creating loops in Vegas

larryo wrote on 1/29/2003, 4:24 PM

Currently I use Vegas for a home project recording studio, and always create full linear drums tracks on my Alesis SR-16 with satisfactory results. In an effort to conserve audio files, however, I'd like to be able to build drums loops, if possible, in tracks where the drums have a lot of repetition. I know that this is more of an Acid type function, but am wondering if the more experienced folks out there can offer some suggestions if this is possible. I've taken a stab at creating 8-beat patterns, recording them and trimming them down in Sound Forge. I pretty much get lost after that with the process of looping the pattern and usually wind up with funky rhythmic hiccups in between. Any suggestions, including directing me to good publications regarding the subject, would be greatly appreciated. Larry O

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 1/29/2003, 4:44 PM

Here's a simple experiment i just tried; it might do what you need.

• Edit the section of the loop in SoundForge and save as a .wav file

• Not a necessary step, but i noted the number of beats and the duration of the loop. In this case i had 8 beats lasting 5.840 seconds. Doing the math, that comes out to about 82.19bpm. It doesn't really matter, but i wanted to know if i was going to be stretching/squishing it too much when i got to Vegas.

• In Vegas, open up the project properties and click on the Ruler tab. Set the time format to Measures & Beats and the beats per minute to whatever you want it to be. I chose 90.000 just to stay somewhat close to the 82ish figure from above. You can choose any tempo you wish, but if you stretch/shrink it too far you'll get weird artifacts.

• Drop the .wav file of the loop onto a track. Use the Ctrl-drag method to stretch/squish it into the correct number of beats. This will preserve the pitch but change the tempo to match the project. You can change this behavior to have it alter the pitch as well, which will avoid artifacts.

• Drag the end of the loop (not Ctrl-Drag) as far as you want the sound to go. Instant looping in time to the tempo ... at least as close as your editing in the first step was.

stusy wrote on 1/29/2003, 8:33 PM

Wonderful...thanks "Chienworks", I can use this also...I spose this is also written in "Vegas Power" or some such as well...

stusy wrote on 1/29/2003, 8:48 PM

Also, same question I posed in another group: it doesn't matter if Acid is ASIO and SF6 or VV3 is MME, correct..? nothing will get in the way of the drag and drop migration..?