v1.31 PAD WAV file Importing - Food for thought!

[CoreyW]

Ok, so I did some experimenting with the Import WAV file feature for the PADS and found something which may not be evident.  Let me explain...The PADS allow for either up to a 3 second (SHORT) or 9 second (LONG) sample length.  In the XW-P1 forum I had asked for help in creating the ARP OMNI filter sweep sound on the P1, of which several of you guys successfully assisted me with.  However, with the MZ-X500, the PADS make it now possible to actually sample the starting section of the song, which is just the filter sweep sound, and actually play the sample using one of the PADS when we play the song live!!

When I first started experimenting with the concept, I recorded the sample using Audacity.  Then, using the excellent tools in Audacity, was able to trim the start and end points of the sample by getting as close to the zero crossing points to be able to loop the sample with minimal "clicking".  Again, this worked great.  However, at the time I did not have the ability to import the sample into the X500 and had to actually record the sample into the X500, which worked.  I set the sample length to LONG and had to play with the Timing and Timing Unit values to get it to loop correctly, but, it worked.  When the new version was released, I could now actually directly import the WAV file into the X500.  Here were some things I found which could be very easily overlooked:

 

1.  Make sure the WAV file is formatted for 44.1KHz (or lower rate).  If not, you will get an error when trying to load the sample into the X500.  The manual mentions the 44.1KHz rate, but does not indicate anything about an error occurring if trying to load a sample at a higher bit rate, say 48Khz.  That was one problem.  Audacity automatically saved the rate at 48KHz which created the loading issue.  Once I converted the WAV file to 44.1KHz, problem solved.

 

2.  This one took some time, as again, the manual does is not clear about it.  This has to do with selecting a user storage location when importing a WAV file.  I actually realized this one by accident.  My WAV file is actually 6 seconds long, so I when I first recorded it into the X500, I selected the LONG sample option.  When I loaded it directly using the import function, I selected the first available user location.  However, the sample was truncated to only 3 seconds.  At first I thought I did something wrong and tried it again, but ended up with the same results.  Now, I started scratching my head thinking what the heck...  I tried several things which just kept getting me frustrated.  I opened up the firmware release notes and read thru them again thinking that maybe I missed something.  Well lo and behold, and I didn't get it at first, but then it hit me...the release notes mentioned about the 3 second and 9 second sample are based on location.  When I looked in the X500 at the available user locations, I noticed that the original sample I recorded (before I updated the X500) was not located at the first available user location number, but at a higher number location.  When you record directly into the X500, you can only select for a SHORT or LONG sample and it automatically assigns the sample to a user location.  However, when directly importing a WAV file you need to actually select a user location.  So, this time I selected the next higher user location above the original sample and that fixed the problem.  The entire 6 second sample loaded and played perfectly!!  So, it seems that the user locations for samples are predefined by length.  If I interpreted it correctly, the first 12 user locations are for 3 second samples and the remaining locations are for 9 second samples.

I hope this helps if anyone ever decides to use the WAV file import for the PADS.

[Lobbard]

Cheers for the sharing of  ya knowledge.  

[Rick Stirling]

Thank you for providing this information. I'm sure it will be helpful to the group!

 

[dfahrner]

Thanks, CoreyW, I had this same problem last night with some 8 second samples, and had resigned myself to spending time loading samples to all possible locations to try and figure out which ones were for long samples...but thought it was worth checking the forum first...

df