Problem converting Apple Loop to new sampler track

Hi,

 

I've got an issue as described in the title, on Logic Pro 10.6. Steps that I'm taking:

 

1. Go into Apple Loops library, search for "Technical House beat 01" (this loop has a tempo of 125 bpm)**

2. Drag that loop to an empty area of the arrange window to create a new audio track using that loop.

3. Play it back to verify that it's playing at 120 bpm with the rest of the project.

4. Select the new audio region and hit ^E / Convert to New Sampler Track

5. Select "Transient Markers", and "Sampler", then hit OK.

6. Note that the original loop region is now muted. The new sampler track is the only one playing back.

 

Expected behaviour: playback of the new sampler track sounds like the Apple Loop, and I can then mess around with the MIDI notes to alter the beat.

 

Actual behaviour: very clicky samples (quite loud too) AND it plays back too fast, ie. faster than the rest of the project, and ends slightly early.

If I repeat the above steps but first set the project tempo to 125 bpm, that solves the incorrect tempo issue but not the clicky samples issue.

 

**Note1: I've tried this with other Apple Loops also (e.g. "Tech Glitch Beat"), and created a totally new empty project and replicated the issue there. Note that if replicating this issue in a new project, Logic will set your project tempo to the loop's original tempo (125).

**Note2: Experimenting with the loudness issue, I'm actually finding that the new sampler track has some distortion. It's as if Logic is pushing the amplitude into clipping when it converts the Apple Loop to a Sampler instrument.

**Note3: If I just drag the region into the track-header area (using the new "Create a new track" popup menu) it works exactly as it should. The downside is that if I select "Quick Sampler" Logic will not create a staircase of MIDI notes automatically. You can get around this by first creating a Drum Designer track and copy-dragging the MIDI staircase from there.

 

I can just use the new method I guess, but it seems weird that the old ^E Convert to New Sampler Track is so problematic in this situation. What am I doing wrong here?

Expected behaviour: playback of the new sampler track sounds like the Apple Loop, and I can then mess around with the MIDI notes to alter the beat.

 

Actual behaviour: very clicky samples (quite loud too) AND it plays back too fast, ie. faster than the rest of the project, and ends slightly early.

To get a WAV to import into Logic Pro X Sampler, the source material has to be recorded properly for that.

Apple Loops are setup to adjust to the tempo as a whole, not from splitting at transient markers.

That's because from the sliced audio at 2 and greater, the decay from the previous slice, will abruptly start into the current slice.

That's why you heard the loud clicks.

 

Here's a source audio file that is properly setup and will achieve your Expected behaviour

 

Again, consider the source audio file.

Hi,

 

Thanks for your reply, but I'm still confused. I'm dragging an Apple Loop from the library, into the arrange window - all within Logic. There's nothing to do with WAV files. If as you say Apple Loops have tempo information, then this just makes this issue even more confusing.

 

And like I said, when I turn the loop into a sampler instrument the "new" way, it works fine, with no clicks or tempo issues. So I still think this is a bug of some kind.

 

I also don't know what you meant by "audio at 2 and greater" ?

Hi,

 

Thanks for your reply, but I'm still confused. I'm dragging an Apple Loop from the library, into the arrange window - all within Logic.

 

I tried replicating your issue and I see what you mean. Apparently Quick Sampler does a better job at finding the transients than "Convert to Sampler Track" does. Curiously, even though you're using an Apple Loop, the transient markers aren't properly placed to start with, which creates an issue when you're converting to a sampler track.

 

Try to open your Apple Loop in the audio file editor and remove the unnecessary transients, it should fix the issue:

 

My question is, how did you create the MIDI file?

Can you zip and post that MIDI file.

 

Easy to recreate here, simply drag the loop in, lower the tempo, and hit "Convert to...". The midi region plays in wrong tempo. Bouncing the loop in place first fixes it...

Easy to recreate here, simply drag the loop in, lower the tempo, and hit "Convert to...". The midi region plays in wrong tempo. Bouncing the loop in place first fixes it...

That's not what I asked.

How do you create the MIDI file based on the transients that are in Sampler.

 

So in the above example, how do you create 26 MIDI Notes that correspond to transients in the above picture.

Obviously the timing for each MIDI note isn't going to be quantized to anything, otherwise it would sound like a mess. Wanted to emphasize this point as well.

How do you create the MIDI file based on the transients that are in Sampler.

 

So in the above example, how do you create 26 MIDI Notes that correspond to transients in the above picture.

Obviously the timing for each MIDI note isn't going to be quantized to anything, otherwise it would sound like a mess. Wanted to emphasize this point as well.

On your screenshot, that's Quick Sampler. To re-create the MIDI file, bring your mouse to the lower part of the waveform display until you get the mouse tool I have on my screenshot below, and drag to a track to create the MIDI region.

 

Easy to recreate here, simply drag the loop in, lower the tempo, and hit "Convert to...". The midi region plays in wrong tempo. Bouncing the loop in place first fixes it...

That's not what I asked.

How do you create the MIDI file based on the transients that are in Sampler....

I was recreating the issue the OP describes, the midi iregion is automatically generated when issuing the convert command. I'm not sure how transient editing in Quick Sampler got involved... Also, the issue is solved simply by BIP:ing the apple loop and then do the convert to new sampler track.

How do you create the MIDI file based on the transients that are in Sampler.

 

So in the above example, how do you create 26 MIDI Notes that correspond to transients in the above picture.

Obviously the timing for each MIDI note isn't going to be quantized to anything, otherwise it would sound like a mess. Wanted to emphasize this point as well.

On your screenshot, that's Quick Sampler. To re-create the MIDI file, bring your mouse to the lower part of the waveform display until you get the mouse tool I have on my screenshot below, and drag to a track to create the MIDI region.

 

drag-out-MIDI.png

Ahhh. Thanks.

I was recreating the issue the OP describes, the midi iregion is automatically generated when issuing the convert command. I'm not sure how transient editing in Quick Sampler got involved... Also, the issue is solved simply by BIP:ing the apple loop and then do the convert to new sampler track.

There's no need to do that.

Drag the Apple Loop to the left designated area and select Quick Sampler (Optimized)...

 

Then slow the tempo and listen. It turns out that to make it sound better, I removed a couple of the transients.

 

The top is the one I modified.

Hi all

 

Apologies for the slow response, I just wanted to say thanks for the replies on this issue, I really appreciate it, and it's good to understand the issue a bit more and how to work around it.

 

Cheers!