Mimicking Round Robin with a Single Sample

Hi all and Happy New Year,

 

Recently, I've been on a quest for the best sounding TR-606 and 707 samples available on the net. I've done a lot of searching and a lot of comparing, and I've finally found the sets that sound the best to me. The only problem? They're basically all one shots at different velocities.

 

I'm wondering how I could simulate a round robin effect with single samples in EXS24. I have a couple GoldBaby 808 and 909 sets that use this function, and they sound great.

 

Any advice on plugins, techniques, or programming would be great. Thanks for having a look. Ready to make music!

I have no clue what 606s and 707s are supposed to do when repeated. (I figured they might be the same?)

 

Anyway, i guess some pitch/length imperfections to create variation of the same samples, render them, load them up. I'm pretty sure that in a mix with 606/707 sound it wont make a noticable difference.

I'm pretty sure you can program a lot of those in EXS itself

Those are great suggestions, but I'm not exactly sure how to go about doing that. I thought if I could do some that during playing, it would be great. I have an 909 set that sounds fantastic with RR. It's designed to emulate of of "inaccuracies" of an analog machine. Keeps thing feeling and sounding more alive and natural (in respect to sounding like a vintage drum machine". Any pointers would be great. Maybe something within EXS24 itself?

you could randomize pitch (a little, +/- few cents) and attack (also very little, 0.1ms).

 

then maybe use something like Voxengo Tube Amp (free) to add some analog "girth" - used very subtly.

 

that's how i would start going about it.

Ploki's got great advice. In the end you have to use your ears and make the variations subtle. For example bring the sample in a Logic project, try various effects, and bounce different results. I would also consider changing up the EQ a bit, or adding some subtle distortion (Overdrive plug-in with very low amounts of gain is great) in different amounts...

 

Once you've got a dozen different subtle variations bounced out, bring them all back into your instrument and set up the round robin.

Not sure right now if EXS24 can do that, I think so. Randomize the sample start just a little. But make sure it won't cut off the transient too much.

 

Plus you can randomize the MIDI note timing +/- 1-2 ticks. For this, I create one large region for the whole song (after finishing the arrangement), then apply the randomisation with the function "Transform". At the same time you can add the randomisation for velocity and notes with that function.

 

Why randomize notes?

Add one sample that has a key range around 1-2 octaves (more is probably not needed and leaves room for other samples in the same patch). Set it so, that each note will only transpose by 1 cent = it shouldn't fully follow the keytrack. Or you can add the same sample to each note within 1-2 octaves and just pitch manually each sample by 1 cent up/down. If you'd like to this finnicky work: You can set the sample start for each sample differently.

When you now randomize the MIDI notes in the region, you'll get a controlled, always same sounding result. Using a LFO to randomize pitch and sample start, it won't result in the same sound and timing, which can be a hassle in certain situations.

Thanks for all the great ideas, guys. I discovered some great sounds, and learned quite a bit in the process. Cheers!