EXS 24 Logic Sampler Users Group

From: Hendrik Jan Veenstra <h@...>:

> Joe, what a great post that was!

Hi Hendrik -

Thanks!

> One question though on the subject of 5) HiHat Programming: You write:

>> First off, you want to try to get a continuous variation from open
>> to closed - I do this with a electronic hihat pedal that transmits
>> cc1, and my programs use this to adjust the hats' openness. I use
>> 4-6 discrete samples for hat..

> You mean the pedal crossfades between the different hat samples,
> right? How? Are they all assigned to the same key but in different
> velocity layers?

Yes, they're all assigned to the same key, but not different velocity
layers (although you'd use what _used to be_ velocity layer settings in the
EXS editor) - however, the crossfading itself is done strictly with cc1, so
I can play at any velocity and it's independent of whether the hat is open,
closed, or in-between..

>> In the K2500 I use cc1 to crossfade between the closed, half-open, and
>> open samples (using 3 voices per hit).. EXS has the new sample-select
>> crossfading feature that should be able to accomplish the same thing
>> handily (I haven't gotten to that yet, because the different hat samples
>> really need different attack settings, so I'm waiting). The idea is that
>> if you're riding on the slosh or open hihats, they ring out overlapping
>> for a nice natural-sounding wash, but as soon as you stomp on the pedal
>> (cc0) all of these ringing hat samples will be cut off & the foot sample
>> will sound (this sounds more natural than a monophonic hihat group).

> So: all the open-hat samples are on one key, the cc1 pedal does velocity
> crossfading between them, and the samples are in a polyphonic group so you
> can have overlapping hats.. Yes?

Yes.. all the open and closed samples are on the same key (actually the
same  LH and RH keys); only the foot sound is on a different key..

> How then does the cc0 pedal cut off all those ringing notes?

Technically, it doesn't, it fades back from the open/slosh sample layers to
the closed sample layer - of course by that time the (short) closed sample
is finished, so that layer is silent, all you hear is the foot sample
triggered as the hat "closes" (resulting in the typical "shoop" sound of a
closing hihat), which is either triggered by the pedal itself (the pedal I
use also puts out a note trigger) or in a pinch by an Environment patch
that can turn cc0 into the foot hat note (copy and process)..

> Mind you: I would know how to make an Environment patch that does this,
> but it sounds as if you don't use any Environment trickery at all, which
> got me curious. If I'm completely mistaken about any of the above,
> please correct me..

I do use Environment trickery for some of the programming (the randomizing
of the snare/rimshot samples, chokes for the crash cymbals, converting this
hihat approach to GM standard, general remapping, etc) but not for the
crossfading of the hihats.. Keep in mind, though, this is currently on my
K2500 (crossfading between (polyphonic) layers, each with a full
independent range of parameter settings) - I haven't tried this yet in EXS..

= = = =

Hold on, I just did try it (!), and it seems to work fine.. I did a simple
test in one instance of EXS using the matrix modulation Sample Select by
cc1.. Even though I'd prefer separate settings for some more parameters,
this works ok.. Here's how to set it up:

- In a new Instrument make 4 zones, foot/closedHH/sloshHH/openHH;
  (obviously each zone is set for one-shot and disable pitch);
  load in appropriate hihat samples for each zone

- Assign each zone to a separate group; set Select Range for each as follows:
  Closed HH group: 0-64; Slosh HH group; 65-96; Open HH group: 97-127;
  Note: the "Select by" setting for these layers is blank (unassigned)

- I also added 3 more zones duplicating the closed/slosh/open zones on a
  different key (for two-handed play), assigned to the same groups, resp

- For the closed HH group set ADSR Offset Attack to -160ms; Save

- Back on the main page in the matrix modulation section set
  Sample Select by Controller 1, range slider at max (100%)

- Under Xfade set Amount to ± 25, and Type to Equal Power

- In Env 2 set Attack to min (0ms) and Att Via Vel to about 160ms

- Set Level to max and Level Via Vel to about -24dB or so

- Set Random (pitch) to about ± 40 cents

- I had to set polyphony to 24 voices or I seemed to get some weird
  voice-stealing (actually, new notes that sometimes didn't sound! -
  they really need to look at their voice-stealing algorithm, it could
  be so much better, and save on CPU overhead to boot!)

Despite the fact that I'd prefer completely independent Vel>Envelope
settings for closed and slosh/open hats, this works pretty well.. You can
fine-tune the crossfading by adjusting the Select Range settings and the
Xfade Amount setting to taste..

If Emagic does come out with multitimbral EXS, I'll definitely prefer to
have separate layers (channels) for each hat, and obviously the above
settings may not work so well if you try to incorporate other drums into
the same Instrument, but at least it's a start..

Cheers, Joe Albano
ROOFTOP PRODUCTIONS, NYC NY
Music: www.rooftopproductions.com
Consulting: www.rooftopproductions.com/Consulting.html