Triggering loops (and stopping them!)

[tonyton]

I fear this is a very basic question - apologies if it's been covered elsewhere.

How do you stop and start a drum loop within Machfive 2 or 3 in a DP sequence? I don't want to do anything complicated like editing the sample but simply want it to start playing at (e.g.) bar 3 and have it stop at (e.g.) bar 32. I'd assumed I'd use a MIDI key but can't find any way to get it to work. (I've read the manual but it made my head hurt).
Any advice would be much appreciated.

Tony

[dix]

Huh? Just record a note from bar 3 to bar 32. I'm not sure what you're asking.

[bayswater]

You create loops with the loop tool. Drag across the bit you want to loop. Change the number of times it loops in the Event list or Event window in the edit screen.

[tonyton]

But if I choose a loop it just keeps playing forever - what am I missing?

[tonyton]

Thanks for your help and advice. I think I'm not being clear. I am totally familiar with loading instruments such as pianos and guitars and playing them via a track/channel in DP. But when I select a drum loop in a part it just continues to play whenever the sequence is running. So if I want to alternate loops I don't seems to be able to do so. I realise it's probably different to playing instrumental sounds but I just can't understand why or how....

[bayswater]

From your description I can't figure out how get the same thing to happen. If the loop parameters in the Event list window, and audio loop parameters in the Soundbite info window don't help, then I'm at a loss.

Maybe I'm thrown off by the words: I don't understand what you mean by "select" a loop in a "part".

[tonyton]

Yes I'm sure I'm not expressing it correctly. What I'm doing is double clicking on the Machfive 3 'track' in DP to get to the Machfive window. The I double click where it says 'empty' in what I believe is called a part (it says part next to 'Tree,' 'List', and 'Browse,') and then I go to Universal Loops and Instruments and select Loops. I then select (eg.) Drumloops Rock and (say) Classic Beat. This loads successfully into the part but I am at a loss as to how to control it - if I play the sequence it plays and continues until I stop. What I can't understand is how to start and stop it within the sequence. I think I'm probably approaching this completely the wrong way round!

[bayswater]

Sorry, my mistake. I skimmed and stated looking in DP, rather than MachFive. When I've got the system up, I'll have another look.

[bayswater]

You probably have autoplay selected. It's under the sample display, to the right of centre. Turn that off and the samples should only respond to incoming MIDI, and only for the duration of the MIDI note.

[tonyton]

Great - thanks. I'll try that and let you know.

[tonyton]

Hmm - sorry - tried turning it off but it didn't make any difference. There must be something basic I'm doing wrong!

[bayswater]

I tried it out. With the autoplay selected, I got what you reported: pressing play, generating any MIDI, etc. sets the loop playing and it never stops. Turn it off, and I only get sound when a MIDI input Note On is received, and it the sound stop at Note Off.

I also notice that you have to stop all playback before turning autoplay off, otherwise whatever sample is looping continues to loop.

[tonyton]

Yes that's it! Thank you very much. I now wish I'd asked the question a week ago which would have saved me a lot of grief!

[monkey man]

Oh man, a whole week of listening to that loop.

You poor bugger! LOL

[Rockshamrover]

I've had similar problems and I'm sure there's an inbuilt way to do this within M53. My work around is to use volume automation. Not ideal, but it gets the job done