Using loop samples

[foucault63]

I've been creating loops with the Android app. RD3 HD. Basically, you have two TB303 type devices and a beatbox, and effects. You can output 16 step loops as WAV files. I'm looking for the best way to use them in LMMS. I imported them as sample tracks in LMMS, but it's very time consuming copying and pasting them over and over again in the song editor. Plus, because they're samples, you can't pan them (?!?!). And how can I associate a track/s with a mixer fader? Would love some recommendations/guidance.

[musikbear]

sample tracks are not lmms finest feature. Sampletracs are meant for really long non looping imports -like a vocal
I would try to import in audiofile-processor (AFP). You have copy-paste, and all the trimmings on effect and mixer. If the loops are too long, you could split them and import as 'fractions'

[foucault63]

I'll try that out - thanks!

[foucault63]

It seems to be working - thanks! But in the mean time, it looks like the help documentation is not very helpful in that respect: http://lmms.sourceforge.net/wiki/index. ... _as_sounds

"A sample treated just as a sound means that you want to play the sample back at exactly the same pitch and speed it was recorded at. You can put the sample in an AudioFileProcessor plugin in the Song Editor and then create a note in the Piano Roll Editor that is the length of the sample. It can take some experimenting to stretch the note out to the length of the sample. By doing this you are also limited to playing only one sample on this track. There is an easier way.
In the Song Editor, you can use the Add Sample Track button () to create a track that plays samples. Click on the sample track timeline to create a new segment for a sample."

[foucault63]

OK - this is not working well for me. I put each sample into an audio file processor, extended the loop point to the end of the sample, made the sample loop. I set up notes of the piano roll to play the sample. When the note ends, there's an audible click. I wondered whether there was some discrepancy between what the BPM of the sample was and what LMMS thought it was. I tried changing the master BPM in LMMS, but as soon as I start the song playing, the BPM changes to the sample's BPM.

When I used a sample track to play the sample, there was no such click.

Ah-ha! I turned of the looping on the audio file processor, and the problem goes away!

[foucault63]

But then I can't set up a 15 bar note. How frustrating. I have to create 15 separate notes to repeat the sample, so it doesn't click at the end.

[musikbear]

But then I can't set up a 15 bar note. How frustrating. I have to create 15 separate notes to repeat the sample, so it doesn't click at the end.

no. try working with the attack
i would susppect that your sample has a very steep dB increment? -That creates 'clicks'
-and that where the attack-setting can do wonders
Just add a few ms and the clicks are (normally) gone
But you should not set a note in afp. all samples shoud be played with the default afp note-setting. You alter the length of the sample if you fiddle with the root-note. Other DAVs have features for this, but lmms does not, so use the default root-note in all of your afps

[foucault63]

But then I can't set up a 15 bar note. How frustrating. I have to create 15 separate notes to repeat the sample, so it doesn't click at the end.

no. try working with the attack
i would susppect that your sample has a very steep dB increment? -That creates 'clicks'
-and that where the attack-setting can do wonders
Just add a few ms and the clicks are (normally) gone
But you should not set a note in afp. all samples shoud be played with the default afp note-setting. You alter the length of the sample if you fiddle with the root-note. Other DAVs have features for this, but lmms does not, so use the default root-note in all of your afps

None of this helped, I'm afraid. I'm beginning to think that LMMS just doesn't do looped samples very well. What is happening is that the first note of the beginning of the loop is starting to play at the end. I tried downloading Reaper to do a compare and contrast, and it handled the loops perfectly (not to mention it was quick and easy to set up). Perhaps the source sample isn't quite precise (perhaps the bpm is a hair off or the length isn't quite right), and LMMS's inability to stretch samples cannot compensate for it. Who knows? I just know that at the moment, LMMS doesn't seem to be the best tool for this particular project. I have at least 16 samples to loop, then I want to add some layers over the top.