Sonicware Lofi-12 XT Full Tutorial - Portable Sampler Groovebox
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
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More information about the Lofi-12 XT: sonicware.jp/pages/lofi12xt
Full Disclosure: I occasionally take on freelance work at Sonicware on an hourly rate producing synth & sample sound design, beta testing, checking English text and videos like this.
Work in progress accessibility guide: www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/32jz5c...
A few bits i missed:
1. You can now rename a sample after recording by switching on Rename below the screen
2. You can also start\stop sampling by pressing a track pad hard to start and releasing to stop (Auto Rec needs to be off)
3. Mutes can also be used on different slices in Slice mode
4. Mutes also have a global function activated by holding OK and selecting mutes, these are preserved during pattern changes
5. When adding files to the SD card after manually converting them to 12/24khz, make sure you update the tag search pool or they won't appear in the tag list
6. Using Convert will preserve the file structure of the samples being converted
7. To keep chaining & song playback smooth, use the same sample in any overlapping tracks between patterns
0:00 teaser
0:16 overview, connections
2:17 basics: Powering up, play pattern, volume, speaker mute, func button, select tracks, parameter tabs, auxiliary screen buttons, step buttons, A-D knobs, value knob, mic volume, D-pad, pad velocity
6:54 memory structure
7:25 project menu, loading patterns, queueing patterns, pattern page bar, load another project,
9:34 mute, mix, level, pan, sends, pattern reload, tempo reload
11:46 sequencer modes, stutter, random, dice
13:30 new pattern, selecting a kick drum sound, entering notes, clearing steps, editing note velocity
15:15 loading a snare, entering rolls, loading hi-hats, track choke groups
16:28 tempo menu, metronome, pre-count,
16:52 real-time recording, micro-timing,
17:27 quantize, swing, edit or tap tempo
18:17 save pattern, save a project, rename project
18:48 sampling, sampling inputs, sampling options, sampling to a track
20:04 trimming a sample, sample start and length, zooming in on sample
20:47 track length, page select buttons
21:44 effects sends, delay send, adjusting send effects
23:50 sample slots, sample slot menu
24:27 save project, new project,
25:01 sample tag search, editing tags, tag categories and favourites, refresh tags, editing sample slot, browse samples, tag search within folder
27:59 importing samples, converting samples
29:32 kit format, manually slicing samples, auto slicing samples
31:27 changing per slice settings, saving slices
32:17 pad mode in slice voice mode, selecting parameters and tracks in pad mode
33:14 duplicate track contents, page buttons in pad mode
33:51 pad mode step recording
34:17 pad mode in poly voice mode, shifting keyboard, changing scale and root
35:30 velocity sensitivity, arpeggiator
36:27 real-time keyboard part,
36:42 amp envelope, ASR and AR modes, amp envelope on/off
37:59 note length, pad mode step recording, recording long notes,
39:00 copy and paste track, clearing clipboard, detuning and panning tracks, copy and pasting steps
40:22 organise and clear tracks,
40:47 using midi keyboard, per track channels, auto channel
41:48 mono voice mode, glide, legato mode,
42:54 adding and adjusting filter, filter envelope, ASR and AR envelopes, envelope delay, envelope invert, filter types
44:14 external midi recording
44:33 12 bit mode
44:49 mod tab LFOs, basic LFO settings, LFO detail settings, adding vibrato
47:03 sample looping, mod LFO to sample start effects, sample targets
48:29 pitching drum breaks
49:27 adding per track EFX,
51:32 d-pad rolls, recording rolls in real-time,
52:30 parameter locking, real-time recording automation, manually entering automation, viewing parameter locks, editing and clearing automation
54:18 pitch sweep envelope
55:00 step data menu, editing per step data, deleting notes, pressure vs rolls, polyphonic step data
56:12 master effects, master filter, master compressor, side chain settings, pattern level
58:16 naming a pattern, duplicate pattern, making sections for song mode
59:17 song mode, editing a song, building a song, playing a song, pattern menu in song mode
1:01:05 global switches,
1:01:41 mix tape feature, monitoring cassette type, enabling recording
1:02:29 external audio settings
1:03:31 updating the firmware, checking the version number
1:04:13 misc. settings, system menu - Hudba
A few bits i missed: 1. You can now rename a sample after recording by switching on Rename below the screen. 2. You can also start\stop sampling by pressing a track pad hard to start and releasing to stop (Auto Rec needs to be off). 3. Mutes can also be used on different slices in Slice mode 4. Mutes also have a global function activated by holding OK and selecting mutes, these are preserved during pattern changes. 5. When adding files to the SD card after manually converting them to 12/24khz, make sure you update the tag search pool (26:45) or they won't appear in the tag list 6. When using Convert this will preserve the folder structure of the files being converted
So users can put 12khz sample rate samples on an SD card and this unit will recognize them and allow load-in? The SMPLTREK doesn't do that so that's why I'm asking if this unit specifically does
@@ConnorArbiter That's right 12 and 24khz mono samples are supported natively but you'll have to refresh the database if you use a drag and drop. For everything that's 44.1 to 96khz you can use the onboard Convert feature which won't require you to refresh the database
@@ChrisLodyMusic Oh I see so dropping in libraries of higher bit samples is fine, and has its own strengths, but I assume the max 32gb card size would still be best utilized by manually downsampling on computer to be able to have more samples. This is a big advantage over SMPLTREK cus I can't load nor convert the lo-fi versions of samples into it, and can only load load 48khz samples which wastes so much space just to "play them back" in 12-bit lo-fi FX on the unit if I want to work with a lo-fi sound
@ConnorArbiter It's important to note the difference between sample rate and bit depth. So on the XT you can convert externally or use the internal convert feature which down samples them to 12 or 24khz mono and loads the converted files into the audio pool. It will then give you the option to delete the original samples. So regardless of which method is used the sample size will be the same. 12 and 24khz is the sample rate and these files will use 16 bit which is the bit depth. Playing them back in 12 bit mode on the machine will lower the bit depth of the playback but will not alter the file size. I don't think you can add wav files that are exported at 12 bit depth
I have the trk-031 and all the samples in the pool are missing atm . The main demo and sound selected were there but when I searched the pool ,, all the folders seemed there but without any samples in them or not appearing . Please let me know if you can help in any ways thanks ahead i was just looking back at your tutorial and manual as well as website for updates but nothing yet maybe I’m missing a step otherwise I love the magical machine thanks ahead ✨🎶🌊
I feel like this is the perfect iteration of both devices. Narrows the focus of the SmplTrk and expands the capability of the Lofi-12. Meet in the middle and find harmony.
Me too. This product has my attention. It definitely seems like a different beast to the Smpltrek which in all honesty is more of a songwriter/composition device
Yes the SmplTrek is a very different sampler, more like a workstation than I think people were really expecting it to be. I have used the SmplTrek a fair bit for sequencing dawless gear with it's sampling mostly for drums and a few pads etc, but I can see myself using this just completely standalone
Exactly this ✨🎶🌊
@@ChrisLodyMusicI bailed on the Kickstarter as I didn’t feel the price warranted a mono upgrade of the LF Liven...damn was I wrong. This really is a stand-alone gem!
Excellent tutorial and thank you for the help learning this device!!
Glad to help! Also happy that you got on well with the Lofi-12 XT, I'm having a lot of fun with it still 😁
Thanks Bo for recommending this video, it really is a great in depth resource!
Excellent tutorial, one of the best condensed tutorials I’ve seen with a piece of gear, thanks Chris!
Thank you 😁
great tutorial, Chris, I watched the whole thing because I kept learning more and more stuff about this awesome little box
very helpful video in both showing off features and showing how to use them!
Glad you like it, hope you're having fun with it too 😁
First class tutorial. They way you have split the screen is perfect. Many thanks 🙏
Thank you, I appreciate the compliment 😁
Excellent tutorial, and another great device from Sonicware 🔥✨
Thanks very much. Yes I think this is their best yet 😁
Thanks for this helped me a lot
I have been coming back to this tutorial again and again and altough I really dig some of the functions here I still prefer my Smpltrek. Hopefully it will still get an update or two maybe. With that being said, I love what Sonicware is offering and hope people will appreciate the crap out of it. Great vid.
Glad to help 😁 Yes they're both very different. I find the SmplTrek very useful at the heart of a small dawless setup sending midi out to various synths, great fun. Sonicware have stated that they will continue to update the SmplTrek as there's still plenty that can be tweaked there. I'm hoping some of the design and spec of the XT will inform what they do with the Trek 👌
@@ChrisLodyMusic Delicious news. Thanks!
always come here to look at music gear. thanks!
Thank you 😁
Revisited to learn how to clear my sequencing faster and left with HUGE firmware update to my brain that parameter lock IS automation! Duh doy. Thanks heaps Chris!!
Ha glad to help 😄 Talking of firmware updates, don't miss out on the v1.1 firmware that's just been released for this 👌
This is awesome!
Nice device and good review🎉
Thank you 😁
This thing is EPIC!!! and we are just on v1 🤯 mind blown. Sonicware has 🆙ed their game.
Yes they have nailed it with this one. There's definitely plans for extra features etc too, can't wait 😁
machine love 🦋💙💎
What a great video. You couldn't have done any more!
Thank you 😁
This is true groovebox. Also - effect on USB ext in? Wow. Hope won't take too long to arrive.
Yeah they've pulled out all the stops on this one I think 😁 Hope you have fun with it!
this is a fully grown sampler and many more. it is worth every dollar of its price. and I am gonna get me the smpltrek as well. Its so fun to use ands sounds great. I hope sonicware is gonna make a massiv sampler twice as big for 900 dollars. like old school mpc style with tons of sounds...
Glad you're enjoying it. I don't know what Sonicware have planned for the future but I hope they have something like that lined up at some point 👌
Great video. Looking forward to mine arriving. I have a couple requests. An accessibility guide listing keystrokes and what the ABCD knobs do in each page/mode would be enormously helpful. Also, if you could redo the sample slicing section of this video but with a melodic loop, that would be great too (the chopping and playing/sequencing of chopped loops is what I want to do with mine). Anyway, great stuff. Thanks.
Thank you. Yes I'll start the accessibility guide as soon as I've finished proofreading and editing the manual. I'll make the guide as comprehensive as possible, there's a lot available from the front panel buttons but there are a few layers of menus obviously but it should be learnable. Slicing is pretty intuitive but if you're still struggling I can always make another video
Btw I still need to make the ELZ_1 play guide!
@@ChrisLodyMusic Yes please.
Here's the work in progress XT guide:
www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/32jz5c7smgu4k9jx6kev1/h?rlkey=s4lbkmvjpk10t2daq0kfne3ty&st=ba3k4tv7&dl=0
It's not complete yet, but I've tried to include as much detail as possible on the areas i've completed such as how all the sub-menus etc can be navigated. You should at least be able to build patterns then save those and the project. Let me know how you get on, if there any errors etc
By the way I've added to some of the others. If you still have the Liven Lofi-12, I made a text guide for that too which now included all menus etc so that is a complete guide for it.
@@ChrisLodyMusic Many thanks. I'll check both guides out now/in the morning. Many thanks.
Great video, am I the only one that thinks the black version looks better than the retro?
I think its because of the black pads.
@@ILLGREEN1 I think that's it, I went ahead and pre-ordered the retro after watching some more videos lol..
@@b33lz lol!! I chose black. Should be in our hands by the end of the month, straight outta Japan.
@@ILLGREEN1 What a time to be alive creating music. I ordered myself a woovebox too.
OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WANT !!
Ha I thought you'd like this 😄 Did you order one?
@@ChrisLodyMusic im on it asap!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol !! thanks again!!
How did this thing blow the digitakt 1 out the water? Incredible
Excellent video as always! I was curious about the filter page as it relates to the filters in the selection of insert effects. If you turn the filter on does it select that filter as that track's insert effect? Or are the insert filters separate?
Thank you. The filters in the EFX section are completely separate from the track filters. The EFX filters don't have envelopes by the way but you can still automate them with parameter locks
@@ChrisLodyMusic Thank you for your reply! And that's excellent news. Thanks again.
I’m gonna propose them to add stereo functionality. But not on by default.
My MPC 1000 with JJOS has 32 voices. I set my kicks and hi hats to mono (non destructive) but leave chords and stuff stereo.
I’m not sure yet if it’s a memory constraint or just a polyphony constraint.
Hey Chris. Dope video as usual. Can’t wait for mine to get here.
Is it possible to load a kit of individual samples to a track?
No it uses a format where all the hits are joined together in a single sample and slice markers added in slice mode. You could however string them together in a pattern and use resampling to capture the output for chopping in slice mode. So in that sense, yes, though you'd have to break workflow a bit to set up a pattern to do this.
@@ChrisLodyMusicThat’s a great workaround. Thank you.
27:36 when you browse folders that have 44khz samples can you preview them? And then does it offer you the option of converting them upon import?
Or you need to do it by hand like you showed?
The files I'm browsing are in the Pool/Audio folder so they have already been converted to 12/24khz. I haven't tested it but I think if you added a file outside the expected range there it wouldn't play and would display Unsupported File, so yeah you need to either sample on the machine or convert internally or externally
@ChrisLodyMusic I specialize in 90' NY Boom Bap production and my channel is growing etc. The XT has been on my radar since it was announced and I did order the limited edition model. My question is will there be a truncate feature for the sample editing or is it just a trim that defines the beginning and end of the sample? Truncate would save space as you know. Thanks and keep up the good work.
At the moment there are no destructive sample editing tools at all, so it just defines a region at the moment. A few tools like chop, fade, normalise etc were requested by sound designers (me included) during development so hopefully Sonicware plan to add these. If you'd like to request this too to show interest, use this link: sonicware.jp/pages/support
@@ChrisLodyMusic Thanks for the quick reply! Once I make my first video on it I will absolutely request these features. Peace and Be safe!
@ChrisLodyMusic I received my unit and the audio converts sound better than I thought it would so great job there. Question 1; Is there a way to copy patterns in the current firmware? If I want to copy Pattern 1 and all tracks in that pattern to Pattern 2, how is that accomplished? Question 2. Do converted samples have to live in the converted folder the system made? Once I rename the folder the XT no longer sees the samples inside the folder. Also, I would like to copy samples from my library over to the SD card. I made them 12K and 24K 16 bit using Reaper but when I browse the folder from the XT the folder appears empty. Thanks for the support and much appreciated content.
So copying patterns is just a case of saving the pattern down to a new slot. So press Func+PTN (save), the pattern list will be displayed and then you can choose whichever slot you want to save it into. So if you have your pattern saved in slot 1 for example, click on slot 2 at this point and press OK to save.
With regards to renaming files/folders and importing audio, any time you do either of those you need to update the tag database for the files to appear because the XT keeps an internal list of compatible files. To do this go to the waveform view on the SND tab, press the A knob to display the tag search, then press the B knob and it will ask you if you'd like to refresh. This will take a few minutes as it says. When renaming, I think I'm right in saying any samples you've already used in a project will need to be reloaded. Using the Convert function or sampling audio in via the inputs does not require the tags to be refreshed.
By the way there is a known bug in version 1 that won't always show all files via the browser, this has been fixed in an upcoming bug fix firmware release along with many other bug fixes.
@@ChrisLodyMusic Thanks for the support. As a NYC Boom Bap producer I have to say the XT knocks and the sonics are fantastic. I'll be dropping my first review on it this week. Keep up the good work!
Giving me BOSS SP303 vibes... which isn't a bad thing.
I have everything I need, but.... WANT!!!
Ha yes, that's the problem with GAS 😄
I will receive mine today, according to Fedex. It looks great fun.
Meanwhile I looked at the manual. I somehow assumed that the 8 tracks could be exported separately over usb but that seems not to be the case. That would be a great firmware update if it is technically feasible
Yes unfortunately that hasn't been included. I have been told there are more plans for the song mode so I'm hoping track export is one of the features they plan to add. The SmplTrek has this so it would make sense if the XT had it too. Feel free to submit a request for this to the link below, they like user feedback like this 😁 sonicware.jp/pages/support
@@ChrisLodyMusic a useful firmware update would then be multitrack usb export or if technically not possible at least saving the tracks separately on the sd card . Another good addition would be a tone generator like the sp404 has in its latest update; if the hardware can do that.
Will give that input to sonicware support.
Woa, glad I read this. Should've been a given. The dirtywave m8 runs on a teensy and can do this. Bad omission.
@@atetraxx There's just a few features that had to be left off due to development time constraints. They have plenty of plans for an update so I expect this will be added
I tried the Sampletrek, but I couldn't do it. The workflow, along with a couple of hardware failures like knobs and an input not working, made me have to send it back. The look of these devices is cool as hell, but I'm not sure I'll be able to pull the trigger on another one. This one actually look like it might be a little more usable, though.
It's a lot more user friendly in my opinion. There's a hell of a lot of features packed into the SmplTrek which slows things down a bit. It was improved with firmware updates but the XT was designed from the ground up with easy access in mind, it's very slick imo
Hi,
Great tutorial! Do you know if the mixtape also records the external outputs or only the internal ones? On the sampling side, you can resample but are you limited to only resampling one track? Thanks
Actually I've never checked if the external input is recorded onto the mixtape, I'll check that later
When it comes to resampling you can choose a single track on the master output. So by selecting master but muting tracks you can have any combination you want
@@ChrisLodyMusic Oh cool. So you can resample the master track. Thought it was limited to one track. Thanks for the clarification!
A couple questions... Is there a way to hold the ARP? Is there a latch mode to sustain notes in pad mode?
No sorry there's no sustain or Latch mode as far as I'm aware
Hey Chris, thx for the tutorial! Helped me to get into my unit! One Question. Did you manage to import single cycle waveforms/wavetables? I didn‘t. The convert method ends in an empty folder and my converted files won‘t show up, although I updated the db. Seems there is a min length restriction?!
I did get that to work yes. There's a couple of things that might be happening here.
The browser is a bit glitchy in version 1 and won't always show a whole folders contents without exiting the folder and re-entering it. This has already been fixed in a v1.1 beta I'm testing so the next public release will include that. Everything should appear under tag search though. Freshly converted wavs will appear under No Tag
The Convert process won't warn you if it's skipping any incompatible files and will still delete them afterwards. The files need to be within 44.1khz to 96khz 16-24 bit, so files that are 8bit won't work for example, neither will 22500hz files. If that's the case convert them externally and copy them in, then update the database. I've found the batch convert in Cockos Reaper works well for this. Remember to type in 24000 or 12000 Hz: czcams.com/video/cw5fPHz0JJs/video.html
Oh btw, very short waveforms will appear incorrectly in the waveform view too on version 1
@@ChrisLodyMusicHey Chris, thx so much for your quick reply! It was my fault. I had to push the tag button and now my externally converted files show up.😊
This tutorial has been most helpful.
One question: is there a way I can adjust the pitch of slices per step? That would be amazing, though overall pitch adjustment per slice is already quite nice to have.
I do have a few minor suggestion overall for future firmware and I am curious if you have any insight on how Sonicware reacts to user feedback? Thanks in advance :)
They're very receptive to user feedback. Either use the support link on their website or the official Facebook group
There is a way to change pitch per note with slices but it's a bit of a workaround. You can't automate the slice pitch the usual way, but try adjusting the pitch sweep settings in the Func+Step data menu. You can add very rapid sweeps, so fast they just sound like per step pitches. Make sure you change at least the speed and range for this to work
@@ChrisLodyMusicgonna give it a try. Thanks a lot for the kind and quick response.
I haven't tried the guitar in function, is there any amp sim like in the smpltrek, that you can record post amp treatment? Thanks the tutorial helped me a lot!
Sorry I missed your comment. It doesn't have an amp effect that you can run your guitar through, you can only send the input to the reverb and delay. There is a distortion effect in the EFX section but this is an insert effect which samples can be sent through
Thanks for this, Chris. Admittedly I haven't watched your full video yet, so forgive me if you answer this in the vid, but are tracks polyphonic? Also, does it have Elektron-style parameter locking per-step?
Yes all the tracks are polyphonic with the ability to play them either from the pads used as a keyboard or via external midi. Yes it also has parameter locking with no limit on the number of parameters that can be automated per step
@@ChrisLodyMusic Thanks. OK wow, this is looking a really viable alternative to the new Digitakt (not to say much cheaper, also), provided one can live with the lofi aspect.
@@duketranslucent3rd Yes it's a pretty good alternative, 20 notes of polyphony here too 😁
Hey, Chris! I noticed that you can move the sample start and end points in unison with just one knob. Is there a loop mode on the sample playback? If so, it could also do some granular synthesis.
Yes you can do that. You can also target sample start with the LFO, I dip into that a bit at 47.03 It's quite useful 😁
@@ChrisLodyMusic Awesome! I shouldn't have skipped around on the video or I would have caught that. I'd like to turn on polyphony, turn down the attack, turn up the release, do some start point scrubbing, add some reverb, etc.......Boom, lofi granular ambient bliss!
@rbwduece1 Yes it'll do that, you can automate the sample start position per step too with parameter locking which I used in one of the preset patterns to get some glitchy effects
Looks great but i don't see probability in the step parameters, is probability only on the track itself?
The Dice setting that you can see in the CFG page can be automated, so you can set it to 100% for the pattern but set certain steps to have different probability. So yes the probability can be per step
Is this multi trimbal? So an external sequencer could sequence diff tracks? So a midi channel for each track?
Yes it is multitimbral, each track can have midi channel assigned to receive midi on as well as transmit midi so you can also use it to sequence external gear
What if I just want to keep my samples in the folder structure they’re already in and don’t care about tags? Could I put my custom sample library on an SD card organized traditionally (individual folders for kicks-snares-hats etc) and navigate the way I would on an MPC or daw?
Yes you can do that, you don't have to use the tag system if you don't want to, though if you add, remove or rename samples you'll still need to update your tags as this is how it keeps track of compatible samples. By the way if you use the sample convert function on the XT this will preserve your files structure including any sub folders
Cool tutorial, when is it gonna be available EU and at what price? :)
They should be popping up pretty soon, Amazon included I think but also some of the larger music gear retailers. These are the intro discount prices: Standard Black $399 (Limited Retro $429),€469 (Limited Retro €499) in Germany, £399 (Limited Retro £429) in UK. More details on the XT webpage: sonicware.jp/pages/lofi12xt
Hello!
In 21:37 you switch bars with page buttons. Can you play your sequence starting from the second bar or any other bars instead if always starting the sequence from bar one when you hit play?
Thanks!
No sorry playback will always start from the beginning of the pattern. It will listen for midi song position info from an external source so you can hop around using your daw if you need
@@ChrisLodyMusic thanks!
Can you build a kit with multiple one hit wavs in a single track like Smpltrek?
No but you can use the resample function to build a kit on the machine by creating a pattern containing multiple hits in a row, add effects etc then recording it. If you save this in its own pattern you can always go back and edit it later.
Amazing!!! But got stuck here, so how can I create a whole song to be sequence using my own sample loops with like 5 or 10 or more secs each to be played as a Sequence Pattterns on the Song mode? I Uploded my own samples to the SD Card from my Looper and I want it to Sequence it all and be able to manipulate it using the build FX and Mod/Flt also and be able to sing and play my guitar while the Lo Fi 12XT playback the song for me like a looper. Is that possible and how could I do that? Thanks
So yeah you can definitely do that. So it sounds like it would be best if you started from scratch, so create a new project like I do from 24:27, select a track, press SND then the A knob then find one of your loops then add a note to step 1 to trigger your loop. If you want the loop to play all the way through then press AMP and turn off the envelope with the right screen button. Remember to change the tempo to match the loop tempo. You may also need to change the number of steps if your loops are longer that 1 bar. You can add more loops to other tracks if you need to. Press Func+PTN to enter the pattern save screen, select a pattern slot and press OK to save it. You can then select a different pattern slot by pressing PTN and selecting a different slot. Repeat the process as many times as you need to add different sections for your song. You can also add different effects, filters to your tracks as you go. To get them to play back in a song you can follow along with the instructions from 59:17 adding as many row with as many repeats as you like, or if you'd prefer to trigger your patterns live you can queue them up like I do in the section from 7:25
Wow, props to Sonicware - this box packs a LOT in for the price. Chris, what's your thoughts on the quality of the pads, and the effects? I'm thinking "you get what you pay for" and often the effects can be meh on some devices (though they sounded alright here.) Oh and the screen, too - seems small (like Roland designed it) - did you have to squint much?
Yeah it's some pretty good bang for buck. I think the pads are great, they're obviously a little small compared to on larger devices. I got on fine with them though and others have described them as their favourite pads (on the SmplTrek anyway which is the same hardware): czcams.com/video/4rhr76rw3Lw/video.html
The effects are fairly basic in terms of control but they all sound good to me. A multi track export feature has already been requested a lot which will mean adding effects externally will be a lot easier once it's added
Forgot to answer the question about the screen - I think it's fine because the text is never smaller than that written around the buttons. Some people find it too small but I gave it no thought whatsoever while making presets and patches on it. Much better than say the Arturia MicroFreak which is tiny by comparison, I still love that synth though
@@ChrisLodyMusic Ah that's a useful comparison as I used to own that synth. Appreciate the answers, Chris. Keep up the great work.
I'm really tempted to buy this but I'm unsure about a few things. And I'm sorry if these are silly questions but I'm still really new to all of this but it's something I really want to get into.
*Can I record patterns from my Mega Synth and XFM on this?
*Can I create a song, save it on the SD card and transfer it onto a computer?
*What would you recommend the best for making music on. Lofi-12XT or Smpltrek?
Hi, they're not silly questions at all.
1. Yes you can sample the audio from your MEGA and XFM into this then play those back as samples. It records up to 40 seconds in mono at 12 or 24khz. You'll need a cable that converts from 3.5mm stereo to 2x 1/4" mono to connect them together.
2. Yes you can do that. Using the Mix Tape feature you can record the audio output to a .wav file which you can just drag and drop onto your PC. Multitrack export will also be added at some point via an update too
3. This is difficult to answer easily because it depends on the way you like to make music. I talk about this at length on the stream I'll link to below, but putting it briefly the SmplTrek is good at live arrangement and handling very long audio recordings while the Lofi-12 XT is good at sound design for beat making etc and has a much more immediate interface. czcams.com/video/Zrw7ko0dzjA/video.html
@@ChrisLodyMusic awesome. Thank you for the reply Chris, it's really appreciated.
I've been trying to upload my patterns from my synth to my laptop but haven't had much luck. SysEx couldn't find it. But that's probably because I bought a budget USB/Midi cable.
Then I bought an "M Audio" Audio Interface to record my patterns but that didn't work either because M Audio doesn't support the macOS I use 😂
So I thought, surely the XT or Smpltrek should do the job. I think I'm gonna go with the XT tho. It sounds awesome and the workflow looks easier compared to the Smpltrek
Oh I see you want to backup your patterns as midi Sysex files. Neither the SmplTrek or Lofi-12 XT will do that, it's a case of transferring to PC or Mac like you say. It's far easier to backup either the Trek or XT though as you can just copy the SD card contents
@@ChrisLodyMusic Awesome. I mostly want to record projects and transfer them to my Mac. So the XT sounds ideal for what I want to do and after watching your interview on the Pro Synth network, I feel confident in buying it now.
Thanks again, Chris. You're a legend.
Nice solid vid. Any info on knkwn bugs? Ive noticed when trying to chop samples, if i hit zoom the wave will dissapear and no sound will trigger nor will the knons function as designed forcing me to change tracks thrn going back to fix (sometimes)
Also noticed some latency/lag when sequencing live (0 swing, quantizing at either 100 or 0) snares come in delayed after live trigger (1/16)
Ive had to micro tune to fix.
Thanks in advance
Yes there are some known bugs in the release version, there's a v1.1 coming out soon that will hopefully fix them all. It's always worth reporting anything you find though just in case it's not already been reported. If you haven't already send any bugs you find here: sonicware.jp/pages/support
@@ChrisLodyMusic Cool Thanks
In a nutshell what are the differences between this and the smpltrek (besides 12 bit audio), also, does it have the same track types as the smpltrek?
This is something I'll be talking about on a live stream tomorrow that I'll link to below. But basically the SmplTrek is a workstation style sampler that puts arrangement up front making it easy to trigger clips in realtime. The Lofi-12 XT is a Groovebox style sampler that puts sound design up front. The SmplTrek has track types for specific tasks, a Loop track for handling loops for example, where as Lofi-12 XT has a single flexible track type with multiple voice modes. It essentially treats everything like a synth voice which the SmplTrek doesn't. Hopefully I can cover all this ground and more in this video: czcams.com/users/liveZrw7ko0dzjA
@@ChrisLodyMusic thanks!!
Noticed that sometimes when I'm using the value knob to scroll through files it will start scrolling in the opposite direction. So if I'm turning it to the right to scroll down suddenly the cursor will start scrolling up for a couple seconds. Anyone else experience that?
Yes I've seen that too. I think this is just a case of the encoder being moved fast enough that the software can't tell which direction the encoder has been turned. The encoders send out pulses as they're turned and if these happen faster than the input is scanned the XT can get a bit confused
Cool, I can live with that.
Elektron is kinda confused right now. "Oh shoot we can't fool them anymore"
Ha yeah 😄👌
Great video Chris… anyone having sample visibility problems? I’m having an odd issue with seeing the samples… I’ve converted them internally on the XT, optimized the database, and sometimes they show up and sometimes they don’t, unless I specifically highlight the folder containing them, re-optimize, and then navigate to the folder. But then other folders that had samples before are not showing the samples… I’m hoping this is just a v.1 bug of some sort…
I have no problem seeing the stock samples, but I’ve added a bunch more in folders and that’s where the weirdness is evident. Haven’t tagged anything since it seems really time consuming (and it doesn’t matter whether or not ‘no tags’ is used to filter).
Hi. Don't worry this is just a bug in version 1. It was discovered just before release so there was no time to fix it without delaying shipping unfortunately. The files are still there but the number shown in each folder is not consistent for some reason. By the way to answer you question there is no limit on the number of samples that can be stored on the SD card, you can add as many as you like up to the SD card capacity
Thanks! Even with a few issues outstanding it’s a really powerful little box- everything is so well organized and easy to find. Loving it! 😍
Still looking for a guide on how to get tracks out of this product via stems export or mixdown or file transfer or any other means of "how to get what you've done on here to the outside world". I know this guy is thorough so thought he'd show that? Am I just not seeing it or is this a "dead-end jam toy"?
There's no offline export feature on version 1 of the firmware but I've been told that will be available in a future update including mutitracks. There is the real-time background mixtape recording feature in the meantime that you can find details at 1:01:41
@@ChrisLodyMusic Oh thanks so much OK I'll check it out
been having trouble followed your down sampling tips for files loaded to SD card but im not having any luck my folders are always empty
okay i got it
1. insert formated sd card or sd card that comes with unit into computer (or use card reader mode)
2. use a software like reaper to downsample all drums and organzie how you want
3. load all drums onto SD card in Pool/Audio folder
4. reinsert SD card or leave Card Reader Mode
5. let it reload project
6. go to open track
7. click A knob
8. click B knob
9. click Ok when highlighted over YES for updating Files DB
10. WAIT cause this will take a few minutes
11. and viola!!!!! all your samples are now loaded in and available for cooking up unless you messed up on sample rate, channel count (samples need to be mono), or bit depth (16 bit or 24 bit)
Yes that it perfectly! I probably should have made sure to mention refreshing the database when adding files to the SD card manually. I'll add that to the 'bits I missed' annotation
@@ChrisLodyMusic perfect 👍🏾 your the bomb, also I was curious when in alive mode is there a button combo for global pitch and velocity adjustments or can you only adjust each slices pitch one at a time
@@b4lasers Thank you. No sorry there's no global function for that, it's one slice at a time, though you can still adjust the overall pitch of the sample from the SND tab waveform view on the B knob
The Autechre machine.
Ha yes would be awesome for that 😁
Received mine today! It seems that in the current firmware it is not possible to hear what is on a step when editing data. Am I right or is there something I missed?
Yes that's correct. Being able to preview steps is something myself and the other sound designers asked for during development but it didn't make it into version 1. I'm hoping it will in the future
@@ChrisLodyMusic Too bad. I would have like also to see the pads illuminated in pad mode when you select a step. Even in slice mode, it’s impossible to know what is on a step.
Just got mine, and I've noticed something, not sure if happens to everyone...Is it normal that the sound of the speaker starts crackling at high volume?. On mine I have to keep it a bit quiet
Hi, don't worry that's normal. The speaker and amp that powers it are only capable producing a modest amount of volume so it will go into a guitar amp like overdrive if it's pushed beyond a certain point
@@ChrisLodyMusic thanks, I was a bit worried, so far it's super fun to play with it
Hello, I don't know if I missed it but is it possible to export each of the 8 tracks separately via usb?
Not yet, but there's been a lot of requests for it as it's possible on the SmplTrek. I know Sonicware want to do a lot more with the song mode so I expect it to be added in a future update
@@ChrisLodyMusic Thanks for the info and of course for the great tutorial as always!
How can you audition samples without these being retrigered really fast?
There's been a version 1.1 update since I made this video. That is one of the things that has been addressed along with a lot of other tweaks
Just got mine today, loving it so far but noticing that the sequencer hiccups at the start or every sequence, once it loops over it's smooth, but it's making song mode damn near useless lol Any insight on this at all? Bug perhaps? It's like a real bad lag at the start of every play, it's really jarring in song mode playback everytime it switches patterns
So I found that switching patterns and song mode can be perfectly smooth but you have to make sure that your tracks use the same sample as the pattern switches, so the same samples on track 1 pattern 1 as track 1 pattern 2 for example. This is the method I demo from 58:16. I think this may include EFX etc but I need to experiment more with that. If a new sample is loaded between tracks the old voice will be flushed to make way for all the new settings, this causes the hiccup you mentioned. I didn't have time to mention this in the tutorial but I'll add it to the description. If I'm wrong and you're still having trouble let tech support know what you're experiencing: sonicware.jp/pages/support
@@ChrisLodyMusic Yea its exactly same patterns and tracks between every pattern, just making little sequence changes (drop outs, etc)... I sent Sonicware a video on IG to check it out since I had a little line of communication in there already. Even without song mode going, just as a standalone pattern it lags at the start of every single one for some reason. I'm about to experiment a bit, I have a feeling it could be related to the Quantize percentage perhaps, gonna try a new pattern stepping some stuff in with the quanitze at 0 to see if it still does it
@@ChrisLodyMusic It's the global swing doing it... it'll swing some of the starting notes where it should at the beginning of playback, then stay normal as it loops back around. Just tested with stepping in a little kit on a fresh project
Ah I think I know what you're talking about regarding the drop outs between patterns now, this is related to the micro timing. It's possible to realtime record notes that have micro timing with negative amounts, if this includes the first note the timing will be before the first step of the pattern so it won't trigger the first time around. You can either turn up quantise to max if you want to get rid of this or edit the micro timing so it's at 0 or more.
The swing should delay the start of every even numbered step. I've not used it enough to identify any issues but I'll try that later today and see if I can replicate what you just mentioned
@@ChrisLodyMusic Yeah there is definitely a bug or something going on, I tried setting downbeats to dead on the grid in the micro time edting, and once that swing is up and you restart a pattern play, it'll make that first downbeat disappear and not play at all until it loops back around. Otherwise manually shifting timing of steps seems to hold up fine and not do the weird stutter at the start. Also the swing setting seems to like stay buffered until you hit play a 2nd time, it'll still lag out the first play after setting the swing back to zero, but on a 2nd push it'll play back normally as it should again. So hopefully that can get identified and sorted out, otherwise this thing is really cool!
Hi and thanks for this tutorial.
A little question. How copy/paste ad entire pattern? not only a track.
Thank you. To copy a pattern you just load the pattern you want to copy, press Func+PTN (save), then select the slot you'd like to save the pattern into
@@ChrisLodyMusic thank you. I'll try to do it
@@ChrisLodyMusic So, I tried your method and it works. however I encountered an anomalous behaviour, when I save different patterns and rename them and re-save them again when I turn on the device again it brings back all the patterns as before, as if it had not saved anything and the strange thing is that it renames them all like the first pattern and they also sound like the first pattern. Maybe it's a bug? or am I the one making some mistakes?
@@allegro_manontroppo No problems have been found with pattern saving. It something I was using the whole time I was making sounds and patterns on it over several months so I would have noticed if there was an issue. It's something I demo in the section starting from 58:16. Did you remember so also save your project? It's possible to lose work on patterns if you don't do that
@@ChrisLodyMusic I will make further attempts, thanks for the quick response
When applying sample start as a parameter lock on a step, it applies the lock on the next recorded step... Is this a bug?
I'm not sure about that, I'll check and see if that's correct for the workflow or not
I think what you're experiencing might be due to micro timing. The parameter locks don't allow for micro timing so they will always line up with the steps, while the notes themselves are free to be triggered either side of those steps. So it may be the case that the timing for the next recorded step in your example is slightly early so it's being affected by the parameter locks. I'm not sure if this is considered a bug or just the way it has to be. Feel free to contact Sonicware with what you've experienced though, this may be useful feedback for them: sonicware.jp/pages/support
@@ChrisLodyMusic I didn't do live recording so the steps should be on grid. Load a simple drum loop>Place triggers on steps 1 and 9> Hold step 9 and move start point> Edited start point is on step 1 not step 9... That can't be right.
I tried to replicate this in exactly this manner, both earlier and just now using exactly the method you described and I haven’t found any issues. I am testing newer versions of the firmware at the moment though which contains many bug fixes so it’s possible that it’s already been fixed. Just to be sure though please report what you’ve found to the link above
Ah wait a minute, there is one thing that might cause some strange behaviour. So I presume you're pressing REC then entering steps directly onto the steps to create your track. If that's the case, make sure you turn off REC when you press and hold the steps, otherwise when you press the step to add the automation of the sample start, the note trigger will be removed because pressing steps multiple times with REC turned on will add and remove notes each time they're pressed. Perhaps it that?
Does this come with timestretching?
Not on version 1 unfortunately. The SmplTrek has non realtime stretching so I'm hoping they add it in an update along with a bunch of other destructive editing tools 🤞
@ChrisLodyMusic Thank you. Yeah, im looking forward to that feature, but i may still get this on day one. Having a portable music device is something i need badly.
Can i lock different samples from the sample pool in one single track and is it possible to save a single track?
Yes you can do that, you just need to hold a step and turn the A knob from the SND parameter tab to set those steps to different sounds.
You can create a pattern that only has information on one track, but all 8 tracks will still be saved. It is possible to copy a whole track into a different pattern though if that's what you need
@@ChrisLodyMusic Nice, i tried and while i hold the step trig button and change sound from the sound pool, the trig button change to orange, when i press it again, then i can hear it and the step button change to yellow
Is it that the right way?;//
@@ChrisLodyMusic for example, if i like load a sample and change pitch, filter, fx etc, can i save it like a new preset?
Regarding sound locking, I've always added steps where I want the notes first and then held the step and adjusted the A knob then. I'm not sure if it would work the other way round
Regarding creating a sound preset, there's no way to do that at the moment. It has been asked for already so Sonicware might add it, we'll have to see
I’m not necessarily a fan of the Lofi conversion since they announced it. I bought it anyway. But is it really noticeable?
I mean if you load up a super fat pad chord or a drum beat, does it really mess it up?
It's going to be noticeable at 12khz, less so at 24khz but you're still going to hear it. Also worth remembering that it sums stereo samples to mono
I worked entirely in 24khz during the sound design process and a drop in quality wasn't something I really noticed. I don't think it's as noticeable as on the Liven Lofi-12 where you may have to pitch up before sampling to create extra space for example, not necessary here. Like the Liven is doesn't interpolate the output so the output remains bright sounding. It's most noticeable when pitching instruments down which will add some crunchy aliasing
@@ChrisLodyMusic thanks. I’m sure it’s something I can live with. As I told Bo Beats, I tried exporting a project from Logic at 24Khz and it sounded nice.
They really nailed the workflow on this one. Smpltrek… I couldn’t gel with it.
Just got my shipping number. It’s arriving on Wednesday 🎉
Where is TimeStretching feature !!!?🙆♂🤦♂
There's no time stretch yet. There was a bunch of features that haven't made it into version 1 due to development time constraints so hopefully this will be added in an update at some point
too much like digitakt, i prefer workflow on pocket operators, and the sp404sx
Not much to complain about with this sampler and drum machine but not sure why Dr Yu Endo insists on putting those dumb tiny speakers in every machine he designs. I’d rather not have the speakers as they are good for nothing and make the screen and knobs a tad bigger.
I think with them being battery powered someone else would complain if it didn't have a speaker to be honest. Also the sad truth is that many people listen to music, CZcams etc straight out of their mobile phone speaker so the speaker in this is actually pretty useful for testing mixes. In the studio I tend to run a mix into a Liven to check it will sound okay on CZcams
I find it useful. I’ve had times where I forgot my headphones or my adapter and the speaker is useful. On a lot of gear.
@@ChrisLodyMusic I completely understand what you’re saying. There’s always going to be someone who complains about something no matter how good the product is. Either way, I can’t wait to have 8 or 9 Pints of Guinness and some bong rips and enjoy myself with the LoFi-12 XT. Cheers 🍻
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