Has anything changed with ISS and the XF?

On the old ISS yuo cuold record audio and play it back, but there wasnt anyway to chop up and repeat sections…

Has that changed with the XF?

My workflow when recording, say, rhythm guitar parts with a daw is:

1) set it up in loop record mode
2) record about 7 trips through the loop
3) chop and throw out first 2-3 trips (dodgy)
4) throw out last 2 trips (usually tired)
5) take the 3-5 section and repeat forever (the best parts)
6) solo as necessary over #5

Can this workflow be done on the XF, or even the XS for that matter?

F

Has anything changed with ISS and the XF?

Yes, quite a few things that impact the ISS are new. including the VCE CONV (Voice Convert function). More shortcuts to speed navigation between often used functions. But most of the ISS will be new to you if you thought that it cannot do this:

On the old ISS yuo cuold record audio and play it back, but there wasnt anyway to chop up and repeat sections…

Sure there are - this is simply not a true statement. Please see below.

Can this workflow be done on the XF, or even the XS for that matter?

It can be accomplished on either one.

Although sampling is quite a bit different from recording audio to a computer-based DAW, there is nothing in the scenario as you list it that could not be done with the Motif’s ISS sequencer.

You do not “sample” in a loop; you can sample while you listen to a musical section loop - so the terminology may be what is throwing you off - or maybe you just didn’t know… (which is okay - this is why we have a forum)

Since you don’t give full details - we will fill in some and then you can apply it to your particular situation.

Say you are working on a particular section of your composition - this is where you can input how many measures it is… say it is 8 measures in length.

You can setup to do this in either linear SONG mode or in the looping PATTERN mode… it is really your choice.

We’ll cover it for PATTERN mode first:
Call up the music you are going to be recording your rhythm guitar part to in a PATTERN. If you recorded to a linear SONG, and prefer to do this overdub in PATTERN mode, you can use the SPLIT SONG TO PATTERN job to create an eight measure PATTERN SECTION.

Next since you want to make 7 (count them, 7) attempts at this rhythym guitar part you would set the LENGTH parameter on the main PATTERN Screen to 56. 7 attempts times 8 measures = 56 measures.

Setup the Sampling Count in parameter so that you can begin recording knowing where the beat is… press [SEQ SETUP] > press [F1] CLICK > set the Sampling Count in parameter as you desire.

Select a blank track for your new Waveform
Press [INTEGRATED SAMPLING] to view the SAMPLE SELECT screen
Select an empty Waveform
Press [F6] REC
Setup the SAMPLE SOURCE
Recording Type = sample+note
Input Source = A/D INPUT
Mono/Stereo = L+R mono
Record Next = off
Frequency 44.1kHz

Setup the SAMPLE DESTINATION
Keybank = C3
Track = your selected track will appear

Press [F6] STANDBY
On the SAMPLE RECORD screen
Verify that you are targeting the WAVEFORM and that your TRACK is showing, and that you are Measure 001
KEY = C3
Set TRIGGER MODE = MEAS
Punch in/OUT = 001 - 057

Press [F5] START
The screen will read WAITING…
Press the PLAY button
Sampling will begin when the count-in is complete

Record your 7 passes. The ISS will punch you out automatically.

Press [ENTER] to accept the recorded data or [EXIT] to do it over.

Once you have your 7 takes… go to INTEGRATED SAMPLING > select your WAVEFORM > Press [EDIT]

On the Edit screen you will see your sample… press [SF4] ZOOME OUT several times so that you can ZOOM OUT to see the entire recording.

Your START POINT will be 00004410
And you END POINT will be xxxxxxxx
Press [ENTER] to extract
This will reset the START POINT to 00000000
And will recalculate the END POINT

(the 4410 is the 100ms pre-sample) since you automated the punch in you will not need it.)

Set the TEMPO parameter = to the BPM of the PATTERN
The METER parameter = to the time signature of your PATTERN
And set the MEASURE parameter = 008:00

The Integrated Sampling Sequencer will automatically set the START and END POINTS to reflect precisely 8 measures.

Press [EXIT] and return to your PATTERN.
press PLAY - you will hear your Pattern section with your first take measures 1-8 of your rhythym guitar. It will loop just the first 8 measures.

Return to the INTEGRATED SAMPLING > EDIT screen
Highlight the START POINT parameter
Press [SF6] NUM
type in the VALUE that is showing for the END POINT > press ENTER

The START and END POINT will be the same
Move the cursor over to the MEASURE parameter increment down to 7 and back 008

Bang! You have just set the START and END POINTS that will feature your second rhythm guitar take…

Return to your pattern it will now loop just the second take.

Rinse and repeat, until you find the take you really like.

Press [ENTER] to extract.
This will discard the excess.

If you are not sure you want to discard it, keep it. That way you can change your mind later.

If you are in a linear SONG
If you wish you can set the Measures in your linear SONG to “LOOP” over and over while you record your audio linearly and carry out the whole operation in SONG mode (your choice) works in either mode.

You can press [F3] TRACK from the main SONG screen
Press [SF2] LOOP
Set the music tracks you want to overdub to, to loop
You will then setup a linear track for your guitar - you can play as long as you like and use the feature described above to have the ISS play just the “good take” - the “sample+note” created the note-on event, the START and END POINT adjustment calculator does the rest!

The ISS is ‘smart’ - give it the TEMPO and Time Signature of what you recorded, it divides every second into 44,100 equal parts, so for it to calculate a particular number of measures and beats is child’s play… and it is highly accurate: sample accurate!

One thing that really bothers us is concluding that the instrument does not do something instead of asking if it does something. We can only log into but so many forums, we try hard to get the TRUTH out on this one. So if you heard somewhere else that it did not do this, please go back there and spread the word that it does.

Anyway, yes, the ISS has had these features all along.

Hope that helps.

Click thumbnail to see full-size image

Thanks Bad Mister…

Yes it seems very straightforward.... :)

I thought ISS had at least one upgrade so far in the XS but wasn’t sure what had changed in that area as far as loop recording goes

F

It actually is a lot easier to do than to describe. Try writing out “how to tie a shoe” and you will get my meaning. It reads much more complex than it is to do. And once you’ve done it, you cannot believe how easy (and useful) it is.

And as I said, if you start to really use the ISS you will discover many gems and different workflows that are possible. If you have an XS give it try and see.