Alesis K2661 specifications Creating RAM Tracks, 12-18, Matter of Timing

Song Mode

RAM Tracks

A Matter of Timing

The song must already be playing when you start sampling. There are several ways you can do this:

•Start the song, then at the appropriate location in the song, press Record on the SampleMode page, and start the sample input.

•Set the Thresh parameter on the SampleMode page to a dB value—one you know you’ll exceed with your sample input signal. Start the song, then start your sample input at the appropriate location in the song. This method makes it easy to sync your sample with the song.

•Set Thresh to Key. Start the song, then at the appropriate location, then trigger the sampler by striking a key either on the K2661 keyboard (or on a MIDI source that’s controlling the K2661), and start the sample input. You must send the trigger on the K2661’s current MIDI channel.

Creating RAM Tracks

1.Start by configuring the sampler: go to Program mode, and press the Sample soft button to go to the SampleMode page. Set the Input parameter to Analog, and set the Source parameter: Ext for an external source, Int if you want to sample the K2661’s output. Set the Time parameter to give you enough time to record the sample you want. Set the Mon parameter to On if you want the K2661 to play the sample input through its audio output. Set the Mode parameter to Mono (L), Mono (R), or Stereo, depending on your input signal. Adjust the Gain parameter to bring the signal level as close to 0 dB as possible.

2.Go to Song mode, and call up a song that has at least one empty track. If you plan to start sampling right at the top of the song, you might want to set the Click parameter (on the MISC page) to a value of Cnt, which gives you a countoff before the song starts playing (the value of the CountOff parameter—also on the MISC page— sets the number of bars of countoff).

3.Set the RecTrk parameter to an empty track.

4.Start the playback of the song. On keyboard models, press the Play/Pause button. On rack models, press the Left and Right cursor buttons at the same time.

5.Press Record to start sampling. When you have the sample, press Stop (if you run out of time or sample memory before you press Stop, the K2661 stops sampling automatically). Either way, the song stops its playback as well.

6.The K2661 prompts you to strike a key to set the sample root. Strike any key (or trigger any note) that you want, or press Default to set the root at C 4. The K2661 shows you the maximum signal level, or if the sample clipped, it shows you the number of clips. It also prompts you to save the sample.

7.Press Yes if you like the sample, and the save dialog appears. We recommend naming the sample now, to make it easy to keep track of it. The name you give the sample will also be the default name for the song, when the time comes to save the song.

8.Once you’ve saved the sample, the K2661 asks you if you want to place the sample into the current song. When you press Yes, the K2661 asks you to pick the track you want to use for the sample’s playback. Pick any empty track: the track must be empty because the

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