Is there a way to timestretch a sample on Sampler or Simpler independent of the BPM

[Bobbito147]

Is there a way I can timestretch a sample independent of the BPM on Simpler or Sampler?
(And it should remain the same regardless of whether I change the BPM.)

Can I say just specify the number of samples or length of time I would like the sample to span without changing the pitch? Or change the pitch without changing the time?

Alternatively - Can I take an audio clip and do likewise - change the length of time without changing the pitch or change the pitch without changing the time?

[yur2die4]

Sort of yes but also no. I guess it’s all situational.

You can basically change an audio clip to your liking and then re-render it and turn off warping. But you won’t be able to kind of momentarily stick a sample to be stretched a certain length, and then change it again later, without it being affected by bpm.

The bpm change part is where it’s so-so. If your set doesn’t change bpm, then you can just stretch it and not worry about whether or not the clip is affected by bpm. If the bpm does change in a set, then you’ll have to basically make the sample by stretching it and then rendering it… but then you won’t be able to change the length again.

As for changing pitch. Again, that’s more of a warping thing. And the quality of the results may vary depending on the warp algorithm and the type of material.

[Korhan]

In a lo-fi way, you can.

Put Simpler in loop mode. Make loop length quite short (0.50 or so) depending on your sample's total duration. The aim is to have a short "grain" looping. You can re-adjust this later on. Turn Snap off and increase the Fade a little (to be re-adjusted later). Make sure Warp is turned off!!

Add a Shaper MIDI to the same MIDI track the Simpler is on (this is only relevant to keep things tidy).
Choose the Shaper waveform to be an upward Ramp and use the "option" key on a Mac (or its equivalent on Windows) to change the curve to a straight line (or not!).
Turn Loop on.
Make Shaper's rate to be free (click on ms).
Map the Shaper to Simpler's Start parameter.

When you play a note, you'll see that the shaper scans the entire sample and it sounds very close to Timestretching. Each note will change the playback pitch but not its duration, which can only be changed by Shaper's Rate parameter. Increasing Fade on the Simpler will make the Timestretching smoother.

Feel free to experiment with different Shaper waveforms. You can do forward-backward looping and even much wonkier loops. Assign Shaper's rate to your mod wheel or some other controller. Adding an LFO to modulate Loop Length adds even more variation and glitches. Route the LFO first to a CV utility for finer control of the Loop Length. LFO -> CV Utility -> Loop Length. You "Fine Tune" will be the Amount on CV Utility.

Assigning Shaper's Offset and Depth to a Macro and inverting Depth's max min values will give you an interesting way for adjusting the actual start point for the timestretched loop. As you increase the macro's value, the loop start will increase, but the playback speed (not pitch) will decrease. When the Macro is at 0, you'll have your normal timestretch.

Shaper's Jitter parameter will give you some randomization of play head position. Smooth is also something you can experiment with. When Shaper has an upward ramp, increasing smooth will only have an effect when the ramp ends. Instead of going immediately back to the beginning, you'll have a tape-like effect of going back through the sample at a fast rate.

I'm sure there are many other ways of experimenting with this setup. Have fun!

Korhan

[Korhan]

You can of course also use the Max 7 Pitch and Time Machines Factory Pack by Ableton. It includes an instrument called "More Simpler"... The process I described sounds much different and has its own use, I think, but More Simpler is fantastic.

[whatisnotrue]

I'm working on a Max4Live sampler that can do exactly this. It's very rudimentary compared to Simpler or Sampler but a sample can be beat-synced to the project and then completely de-tethered to the BPM using a speed control. It has formant, pitch, a simple ADSR, stretching algorithm mode and can be played chromatically. If you want to test it I would be happy to send it.

[Korhan]

This more or less describes "More Simpler" in the pack I mentioned above. Just use that, perhaps? unless you see this as a way of developing your Max skills, of course.

[ian_halsall]

use Kontakt

[Bobbito147]

Thank you for your replies.

I will have to try the first two suggestions when I get a moment.

Sorry for the late reply.

[Bobbito147]

I'm working on a Max4Live sampler that can do exactly this. It's very rudimentary compared to Simpler or Sampler but a sample can be beat-synced to the project and then completely de-tethered to the BPM using a speed control. It has formant, pitch, a simple ADSR, stretching algorithm mode and can be played chromatically. If you want to test it I would be happy to send it.

Sure that would be great. I'll pm you