128 lines
4.8 KiB
HTML
128 lines
4.8 KiB
HTML
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<figure class="right">
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<img src="/images/import-window.png" alt="The import window" width="50%">
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<figcaption>
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The import window.
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</figcaption>
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</figure>
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<p>
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Many sessions will require the use of <dfn>existing material</dfn>,
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whether it consists of audio and/or MIDI data. Using existing samples,
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loops and riffs from files stored on the system can be the basis for
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a new session, or a way to deepen and improve one that is already
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underway.
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</p>
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<p>
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Importing audio and MIDI data into the session is done with the
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<dfn>Add Existing Media</dfn> dialog, accessed either by the
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<kbd class="menu"> Session > Import</kbd> menu or, if any tracks have
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already been added, by right-clicking on the canvas of the <dfn>Editor</dfn>
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window and choosing <kbd class="menu">Insert Existing Media</kbd>.
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</p>
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<h2>The Soundfile Information Box</h2>
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<p>
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This box will display information about the currently selected file:
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</p>
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<ul>
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<li>number of channels,</li>
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<li>sample rate,</li>
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<li>file format,</li>
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<li>length,</li>
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<li>embedded timestamp (applies to some professional formats such as
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Broadcast WAVE), and</li>
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<li><a href="@@searching-for-files-using-tags">tags</a> (attached metadata to help categorize files in a library).</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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If the sample rate differs from the current session rate, it is displayed
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in red, which indicates that the file must be resampled before
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importing.
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</p>
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<p>
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Resampling is controlled by the <kbd class="menu">Conversion quality</kbd>
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option described below.
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</p>
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<p>
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</p>
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<h2>Auditioner</h2>
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<p>
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Files can be auditioned before importing. The slider under the play and
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stop buttons allows to scrub around, a fader on the right side allows
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to control the playback volume.
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</p>
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<p>
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Auditioning MIDI files requires a MIDI instrument to be chosen in the <kbd class="menu">
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Instrument</kbd> dropdown list.
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</p>
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<h2>Importing options</h2>
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<p>
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Through the <kbd class="menu">Add files…</kbd> option, imported files can be inserted in the session:
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</p>
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<table class="dl">
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<tr><th>as new tracks</th><td>automatically creates new tracks and import the files in it</td></tr>
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<tr><th>to region list</th><td>adds the files to the <a href="@@the-region-list">region list</a>, from where then can be manually dragged into a track</td></tr>
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<tr><th>as new tape tracks</th><td>adds the files as <a href="@@track-types">Tape tracks.</a></td></tr>
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</table>
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<p>
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The <kbd class="menu">Insert at</kbd> option chooses where in time the file will be imported, amongst:
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</p>
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<ul>
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<li>the <dfn>file timestamp</dfn> (if available, zero by default)</li>
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<li>at the <a href="@@edit-point-control"><dfn>edit point</dfn></a></li>
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<li>at the <dfn>playhead</dfn></li>
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<li>at the <dfn>session start</dfn>.</li>
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</ul>
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<p>
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The Channel <kbd class="menu">Mapping</kbd> option is only available for
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multi-channel files (i.e. all but mono ones). It is either
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</p>
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<table class="dl">
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<tr><th>one track/region per file</th><td>Creates a multi channel track for each imported file</td></tr>
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<tr><th>one track/region per channel</th><td>Creates only mono channels, as many as there are channels in the imported files</td></tr>
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<tr><th>sequence files</th><td>If multiple files are imported, they can be sequenced into a single track in the order of selection</td></tr>
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</table>
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<p>
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The <kbd class="menu">Conversion quality</kbd> drop-down controls the
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quality of the resampling process, if the sampling rate of the source file
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differs from the session rate.
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</p>
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<p>
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There are three MIDI-specific options as well. First off, you can set a track
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naming scheme:
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</p>
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<table class="dl">
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<tr><th>by track number</th><td>will automatically assign every track a name that consists of the imported file name and a track number</td></tr>
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<tr><th>by track name</th><td>will</td></tr>
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<tr><th>by instrument name</th><td>will</a></td></tr>
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</table>
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<p>
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<p>
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You can also optionally import a tempo map from a MIDI file.
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The <kbd class="menu">Use MIDI Tempo Map (if defined)</kbd> option appears
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when a MIDI file is selected in the file selection dialog.
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<p>
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<p>
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The last MIDI-specific option is <kbd class="menu">Import MIDI Markers
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(if any)</kbd>. If those are present in a MIDI file, they will be rendered
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right above MIDI clips on the canvas. Editing the MIDI markers is currently
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unavailable.
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</p>
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<figure class="right">
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<img src="/images/imported-midi-markers.png" alt="MIDI markers imported from a .mid file" width="75%">
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<figcaption>
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MIDI markers imported from a .mid file
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</figcaption>
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</figure>
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</p>
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<p>
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Finally, and most importantly, the files can be linked or copied to the session
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with the <kbd class="option">Copy files to session</kbd> checkbox. Please read
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<a href="@@copying-versus-linking">Copying
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versus Linking</a> for details.
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</p>
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