Match samples to tempo of project - beginner

Cubase
#1

Hi everyone

I wondered if you could help as this has almost ruined my weekend and I’m admitting defeat!

I am pretty much an absolute beginner on Cubase and I have Elements 9, not pro.

What I’m hoping to do is start making hip-hop style beats by cutting/slicing samples from full audio songs (mp3s). I’ve managed to drag in the song, find the section I want and isolate it, so that the start and end points are perfect.

What I just cannot work out is how to match the tempo of the sample to the click track, so I can then add my own drums, synths etc. I would also like to trigger hit points in groove agent, but after already matching the tempo.

I’ve come across a couple of options:

  1. Tempo Detection - this seems to automate via musical mode, but this is sadly missing from Elements

  2. Set Tempo from Event - I have got some results from this if I want to get the click track to match the song, but it’s the other way around I’m after. This restricts me hugely as if I bring in other samples from other songs with other BPMs, they don’t match and I get in a mess again.

I am sure there is a simple way around this which doesn’t involve spending another £400 (which I don’t have), so any help at all you guys can give me would be VERY much appreciated.

Thanks all

Paul

#2

Pretty pretty please

#3

I’m pretty sure that for what you are asking, you will need the Pro version to do that.

#4

You must set the original tempo of the sample in the Audio Pool (ctrl-p on windows) and enable Musical Mode, then it will timestretch automatically to the project tempo. If you dont know the original tempo select the cut out audio part on the audio channel, then go to Project>Beat Calculator and fill in how many beats the part contains and it will show you it’s BPM count.

#5

Tricky.

What I’m doing at the moment is dragging a full mp3 song into Sampletrack and selecting the bit I want to loop. I’m then selecting ‘sync tempo’ but it is way out. All I am looping is a basic 4/4 clear drum beat so it should be easy to analyse.

I must be going way wrong somewhere.

#6

In the sampler track to, you need to set the original BPM count of the sample. The knob above ORIG BPM.

#7

Ah, I see, thanks. I was thinking Cubase would pick this up automatically.

Is the easiest way to detect this to use beat calculator, if I don’t know the original BPM?

#8

If Cubase would do this automatically, it would put a tempo stamp on all audio material.
What would be fine on tempo based percussion loops, but not on, for example, a dialogue. It’s for the best Cubase doesnt decides this for us.

Perhaps there is an easier way, but not what I know of. Beat Calculator isnt a difficult tool to use.

#9

Thanks for this, all very helpful.

Clearly, when setting the tempo for audio clips, it is unlikely that music will stay in time, particularly if it is sampled from old soul, blues etc music not created on a computer.

Is there any useful online guidance you can point me to relating to editing wave forms and loops points to ensure it remains in time?