The looper is a pretty complicated module. To use it, you'll need to use
the SampleList item in the menubar. This will bring up the Sample List
dialog box, which looks like this:
You can click on any of the 64 slots in the Sample List dialog to bring up
a File-Open box. This allows you to load an audio file in WAV format.
Currently, only PCM WAVE is supported - no compressed ACM, no mp3 - this
may be improved in the future.
Now, the looper can select one of these samples to play. There are quite
a few controls on the looper - here they are!
Sample
This selects which sample from the Sample List
dialog box to use.
Start and End
These control what section of the sample is looped
over. By default, the sample starts at its beginning and continues to its
end. This can be changed - for example, pulling End up a bit will trim the
end of the sample.
Speed%
This can be used to change the speed which the sample
is played, like on a turntable.
The last two settings - TrigOnly and Trigger Beats - require an explanation
of the blue terminals on the looper.
The red output terminal on the looper is an ordinary audio output terminal
like the others we have seen. However, there is one blue output and one
blue input which carry, not audio, but synch pulses.
When a looper receives a synch pulse on its blue input, it resets to the
start of the sample. Now we can explain these settings.
TrigOnly
When TrigOnly is pulled down, the looper will no longer
loop through the sample automatically, but will only do this when it receives a
synch pulse.
Trigger Beats
Trigger Beats determines the number of synch pulses
that the looper outputs for each cycle through the sample. For example, if
a looper has Trigger Beats set to 4 and is playing a one-measure phrase, it
will output a synch pulse every quarter note.
Loopers can be synchronized by connecting the synch output of one to the
synch input of another. Play around with it, have fun!