Copyright: RePuter BETA [1.1]


Introduction

It all started in 2001.  Electrix began shipping this amazing piece of equipment: The Repeater.  Everything a looping enthusiast could ever want.  It records stereo loops on the fly, is 100% MIDI friendly, has four individual tracks with separate level, pitch, pan, and slip controls, records uncompressed wave files compatible with other software environments…. wait, not quite.

While it does record uncompressed wave files, they are almost totally unusable because the Repeater adds gaps to the beginnings and (sometimes) ends of the wave files it creates.  Removing the gaps by hand (in a wave editor) is very difficult.  So what about taking a normal wave file and making it into a Repeater loop?  Even more difficult.

The procedure recommended by Electrix for doing this is to:

1.	Record a loop on the Repeater the exact same size as the wave file you wish to use

2.	Using a wave editor, copy the wave file you wish to use and place it exactly in between the gaps in the Repeater-made wave file.

3.	Get this wrong and you’ll either have gaps in your music, or you’ll lose some of it.

This is not the easy wave file compatibility they advertised. So enter RePuter.

Unsatisfied with the gaps in my wave files I started writing a utility program to facilitate moving wave file back and forth from a PC to the Repeater.  This is it.  I hope you enjoy gap free wave files!


The Layout

RePuter is two applications in one:  Repeater to .WAV in the top window…

…and .WAV to Repeater in the bottom window.

Use Repeater to .WAV to remove the gaps from a Repeater-made wave file, and .WAV to Repeater to create a Repeater loop from an normal wave file.

Some Tips on Using RePuter:

1.	Whichever window has the blue-green colored title bar is the active window.  In the above example, Repeater to .WAV is the active window, and .WAV to Repeater is inactive.

IMPORTANT:  The menu options change depending on which window is active!

Be sure to activate ( by clicking anywhere ) the window you wish to use!

2.	With one exception, the text fields in RePuter cannot be typed in.  The information can only be entered in certain ways.  This is to ensure accurate data.

3.	Hovering over most controls on RePuter will display a tool-tip, identifying the control.


Mono versus Stereo in Repeater to .WAV

Repeater to .WAV can operate in either mono or stereo mode.  By pressing the [image] button on the toolbar, RePuter will switch into stereo mode.  In stereo mode, you can load a Repeater-made wave file into either the left or right channel, and save a stereo gapless wave file.  Pressing the [image] button will take you back to mono mode.


Opening Repeater Wave Files

Pressing the [image] button on the toolbar, or choosing File->Open Repeater Wave File from the menu will open a dialog box that will allow you to open a Repeater-made wave file.  You can change the default directory in the Preferences dialog.  IMPORTANT! Repeater-made wave files you wish to convert MUST first be trim cut!  You do this by pressing and holding the trim button on the Repeater.


Saving Normal Wave Files

Pressing the [image] button on the toolbar, or choosing File->Save as Normal Wave File from the menu will open a dialog box that will allow you to remove the gaps from a Repeater-made wave file and save it as a normal, healthy wave file.  You can change the default directory in the Preferences dialog.


 Opening Normal Wave Files

Pressing the [image] button on the toolbar, or choosing File->Open Repeater Wave File from the menu will open a dialog box that will allow you to open a normal wave file.  You can change the default directory in the Preferences dialog.


Mono versus Stereo in .WAV to Repeater

.WAV to Repeater can operate in either mono or stereo mode.  When you open a normal wave file RePuter automatically detects whether it is mono or stereo and adjusts accordingly.  In the example below, the user opened a stereo wave file called Anote.wav.


Adjusting Tempo and Bars

Use the [image] tempo scroll bar to scroll through the possible tempos and bars associated with the current wave file.


Adjusting Beats and Division

Use the [image] beats and division button to scroll through the possible beats and divisions associated with the current tempo.


Choosing a Track

Choose a track for the left and right channels (in stereo) or mono channel (in mono).  In stereo mode, you cannot assign both channels to the same track.


Adjusting Pitch

Use the [image] Pitch scroll bars to adjust the pitch of the loop.  Double clicking on the word “Pitch:” will return the pitch to zero.


Adjusting Pan

Use the [image] Pan scroll bars to adjust the pan of the loop.  Double-clicking on the word “Pan:” will return the pan to Center.


Saving as a Repeater Loop

Before saving a wave file as a Repeater loop, choose the directory and filename of the loop you would like to save to.  Choose the loop directory by pressing the [image] button in the Loop Section.  Choose the loop number by entering it in the yellow text field.

Pressing the [image] button on the toolbar, or choosing File->Save as Repeater Loop from the menu will save the wave file listed after File: as a Repeater loop.  The loop will be saved with the number and location specified after Loop:.  You can change the default wave and loop directories in the Preferences dialog.


Choosing Initial Directories

After installation, RePuter will look for files in the C:\ directory (C: Drive).  Change the default directories by choosing File -> Preferences  from the menu bar.  Change the directories by using the [image] button.  You cannot type directly in the text fields on the Preferences dialog.  Press OK to save any changes, or Cancel to exit without saving changes.


Choosing the Auto Increment Option

RePuter has the option of finding the next available loop in the Initial loop directory.  Checking the Automatically find next available loop box will enable this option.  Press OK to save any changes or Cancel to exit without saving.


A Short History of RePuter

I first got an Electrix Repeater in August of 2004.  I was immediately disappointed with the wave importing and exporting capabilities.  Having some programming experience I began experimenting with Repeater’s .LDF file format, trying to figure out how it worked.  Knowing nothing about the file format, the process was fairly long and frustrating.  I would record a loop and make a copy of it, to have two loops that were exactly the same.  Then, with the Repeater, I would change one parameter of one of the loops.  Finally I would compare the two loops’ .LDF files for differences.  In this way I slowly began to understand the .LDF file.  I finished the Repeater to .WAV portion of RePuter pretty quickly, but the .WAV to Repeater portion was much more difficult.  Due to the essential Error Detecting Code (EDC) built into the Repeater, it was very difficult to make an .LDF file from scratch that the Repeater would accept.  I did finally crack Repeater’s EDC  and manage to create .LDF files from scratch.  The whole process took four months and probably 500 hours of work.  So I hope you enjoy it.


Credits

This application was written produced distributed and cursed at by Michael McNulty.

Please report any bugs and/or questions to:

piggyfinger@yahoo.com