M-Audio Torq Xponent: Gearwire Is Not Responsible For Any Damage To Your CPU Caused By Remix Remixing Tears In Time-Space Fabric
In this video, Bill Holland follows up his initial look at M-Audio Torq Xponent with a zoom in on looping. With this controller, you can create one, two, four or eight bar loops. Coincidentally, these four numbers are all powers of two, showing that aside from the looping capabilities outlined in this video, M-Audio has taken some careful consideration into disguising references to exponentiation within their product.
BILL HOLLAND: Welcome back to Gearwire.Com. My name is Bill Holland and we’re taking a look at the M-Audio Xponent with Torq. I’m going to be looking today at looping and some of the effects with this unit in the vein of disco re-edits. I’ve taken a classic Italo disco track, the “It’s a War” track by Kano. I believe this is actually a remix or a re-edit but I’m going to re-edit the re-edit.
So first, in the previous video, we went over all the controls. We also went over the looping tools for a second. Now we’re going to focus in looping tools, looking at how to use these as a powerful remix tool. First, I’m going to set a four-bar loop in one of the tracks.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Okay. So, we have a two-bar loop now instead of a four-bar loop. Now I’m going to play the second track.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Now I’m going to show you how to take this loop. Now I’m going to show you how to take that and I’m going to change up the loop size while it plays.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
I’m going to loop this side.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
If I hit the loop button again for the loop that I’m doing...
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
...I’ll turn off the sync button.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Now, I can also do this like a straight cut. So, I can turn this loop off.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Again, if you want to get out of that, you should press the loop button again.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Or if I turn this loop off, I can actually find this point in the other track, so if I go back here, let’s figure out where that point is.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Oh.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Let’s take it back real quick. We’re going to take this track way back to the beginning. If you run the situation, the actual individual tracks, turn off the MIDI, use your XY controller, and you can go up and reset it manually, they have a waveform that’s zoomed out all the way. So, if I go back, I find where that crazy line comes in.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
And again, imagine that you’re in headphones, and you want to cue this up while the other tracks are playing. So, other tracks are playing and I’m gonna unloop this.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
And you can be actually over here trying to find that same section in the song.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
And again, you can use the mouse if you really need to jump to it.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
There we go. Let’s mark that.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
Wait for it.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
There it is.
[BILL HOLLAND PLAYING AND MANIPULATING “IT’S A WAR” BY KANO USING THE M-AUDIO TORQ XPONENT]
And now we have a loop.
Alesis SR18 -Sharing files
I just bought 2 SR18s, one for a friend and the other for me. Thonk you for the video demos. They have greatly reduced the intimidation factor.
I am a retired tecky. Played bass since 1963. We needed a reliable drummer and found one in the SR18.
I know that the Sr18 is capable of creating backup files. Is there away for us to share our new creations by file transfer or other means? If so, please let me know. I will find how to do it.
Sincerely,
Ray
sharing files
Although I have not tried backing up files with the SR-18, I would guess that backing up to an external computer or drive would allow you to dump the same settings to another drum machine. Theoretically, you could also record the midi data by using the SR-18 as your midi control, and transferring information to your DAW (ableton, logic, sonar, etc.). Again, I have not tried backing up files, so I could be completely wrong. Another option might be to use the "send" sr-18 as your control, and send the MIDI out to the MIDI IN on the other unit. Meanwhile, you could hit record on the receiving unit and there you have it. That approach seems like it would be long and tedious, though. Next time I talk with alesis, I will mention this and check into it. Thanks for the questions and feedback!
SR18 Backups
Thank you Bill, for your propmt reply, gaving me a few ideas.
I'm not asking for you to respond to this email. I know zilch about midi, but I will soon though. The following is FYIO. These are excerpts from their manual regarding midi file transferes and backups.
Sincerely, Ray
FROM THEIR MANUAL
"Screen Page 17 / SEND SONG AND PATTERN DATA TO MIDI SYS EX STORAGE DEVICE (SEND OUT MIDI?)
This page allows you to convert the SR18's Pattern and Song information into MIDI system exclusive data and send this data through the MIDI out. This data can be transferred to software and hardware devices which support MIDI SysEx storage.
Although the SR18 can typically store many events, eventually it will run out of memory. You can save the memory contents, fill up the memory with new Patterns and Songs, and re-load the old data when needed.
If possible, make two backups, and store the second
backup in a different physical location from the primary backup.
While on this page, press REC (ENTER) to send SR18 Pattern and Song data as SysEx data. The display will say SENDING MIDI… to confirm that data is being sent.
Note: Typically, the MIDI OUT would connect to another SR18's MIDI IN or a system exclusive data storage device such as MIDI sequencer.
SENDING MIDI SYSEX SONG AND PATTERN DATA TO THE SR18
If you wish to load Pattern and Song data back into the SR18, please follow the instructions below.
Please note that this operation will erase any Song and Pattern data which exists on the SR18!"
Ray
thanks, ray!
Ray,
I appreciate that. I downloaded the manual and checked that out. I figured that it would be something involving the sending of midi sysex data to a sequencer. I used to do something similar using cakewalk and my workstation. I have not had the time to try it out, but maybe I will give it a go. It would make for a really good demo on the site. Thanks again!
SR18 - BackUp
Hello Bill,
I have used ADOBE Audition (alias Cool Edit Pro 2000) extensively tor recording and cleanig up files for the past 8 years, but never used any of the midi aspects of them. Now I have a reason to.
The SR18 manual was not clear regarding how the unit handled their presets during backup and rstore process so, I asked Alesis support services the following question, "Your manual states that to recover files using your backup method replaces all files. Does this mean your presets as well?"
Alesis Support Team reply,
---------------------------------------------------"That's correct; when backing up the SR-18 just a bulk dump is done meaning all user patches are sent. Also when sending the data back into a SR-18, then all of the user patches are overwritten. The preset data is still preserved."
Best Regards,
Justin Baro
Alesis Technical Support
200 Scenic View Drive
Ste.201
Cumberland, RI 02864
401-658-5760
jbaro@alesis.com
-------------------------------------------------
Thank you for your interest. I'll periodically check to see if you've had a chance to create a backup and/or file transfer video demo for the SR18. Meanwhile, I'll see what I can do with my audio recording Software. My PC has an internal MIDI IN/OUT 15 pin D jack. Midi cables are usually 5 pin. The way I go will likely be some form of an SysEx compatible midi device with stoarage.
Take care,
Ray
good call
it's too bad the sr-18 doesn't have some sort of memory storage like the korg electribe series. Then you could just switch out cards. Definitely keep me posted.
I wish for once in a video
I wish for once in a video people would show the thing in a real scenario and not how it sucks. I own a Torq Xponent unit and what pisses me off about it is that you can't exit a loop where the original loop selection ends. Suppose you're at bar 3 of the end of something and you want to create a climactic loop reduction. Guess what... you're FUCKED because you can't exit the loop at the beginning of the next bar, no you have to exit it at position 3/4 + 1/64. What good is that??
Post new comment