Samplebot Manual

Samplebot is an app for iPhone and iPad that lets you sample and import audio, then play back your sounds on pads and arrange them into songs using the built-in sequencer.

This manual describes the app's main functions:

• Recording Sounds
• Importing and Managing Sounds
• Playing and Managing Pads
• Recording and Editing Sequences
• Managing Projects
• General Settings
• MIDI Control

Recording Sounds

You can use Samplebot to record sounds coming in your device's microphone, or through class compliant audio hardware connected to your device via the Lightning port.

To begin recording, tap or hold a blank pad in Samplebot.

• Tap a blank pad briefly to toggle recording. Samplebot will wait to hear a sound before recording begins. Tap again to finish recording.
• Hold the pad to begin recording until you release. Samplebot will wait to hear a sound before recording begins. Release to finish recording.

If you make a mistake, tap to undo. Hold to bring up the Undo/Redo options.

Tap the tempo button 120 to open the Tempo screen. If you change the tempo and you've already recorded or imported some audio, it will be time-stretched to the new tempo as appropriate.

Configuring Recording

You can configure how Samplebot records audio. To open Input Settings:

1. Tap the menu button at the bottom left of Samplebot's main screen
2. Tap “Settings” at the bottom right of the menu screen
3. Tap “Input”

• Enable or disable microphone input (“Enabled” switch).
• Enable or disable input monitoring (“Monitor” switch).
  When this is enabled, you will hear the audio input if you have headphones connected to your device, or if you are using an audio interface connected to the device's Lightning port. If the latter, please beware of feedback if you are using speakers for monitoring.
• Adjust the input gain and view the current input level (“Gain” slider).
• Adjust the recording threshold level (“Record Threshold”).
  This dictates the loudness of the sound required to trigger record start when you tap or hold an empty pad. If Samplebot begins recording too soon, and captures leading silence, try moving this slider to the right. If Samplebot doesn't begin recording with normal sound levels, try moving the slider to the left. When the Record Threshold slider's background level indicator flickers, this indicates the sound level is sufficient to trigger recording.
• For multi-channel input devices, select the channels you wish to record (“Input Channels”). You can select individual channels, or stereo pairs.

Importing and Managing Sounds

You can import audio into Samplebot in a wide range of audio formats. Here are some of the ways you can bring audio into your Samplebot projects:

• Transfer sounds using AirDrop between your devices, and select Samplebot as the open destination when prompted.
• Import sounds from other apps using the “Copy to Samplebot” function from any “Export” or “Share” function .
• Copy sounds to the clipboard, and paste them into Samplebot.
• Open sounds from Mail or Messages using “Copy to Samplebot”.
• Import sounds from iCloud, Dropbox and other cloud services with the built-in Document Picker.
• Import non-copy-protected songs from your iTunes Library.
• Copy sounds into Samplebot from your desktop computer over the USB cable.
• Use Audiobus to sample other compatible applications in Samplebot.

Media Screen

Samplebot's Media screen allows you to manage and import your sounds. To access the Media screen:

1. Tap the menu button at the bottom left of Samplebot's main screen
2. Tap “Media” at the bottom of the menu screen

On the Media screen, you can:

• Preview and import audio from the Clipboard, if present (“Clipboard”).
• Import audio from iCloud, Dropbox and other cloud services, or from other compatible apps (“Document Picker”).
• Import music from your iTunes or Apple Music library (“Music Library”).
  You can only import music that you have downloaded onto your device and which is not copy-protected.
• View and manage sounds that you have imported.

Once you have selected a sound to import, you will be taken to the Import Screen. Here, you can:

• Preview the sound, using the button at the center top.
• Rename the sound, by tapping the title.
• View the sound's waveform, and adjust the beginning and end points using the two handles at either side.
  Pinch to zoom, and pan to navigate through the waveform, to gain tighter control over the beginning and end points.
• Adjust the playback speed (“Speed” slider).
  The playback speed setting will be automatically adjusted to fit your current project's tempo.
• Adjust the playback pitch (“Pitch” slider).
• Complete the import (“Import”).
  Once you have tapped the “Import” button, you will be prompted to select a target pad. Tap the pad to place the imported audio upon it. Once the import has finished, you may import to a different pad, perhaps after adjusting the trim point or pitch, using “Import Again”, or finish up by tapping “Finish”.
• Export the sound, using the button at the top right.

Playing and Managing Pads

To play back recorded or imported sounds, tap or hold a pad in Samplebot.

• Tap a pad briefly to start playback. Samplebot will play the sample until the end.
• Hold the pad to begin playing, until you release.

Access pad controls by swiping your finger from right to left on a pad.

The pad controls allow you to:

• Clear a pad ()
• Edit a pad ()

Tap to enter the Pad Edit Screen. Here, you can:

• Play the pad, using the button at the center top.
• Name the pad, by tapping the title.
• View the pad's waveform, and trim the beginning and end of the sound using the two handles at either side.
  Pinch to zoom, and pan to navigate through the waveform, to gain tighter control over the beginning and end points, and tap the button at the top to preview the trimmed sound. Once you are happy with the edit, tap the “Trim” button to commit the change.
• Adjust the playback volume of the pad (“Volume” slider).
• Adjust the balance (“Balance” slider).
• Adjust the pitch, up or down 12 semitones (“Pitch” slider).
• Adjust the playback speed, from 1/4 speed, up to 4x (“Speed” slider).
• Import sounds to the pad ( at the top right).
• Export the pad's audio ( at the top right).
Copy audio from one pad to another by tapping in the source pad's Edit Screen, and selecting “Audio Copy”, then opening the target pad's Edit Screen and tapping , then selecting the Clipboard entry.

Recording and Editing Sequences

With Samplebot, you can take your recorded or imported sounds and program them into a sequence which can be played back or exported. You can record sequences using the Sequence Record button ( at the bottom of Samplebot's main screen), or you can create and edit sequences using the Sequence Editor.

Recording Sequences

To record a sequence, or to add an extra layer to your sequence, tap . Samplebot will count in 4 measures, and then begin recording. While recording is active, any pads you play back or record will be saved to your project's sequence.

Once you are finished recording, tap again and recording will end.

If you made a mistake during recording, tap the Undo button to undo the recording. Hold to bring up the Undo/Redo options.

Viewing, Playing and Editing Sequences

To view, play back or edit your sequence, switch to the Sequence screen using the button at the bottom right of Samplebot's main screen.

To return to the pads screen, tap from the Sequence screen.

The Sequence screen shows each of your pads in rows, cascading down the screen. Your sequence's timeline is shown across the screen, subdivided into bars, beats, and fractions of beats, depending upon the zoom level.

Segments

Tap anywhere in the main area of the screen to place a segment at that time, for that pad. If that pad has sound, it will play at that point in the sequence, during sequence playback.

Tap an existing segment to remove it from the timeline, or drag it to change its position. Drag the right side of any segment to change its length.

If you make any mistakes, tap to undo (or redo) your changes.

Use the Marquee and Edit buttons to switch mode. When Marquee mode is active, you can draw a rectangle around the segments in the timeline you wish to edit. Then, with these segments active, you can drag them forwards or backwards in the timeline, copy and paste, or delete the selected segments.

If you have copied segments using Marquee mode, tap the playhead at the top of the screen to call up the Paste action, and tap Paste to place the copied segments at that point in the timeline, and move the playhead to the end of the pasted region. You can build up sophisticated patterns by using Copy/Paste repeatedly.

Navigation

Pinch to zoom and pan to navigate through your sequence. At higher zoom levels, the quantization level increases to more fine-grained divisions so you can place segments on the timeline more accurately. At the maximum zoom level, there is no quantization at all.

While playback is active, the viewport will follow the playhead, unless you navigate in the sequence during playback.

Playback

Play back your sequence by pressing . To stop, press .

Move the playhead by tapping or dragging in the timeline header at the top of the screen. Move to the beginning of the sequence by tapping in the empty space to the left of the timeline header.

Loop Mode

Toggle Loop Mode by pressing . The current loop region will appear in the timeline header at the top of the screen as a yellow area, or grey if it is disabled.

• Drag the left and right handles to adjust the loop beginning and end points, or drag the loop region from the middle to move it backwards and forwards in the timeline.
• Tap the loop region in the timeline header to disable or remove the loop.
• If the playhead is outside the loop region, tap it to assign a loop beginning/end point at that location.
• While looping is enabled, during playback once the playhead enters the loop region, playback (or recording) will loop around this region repeatedly, until the Loop Exit button is pressed. Then playback will continue normally until stopped.

Using Loop Mode and Sequence Recording together can be a fun, easy and creative way to build up your sequence in layers.

Kits

Samplebot features three special white pads which are used for drum kits. To choose a built-in kit pattern, tap the Kits button. A list of available patterns will appear; tap one to select it. Then tap the empty space in the special Kits row to place a pattern there.

Tap the Kit disclosure icon to expand the Kits row into the constituent rows. With these expanded, you can customize the individual parts and create your own patterns.

Export/Share

Tap to export or share a mixdown of your sequence.

Managing Projects

To access controls for the current project, tap the menu button at the bottom left of Samplebot's main screen.

On the Project/Menu screen, you can:

• Rename the current project, by tapping on the title
• View the project's Save Points
• Start a new project
• Save the current project
  A save point will be created, which can be viewed in Save Points. With Save Points, all previous states of your project are kept, so you can view its entire history.
• Create and begin working on a copy of the current project (Duplicate Project)
• Export/share the project
• Manage and open your other projects

General Settings

Samplebot's General Settings allow configuration of some high-level functions. To access General Settings:

1. Tap the menu button at the bottom left of Samplebot's main screen
2. Tap “Settings” at the bottom right of the menu screen
3. Tap “General Settings”

In General Settings, you can:

• Select whether the app will continue playing when in the background (“Play in Background”).
  If “Play in Background” is on, then when you switch to the Home Screen or to other applications, Samplebot will continue running. You will see a red recording indicator at the top of your device, indicating Samplebot is active. Quit Samplebot by using the iOS multitasking screen.
• Turn on or off the Sequence Recording metronome.
• Configure the recording Sample Rate.
• Configure the audio hardware buffer duration.
  Smaller buffer durations result in less audio latency, but result in higher CPU usage. If you hear crackles and glitches, try selecting a higher audio hardware buffer duration.
• Adjust the Master Volume.
• Configure Ableton Link.
  Use Ableton Link to synchronize Samplebot with other compatible applications.

MIDI Control

Samplebot provides for sophisticated control via MIDI devices such as foot pedals, keyboards or controllers. With Samplebot's MIDI features, you can:

• Trigger playback or recording of Samplebot's pads, with velocity control.
• Adjust playback parameters (volume and balance) of pads.
• Undo or redo.
• Control the session tempo.
• Load projects or start a new project.

You configure a MIDI device by adding Bindings which are triggered by controls on the MIDI hardware. Each Binding you create can perform one or more actions, in sequence or simultaneously.

To access MIDI Control settings:

1. Tap the menu button at the bottom left of Samplebot's main screen
2. Tap “Settings” at the bottom right of the menu screen
3. Tap “MIDI Control”

The Control Settings screen displays all available MIDI devices. Tap a device to access the Device Configuration.

On the Device Configuration screen, you can:

• Enable or disable the device (“Enable” switch).
• Select or manage profiles (“Active Profile”).
• Duplicate the active profile .
• Export/Share the active profile .
• View and edit the bindings of the current profile.
• Add a new binding.

Adding new MIDI Bindings

Tap “Add New Binding” to create your first Binding.

Samplebot is now listening for incoming MIDI events; press a button, pedal or operate a control knob on your MIDI hardware to record the trigger.

On the Binding screen, you can:

• Tap “Trigger” to manually select from a list of MIDI events:
  • Control Change (CC), or Note:
    • Press (On)
    • Release (Off)
    • Continuous (CC Only) or Press or Release
    • Hold
    • Double Tap
    Note that functionality may be impacted by MIDI devices that are operating in Toggle mode (where one press sends an On state and the next press sends an Off state) instead of Momentary mode (where a press sends an On state, and a release sends an Off state). If your MIDI hardware operates in Toggle mode, you should only use the “Press or Release” event type in Samplebot so that Samplebot responds to all activations of the MIDI hardware.
  • Program Change (PC)
    Note that Program Change events are momentary only, and do not have additional state. Consequently, Release, Hold and Double Tap events are unavailable for Program Change events.
  The MIDI event you can use will depend on the action you select for the binding. For example, if you select a Play action with the “Hold to Play” variant selected, you may only use the “Press or Release” MIDI event for Control Change or Note MIDI messages.
• Tap “Add Action” to select a new action (see below for a list of available actions and their descriptions).
• If you have added more than one action, the “Perform Actions” option will become visible:
  • All At Once: All actions are performed simultaneously.
  • One By One: Each action is performed in sequence, one after the other. After the final action is performed, the next trigger will cause the first action to be performed again.
• Tap “Create New Binding” to save the new binding.

Available MIDI Control Actions

The following actions are available for trigging via MIDI:

• Play Track: One of the pads will be activated for playback, or recording if it is blank and the “Record If Empty” option is selected.
  Options:
  • Target: Select a target pad.
  • Action: Choose which action to perform on the pad:
    • Toggle: If playing, stop; if stopped, play.
    • Play: Begin playback.
    • Stop: Stop playback.
    • Hold to Play: Play while the trigger is being held. Note that this action requires a “Press or Release” MIDI trigger.
  • Use Velocity: Whether to use the velocity of the MIDI event to adjust the volume of playback (for Note triggers only).
  • Record If Empty: If the pad has no audio, the trigger will cause recording to begin.
• Adjust Parameter: Modify a parameter of a pad.
  Options:
  • Target: Select a target pad.
  • Parameter: Select which parameter to adjust (Volume, or Balance).
  • Action: Select the action to perform on the parameter:
    • Adjust Continuously: Modify the parameter using a continuous control (Control Change triggers only).
    • Assign Value: Assign a fixed value.
    • Nudge Value: Increase or decrease parameter by some amount.
  • Pick-Up Mode: If chosen action is Adjust Continuously, this mode causes the parameter to remain unchanged until the MIDI control value reaches the current parameter value. This prevents sudden jumps in parameter value caused by a mismatch between the parameter and the MIDI control.
• Toggle Clock Pause: Stop or start the current sequence.
  Options:
  • Reset Timeline After Pause: Whether to move the playhead back to zero after pausing.
• Undo: Undo the last action.
• Redo: Redo the last undone action.
• Tap Tempo: Derive a new tempo from the rate of incoming MIDI triggers.
• Set Tempo: Assign a fixed tempo value, or nudge tempo up or down.
• Start New Project: Begin a new project.
  Options:
  • Confirm: Whether to request confirmation first. While confirmation is displayed, a second activation will proceed with beginning a new project.
  • Save First: Whether to save the current project first.
• Load Project: Load an existing project.
  Options:
  • Confirm: Whether to request confirmation first. While confirmation is displayed, a second activation will proceed with loading the project.
  • Save First: Whether to save the current project first.
  • Project:
    • Next Project In Folder: Choose the next project, alphabetically, in the same folder as the current one.
    • Specific Project: Choose a specific project.
• Adjust Master Volume: Modify the master volume (Control Change triggers only).

Getting More Help

To get more help using Samplebot, email Michael at [email protected].