User Manual

POLAR
289
Finally, you click the Save button in the POLAR
window to save the entire POLAR session as its
own document. This allows you to go back to the
POLAR session at any time —exactly as you saved
it — for further tweaking, layering, or other
modifications.
RAM-based loop recording
The scenario above is just an example. Generally
speaking, POLAR is ideal for any recording
situation that calls for recording multiple passes of
material, and either layering the passes on top of
one another or recording each pass individually,
storing each pass as a “take” that gets muted as you
begin a new take.
Recording in context
One of the best things about POLAR is that you can
play the rest of your sequence — both MIDI and
audio — while recording into it.
Saving your POLAR session
When you’re done recording into POLAR, you can
export your RAM-based audio as hard disk audio
— and even automatically create tracks, right along
side your current MIDI and audio tracks — to save
them with the rest of your Digital Performer
project. Or you can save your POLAR session as its
own document. You can even do both, so that you
can always go back to the original POLAR session
for further modification.
IDEAS FOR USING POLAR
Here are a few ideas for how you can use POLAR:
■ For years, Digital Performer has allowed you to
build MIDI drum loops by overdub recording into
a MIDI track. Now you can do this sort of thing
with audio in the POLAR window!
■ Remember the EchoPlex™? For those of you that
don’t, it was a device introduced in the 70’s that let
you record a short phrase and then build on top of
it. POLAR is ideal for building this type of layered
effect.
■ POLAR is also ideal for recording multiple takes
of the same material, such as multiple takes for
solos, etc.
■ How about writing entire sections of music? As
long as you have enough RAM, you can build
entire sections of music, interactively, in real time.
PREPARATIONS FOR USING POLAR
The following sections cover the specific features in
the POLAR window.
Listening to existing audio and MIDI tracks
while recording in POLAR
POLAR lets you record either with or without
listening to existing MIDI and/or audio tracks.
If you don’t want to hear any sequence tracks while
recording in POLAR, the easiest way to keep them
from playing is to turn off the Link play button to
main transport button in the POLAR window. For
details, see “Playback and transport control” on
page 293.
If you do want to listen to sequence tracks, leave
this button turned on so that when you start
POLAR, the sequence will start, too. Often, you’ll
want to loop a specific section of the sequence
while recording in POLAR. To do so, turn on
Memory Cycle and set the cycle points accordingly.
This will make the sequence loop that section of
music while you’re recording in POLAR.
Keep in mind, however, that you don’t necessarily
have to loop the sequence while recording a
POLAR session. For example, you could (if you
wanted to) play a 10-minute sequence from start to
finish while layering 8-measure loops in POLAR.
Establishing a tempo reference
If you’re listening to existing material while
recording into POLAR, then you’re all set to record
at the tempo of the sequence.