By Craig Anderton | Sat, 01 Aug 2009
OBJECTIVE: Run multiple REX files inside one instrument.
BACKGROUND: Although many people think of Dimension Pro as a sample playback instrument, it also handles REX files very well—you can load up to four REX files (e.g., drums, percussion, bass, rhythm guitar), then trigger them from MIDI tracks.
STEPS
1. To start fresh, click on the Program
Handling button and select “Initialize
Program.”
2. Click on the Options button and select
“Set Program as Multitimbral.”
3. Select an Element, then drag a REX file into
the Element’s “Load Multisample” window.
4. A Note symbol (eighth note tied with
16th note) appears toward the right of the
load multisample window. Drag this into a
MIDI track driving Dim Pro to trigger slices
of the REX file, and optionally, turn this
into a MIDI Groove Clip so you can “roll
out” as many iterations as you want.
5. On your keyboard, C3 (colored red) plays
back the entire REX file. If you lift your finger
off the key, the file stops playing; if you
hold your finger on the key, the file plays
through to the end but does not loop. To
transpose the file pitch (yet retain a constant
tempo), play over the range of C2 to
B3 (colored blue).
6. Starting upward from C4, the keyboard
keys play individual REX slices. In Sonar,
you can edit the MIDI Groove Clip’s note
pitches, start times, and durations to
change how the REX file plays back.
7. If needed, transpose the REX file’s root
note using Dim Pro’s “Transpose” parameter.
8. Repeat Steps 3 and 4 to load other Elements
with REX files.
TIPS
-Although the DSP (LoFi, Filter, Drive, EQ, etc.) and FX affect the entire file,
envelopes affect each slice. For example, use the Amplitude envelope to set
a short, percussive decay for each slice. Automate volume, panning, and other parameters with Dimension Pro if you
want to “remix” the REX files.