OT About Rex files...

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:38 am

How come sequencers can't implement Rex as just another "treated" audio file (like Acid loops) and allow them to be on tracks just like midi and audio? It could just be imported whole, and then you could seperate the slices yourself as desired by simply dragging them around.

Is it because the Props won't allow it, or because there is something I'm fundamentally not understanding about Rex files? Doesn't eXT2 have this capability? Is it the only one?

fuzzyhead · Post by **fuzzyhead** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:47 am

Rex files represent as many audio files as there are slices,with Recycle you can import any sliced Rex file,remove all markers that create those slices and save it as one single slice to reimport it in any sampler that accept Rex files.

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 4:31 pm

fuzzyhead wrote:...reimport it in any sampler that accept Rex files.

But this is my point; why do we need a seperate instrument to work with them? Why can't the host itself be that "sampler"? Why can't I simply audition Rex files from Live's browser and drag them onto a track, just like an Acid loop?

Check out EnergyXT:
http://www.energy-xt.com/tutorials/rex/

Adding REX2 files to your project

Adding REX2 files is as simple as click and drag from the browser into the sequencer. The REX2 files will show up as normal audio clips in energyXT2 and can be copied and edited just like any other audio clips.

laird · Post by **laird** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:04 pm

Adding a sampler to your project isn't that difficult, is it?

A sampler allows you to "play" the file rather than draw it, as well as allowing for some powerful pitch-changing ability, adding LFOs, filters, and ADSRs that aren't endogenous to your typical audio track.

On the plus side, a standard audio track in Live can Warp audio, which traditional samplers aren't good at doing.

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 5:17 pm

laird wrote:Adding a sampler to your project isn't that difficult, is it?

No, but I'm asking why do I have to?

fuzzyhead · Post by **fuzzyhead** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:23 pm

Fact is that Rex files are not just simple audio wav files,they are sliced ! only a sampler that has the ability to playback those slices can be used.In Reason, Rex files can be either opened in NNXT or NN19 samplers as well for instance,they will map the loop on the keyboard,as each slice for one key,and as laird says you have the possibility to tweak and change every single slice in that loop ! think of this,rather than just playback that loop as a raw audio file,energy-xt for example is available as vst and can be used in Live...

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 6:58 pm

Thanks for the replies, but I feel like I am not being understood here. I know what Rex files are and how to use them. I want to know why sequencers can't simply incorporate this file compatability natively, without the need for a sampler.

I used to think it was a Props limitation, but EnergyXT2 has shown that's not the case! Once again:

Adding REX2 files is as simple as click and drag from the browser into the sequencer. The REX2 files will show up as normal audio clips in energyXT2 and can be copied and edited just like any other audio clips.

I'm playing with the eXT2 demo right now, and it works exactly as advertised: I can drag a Rex file from the browser directly into the arrangement, and eXT2 automatically creats an Audio track for it. From there on it's just like an Acid loop, but sliced. No need for extra samplers and midi-note triggering and whatnot, you can simply drag the slices around on the track itself! Rex files are still audio loops underneath it all, so why don't DAWs incorporate this?

I want Live to incorporate this!

eskay · Post by **eskay** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 7:35 pm

I'm pretty sure Logic and Pro Tools allows this to import REX files directly to the session.

rydan · Post by **rydan** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:33 pm

IN cubase, you can drop a rex right into the arrangement on an audio track. It will then be cut up in it's slices and aligned with the current tempo grid. That is pretty much how I think it should work.

In Live, it would be great if you got a rex file as a regular audio file, with the warp markers placed at the slice points.

However, the rex2 format is more than just audio + markers. It is entirely non-destructive, so all changes you make as gating, or pitch changes and so on are fully reversible, when using ReCycle...

jb61264 · Post by **jb61264** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:47 pm

Rex files integrate nicely into Stylus RMX with the use of their SAGE Converter tool...very cool to be able to run a rex file in Reason and then mess around with the same rex file within RMX

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:06 pm

eskay wrote:I'm pretty sure Logic and Pro Tools allows this to import REX files directly to the session.

rydan wrote:IN cubase, you can drop a rex right into the arrangement on an audio track. It will then be cut up in it's slices and aligned with the current tempo grid. That is pretty much how I think it should work.

Huh, well that's what I'm talking about!

None of the DAWS I've ever used had this ability: Acid, Sonar, P5, Live and Reaper. I wonder why some do and some don't? I would think that by this point Rex files would be considered a standard, and native host support would be expected...

Anubis · Post by **Anubis** » Wed Oct 03, 2007 10:34 pm

jamester wrote:Is it because the Props won't allow it?

Bingo! Because they want you to buy the program(Recycle) that encodes the files with the slice markers.

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:07 am

Anubis wrote:
jamester wrote:Is it because the Props won't allow it?
Bingo! Because they want you to buy the program(Recycle) that encodes the files with the slice markers.

No, I'm talking about *using* Rex files, not making them.

It's obviously not a Props limitation if Logic, Cubase and Pro Tools can all do this. I just wish the two sequencers I use (Live and Reaper) could also...

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 4:32 am

The other DAWS license this from Props and presumably some DAW manufacturers don't want to pay the premium, especially as most loop collections by the likes of Big Fish and others are almost always available as .wav or acid .wav as well as rex .rx2 files. Often apple loops too.

rex is widely used but not an industry standard in the way that .wav or .aiff are.

Reason and Stylus RMX are the main beneficiaries. Steinberg established a good working relationship with Propellerheads when they worked together on the rewire protocol and Steinberg included rex file support as far back as 1998 in vst 3.5. Cubase handles rex files really well.

jamester · Post by **jamester** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:34 pm

Thanks Leeds, that's what I wanted to know.

Now I understand, though it's a little disapointing I suppose...

OT About Rex files...

OT About Rex files...

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Re: OT About Rex files...