Beat Detection question

Steinberg Lounge
1

Update: Please see Post below
Thanks for the reads.

Hi,

I’ll try to keep this as succinct and clear as possible.

I understand the basics of Beat Detection. I’m able to import a single clip or an entire track into Cubase and beat match those just fine.

I have a project that can make use of a library of about 15 clips. I’d like to use those clips as loops or parts that just line up to the grid correctly but don’t have to loop perfectly, per se. All these clips are rhythmic, more or less, and lend themselves to beat matching individually.

Question is: How best to process this set of clips so they might be used in multiple projects. The concept is to create a “loop library” from the master set and use these new “beat matched” clips in much the same way we use drum loops or other beat aligned parts.

My questions center around making use of: Audio – Advanced – “Set Definition from Tempo” or perhaps the other functions regarding time stretching found on the Audio Advanced Menu.

I’m not sure what to do. If I make the Tempo part of the file, not the project, will I be able to bring that same file into a new project, have it play in Musical Mode, and line up with the tempo of a new project? Do I need to bounce the track first? Is tempo information lost when you bounce a track? ( :confused: )

Anyway, I sort of have this working, but I could use some help. I’m sure some of you have been down this road already. Do I need a ‘shell project’ to use to cut and line up each clip and then export those to the “library” directory? I’ll keep hacking away at it.

Thanks in advance for any insights, references, ideas on this.

2

Thanks for the reads on this. Things are working better.

Let me try to get even simpler about this question.

Take a clean individual clip, one not connected to any other clips in any other project. Call it a shorter clip of say 8 or 16 measures that is natively in 4/4 with a tempo at or around 130 bpm – to keep it simple.

In an empty project, Beat Match the clip, then embed the tempo information in the clip, not in the project.

I’d like the clip to permanently retain the tempo map, to be used, in Musical Mode, in other projects? “Acid Pro style” if you will?

Anyone?

3

I don’t really work with loops and may have misunderstood what you meant, but maybe this is what you’re looking for?

4

Thank you for digging that out for me. Split’s post in the thread this pretty much explains things perfectly.

It’s not so much a “loops” question as it is a Beat Detection question.

The question is about embedding a tempo map into an audio file and then using that file, in musical mode, in other projects.

The clip need not be a perfect loop. The tempo mapping and the musical mode functionality are what I’m looking at. Anyway, how does this sound for a workflow on this?

Procedure:

  1. Make protection copy of original sound clip and set original file aside for safekeeping.
  2. Import “working copy” of clip into “empty” project and run Beat Detection.
  3. From “Advanced Audio” menu. Save tempo map to the file, not to the project.
  4. Place clip in musical mode in Media Pool, assign tempo (probably at or near what Beat Detection mapping revealed the tempo to be).
  5. Copy the clip, renamed as needed, to new folder to allow Media Bay access in other projects (will this work?)
  6. Repeat for other clips (if this method is correct).

Beat detection is amazing, I’m fine with the basics, getting good results. But, I want to get the workflow right and I don’t think I’m there just yet.

Thanks for the help on this.