Is there a software that I can use for running audio as a sequence?

[Functional]

Not sure how to phrase the topic exactly. What I need is just a program where I can just have audio files in order and have it so that I can sequence events into one midi button. So, for example; first press runs audio file A, second press runs audio file B, third one fades out the A instantly, fourth begins fading out B slowly (by parameters I set it to) etc.

I'm sure there's something that can do this. Additional bonus would be that I could, for example, set the fourth sequence so that it waits for my input on a separate fader till it's at zero and then I can move on.

Or perhaps theres a DAW that could do this? I'm still considering Bitwig and if it's possible with Bitwig, it would be even better. Cubase limits me with the amount of channels that I can have on one VST program whereas I'm not exactly keen on standalone programs because they're usually a hassle if I want to change something (EQ position etc) later on.

Thanks in advance,
functional

[RunBeerRun]

A round robin sampler? You could easily make it in Synthedit, but as far as using other people's plugins or standalones-lol not that I know of. If someone won't "buy" it, it never gets made.

[xybre]

If you're on Windows you can do that pretty easily with Shortcircuit or really any other half decent sampler.

[Functional]

A round robin sampler? You could easily make it in Synthedit, but as far as using other people's plugins or standalones-lol not that I know of. If someone won't "buy" it, it never gets made.

Not exactly. Round robin feature would be a bonus though, but I'm probably not going to use it here.

If you're on Windows you can do that pretty easily with [url=<span class="skimlinks-unlinked">http://vemberaudio.se/shortcircuit.php</span>]Shortcircuit[/url] or really any other half decent sampler.

Just to be clear here - the purpose for this whole feature is simply to run audio for theatrical show. We've been using CD-player for that, but since I'm the sound designer (and first for this group), they're using more flash effects than before. So I just want to have a chain of sequences on one button, so that in case that I'm sick, someone could easily replace me.

I'll check out shortcircuit but what worries me is that you said "any half-decent sampler can do that", since this isn't clearly the case. I can't, for example, do this in Groove Agent One. I'm limited to having only 8 (afaik) samples per pad. I can chain them, so, that each press moves on to the next one (or have them on toggle etc), but unfortunately there's no way to have a sample specific fade in/out timer (unless I would use a knob/fader to control it manually).

I know this might be bit unusual, as I can easily run the show by using full capability of my midi controllers, but if there's someone else around, it won't be that simple anymore for them since it would require them to learn the layout & logic that I used to set it up.

Though Shortcircuit specs on the surface at least are great. 16 mono & 8 stereo channels is certainly more than enough. What worries me whenever I can have a chain of events in there where each time I trigger the midi button, it moves on to the next event. Unfortunately can check this only tomorrow.

[xybre]

A round robin sampler? You could easily make it in Synthedit, but as far as using other people's plugins or standalones-lol not that I know of. If someone won't "buy" it, it never gets made.

Not exactly. Round robin feature would be a bonus though, but I'm probably not going to use it here.

If you're on Windows you can do that pretty easily with [url=<span class="skimlinks-unlinked">http://vemberaudio.se/shortcircuit.php</span>]Shortcircuit[/url] or really any other half decent sampler.

Just to be clear here - the purpose for this whole feature is simply to run audio for theatrical show. We've been using CD-player for that, but since I'm the sound designer (and first for this group), they're using more flash effects than before. So I just want to have a chain of sequences on one button, so that in case that I'm sick, someone could easily replace me.

I'll check out shortcircuit but what worries me is that you said "any half-decent sampler can do that", since this isn't clearly the case. I can't, for example, do this in Groove Agent One. I'm limited to having only 8 (afaik) samples per pad. I can chain them, so, that each press moves on to the next one (or have them on toggle etc), but unfortunately there's no way to have a sample specific fade in/out timer (unless I would use a knob/fader to control it manually).

I know this might be bit unusual, as I can easily run the show by using full capability of my midi controllers, but if there's someone else around, it won't be that simple anymore for them since it would require them to learn the layout & logic that I used to set it up.

Though Shortcircuit specs on the surface at least are great. 16 mono & 8 stereo channels is certainly more than enough. What worries me whenever I can have a chain of events in there where each time I trigger the midi button, it moves on to the next event. Unfortunately can check this only tomorrow.

Ah, Groove Agent is a drum sampler. Slightly different than a generic sampler.

Shortcircuit has long controllable envelopes (up to 1024 seconds for each stage, but infinite if held):



You can also map sounds one key after another. Unfortunately I don't see an option to add start-offsets which it sounds like you might want.



Note that I am using Shortcircuit v1 because v2 does not seem to be compatible with my system.

What you also might want to do is combine a sampler (Groove Agent might work for this) with a triggerable sequencer like SugarBytes Thesys. If you're using Ableton, Reaper, Bitwig, Reaktor, or Renoise there's a lot more flexibility to program your own MIDI-triggered sequencer. I'm not 100% on what features you need so I'm not certain if what's here is good enough or if there's something missing.

[pljones]

Disk streaming sounds like a pretty important requirement here, depending on the size of each segment.

It also sounds like you want different means of muting a segment depending on how you trigger a future segment (hard mute, fade, etc) - and not necessarily the next one.

In your example, you had a new segment muting not the immediately previous segment but that two before. Could you clarify that -- I mean, was it "If segment 1 is playing and segment 3 is triggered, mute segment 1" or was it "When segment 3 is trigger, mute whatever segment was trigger one before last"?

[whyterabbyt]

Can I just confirm; there are three actions you want this to be able to do, yes?

On a button -press either
1. play next audio sample with a fade-in of length X
or
2. Fade-out current audio sample with a fade-out of length X
or
3. If fader is not at zero wait (doing nothing?) until fader is at zero

Is that correct?

[Functional]

You can also map sounds one key after another. Unfortunately I don't see an option to add start-offsets which it sounds like you might want.

What you also might want to do is combine a sampler (Groove Agent might work for this) with a triggerable sequencer like SugarBytes Thesys. If you're using Ableton, Reaper, Bitwig, Reaktor, or Renoise there's a lot more flexibility to program your own MIDI-triggered sequencer. I'm not 100% on what features you need so I'm not certain if what's here is good enough or if there's something missing.

AFAIK, I have no use for start-offset as I want things to happen exactly on cue. Unfortunately I still didn't get the time to check out Shortcircuit(we got a jazz gig today that I have to mix + gotta clean up some audio files before that). Seems good on behalf the things you've posted so far, though.

Just to make sure - I can use only one midi button for running the sequence, correct? I know this might feel a bit like repeating but I fear that I lack the terminology for stating myself here properly.

Disk streaming sounds like a pretty important requirement here, depending on the size of each segment.

It also sounds like you want different means of muting a segment depending on how you trigger a future segment (hard mute, fade, etc) - and not necessarily the next one.

In your example, you had a new segment muting not the immediately previous segment but that two before. Could you clarify that -- I mean, was it "If segment 1 is playing and segment 3 is triggered, mute segment 1" or was it "When segment 3 is trigger, mute whatever segment was trigger one before last"?

My computer is powerful enough for this purpose (16 gigs of DDR3 1666mhz RAM, regarding the disk streaming), but I agree, the lighter it gets the better it is. I'm planning to have another installation of Windows that contains nothing more than whatever I need to run the whole show, in order to have minimal stress on my computer. I know Linux would be better here, but I don't have the time to learn it out.

On the muting occasion - there's nothing else really than fade & hard mute that I could figure of. What I do want though, is to possibly use some segments (I like that term!) that overlap. Eg, let's say a specific part begins by song A. During this song, I'll also have foley effects (someone smashing against a gate, someone hitting a ball with a bat in cartoonish fashion) that I want to trigger before the song actually ends. So let's say there's three of these effects. First cue begins the song, second triggers effect A, third effect B, fourth effect C & fifth hard mutes the song. Each foley effect will run their full duration, without any kind of fading or muting done to them.

I'm pretty sure that this is as complex as it gets to be honest and anything that allows me to sequence these segments together into one button, should pretty much fit on all of my needs. Well, except that I might have somewhere around 50 different audio files in WAV, but I can compromise MP3 since our PA isn't high-end (turbosound) & audience wouldn't even notice a difference.

Regarding the clarification, I don't want any segment to mute another at any point so far, but I see use for that so I would regard it as a bonus feature. Obviously I could just use note on-off data for this purpose as well, whereas "on" mutes the segment I specify it to mute and "off" begins the segment I specify it to begin.

Can I just confirm; there are three actions you want this to be able to do, yes?

On a button -press either
1. play next audio sample with a fade-in of length X
or
2. Fade-out current audio sample with a fade-out of length X
or
3. If fader is not at zero wait (doing nothing?) until fader is at zero

Is that correct?

First action is not a must, because I can set up the fade-in time in the audio files themselves, regard it as a bonus that makes things quicker. Second action would be necessarily, because the actors may not always keep up with the music or vice versa, so I cannot really specify a single point in a song where it must end in every play. Third action also would be a bonus - I don't think it really makes things any bit easier for someone else than me running the show, as it might make it look like the setup jams up if the person running the audio forgot about it or something.

I'm terribly sorry for being terrible in explaining what I need, I hope this post shines some light in.

Thanks,
functional

[xybre]

I'd say check out Shortcircuit since its free, and if/when you bump up against limitations we'll probably be able to get a better idea of what you're missing.

[fmr]

What I would do is assign each sound file to a MIDI key, put stickers with labels on a MIDI keyboard, and play the samples as/when needed on the keyboard. With a reasonable amount of release on the envelopes, you can pretty much control all things as you. This would be a safe and verstaile solution, that only needs you to play the proper keys when you need the corresponding sounds, but you will have more than one "button" (actually, as many "buttons" - keys - as you have sounds).

[Functional]

I'd say check out Shortcircuit since its free, and if/when you bump up against limitations we'll probably be able to get a better idea of what you're missing.

Yeah, I agree. I'll come back to the thread and provide additional information after I've tested shortcircuit. Unfortunately my schedule is pretty bad right now, but I think I got some spare time for that the next week or even this weekend should the gods favor me.

What I would do is assign each sound file to a MIDI key, put stickers with labels on a MIDI keyboard, and play the samples as/when needed on the keyboard. With a reasonable amount of release on the envelopes, you can pretty much control all things as you. This would be a safe and verstaile solution, that only needs you to play the proper keys when you need the corresponding sounds, but you will have more than one "button" (actually, as many "buttons" - keys - as you have sounds).

Yes, this is exactly what I would do if it wasn't for Murphys law. After I've been working like a year in these circles, if there's anything that is certain, it would be that whoever would get my gig and have to run the show, would get wrecked if it's not trivial enough for a monkey to do it. It's not really their job anyway so I wouldn't expect much more from them and thus I want to make everything as idiotproof as it gets on my behalf. A philosophy I learned from our lightning designer which has often come in handy.

[chaosWyrM]

i think you are waaay over thinking this.

as someone who has run sound for a number shows, been a sound designer (for shows), and been a stage manager calling all the sound, lighting, entrance and curtain cues...what your asking to do isnt the way to do it.

all your sounds should be set up one after another so your sound guy only has to press go and stop. if you have sounds that need to fade...well then you need to have the fade recorded...you dont actually fade them.

as the sound designer you should create a single file with all your cues on it in order. if you have a repeat sound...then you record it however many times it repeats...you dont play the same one over again.

this way may take a bit more time to set up initially...but its certainly easier to work with during a show...and WAY easier for someone who might have to fill in should the normal people become unavailable.

in short...no playing multiple files...record everything you need onto one file and just have the sound guy start and stop it.

edit- the exception to this is if you have sound cues that are NOT fixed. the length of a fade for instance may be based off some action on stage that isnt consistent. in situations like this then you are kind of forced to use multiple sources and have the sound guy do a little more...but these kinds of situations are uncommon.

[pljones]

edit- the exception to this is if you have sound cues that are NOT fixed.

Doesn't that cover virtually any live performance, certainly in amateur theatre?

[robogone]

You could do it with Ableton Live and the built in sampler (Simpler)

[chaosWyrM]

edit- the exception to this is if you have sound cues that are NOT fixed.

Doesn't that cover virtually any live performance, certainly in amateur theatre?

no, not at all.

lets say theres a sound cue thats a telephone ringing. the phone rings when the actor finishes a specific line. so when the line is done...you press go on the sound effect...when the actor picks up the phone you press stop. then cue up the next one.

obviously you need to make the sound of the phone ringing a little longer than it takes the actor to pick up the phone just in case they are slow getting to it...but its still a fixed cue. you know when it starts and roughly how long it lasts. most sound effects in shows dont even require the sound board operator to end them...you just let it play and when its done you press stop and cue up the next one. like a door bell, or breaking glass...stuff like that.

situations in which the timing or length of a sound effect is unknown are rare indeed. not least of the reasons why is that sound designers dont put those in unless they really have to.

there are other times where using multiple sources is mandatory, say you have a scene that takes place during a party. well you may want to have party sounds going continually in the background. but you also have sound cues in the scene...we can use the phone ringing example again. in this case you would create the background party atmosphere (music, people talking/lauging...whatever) that is however long the scene is (plus a little more) and have that going, and set up your other cues separately. but you should only do this if you have the capability to make it work. if all you have is some crappy board with a high school kid running it...maybe dont design it that way. its theater after all, you can find a way to make the scene work without asking your crew to do things they arent up for.

it all depends on the show, the equipment at hand, and the skill of the people doing it.

the simplest way to do it is to try to get everything you need on one track that you just stop and start as you need. it can usually be done that way with a bit of preparation. if you have better equipment at your disposal and more skilled board operators, then you can make it more complicated...if it really helps the show, but no reason to over complicate things when theres no real benefit in doing so.