Triggering Samples Live

[xincbox]

hi!

over the summer i'm gonna be starting to attempt taking my stuff to the stage and doing live sets. one thing i'll need will be a utility to trigger samples live, with different samples mapped to different keys on the keyboard.

as far as i can tell there's no way to do this with modplug .. am i wrong? if anyone could suggest an alternate program i would be really grateful .. something like this but freeware - http://www.wizardmaster.com/bludgeonsoft/btb/

you guys have always been wicked with sorta tech support in the past so i've no doubt someone here will be able to help me out!

thanks

-Chris

[anboi]

yes! you can. by default loading in a sample and playing different notes on a keyboard (qwerty or piano) plays the sample at different pitches. if you want to play different samples for different notes then first load in your samples or open a file with them all in already. next create an instrument. from there open the instrument tab for that instrument and change the numbers next to the notes in the 'sample map' and that will reassign that note to play that sample. you can also change the pitch that a note is played at, you'll probably want to do this to make (for example) drum sounds play at the pitch they were intended.
it's a wee bit fiddly to set up but once done then you can save this new instrument and load it up in any new tracks you make - ace!

[xincbox]

you're great, thanks! gonna check it out now

[Sam_Zen]

Yep, you can indeed. (I don't use a keyboard, so I restrict the comment to the qwerty use)
It's even possible when the module is playing back at the same moment (check the status of the Record button first).

with different samples mapped to different keys on the keyboard

This may be possible for a MIDI-keyboard, but not for the qwerty one. Only one sample at the time.
(I just noticed a Keyboard Split mode in MPT, which I didn't use so far, so maybe some mapping is possible)

If doing things live, it's important to search for the basic perspective to be able to control things.
I have done some improvisation sessions with two friends in 2007, playing MPT on a laptop, also using the qwerty sometimes.
Imo the central dialog to do live playing is the Pattern tab.

Suppose you have imported your samples, declared them as instruments, each with its own number.
According to the default setup, the qwerty can play 1 instr., according to the number of the 'Main instrument' box.
So there, you can choose the instrument you want to be 'under' the keys. The first option of change when playing live.

The second one is the 'Octave' setting at the top bar of MPT. It's default at 4, but is has an effective range of 0 - 7.
Important, because the qwerty covers two octaves. So one has to shift that area for other notes.
This wide octave-range of MPT offers the opportunity to get the max out of a single sample.
In 'the middle' it acts as it should be, but it has also the potential to produce some 'noise' in the very low octaves,
and to produce some 'percussive' thing if using in a very high octave range.

A third aspect which could be important in live playing is the fact that the qwerty is able to play more keys simultaneously.
So if one hit a key, and hit another one, while the sound of the first one isn't still finished, it will be mixed.
This can even lead to extreme situations, if the instrument is set to a loop.

A fourth aspect if playing MPT live is the 'Setup/Player' dialog.
It's all quite primitive, I know, but at least there's the possibility to enhance the live sound with some effects.

[LPChip]

Actually Sam, you're wrong.

If you play samples from the sample tab, you're indeed limited to one note per play, unless you hit 2 or more notes simultaniously. When you map to an instrument though, it changes, and you get full support to play many notes at the same time. The only limitation is the amount of keys one can press on his keyboard simultaniously. I have a gamers keyboard which gives me the ability to use up to 8 keys at the same time. Unfortunatelly it still doesn't work if a certain combination is being played. This is eliminated when I use my midi keyboard.

[MisterX]

Nice inspiration for the possibilities of live play:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdYXjLd-9Xk

[residentgrey]

AutoHotkeys scripts possibile?

[Sam_Zen]

Never used it, but I guess it could be .