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Feature request - support compressed audio files

mungbeansmungbeans
edited February 2009 in General
I've just got my BeatMaker, and it seems great, however last night I transferred some audio files to my iPod. THen when attempting to load the samples into an existing kit, on the 5th one I got a message saying I'd run out of memory. These weren't long samples, only about 4-8 bar loops.

I think the iphone/ipod T is only 128K Dram, which isn't very much, especially not very much for a music application.

If Beatpack supported optional automatic compression of files to some format, and BeatMaker supported playback of same format it would help a lot coping with the limited memory on the iPhone/iPod.

Comments

  • formalformal
    edited 3:26AM
    Most people sequence their own loops from short one hit samples. Only when we run out of pads do we resort to using full loops on a pad ( This is when we'll resample a sequence and make a new WAV file ). Like you said, you'll run out of memory quick using full loops. If you want a device that can trigger long loops I'd suggest a newer hardware sampler w/a large memory card to boot. (MPC1000, SP404, SP606) somethin like that.
  • NewmusicforoldmindsNewmusicforoldminds
    edited 3:26AM
    Depending on the tempo a 4-8 bar loop can eat up A LOT of memory. If it cant handle it just chop it in half. While these are powerful devices, they really pail in comparison to a dedicated sampling/sequencing device. My advice is just be kind and considerate to your iphone/ipod touch and it will be kind to you. Don't let it take the full load of production.
  • mungbeansmungbeans
    edited 3:26AM
    Beatmake is good to make beats from individual kick/snare/hh samples. And to layer some simple smaller samples together.
    And there's a certain section of consumers who Intua will be able to sell it to as this sort of tool.

    I have Cubase/Logic on my desktop and Beatmaker is a useful tool to use as a sketchpad for ideas for further development on a dedicated DAW. However its ability in this regard is limited by the amount of RAM Apple use. I know Beatmaker can never be a replacement for a dedicated desktop daw, but there's an additional potential market for using it as a proxy for a DAW if it could be made a bit more efficient.

    Adding support for playing compressed audio files is something that would help all types of users - how many people here I wonder have some mp3s they'd like to play on it?

    Another thing that would help in this regard is the ability to delete parts of samples beyond the begin/end markers - scenario: I have a 4 bar drum loop that is the same over all 4 bars and I want to use it with Beatmaker, however I don't have any editing software on my PC. Within beatmaker if I could set the start/end markers to one bar of the loop and then be able to delete the remaining 3 bars from the audio file it would reduce its size by 75% approximately (are you able to do anything like this currently?).
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