Recording loops
I was hoping that it would be a simple process to record audio loops, but it quite a tedious process and very clunky.
To record, the best thing to do is copy a project (you can't create an empty one) and clear it. This makes it much easier to record the audio loops onto each pad (I'll explain later). Click on an empty pad. Go to the pattern section and adjust the pattern size to a maximum of 4-bars. Start the metronome by hitting play. Hit the record button RIGHT on the "one" beat (otherwise it will record extra audio and not synch up with the time grid). When you hit stop, you get a window of options. You can rerecord it you make a mistake, no problem. If you want to audition your recording you can hit "play", but it will not synch with the time grid. If you like your recording you hit save.... so then you have to type in a name. (Naming should be dealt with later since it interferes with the creative flow)
Great, now you've got your first pad recorded... tap the pad.... it's probably not in synch because you didn't hit record RIGHT on the "one". So you go into the "edit waveform" section and clip the edges of the sample. Hopefully it didn't manage to auto pitch adjust your sample... if so, you must repitch it to zero. Go ahead and hit record on the transport menu. Now you can create a pattern with your sample. Make sure you look at the count off screen so you tap your pad on the "one" beat and not confuse it with another beat (since the metronome is just regular clicks without any emphasis on a "one" count). If you accidentally tapped on the wrong beat, no worries, you can undo... there's just no undo button... you have to go into the sequencer mode, then go into the pattern edit mode, scroll down to the pad you want to edit and delete the mistaken event. While you're already there, you can simply input it manually on the "one". It was a lot of work, but you finally now have your loop synched onto the song!! Hit the stop button to stop your song.... yes you have to wait for all the samples to finish playing. Don't bother hitting stop twice, just be patient!!!
Now let's say you have a few pads with samples already on them and you want to change one of them and record a new sample. Hit play first to get ready for the overdub. Then you have to select it the pad you want to change. You can simply hit the pad to select. Wait 10 seconds for your sample to finish playing (patience). Okay now you're ready to overwrite it. But it's annoying to do it that way because your undesired sample has to play over the song just to select it. There is a select button under the record button, which seems like it should be for selecting without triggering pads.... but it's completely useless. And there is no "clear pad" option to be found, so you have no choice but to trigger the pad to select it.
In conclusion, don't bother trying to make loops... this feature is in its infancy. When the workflow is more automated and less interrupted it will make sense. Until then "audio record" is only good for short hits... even then it's clunky. I hope it improves soon!!
To record, the best thing to do is copy a project (you can't create an empty one) and clear it. This makes it much easier to record the audio loops onto each pad (I'll explain later). Click on an empty pad. Go to the pattern section and adjust the pattern size to a maximum of 4-bars. Start the metronome by hitting play. Hit the record button RIGHT on the "one" beat (otherwise it will record extra audio and not synch up with the time grid). When you hit stop, you get a window of options. You can rerecord it you make a mistake, no problem. If you want to audition your recording you can hit "play", but it will not synch with the time grid. If you like your recording you hit save.... so then you have to type in a name. (Naming should be dealt with later since it interferes with the creative flow)
Great, now you've got your first pad recorded... tap the pad.... it's probably not in synch because you didn't hit record RIGHT on the "one". So you go into the "edit waveform" section and clip the edges of the sample. Hopefully it didn't manage to auto pitch adjust your sample... if so, you must repitch it to zero. Go ahead and hit record on the transport menu. Now you can create a pattern with your sample. Make sure you look at the count off screen so you tap your pad on the "one" beat and not confuse it with another beat (since the metronome is just regular clicks without any emphasis on a "one" count). If you accidentally tapped on the wrong beat, no worries, you can undo... there's just no undo button... you have to go into the sequencer mode, then go into the pattern edit mode, scroll down to the pad you want to edit and delete the mistaken event. While you're already there, you can simply input it manually on the "one". It was a lot of work, but you finally now have your loop synched onto the song!! Hit the stop button to stop your song.... yes you have to wait for all the samples to finish playing. Don't bother hitting stop twice, just be patient!!!
Now let's say you have a few pads with samples already on them and you want to change one of them and record a new sample. Hit play first to get ready for the overdub. Then you have to select it the pad you want to change. You can simply hit the pad to select. Wait 10 seconds for your sample to finish playing (patience). Okay now you're ready to overwrite it. But it's annoying to do it that way because your undesired sample has to play over the song just to select it. There is a select button under the record button, which seems like it should be for selecting without triggering pads.... but it's completely useless. And there is no "clear pad" option to be found, so you have no choice but to trigger the pad to select it.
In conclusion, don't bother trying to make loops... this feature is in its infancy. When the workflow is more automated and less interrupted it will make sense. Until then "audio record" is only good for short hits... even then it's clunky. I hope it improves soon!!