Subject:Loop quality vs time stretching

Posted by: 12StringDreams

Date:8/9/2001 5:06:12 PM

I am currently trying to create some high quality samples of an acoustic guitar. I'm happy with the recording, and it loops perfect, but when I use it in Acid, it suddenly sounds awful. I understand its time stretching that allows for the adjustment of tempo without the change of key, but why do some samples sound so bad with little or no adjustment in tempo. I'm not wanting to transpose the loop, but would like to be able to adjust the tempo by small amounts. I'm using Cool Edit Pro and Vegas Video. Is there a trick I'm missing, or do I need to change my style to satisfy Acid.

Thanks in advance,
Tracy

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: Rockitglider

Date:8/10/2001 10:59:09 AM

Hello,

I know Sound Forge has a loop tuner that really helps when getting loops to sound good. I don't use Cool Edit so I don't know what it does to a file as far as what extra data it adds if any.

Rockit

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: bgc

Date:8/10/2001 11:48:29 AM

The method that ACID uses to perform time stretching and pitch shifting is good but not perfect. Complex musical signals will definitely display artifacts. "Simple" audio signals that contain single notes are easier to process. "Complex" signals that are chords, like acoustic guitar, are more difficult. The best thing to do is play the guitar in the key you want the final song to be.
Sorry, not much of a solution.

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: DaveP

Date:8/10/2001 2:04:35 PM

If you have Acid Pro you can go into the track properties for the loop and adjust the stretch markers. This often times will help with how Acid will playback loops.

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: 12StringDreams

Date:8/11/2001 7:01:47 AM

I had planned to creat loops for each different key,
what I can't understand is how adjusting the tempo by
1 BPM can make a signal sound like it is ran through
a tremelo device. What really confusses me is that the
loops included with Acid 2.0 don't have this problem.
I can modify them, use them, and they still sound
good. I'd be willing to purchase Sound Forge or Acid Pro
If I knew it would help, and which would help most.
Thanks for the help everyone...
Tracy

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: Rockitglider

Date:8/11/2001 7:20:52 AM

You should get Acid 3.0, It will help, and Sound Forge 5.0XP comes with it, and so does Vegas LE, which you can use to record your guitars or anything else. Thats how I do it.

See ya, Rockit

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: MacMoney

Date:8/11/2001 8:27:13 AM

Hi Tracy
I just finished my 4th and 5th Acid Loop CD the will be called Mac Money R&B 101. A lot of people still don't realize still how powerful Acid 3 is. I track live most of the time into Acid. Im really a guitar player but if I didn't play a keyboard of a synthbass part right I'd zoom in slice the note or part and shift it left or right until its in time, solo just that track and check the level, loop region, pans etc. and mix it down to a new loop. Now for live drums I do the same thing but I'll play a few bars to a homemade metronome so I can get the feel right, I've had 20-30 bars find the 4-8 or 16 bar that sound the best and repeat the above steps. For Hip-hop the Choppingblock is GOD SENT!!!!!! Good One Sonic Foundry!!!! I can go in and chop the hell out of some track to give that triggered from a sampler sound. I'd like to know when your loops come out.
Take Care and Goodluck
George Ware

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: bgc

Date:8/15/2001 4:39:56 PM

If you're changing the tempo of the audio by even a little bit ACID is doing still quite a bit of processing that can sound funny. One trick/tip to remember: to remove the echo, chorus effects, it sounds better to speed things up than slow them down.

Subject:RE: Loop quality vs time stretching

Reply by: 12StringDreams

Date:8/15/2001 5:16:35 PM

I've cured the problem. By using Acid Pro 3.0, and adjusting the stretch points. I can slow loops down quite a bit before any strange artifacts occur. It's going to slow the process down of making loops, but at least they're going to sound good when I'm done.

Thanks for the help.

Tracy Simants
www.12StringDreams.com