I get that Play and Play+ is currently a one-shot sample player, so like one shots, if we import a loop it currently triggers till the end of the loop or plays through again from the sample start when a step is triggered again, we have the sample start/end and Attack/Decay to play with, but does anyone know or has has anyone found a trick at all on the Play to fake a timestretch of a loop or sync the loop to a project bpm, without having to edit the loop on another device and reimport to the Play?
Similar to how you can faux timestretch on the Tracker using the granular synth engine and lfo trick seen here?
It would be cool to be able to loop a sample directly on the Play without the need of another device attached.
yes you can , timestrech, your loop
just load a loop ,lets say it is 32 steps long . then you look how much ms length it has . for example calculation our loops has 6400 ms length . then you calculate length/steps 6400ms /32 steps = 200 ms per step .
then set step 1 on a track with this loopsample starttime 0ms endtime 200 ms
on step 2 starttime 201ms and endtime 400 ms
repeat till step 32 .
now your in sync with bpm . and you even got slices for rearrranging . and you can exchange the loopsample by selecting the track and then chose an other loop …
and if you dont need such a stepwise splitting you could just use every 4th step by adding the length of 4 steps ( in our example its then 800ms ) as the end time for step 1 and on step 5 then starttime 801 ms and so on .
lot of boring data input but you could save it as an empty project with just this looptrack as preset if you want zo work with loops cause the samples are exchangeable
Ahh thanks for that, so there is a way.
I’ll give this a shot and see how it goes, sounds abit tedious having to adjust the sample start/end time on each step but at least its a way for now. Cheers.
Hope Polyend add a similar ‘Werp’ function like on the Digitakt, would be super helpful for the Play along with sample slicing and again make it easier to jam with, which is what the Play is about.
Even if the team wanted to add a feature like that, I don’t think the processor on the original Play is robust enough to handle something like timestretching/warping unfortunately.
and maybes this is where the Play+ could begin to grow as the new device on the block and make clear differences to the OG Play.
I can’t help but think timestretch on the Play is an important feature for users, considering the Play is all about the ‘Play’ and ease of use element and is also being targeted at helping people new to music production, there is nothing more easier than being able to drop a loop directly onto a track, for the device to timestretch to your project bpm, rather than having to either use maths to workout and input a different length per step or by timetstretching a loop on an external device then reimport to the Play sdcard, it’s far too many steps for folk new to music production for what should really be an available feature on a device that is being promoted as a device to quickly get your ideas down.
I also just want to point out that I am by no means criticising the Play+, like everyone else I just want to see some great quality of life features and make the Play+ an even better device to make music on.
I wasn’t sure of the Play+ when I first got it, but have again repurchased, as the OG Play was the device I was able to generate tons of ideas on, it’s just so damn quick to get something good going on it.
yea something like digitakt werp & quick grid slicing makes loads of sense for the play+. a quick, non-convoluted way to chop up & play drum loops. it’s probably the 1 area not covered by play+ so far.
i dont understand the hype bout timestretch and slicing of loops at all i never use loops and always like to build everything by myself . but the method that uses a bit of ,math, to slice and stretch your loops isnt much work to play then around with loops and it really works fine . i tried it out …. and since its so easy to copy tracks on play and exchange samples and the general select and copy workflow of the play make it so easy to implement a loop function . you just have to calculate one time and the use forever i dont know if im abled to but i will post a project file next days .
I suppose it all depends on your workflow and the type of music your producing, but for an example try creating a sustaining soundscape, pad, atmospheric sound currently on Play, unless you’re using the synth engines or another device, it’s not very practical, whereas if it had a timestretch algorithm, it would sync to the project and you would be able to mess with the notes/tuning of the sample without having to adjust each step.
As for slicing, again it’s how creative you get with it? The Play has a number of features such as the play modes, chance/action and randomisers which are just begging to be used in conjunction with sliced audio.
yes you are right .i see the possibilities with the play .
i made a project with a sliced. 64 step loop a 32 step loop and a 16 step loop . samples are exchangeable and pitchable and everything and it always stays sync except you change start time i will look how to upload it here tomorrow . maybe some people get happy with this
oh and yes.somehow me and my people never use loops.i dont know really why we dont like that . maybe we think that its not our own stuff that we use then or something like that . its somehow like an unspoken law not to use loops . i mean its not a big thing or so but we grow up with this idea somehow .funny to think bout that .i mean i know if i would play a set or make a track using loops ,even in a cool way that u have to see it not just hear it,my people would act like normal till they see that im using loops . then they would lift their eyebrows like i would do when they would use loops but if i ask then why we dont use loops they cant say because of this or that like i couldnt say a specific reason . never thought about that and think its really funny and a bit strange .
but at least its a way for now. Cheers.