Working within the current limitations... (Minor tutorial)
Beatmaker is pretty adept for what it is but it lacks two severe things: Polyphonic Zones (Group pads together so if for example PAD1 one is playing a sample and you press 2, the first pad will stop playing) and A/B sound bank (a second set of 16 samples). You can get around both to some degree.
First I constructed a simple percussion pattern, and made it 8 bars using some built in and a few imported sounds. It came out like this. Since I used roughly 9-10 samples this meant making a lead would be constructive.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/ audioworkandmusic/firstbeat.mp3">http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/ ... stbeat.mp3</a><!-- m -->
I exported it then created a new project. Immediately I loaded in the previous project's export into the sound bank, saving me the 10 sample bays. Then layered in a few more percussive hits and a single bass note that I made from using Rob Papen Predator 3 Synth. Ideally I'd just use Cubase and score it out but that defeats the purpose of the exercise, so normally with a sampler like so, I'd load in several notes. We're working with so few sample bays you have to be tricky. Instead I trigger the sample and then went through and triggered the sample multiple times, then used the pitch shift in the sequencer. Its not a perfect way to do things but it works. Also without the polyphony zones, this is the easiest method to create a bass line as you do not want bass notes to overlap and you'll be retriggering the sample sample.
You can hear the additional percussion + bass line, then without the bassline, then with and without the additional percussive elements.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingnolead.mp3">http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingnolead.mp3</a><!-- m -->
Lastly I loaded in a few guitar samples and an Arabic sample that never made the cut for a different project. This is where the lack of Polyphony hurts. If you play a sample, you can make the sample stop by brute for but it takes some doing. You'll have to trigger the sample in the sequencer like normal. However you'll have to then find the spot on the sequencer where you'd like the sample to end. From there, you trigger the sample again but then go into the velocity editor and select "0". I did this with the guitar samples in a spot.
Then finally for the lead vocal sample, I just re-triggered it repeatedly, not bothering to use the "Velocity 0" trick to stop it.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingbeat2.mp3">http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingbeat2.mp3</a><!-- m -->
Making entire beats within the app is feasible but requires some trickery and brute force to make it happen. However as just a percussive sampler, its a legit alternative for creating drum rhythms on the than packing a MacBook with DAW of choice and Battery installed.
I hope this helps at least someone.
First I constructed a simple percussion pattern, and made it 8 bars using some built in and a few imported sounds. It came out like this. Since I used roughly 9-10 samples this meant making a lead would be constructive.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/ audioworkandmusic/firstbeat.mp3">http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/ ... stbeat.mp3</a><!-- m -->
I exported it then created a new project. Immediately I loaded in the previous project's export into the sound bank, saving me the 10 sample bays. Then layered in a few more percussive hits and a single bass note that I made from using Rob Papen Predator 3 Synth. Ideally I'd just use Cubase and score it out but that defeats the purpose of the exercise, so normally with a sampler like so, I'd load in several notes. We're working with so few sample bays you have to be tricky. Instead I trigger the sample and then went through and triggered the sample multiple times, then used the pitch shift in the sequencer. Its not a perfect way to do things but it works. Also without the polyphony zones, this is the easiest method to create a bass line as you do not want bass notes to overlap and you'll be retriggering the sample sample.
You can hear the additional percussion + bass line, then without the bassline, then with and without the additional percussive elements.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingnolead.mp3">http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingnolead.mp3</a><!-- m -->
Lastly I loaded in a few guitar samples and an Arabic sample that never made the cut for a different project. This is where the lack of Polyphony hurts. If you play a sample, you can make the sample stop by brute for but it takes some doing. You'll have to trigger the sample in the sequencer like normal. However you'll have to then find the spot on the sequencer where you'd like the sample to end. From there, you trigger the sample again but then go into the velocity editor and select "0". I did this with the guitar samples in a spot.
Then finally for the lead vocal sample, I just re-triggered it repeatedly, not bothering to use the "Velocity 0" trick to stop it.
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingbeat2.mp3">http://www.greggant.com/randomstuff/wailingbeat2.mp3</a><!-- m -->
Making entire beats within the app is feasible but requires some trickery and brute force to make it happen. However as just a percussive sampler, its a legit alternative for creating drum rhythms on the than packing a MacBook with DAW of choice and Battery installed.
I hope this helps at least someone.
Comments
Would you mind me reposting your tutorial on ibeatmaker.com?
Credits to you and all of course!
I also wouldn't mind uploading the bass samples I have, I made two bass pads, 12 samples each (for an octave) + pitch shifts for anyone looking for meaty analog bass to play on the go.