ben m
Joined: 15 Sep 2002
Posts: 337
Location: UK |
| Week 6 - Samplers 1 |
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01- What are the logistical disadvantages of multisampling?
02- What is the importance of 'zero crossing' with sampled material?
03 - What problems may there be with sampled material from vinyl in terms of pitch/tempo?
04 - What are the benefits of multisampling?
05 - What are the advantages of USB connectivity for a sampler?
06 - Why do some samplers offer SCSI connectivity?
07 - What is 'tracking'?
08 - Why might an LFO be used with a sample?
09 - What filters are commonly offered with contemporary samplers?
10 - How do 'soft samplers' such as Gigasampler store their samples?
11 - Why are Zip Drives used with some hardware samplers?
12 - How can a sampler be used to add a 'vinyl effect' to a song?
13 - What benefits do samplers with multiple physical outputs have?
14 - What are the benefits of working with mono samples over stereo samples?
15 - What MIDI control messages can a typical sampler read?
16 - How can an instrument with a long sustain be created from an instrument with a short sustain using a sampler?
17 - Aside from a MIDI lead, what other connections are (or can be) made from a hardware sampler?
18 - How does a hardware sampler ensure that there is no latency?
19 - How can sample looping be used to save storage space?
20 - What are the main requirements of a glitch free loop?
21 - Why are closed and open hi-hats often sent to the same mute group?
22 - On hardware samplers, how much sampletime would you typically get out of 64MB storage?
23 - How might you achieve a chorus effect using a sampler that does not have an effects section?
24 - How might you soften the start of a drum sample (single hit)?
25 - In which phase(s) of the envelope (attack/decay/sustain/release) might you place the loop in a sample? |
Mon Oct 11, 2004 3:39 pm |
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Rico1210
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 39
Location: Newcastle, UK |
| Week 6 Answers |
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Hi,
Here are my answers to this weeks questions.
I only just noticed we have a practical aswell last night so i'll have a go but i don't think i'll have it done by the workshop 
01- What are the logistical disadvantages of multisampling?
Multisampling can take up a lot of diskspace depending on the number of keygroups that are needed. It can also be time-consuming to sample the different ranges of notes.
02- What is the importance of 'zero crossing' with sampled material?
Zero crossing is very important when using sampled material. A zero-crossing point is essential when looping samples, otherwise audible faults or clicks will be noticeable. Zero crossing is achieved by selecting a point that is at the same level as the start point.
03 - What problems may there be with sampled material from vinyl in terms of pitch/tempo?
Problems encountered with sampling from vinyl could be pitch change as a result of a warped record, or an old turntable with some mechanical fault.
04 - What are the benefits of multisampling?
The benefits of multisampling are that an instrument will sound more realistic or natural across the different keynotes. Samplers change the speed of the sample to accomodate higher or lower notes. Using this method, the sample only sounds realistic a couple of notes either side of the original, whereas multisampling doesn't alter the speed that notes are played which sounds more authentic.
05 - What are the advantages of USB connectivity for a sampler?
The advantages of USB connectivity are that it can be used to connect external storage devices to the sampler for quick upload and download. It can also be used to transfer samples to and from a PC.
06 - Why do some samplers offer SCSI connectivity?
Samplers offer SCSI connections as a means of connecting external storage devices, aswell as uplink devices. A CD ROM drive can be connected to a sampler to load samples from CD. Also, a sampler may be connected directly to a PC by means of SCSI to enable direct transfer of sample to an audio editor, and back again.
07 - What is 'tracking'?
Tracking is when the cut-off frequency is increased in proportion to the frequency of the note. This gives a more realistic sounding note.
08 - Why might an LFO be used with a sample?
LFO's are useful in sampling to add effects to change the harmonic content of the sample. This is especially useful when re-creating sounds of an analogue synth.
09 - What filters are commonly offered with contemporary samplers?
Contemporary samplers tend to offer an Low Pass Filter, High Pass Filter and a Band Pass Filter.
10 - How do 'soft samplers' such as Gigasampler store their samples?
'Soft samplers' such as Gigasampler store their samples on the PC's hard drive. Therefore the length of sample or number of samples is limited by the size of the PC's hard disk. Samples can also be loaded from CD-ROM format.
11 - Why are Zip Drives used with some hardware samplers?
Zip drives are used with some hardware samplers to store samples. Samplers store samples of music in the RAM, but as RAM is dynamic and clears when switched off, another storage medium is needed. Zip drives can store more data than an average floppy disk, plus they are and faster.
12 - How can a sampler be used to add a 'vinyl effect' to a song?
A sampler can be used to add a 'vinyl effect' to a song by looping vinyl noise as a backing track.
13 - What benefits do samplers with multiple physical outputs have?
Samplers with multiple physical outputs can transfer data to audio software for editing. Data can be sent to an effects machine for processing. Multiple samples could be connected to different channels on a mixing desk. If a sampler has a digital output it can be connected directly to a DAT machine or a CD-R machine, or even a digital mixing desk or PC
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14 - What are the benefits of working with mono samples over stereo samples?
The benefits of working with mono samples are that they are easier to edit and add effects. Plus mono samples take up less storage space as they are half the size of stereo samples.
15 - What MIDI control messages can a typical sampler read?
A typical sampler can read the following MIDI control messages: note on, note off ,velocity, bank select and program change.
16 - How can an instrument with a long sustain be created from an instrument with a short sustain using a sampler?
A sampler can loop the sustain section of the envelope to create a long sustain from a short sustain instrument. The sustain section could also have a time stretched loop added.
17 - Aside from a MIDI lead, what other connections are (or can be) made from a hardware sampler?
Connections that can be made from a hardware sampler include: USB, SCSI, Analogue In/Out, Digital In/Out, Headphone jack.
18 - How does a hardware sampler ensure that there is no latency?
Hardware samplers come with onboard chip-based RAM. Samples are held in RAM during sessions to reduce the latency.
19 - How can sample looping be used to save storage space?
If a sample is repetitive it can be looped at a certain point to play over an over again. This saves disk space as a looped sample will be very small compared to a complete sample. For instance, a complete sample may be 60 seconds long. If the sample can be looped into a 10 second sample to be played 6 times, the size of the looped sample will be 1/6th the size of the original sample.
20 - What are the main requirements of a glitch free loop?
The main requirement of a glitch free loop is that zero crossing must be achieved between the start and end points of the loop. This can be achieved by a cross-fade if necessary.
21 - Why are closed and open hi-hats often sent to the same mute group?
Closed and open hi-hats are often sent to the same mute group because they don't sound at the same time. The open sound should mute when the hi-hat is closed, and the closed sound should mute when the hi-hat is open.
22 - On hardware samplers, how much sampletime would you typically get out of 64MB storage?
60 seconds of 44.1 kHz stereo is roughly 10mb, therefore 64MB would be roughly 380 - 390 seconds. Twice this amount if using mono.
23 - How might you achieve a chorus effect using a sampler that does not have an effects section?
A chorus effect can be achieved using a sampler without an effects section by using two copies of the same sample and delaying one of them.
24 - How might you soften the start of a drum sample (single hit)?
The start of a drum sample could be softened by creating a longer Attack phase of the envelope.
25 - In which phase(s) of the envelope (attack/decay/sustain/release) might you place the loop in a sample?
The loop in a sample could be placed in the decay phase of the envelope. After the initial attack of the sound it would tend to be more consistant, which is a good place to loop. A sample could also be looped from the sustain phase of the envelope as it is unlikely that it will change in this phase. |
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Sat Oct 16, 2004 7:14 am |
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seanm
Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 20
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| wk 6 sampling 1 |
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hi Ben
here's my answers to wk 6 sampling 1 task
01- What are the logistical disadvantages of multisampling?
Since multi-sampling involves sampling across a musical range, perhaps as often as every couple of tones, (the desire being to produce a more convincing representation of the instrument being sampled), these files can be very big and take time to sample.
02- What is the importance of 'zero crossing' with sampled material?
Zero crossing involves editing a signal at it’s zero crossing point (where the waveform crosses from positive to negative). Editing at any other point will invariably produce audible “glitches” (clicks).
03 - What problems may there be with sampled material from vinyl in terms of pitch/tempo?
Pitch, re-pitching vinyl samples to work with other signals can cause degradation of the sample, introducing unwanted artifacts.
Tempo, the tempo of sampled vinyl might drift, causing loop synchronisation problems.
Any inaccuracies in the vinyl (warping) can cause changes in it’s pitch and tempo. Also any irregularities in the turntables spinning could cause pitch and tempo irregularities.
04 - What are the benefits of multisampling?
Multisampling produces a more natural representation of the source.
05 - What are the advantages of USB connectivity for a sampler?
The speed of USB enables a sample library to be stored and recalled from any USB compatible drive. This will speed up archiving and restoring of sample preogrammes.
06 - Why do some samplers offer SCSI connectivity?
To provide storage space for sample programmes which can be easily stored and retrieved when required.
07 - What is 'tracking'?
Tracking is the system whereby one device follows another. In the context of midi guitar controllers, midi output attempts to track the pitch of a note from the guitar. This is achieved using a specially designed circuit, which measures the frequency of the note being played, sending it to a small processor, which generates the required midi data.
08 - Why might an LFO be used with a sample?
To produce effects such as vibrato, tremolo, Chorusing, or a variety of other effects. It can be used to modulate pitch producing the subtle but realistic pitch disprecancies of some instruments (old analogue synths).
09 - What filters are commonly offered with contemporary samplers?
Some come with a range of filters. Kontact has a range of High Pass, Low Pass, band pass and formant filters.
10 - How do 'soft samplers' such as Gigasampler store their samples?
With soft samplers such as gigasampler samples are stored on a hard drive. The first portion of each sample is held in RAM, when triggered the first portion plays from RAM while the rest of the sample is located and streamed from the drive.
11 - Why are Zip Drives used with some hardware samplers?
To provide storage space for sample programmes.
12 - How can a sampler be used to add a 'vinyl effect' to a song?
By sampling a section of vinyl noise, looping it to mimic the rhythmic feel of vinyl scratches and crackles and layer this sound under the track.
13 - What benefits do samplers with multiple physical outputs have?
Multiple outs offer the opportunity to route different voices to different channels of a mixer, rather than just a stereo out.
14 - What are the benefits of working with mono samples over stereo samples?
Mono samples are half the size of stereo samples. Mono samples can be easily manipulated within the stereo or surround field.
15 - What MIDI control messages can a typical sampler read?
Note on, Note off, Aftertouch, Program change, Polyphonic key pressure, control change.
16 - How can an instrument with a long sustain be created from an instrument with a short sustain using a sampler?
By looping a section of the sustain portion of the sound and adding it to the attack, decay and release portion. Or by time stretching the sustain portion of the instrument.
17 - Aside from a MIDI lead, what other connections are (or can be) made from a hardware sampler?
Audio ins both balanced and unbalanced.
Stereo outs unbalanced
Multiple audio outs
Digital ins/outs
Headphone
SCSI
USB2
Firwire
18 - How does a hardware sampler ensure that there is no latency?
In hardware samplers all samples are loaded into RAM and played directly from there.
19 - How can sample looping be used to save storage space?
Samples can often be looped to avoid having to store the whole sample. Looping is inappropriate for short percussive sounds but can work on sounds with a longer sustain which isn’t always going to be triggered for the whole of it’s length. Care must be taken to ensure that careful loop portions are selected or the loop may be very apparent on playback.
20 - What are the main requirements of a glitch free loop?
Zero crossing points should be selected (points where the waveform cycle crosses from it’s positive to negative portion). This is an area of equal amplitude minimising any glitching.
21 - Why are closed and open hi-hats often sent to the same mute group?
Closed and open hats do not normally play at the same time. Therefore they can be sent to the same mute group.
22 - On hardware samplers, how much sampletime would you typically get out of 64MB storage?
One minute of audio (mono) at 44.1KHz and 16 bits takes up 5,292,000MB so 64MB storage can take 12.09 minutes. In reality slightly less a small amount of the storage space is used for other processes.
23 - How might you achieve a chorus effect using a sampler that does not have an effects section?
By doubling up the sample programme and applying a small amount of pitch modulation to one layer using an LFO with a random waveform. This will effectively detune one layer and produce a chorus effect on playback.
24 - How might you soften the start of a drum sample (single hit)?
By applying a little attack to the sample.
25 - In which phase(s) of the envelope attack/decay/sustain/release) might you place the loop in a sample?
In the sustain phase. |
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Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:35 am |
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seanm
Joined: 06 Sep 2004
Posts: 20
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| sampling practical task answeres |
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Hi ben
here's my answeres to the two questions I'll put the loop and hits in my folder on the upload station
Loop 3 is 125bpm
Root is D |
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Sat Oct 16, 2004 10:37 am |
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