Re: Plex Upgrade (Opcode is not telling)

[Kim Flint <kflint@annihilist.com>]

Dennis said:
>I'm drooling already!
>
>BTW, will the upgrade function with existing EDP hardware?

yes, that is all it would be for. there isn't any hardware change happening
soon.

>Also, here's a unsolicited suggestion for a new feature. :)
>
>Many times I build a loop using MULTIPLY.  I.e., I do the sequence: RECORD
>(start), RECORD (stop), MULTIPLY (start), MULTIPLY (stop).  So I have a
>multi-cycle loop.  Next, I want to manipulate the loop as if it were a
>single-cycle loop.  For example, the rate of the MIDI clock is different 
>if
>the same length loop is composed of one cycle or multiple cycles.  Also, 
>the
>NEXT LOOP-MULTIPLY "lame-duck" period is longer with a loop composed of 
>one
>cycle so I have enough time to do things before switching to the next 
>loop.
>
>To the chase: I'm requesting a function that merges a multi-cycle loop 
>into
>a single-cycle loop.

well this one's easy, cause it's already there!

If you do a Multiply, and end it with a press of Record (instead of a
second press of Multiply), you get exactly what you want. The multi-cycle
loop is redefined to a single cycle loop. The length of the new loop will
be however long it was between the Multiply and Record press. You can do
this with a pre-existing, already multiplied loop.

If quantize is on, the new loop will automatically be defined to a cycle
boundary. If Quantize is off, you can redefine it to any point. This is
also a great way to chop out sections of a loop or edit the loop length in
real time.

Here's an explicit example of what you want to do:
- set quantize on
- Record a short 2 second loop.
- Press Multiply, let it get 4 multiples, and press multiply again.

Now you have the original loop repeated 4 times in this new, 4 cycle, 8
second loop.

now, lets convert it to a single cycle, 8 second loop that's 4 times longer
than the original. In other words, take the 4 cycles and covert them to one
cycle, without other wise changing the loop.
- during the 4th cycle of the current loop, press multiply
- you'll see the 'ooo' display that means its quantizing (waiting for the
cycle boundary)
- When cycle 1 starts, the echoplex starts multiplying automatically.
- watch the counter, when it shows you are at cycle 4 again, press Record
- it will again show 'ooo'. At the cycle boundary the Record executes,
redefining the cycle length to that point.

So now you have an 8 second, 1 cycle loop, with four repetitions of your
original.

This seems a bit complicated just for that, but think of all the power and
flexibility it gives you otherwise! You can cut your loop back to 3 cycles
or 1 cycle or extend it to 7 or 39 or whatever. You can chop out a section
and make a loop just with that. You can easily fix the length in real time
if its a little off, or if tempo from other musicians/samples has drifted.

This is a great thing for making transitions and evolutions of the loop. If
you have a long loop, it can be very slow to convert it to something else.
So instead, chop out a much shorter piece of it to carry on the theme, and
work with that to edit into something new.

Try it!

kim

______________________________________________________________________
Kim Flint                   | Looper's Delight
kflint@annihilist.com       | http://www.annihilist.com/loop/loop.html
http://www.annihilist.com/  | Loopers-Delight-request@annihilist.com