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I've used three different methods to achieve this and I'm not entirely happy with any of them. But I'm convinced that there MUST be an easy way.

Here's the question:
Which program can take a MIDI track of a Pulsar synth and instantly turn it into a perfectly cut audio file ?

I don't want to sample it in SoundForge or re-record it in real time to an audio track. Why? Because I get distracted by fiddling with loops. The more I listen to a manually cut loop the more I'm convinced it's out of sync - even when it's perfect. I want the machine to do that (tedious) bit.

Somewhere there must be program where you just stare at the screen and think:

"Hmmmm....I think I'll dump the MIDI drums from patterns 5 to 9 to audio, that way I can delete the module and load up another synth. Ok, pressing the button now... *click* ! Oh good, there's my wav file, a perfectly synced 4-bar sample."

To my knowledge you can't do this in:
SoundForge
Acid
Vegas
Cubase (well, not easily)
FruityLoops

So what about Logic or Nuendo ? Is that how "bounce" works in Logic ?


Spirit

I think this is actually really easy in Nuendo, Cubase, and Logic. You record Pulsar exactly like you would external gear. Setup your ASIO modules in your project (one way is to have ASIO on an AUX send of Pulsar mixer, then adjust the AUX levels for the channels inside pulsar you'd like to record), select a recording region, arm an audio channel, press record.

You'll get a perfectly trimmed .WAV file of your instrument - and can now maybe remove some modules to save DSP (of course save this project file with a slightly different name so you could go back! ).

This is just the rough idea - it's about 6 mouse clicks, but really flexible. Everything is hard the first time.

I think Spirit wants a program with voice recognition where he can say "record this sequence to a wave file" but seriously I don't see the big deal, it is super easy in Cubase, logic, etc.

Cubase doesn't like me. But since everyone keeps on saying it's easy I'll go in the ring for another 12 Rounds. There must be some sort of conceptual problem I'm having here - I SOLVE technical problems for about 300 people as a living but just can't seem to get this asio-VST thing happening despite lots of good advice....

And Algo, that voice recognition program sounds just about right. How much is it ?

Perhaps some kind soul will email me a project file ? The latest one on the forum describes for Pulsar 1.1 !

I promise to post a complete project set-up myself as soon as I get everything working perfectly. No one deserves to go through this fiddly crap

that's what you must do in cubase:
1. record midi track for some pulsar synth
2. this synth connect to asio destination (first and second for example)
3. cubase/panels/vst inputs - activate first and second vst inputs
4. go to audio chanel and set everything like this
if you don't have this picture on the left side click this arow
5. click record

must work!?
sandro

Okay I will be absolutely as explicit as I can, and hopefully we can get this sorted. IMHO, it isn't all that fiddly, it's actually straightforward to my mind.

Steps to recording via ASIO for Logic, Cubase, and Nuendo:

1. Put ASIO Source & Destination modules into your Pulsar project. Have them inside your project BEFORE you launch your sequencer. You can adjust the number of channels by double clicking the ASIO modules, adjust them BEFORE you launch your sequencer. There are various ways to wire audio TO and FROM your ASIO program just keep this in mind:
a. ASIO Source is audio coming FROM your sequencer (for ie: mixing & effecting inside Pulsar).
b. ASIO Destination is audio going TO your sequencer (for ie: "Record to Disk" functionality or "perfectly cut loops" as you are desiring).

Notes: For Logic, I use the ASIO2 24-bit Source & Destination modules, I suggest using ASIO2 modules.

2. Start your sequencer program, of course leaving Pulsar open still. Setup the AUDIO section of your sequencer to use the same bit depth ASIO SCOPE driver (same driver used by all Creamware cards for ASIO). This varies depending on your sequencer. Check your sequencer's manual for more information.

Note: In Logic, simply check the "ASIO2" driver in the Audio Preferences dialog box, check 24-bit if you've used the 24bit modules in Pulsar, and select "ASIO Scope" in the pulldown.

3. Now that you have made a change to the audio drivers, you will need to restart your sequencer. You only need to do this step <b>once</b>; future sessions with your sequencer will look for the ASIO source/destination modules automatically (so be sure they are always included in your Pulsar projects from now on!) - if they don't appear in your Pulsar project then you might get a message from your sequencer (Logic does) telling you this when you start your sequencer.

Now let's test this a little. In your Pulsar project, wire ASIO Source 1&2 to a mixer (of course, the outputs of the mixer routed to physical outputs of the card so you can hear it, like normal). In your sequencer, load a large .WAV file - something like a minute long or longer, onto a new Audio track (and double check the Audio track is using the ASIO Scope driver). Press play in your sequencer, you should now hear audio out of the ASIO source and see meters in Pulsar! If you don't, then go back and double check your cabling & driver settings. Once playback works, continue here.

Note: You will get no Audio, or will not be able to select the ASIO Scope Driver, if your sequencer isn't getting digital sync. So, for example, if your Pulsar is slaving to a Digital desk which is turned off, such that Pulsar isn't showing a sample rate in the Sample Rate dialog, then you will have no audio in your sequencer. Make sure there is sync between all devices.

4. Okay now that audio works coming FROM the sequencer to the Pulsar environment, let's go the other way. First, create new Audio track in your sequencer (in Logic, double click a blank track, click and hold until a popup comes up, then select ie: Audio Track 2 from the list).

Select a region you'd like to record into, in your sequencer. (In Logic, this is, I believe, left clicking the start & right clicking the end position on the Time Bar at the top)

Arm the channel for recording - In logic click the little "R" next to the track so it turns red.

Press record in your sequencer.

Done.

Depending on how your sequencer is setup, it may loop between the points you have selected, creating a new audio track each time it passes through the loop (for, eg: multiple .WAV files of the same section, only with different knob tweaks, etc), or it may not completely 'trim' the loops, recording before & after the loop points too.

Hope that helps, I am sure there are people using Cubase who could fill in the Cubase-specific details.

Of course, you have to have MIDI parts playing, or be playing "live" some Pulsar synths, such that you're getting audio; inside Logic, you can see the meters bounch next to the track as you ie: play a Pulsar synth. Just remember to think carefully about what you're wiring - Source = "From other program TO Pulsar" and Destination = "From Pulsar TO other program" etc. I'm sure you'll have further questions... but please do try this a little bit yourself an mess with it, I did figure it out without any "magic books" or anything -- I mean, besides the Pulsar & Logic manuals.

Thanks everyone. If I can't get it happening now I'll have to hide in the corner for a week with the dunce cap on.

Really, this is very much appreciated.

OK, I read Subhuman's text while swapping between SandroB's pictures....
<font size="+3">and it worked <font size="+1">

I could have sworn that's what I had been doing, yet this time it worked... Now I can record and play audio AND export midi tracks to audio.

Ahhhhh.... the relief and happiness I feel - thanks to everyone who helped.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Spirit on 2002-01-22 05:22 ]</font>

Spirit,

There is actually 2 MUCH easier methods with in Nuedo of course

1) the longer version: Just solo the idi and audio tracks you want to export to, set the locators as normal native bounce technique and hit export audio ( the tryick is to click (realtime export), yopu wont hear sound but it creates a perfect spliced export of the locator range with all effects, synths what not you have running just as a native export works

2. The very smiple way =) : Click on the midi track and right click select (render VST) and thats it, perfect audio track made and placed in the exact same location as your midi is playing in the song, this is THE most powerfull feature of a DSP bounce...

Cheers!