Doggiebox February 2003

doggiebox@lists.zygoat.ca

11 participants
17 discussions

Midi Import
by Mikhael 22 May '03

22 May '03

I know this question has probably already been asked, but does Doggiebox support Midi Import of drum tracks? Thanks, Mike

2 1

AIFF format
by lee gummerman 19 Mar '03

19 Mar '03

I'm having an odd problem with AIFF files exported from DoggieBox. Though they open and play fine in QT player, I can't seem to open them in Deck (via "Add sound to library"). I am able to access them in Deck if I first open and re-save the file in Amadeus II, even though I leave the format (44.1 Khz, 16 bit) the same. One difference I notice is that in Finder, the DB output's "Kind" is shown as "AIFC Audio", where Amadeus's is "Audio IFF Document". Do you know what the distinction is? -- Lee

2 1

just some ideas...
by Justin M. 04 Mar '03

04 Mar '03

I haven't been able to use the new build yet because of the package problem...which is odd, since I'm set up as the admin and haven't had the problem before...but here are just a few questions/comments from a guitarist using doggiebox with a home studio. 1) I think someone else might have mentioned individual volume controls for each drum, but I'd like to expand a little on that, since I'm not sure exactly what they had in mind. I'd like to see the controls set in the score itself, and what would be even handier is a crescendo feature of some sort so that I could do something like have a snare or kick beat grow louder to lead into a chorus. If that makes sense...I'm obviously not as up on some of the technical aspects, and I suspect a lot of people like me would like a feature like that rather than setting an individual volume on each drumbeat, which is the only other way I could think of to do it. 2) When I'm adding bars, the bars always come in at the beginning...it's not too much of a problem now that I plan for it, but I pretty much just sit down with a short sketch of the song on headphones and map out how I want to do the drums, and since I'm never sure of how many bars the song actually has, it becomes a bit of a problem when I realize I'm short. I also had some trouble copying and pasting measures...I can't remember if it took out the entire bar or how it worked when I tried (I pretty much just gave up, I have a short a attention span), but it would be great if there were separate features to copy and paste both the bar itself or just the contents of the bar into another bar...again, if that makes sense. 3) Have you thought about adding stereo functionality to individual drum lines? It might be there and I'm missing it...I haven't had a chance to play with the program as much as I'd like. But it would be nice to be able to pan a drum into the left or right channel instead of having everything centered. I've found some ways to deal with that in mixing, but I've recently regressed from using ProTools to using my trusty Tascam (I don't know why, I just prefer analog recording, even on a four-track) and so I don't have the luxury of nearly limitless tracks like I used to. 4) I might be the only one with the problem, but my computer does something weird when I try to export to .aiff...basically it tells me it's been exported, and it will then sit there until I force it to cancel. If I cancel too early, the .aiff doesn't play. I'm not sure what the time limit I have to let it sit there is...something more than five minutes and less than an hour. 5) Are there or will there be more possible sounds on the registered version? As I've said, I'm not a drummer, and I won't be importing any sounds myself...some things like brush work and stuff like that would be awesome. 6) I think maybe someone has mentioned this, but it would be nice if there was a separate selector on the left for things like the muted snares and so on rather than using the pull down menus. Just some thoughts, like I said...this is a great program and I'm amazed at how realistic a sound you can get from it. My main problem with using drum tracks and so on is they always sound like a drum machine, and I don't get that feeling nearly as much with doggiebox. Apologies in advance for anything I've mentioned that's already gone through the idea wringer. -Justin _________________________________________________________________ Add photos to your messages with MSN 8. Get 2 months FREE*. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/featuredemail

2 1

Audible "click" after importing new drums
by Michael Carlyle 04 Mar '03

04 Mar '03

I've been recording short snippets of sounds from my Boss Dr 550MKII. I've taken great pains to edit the files so that there is no extra space before the sound, to keep it in rhythm with the patterns. I've also edited out any extra space at the tail of the sound, making sure it fades neatly and cleanly. I am saving files as 16 bit mono aif files with no compression. When I build a new kit and import these sounds, most every one has a "click" at it's tail end. I've double checked all the files I imported by viewing and listening to them in an external editor. The original files are clean, with no "clicks" or "pops". I must therefore conclude that Doggiebox is somehow adding this "tail pop" as I import the sounds.

2 1

Re: [doggiebox] Re: Doggiebox feedback
by Ben Kennedy 04 Mar '03

04 Mar '03

On 10 2 2003 at 6:30 pm -0500, Steve McNally wrote: >2) Ability to keep initial beat when increasing resolution >i.e. I first have 4/4 with some 4 highhats, two kicks and two snares; when >i go to 64/64, those 8 notes should be in time where they ought to be and >I can add additional notes from there. (Virtual Drummer does this) I'm not sure I understand what you're illustrating here; can you describe the issue in a bit more detail Steve? >4) Not really a feature request, but: What is DoggieBox doing when it >samples an AIFF? Why is the resulting sound different from the input file? Huh... what do you mean, is it being mangled? What are the properties of your source file (in terms of bit depth, sample rate and channels)? The only difference you should find is the level; the input will be attenuated slightly in the mix. If things are indeed wacky, if you can send me an example that would be cool -- the source audio file, and then the drum kit file, would be useful to compare. -b -- Ben Kennedy, chief magician zygoat creative technical services 613-228-3392 | 1-866-466-4628 http://www.zygoat.ca

2 2

Inporting Different kits
by Pop-Cycle 04 Mar '03

04 Mar '03

Hello All, I'm going to try to ask this question the best I know how. Please forgive My lack of knowledge this is all so new. I want to add new drum sounds to Doggie Box. Do these have to be certain kind of files. Such As Aiff, Wav, Mp3, Midi, I have a folder that has .ds extensions. Is there a way I can use these? Any Ideas. Pop-Cycle

3 2

AIFF file import- I stand corrected
by Michael Carlyle 25 Feb '03

25 Feb '03

In a message posted by me earlier in the day (while I was at work) I stated that I had successfully imported AIFF files exported from DB with no intermediate steps. I just tried it now and sure enough, it doesn't work. I also run Peak. I must have used it to translate or resave the file in my earlier experience. Foggy memory, I guess. Sorry for the confusion and I just want to set the record straight on that import issue.

1 0

Silences update
by Ben Kennedy 24 Feb '03

24 Feb '03

All, I wanted to apologize for silence as of late -- I have been tied up for the past week with other projects, and also redesigning a fresh web site for doggiebox.com. I will reply to your unanswered e-mails within the next couple of days, and you can look forward to an updated web site and 1.0.1 release before the end of the week. -ben -- Ben Kennedy, chief magician zygoat creative technical services 613-228-3392 | 1-866-466-4628 http://www.zygoat.ca

1 0

Re: Doggiebox feedback
by Ben Kennedy 11 Feb '03

11 Feb '03

On 09 2 2003 at 8:30 am -0500, François Rayer wrote: >So as musician, I downloaded it and play a little with it. These are >the feedback and ideas I got about it, I hope this might help to make >this thing to become ZeGreatThing ;-) Hey François, Thanks a lot for the feedback, I appreciate it, and I'm glad you are having fun with Doggie :) All of your ideas are right on point; here are my thoughts: >You might propose to the user to set one instrument per line (on the >left side of the bars) and so adding/removing a beat is just a click on >the right place in the instruments/beats matrix. To keep the thing >readable it's better if it adds the symbol of the instrument (like you >do now). Yep, I tend to agree. Originally, my goal was to simplify the whole grid by causing various drums to share spots -- for example, cymbals and hi hats which wouldn't typically be hit at the same time. However, I realise this does create extra hassle for quickly adding/removing things. As it happens, doing what you've illustrated in the JPEG is very much what I've had in mind for the near future. I am thinking of having a switchable mode, so that you can either use the current behaviour (compact five-line grid) or switch so that every instrument shows up in its own space... and then have the drum kit list/palette follow the mouse around so that it always appears to the left of the current row, in line with the grid currently being edited. Also, functions related to this: providing option-click to erase the current drum, regardless of what it is; and control-click for more options (as you suggest). >2. The ability to name a set of bars is fine, I would like to be able >to sequence them as the song need it, without copying it. Yeah, I hear you on this; that's also on the idea list. Seems it would be cool if you could copy a section in the section list, and paste it in somewhere else, so that it functions like an alias to the first one. I am thinking that the bars would show up in the editor like usual, but with an indication that they are actually an alias for a pre-existing section elsewhere in the song -- any changes made to one would be made also to the original. Or, it could be locked so that changes could only be made to the original. >3. The granularity feature is fine but should be manageable by bar to >keep a more compact interface. In principle, I understand where you are coming from on this, and I think there is room for improvement. However, I'm wondering how to implement it in a way that would not cause widespread confusion. :) I think the first step is that I need to indicate, on a per-bar basis somehow, what the current granularity is -- i.e. what duration of note that a given beat division represents. >4. As a general remark, most of Mac users like the CTRL click (or right >click) because it's fast. Many functions might be implemented that way >and so being context sensitive (when you right click on a bar you get >bar menu, on an instrument a menu about the instrument...) Exact; I foresee the power here, and I just haven't had time to flesh it out yet. For example, I envision control-click to provide a velocity slider, so that you can alter the volume of a given drum/cymbal hit, etc. >That's it for today :-) I will play a little more with this demo and >perhaps come back to you with more feedback. Awesome; I love the suggestions, and look forward to your other ideas. By the way, I am copying this to the mailing list so people can get an idea what is is lying ahead; hope you don't mind! -ben -- Ben Kennedy, chief magician zygoat creative technical services 613-228-3392 | 1-866-466-4628 http://www.zygoat.ca

6 6

Re: [doggiebox] Doggie box instrument icons, etc
by Ben Kennedy 10 Feb '03

10 Feb '03

On 10 2 2003 at 6:21 pm -0500, Michael Carlyle wrote: >The documentation seems to lack a technical description of those icon's >properties (file format, size, color depth, etc.). I could see myself making >icons and using them, if only I knew those properties. Yeah, the documentation completely lacks anything on the drum kit editor. It is my intention to flesh this out a bit before releasing 1.0.1. Hopefully within the next few days... hopefully. (I wish I could duplicate myself sometimes.) Anyway, as it stands, here's the lowdown on drum icons: they can be of any graphics format that Quicktime can natively parse (JPEG, GIF, TIFF, PDF, etc) and will be scaled down as necessary. The de facto ideal size is currently 18x18. >I'd like to propose that you explore a drag and drop window or sheet that >contains all of your default icons. I would have no problem using the >default versions if I could find out where they lived. You *should* be able to open up Ben's Premier Kit in the drum kit editor, and simply drag the icons out of those drums into your new drums. I say "should", because currently you can't, and that kind of sucks. It's purely a user-interface issue that I need to address. In the mean time I can send you a .sit of PDF's containing my icons if you like. :) -b -- Ben Kennedy, chief magician zygoat creative technical services 613-228-3392 | 1-866-466-4628 http://www.zygoat.ca

1 0

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

Doggiebox February 2003