User Manual

CHAPTER
261
28 Looping
OVERVIEW
A loop is a region of data in a track that is played
repeatedly. The result is similar to using the Repeat
command on the Edit menu to insert multiple
copies of a region (see “Repeat” on page 560).
Instead of actually copying the data, however, the
loop feature simply replays the region over and
over. Looping is thus more memory-efficient than
making repeated copies of a region. Also, making a
change in a looped section is easy: instead of
changing every repeat of the data as you would if
you had copied and pasted it, you simply change
the data in the looped region. Tracks or sections of
tracks can be looped independently; it is thus
possible to build a complex sequence out of a small
number of events.
A loop is different from the Memory Cycle button
because a loop is a permanent addition to a track.
In addition, the loop only loops one track, whereas
Memory Cycle loops the entire sequence. For
information about Memory Cycle looping, see
“The Memory Cycle button” on page 196.
Both MIDI and audio tracks can be looped.
Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
Creating a loop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
BASICS
A loop has three components: a start point, an end
point and a number of repetitions. When a loop
starts, it plays through its data normally. When the
end point is reached, the region is played again
from the start point. This cycle repeats for the
specified number of repetitions, or indefinitely if
an infinite loop is specified.
When the loop finishes its number of repetitions,
the next data played will correspond to the location
on the Counter. For example, the region from
measure 1|1|000 to 4|1|000 is looped four times.
After the loop finishes, the Counter will be at
measure 13 (four times three measures is twelve:
measure 13 comes after measure 12). The data in
the track continues playing from measure 13, not
from measure 4. If there is any data in measures 4
through 12, it is skipped. The loop takes
precedence over any intervening data.
When moving to a location in a sequence, Digital
Performer figures out whether any tracks are in the
middle of a loop and keeps count of where in the
looping process these tracks are. This allows you to
begin playing or recording from any location and
be sure that the loops will all play correctly.
Notes can be sustained across loop boundaries: if a
note is inside a loop, it will always sound for its
specified duration.
Independent track looping
Each track has its own set of loops. This means that
each track can be looped independently of others.
The Conductor track cannot be looped. (You can,
however, temporarily loop the entire sequence
using the Memory Cycle button.)
A loop starts right on its Start time and ends just
before its End time. For example, a loop set from
1|1|000 to 4|1|000 would play the data from 1|1|000
to 3|4|479 (at 480 ticks-per-quarter-note
resolution); the next repetition would play the
same data immediately at 4|1|000. The number of
repetitions equals the total number of times you
want the region to play; this includes the first pass.