| You can use the Track Copy function to create a seamless loop of audio. This is useful when you want the same audio, like a drum machine pattern, to repeat over and over. A great benefit of creating a drum loop this way is that Track Copy does not re-write audio to the hard drive. Therefore, your drum loop will not use up any additional hard drive space. The key to getting a seamless loop is correctly setting your START and END points. You'll want the START point to be on a downbeat or on a beat that has a clear audible edge. A good, solid bass drum hit is always a good place to set the START point. Once the START point is set, carefully determine where the end of the loop will be. The end of the loop should also be on a good, solid downbeat or on a beat with a clear audible edge. If you make the START point on the second beat of measure two, the END point should also be on the second beat of a measure to ensure a smooth sounding loop of the correct length. Matching Edit Points When making a loop, the START and FROM points must be the same; likewise, the END and TO points must be the same. I usually increment the TO point 1 subframe beyond the END point, otherwise the start of the next repeated loop is one subframe early and, if there are many repeated copies, eventually the groove will rush ever so slightly due to the 1/3000 th of a second loss at the end of the repeated loop. |
The smoothness of the loop will greatly depend on the accuracy with which you set the START and END points. If you used a Tempo Map to record your drum beat, finding the precise loop points may be as simple as scrolling the jogwheel to the correct measure numbers you want to use. If you did not use a Tempo Map, you may have to use more precise methods to find the correct loop points. This is when you would use Scrub, Preview, and the Waveform display to help you find the exact loop points. Here are the steps for creating a seamless loop: | 1. | Determine the best START and END points using one of the methods previously described.
| | 2. | Set locator 1 (START) to the start point. Set locator 3 (FROM) to the same position. These two points should be the same.
| | 3. | Set locator 2 (END) to the end point. Set locator 4 (TO) to 1 subframe past the END point. (See note above.)
| | 4. | Hold SHIFT and press F2 (Track).
| | 5. | Make sure the Track Edit menu appears and not the Phrase Edit menu. If you see the Phrase Edit menu here, use the F1 button to toggle to the Track Edit menu.
| | 6. | Press F2 (Copy).
| | 7. | Enter the START, END, FROM, and TO points in the appropriate places on the screen. Don't forget to use the F2 (NOW) button to lock each one in.
| | 8. | Use the cursor keys to select Copy Time. Enter the amount of times you want the loop to repeat.
| | 9. | Press F4 (Exec).
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