals, hihats etc. Separate band control useful to modify the spectrum directly.] ===============

Main questions: 1) How to make random sample .wav playback for current directory 2) Do you know such vst or reaktor ensembles? 3) Any ides how 'Separate band control' in mdrummer works? 4) If you find this idea interestind please help to realize it

thanx for help and ides

trogluddite ·

Random sample selection is the biggest difficulty I think. Hard Disk access is too slow to to load for accurate timing of playback. AFAIK the commercial soft samplers all load at least a little bit of every sample into memory for quick access. For drum samples (usually short) probably easiest to load the whole of every sample into memory. Been looking at similar stuff myself for layering loops, but getting stuff in and out of an array in code modules (to use at samplerate) has me stumped - just no easy way to do it. Your PC will need lots of RAM that's for sure!

The Luddite

maelstrom ·

If it's a problem of loading samples from disk all samples can be loaded to ram. SO it will be tree banks of sounds loaded in memory (from 3 dirs). How to program this banks and switch randomly samples?

trogluddite ·

Sounds like you need the Wave Array primitive from the Developer's Toolkit. The Toolkit is a dowloadable .osm on the Registered Users Forum (search for Toolkit). I've not used that particular module myself yet, but the combination of inputs and outputs it has would seem to be just what you're looking for. Not sure about the file and directory handling but I'm sure I've seen a thread somewhere about getting a list of files in any given directory and then using a loop to read them in. The toolkit is well worth having anyway - there are loads of fantastic little problem solving modules that you can add to your toolbox.

The Luddite

MegaHurtz ·

My personal sample lib is aprox 300 GB, So id need a good 100x more ram for this. Maybe a listen while you browse is a better option? (a good example for this is guru or reason)

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