First of all what is it in detail? Not just what the name indicates? Why is it so important? desired, etc? I’ve been hearing loads about how XS doesn’t have it and that the lack of it is absurd. It doesn’t sound like a hugh implementation so, question to Yamaha; why doesn’t XS have it? Is this a consumer high demand feature that Yamaha has ignored or overlooked? Maybe it cost $300 to add it, I just don’t know.

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

There is nothing more to it than what its name implies. Loop crossfade is allowing your track to fade out while the next fades in. I personally don’t see why that is such a big deal either. Perhaps for people who should be using arranger keyboards it is - but then an arranger keyboard is what should be purchased.

I think of the motif for live performance or for writing songs - not a glorified midi juke-box.

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

Actually, loop crossfade is used to crossfade the begining and end of a looped sample. It can help to avoid noticeable loop points.

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

Loop cross fade is typically used for looping acoustic instrument or synth waveforms when creating sampled instruments.  The vast majority of end users buy multi sampled libraries created by sound design professionals and don’t do this type of instrument sampling themselves.

Sound design professionals use a computer with special looping software to create multi-samples and processed loops. 

In fact cross fading is a rather primitive method of loop processing compared to software like Infinity.

If you are interested in doing this type of looping work we have always recommended that you do it on a computer.  It is exactly the type of job that is better done on computer with very specialized tools.  In fact , Cubase AI has the capability to do cross fades with variable slopes on audio , etc. 

So it is possible to use the bundled software, but there are far better specialized looping tools for this quite specialized application.

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

I absolutely agree, there’s no point in doing deep waveform editing in such a small screen like the ones found in current workstations. Dedicated waveform editing programs are far more intuitive and easier to use.

That’s why I find (from what I have read up to now) the XS network feature really cool, you can edit a waveform in the computer and put it back to the XS without using a bridge media (like an usb card or smartmedia card, it was so awful and slow...). Of course I still don’t know the details about how this feature works (I’m waiting for the manual) but it is definitely the selling point of the XS for me, along with the new effects and voice architecture.

I traded my ES rack for the ES6 because of the sampler, and I got greatly disappointed, sincerly. That’s why I want to upgrade to the XS, otherwise I would be fairly happy with the ES, it still sounds GREAT to me.

Some time ago I searched about Infinity (I was curious because Korg always put the phrase “sound processed with Infinity) but I couldn’t find anything useful. Please let me know if there’s a good place to know about this program /forums/images/icons/smile.gif alt=

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

Yamaha_US wrote:
In fact cross fading is a rather primitive method of loop processing compared to software like Infinity.

Cross fading IS done in Infinity as well as other loop processing methods.
Antares have no plans on supporting this software in OS X.

Other software that does cross fading is SEAMLESS LOOPER . Its PC orientated software.


Brian Cowell
CUNKA - Audio Reality -

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

“I traded my ES rack for the ES6 because of the sampler, and I got greatly disappointed, sincerly. That’s why I want to upgrade to the XS,”

I did the exact same thing by buying an ES6 thinking I was to get a decent sampler and boy was I and others severely disappointed in what Yamaha offered as a sampling engine.

I still wondering if the XS sampling engine will be an extension of the ES6 or something much better myself.

I got a small taste at namm playing with the sampling features but didn’t get enough time to study the differences. It did seem like it was better of course because of the big screen but it did seem like it retained the old basic sample assign to key function of the ES.

What severely cripples the me too sample engines on modern synths today is that old sampling process of having to dial in key values like the root key or assign key after sampling as opposed to the more simpler and easier process of allowing users to just press a key to assign the sample right after sampling it like on the ASR-10 or MPC.

Imagine being able to sample a sound and immediately assign it to the key and zone without having to look through any pages for values to set?  That’s how it is with real samplers like the ASR-10 and the MPC Drum samplers of today.

Just that simple function would transform these tedious sample engines in these expensive synths to something far more simpler & intuitive and far more powerful as a competitive unit.

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

The XS has sample slicing. So I think - havent seen a manual yet - but I think it will do what you are wishing it to do. Again I havent seen any manual yet so I dont know for sure.

Re: Exactly what is Loop Crossfade?

“If you are interested in doing this type of looping work we have always recommended that you do it on a computer.”

Well, you did have the A4000 and A5000 samplers not too long ago, which both featured loop crossfade.
It is not a complicated technology, but still a critical feature when it comes to sound creation using samples.
It is easily implemented, and really strange that Yamaha choose not to do this.

All my friends depend on this function.