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Tips
& Tricks
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Mac
Digital Audio Editors/ASR-X SMDI Cheat
Sheet November
2001 ~ Some many, many months ago I'd written up a
cheat sheet regarding Digital Audio Editor programs
for Mac OS that could be used in conjunction with
the ASR-X - specifically, those that offered SMDI
support. Well, as these things go I've reposted the
cheat sheet to the ASR-X list more than once and
with updates each time. So, what we have here is
the most recent version with updated URLs and
summaries. This is not intended to be an all
inclusive, definitive list of Mac OS Digital Audio
programs so don't send any hostile email if your
favorite was not included. Freeware HyperEngine
- A basic sample editing tool from Arboretum
Systems primarily used to showcase their cool
native plug-ins (available separately in VST and
Premier format.) No SMDI support but it's simple
and fun to use! http://www.arboretum.com/
sonicWORX
Artist Basic v1 - Not so basic sample mangling
courtesy of Prosoniq. Good variety of unusual
native plug-ins - no SMDI - challenging user
interface, i.e., difficult to learn. I rarely touch
this one... Note: the excellent, cross-platform
VST FX plug-in 'North Pole' is also available as a
free download from Prosoniq. http://www.prosoniq.com/ TWE (Tiny
Wave Editor) - Yamaha's freeware program for their
EX & A Series synths/samplers. The SMDI in TWE
doesn't work with the ASR-X sampler but I like the
crossfade loop algorithm so I keep it on hand. e
http://www.yamahasynth.com/down/a3000/s_twe.htm ASR-X
Editor - A free SysEx graphic editor for the
ASR-X sampler written by former ASR-X list member
Shehryar
Lasi.
It's not a
sample editor so there's no SMDI support but, what
it does is provide access to all the good bits not
accessible from the ASR-X front panel, i.e., Layers
within a RAM sound! You can access all the ASR-X
synth parameters except for Effects setting. No
Librarian functions are included - this is strictly
an Editor program. ASR-X Editor requires OMS. Don't
count on an OS X compatible version ;-) To date,
ASR-X Editor has been trouble free in my setup when
using a standard MIDI Interface (Opcode Studio 4,
Translator Pro, Studio 128). It has not worked work
for me with USB MIDI Interfaces (MIDIMAN MIDISport
2x2 or Opcode MIDIport 32) but, no other freeware
Editor would either. This is a must have for Mac
users. Download ASR-X Editor
here.
Download OMS here. Shareware DSP-Quattro
v1.0.3 - (Updated April 2003) by Stefano
Daino supercedes the previous release of
D-SoundPRO v3.5.1. Full featured sample editor
includes SMDI (rewritten) and SDS support. Great
for editing loop points and includes useful DSP
functions - such as a Crossfade Looping algorithm.
Unlike the previous version, DSP-Quattro SMDI
transfers to the ASR-X have been reliable with none
of the lock-ups or freezes experienced n
D-SoundPRO. In additon,
DSP-Quattro now includes ASIO and VST2 support - a
Mac OS X version is currently in Beta with
AudioUnits suport projected for a future release.
I've had difficulty using the ASIO driver from my
(discontinued) Echo Gina 20-bit sound card but word
of mouth has it the Delta series from M-audio work
successfully. Product support remains prompt and
friendly as always. Download
DSP-Quattro from http://www.i3net.it/Products/dspQuattro/Asp/Index_EN.asp?Language=EN Download
D-SoundPRO from http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/sdaino
or http://www.dsoundpro.com/ Sound
Studio v2.03 - Sound Studio is an audio editing
and recording application for Macintosh computers.
It features two-channel editing, several effects
filters, sample rate conversion, and support for
many file formats including AIFF, SDII, WAVE, and
QuickTime movie import. I've recently experienced
the demo of Sound Studio and I'm impressed by two
things: 1) The User Interface is simple and direct
and easy on the eyes. What a change of pace! This
alone makes it worth while ;-) and 2) the demo is
fully functional for 14 days and better yet - they
don't have to be consecutive days! In other words,
if you find you start the demo and won't have as
much time as anticipated to check it out - you can
come back to it days later and still have *days*
left. A very sensible decision, IMO, indicative of
the entire Sound Studio approach. Download Sound
Studio from http://www.felttip.com/products/soundstudio/ Commercial Peak
VST - A complete sample editing package from
BIAS, Inc. The full version has everything but at
some cost. Shop around on the 'net if need be -
"eTail" prices can vary widely. The ASR-X SMDI
support is great - a real pleasure to use.
Peak LE doesn't have SMDI :-( and Peak SE (which
did have SMDI) has been discontinued. Perhaps you
can scrounge a 2nd hand copy of Peak SE on eBay if
you're budget inhibited. Very cool tidbit: the Mac
OS X compatible version has been announced and a
free upgrade offer to Peak VST v2.6 users is being
promoted as of this writing. http://www.bias-inc.com/ Spark - A
complete sample editing package from TC Works.
Everything you need and more - great user interface
too! SMDI support in the demo version is not as
friendly as SMDI support in Peak - you are limited
to transferring samples one at a time as opposed to
Peak where you can transfer more than one at a time
in batch. Haven't spent enough time with it to
comment further. Not inexpensive - you may want to
shop around. Very, very cool tidbit: TC
Works has announced
a freeware Mac OS X compatible Audio Editor -
SparkME - available mid-November '01.
http://www.tcworks.de/ ReCycle -
The popular Loop Editing/Sampled Groove editor from
Propellerhead Software. Contrary to my previous
inaccurate blathering, SMDI transfers between
ReCycle and the ASR-X are possible. There is no
direct support for the ASR-X within ReCycle as
there is for many Akai and E-mu samplers but, if
you use the Generic SMDI Sampler profile and
manually set the SCSI ID number you will be
good to go - just map the sounds accordingly in a
ASR-X RAM-kit. Read more here.
Note that ReCycle offers SDS support for older
Ensoniq samplers (EPS/ASR) but the ASR-X only
supports SMDI not SDS - no great loss.
http://www.propellerheads.se/ SoundView
- Okay, not really a sample editor (doesn't offer
SMDI, loop editing, etc.) but a very cool
package that allows you to perform transform
multiplication against segments of different
samples - in essence creating a monstrously morphed
new sample. UGO turned me onto this one. Very, very
cool - unfortunately it was discontinued prior to
my purchasing a copy. Previously available from
Peabody Digital Soundworks it had been announced
that SoundView would be made available from
Intelligent Devices http://www.intdevices.com/.
Unfortunately I've not seen or heard anything
beyond the initial statement. I hope this program
makes a serious comeback someday. Perhaps an email
to ID is in order to encourage them to pursue the
idea. Addendum The December 2001
issue of Macworld
contained an article titled "Turn Cassettes or LPs
into CDs" by Jonathan Seff in the 'How-to'
section. This is a well written, step-by-step
tutorial on using BIAS's Peak LE , Arboretum
Systems' Ray Gun, and Roxio's Toast to capture
audio from a tape or LP, eliminate unwanted noise
in the recording, and transfer your music to
CD. The article made
mention of the following programs which are up to
the task if you're not up to the cost of BIAS's or
Arboretum Systems' programs. Coaster
(freeware) http://www.visualclick.de/ And, if you still
need more links to Digital Audio Editor
programs, check out the Digital
Audio page
at Synthzone. |
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