Trigger My Own Samples

Question

Trigger My Own Samples

I want to use a midi drum controller (Alesis ControlPad) to trigger my own samples (wav files) on my MacBook Pro.

These are not percussion samples. They are full chords (i.e.Cmaj7)

I have created a lot of these chord samples (wav files) using various software instruments in Garage Band. I then trim them in Audacity and save them as one-hit wav files. They are not tempo-specific - just big lush chords.

My goal is to set it up so that pad1 triggers chord1, pad2 triggers chiord2, etc.

Is this easily done in MainStage2? Or,s is there a better/simpler way to achieve this?

Thanks!

MainStage, Mac OS X (10.7.5), mainstage2 triggering

Posted on Mar 27, 2013 12:20 PM

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Answer 1

CCTM

Level 6

13,159 points

Mar 27, 2013 1:06 PM in response to StudioDrummer

Hi

Sure... sounds like you'd need to make a custom EXS24 sampler instrument, with the chord samples mapped to MIDI notes as required.

CCT

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Answer 2

Mar 28, 2013 5:26 AM in response to CCTM

CCT

Thanks for the response.

Do I need to place my homemade wav files in a specific location in order to be able to reference them within MainStage/EXS24?

Thanks again!

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Answer 3

CCTM

Level 6

13,159 points

Mar 28, 2013 6:11 AM in response to StudioDrummer

Hi

Not particularly, but you may want to save the Concert with "Assets" to ensure that you don't misplace the samples later.

CCT

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Answer 4

Mar 28, 2013 7:35 AM in response to CCTM

CCT

Thanks again!

I reading through the "Exploring MainStage2 PDF file right now. I also have the full MainStage2 Users Manual.

I'm hoping that eventually the "light will go on" and I'll get this. I searched YouTube but couldn't find any training videos on how to accomplish this (most likely simple) task.

Hey, what can I say. I'm a drummer. I count to 4. 😉

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Answer 5

CCTM

Level 6

13,159 points

Mar 28, 2013 7:43 AM in response to StudioDrummer

Hi

It should not be too challenging... but you will probably need to have a look at these:

http://documentation.apple.com/en/logicstudio/instruments/#chapter=12%26section= 0

http://documentation.apple.com/en/logicstudio/instruments/#chapter=12%26section= 12

Basically,

1)create an Instrument channel,

2) load in the EXS24,

3)hit the Edit button in the EXS GUI,

4)then drag n drop your samples on the desired notes

(Then you start playing ;-) )

CCT

PS don't forget to Save etc

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Answer 6

Mar 28, 2013 8:40 AM in response to CCTM

Thanks again.

I'm going from a stand-alone trigger pad that allowed me to simply put my wav files on an SD card, insert the SD card into the pad's SD slot, and then assign them to a pad. The biggest problem with that approach was that it only had 4 pads. So I could ony access 4 different files (chords) at any given time. My new controller has 8 pads but no onboard sounds or SD slot. Hence, my quest to educate myself on using my MacBook Pro and MainStage 2 as my sound source.

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