Rex Files only option for Instant Drummer

[BuleriaChk]

Is this true? If so, this really sucks. I purchased RiffTracker with Guitar Port, thinking it would be a convenient method of recording. It may be, but only if you're forced into the rhythmic straitjacket that Instant Drummer requires.

Unless, of course, you spend a LOT of extra money and purchase ReCycle to convert .wav files to .Rex format (and I could give one damn about Reason, etc...)
RiffTracker should give us a conversion utility to convert .wav file to rex files, rather than forcing us to purchase ReCycle. I really think that is RiffTracker's responsiblity - we should not be bound to Rex files (especially since that limitation is not advertised before purchase.

RiffTracker as it is, is totally useless to me, since I work in complex combinations of 3/4 and 6/8 for Flamenco, and am COMPLETELY uninterested in the available loops that RiffTracker offers.

Like Line 6's licensing policy, this limitation is absurd and archaic in this day and age, and is a narrow sighted way of gaining short term income (for Reason), at the expense of losing customers (unfortunately, I had RiffTracker over the trial period before I found out about the damned Rex file limitation. What a piece of crap!

[dave]

I'm not sure I understand your question. The REX backup has nothing to do with the InstantDrummer. You can load REX files in the REX backup. You can't currently load .WAV files into RiffWorks. Because .WAV files don't contain tempo and beat information, we don't have a way to make them match the Riff Tempo.

Just to clarify, we have nothing to do with Propellerheads Reason or ReCycle software. We support REX files because they are a great way to distribute loopable content and there is a lot of it available. I wish we could provide a tool to convert from .WAV to REX, but we don't have the rights to their file format.

Sorry,
Dave

[Timejunkie]

BuleriaChk,

I really don't understand your outburst....unless you work for a competitor...?

As you mentioned you have the trial version of the product so you are certainly not out any money and that is what a trial version is for....to see if it is going to work for you. That being said...

Yes, RT may not be suited to everyone's needs, it's not meant to be. However, many of us find it an excellent tool for wiriting and recording. I am personally preparing an entire solo CD using this software. By combining the Instantdrummer with the REX capabilty one can come up with very usable and interesting rythmic combinations.

The wav limitation is certainly not a reason to refer to this product as "crap".

I have tried several of the "other" recording products out there (and I paid for them)
and I spent more time converting files, programming drums and generally teching around than I did actually writing music....which is what this a supposed to be about.

I hope you find a product geared specifically for "you" in the future.

Best of luck!

[BuleriaChk]

Ok, I just uploaded ver. 2. Riff tracker is still limited to 4/4 (so far, from what I can tell - setting the time signature to 3/4 for a 4/4 loop doesn't make any sense, unless it lops the last beat off, in which case it might be marginally useful)

One would think Riff tracker would AT LEAST allow looping a .wav file, even if one can't change tempo (ie, and un-Acidized loop), or allow playing a simple MIDI file.

As it is, Rifftracker still remains unesable (I now use Ableton Live 5.1, which does more than Rifftracker even dreamed of doing....) But requiring Rex files as the ONLY possible rhythm accompaniment is a straitjacket, and in this day an age is unconscionable in a professonal(?) product.

I still feel strongly that I wasted my $99 (I bought it as a bundle with TonePort.)

Bottom Line:

AT LEAST let us play .wav loops (no tempo adjustment) or MIDI files (hey, 8 samples would be enough). Better yet, for the extra money, get Fruity Loops which walks all over RiffTracker.....

[prawntoast]

Dude, you posted about this on the Line 6 boards on Dec 7, 2004.

"I have a LOT of .wav loops I would like to use with Rifftracker, but apparently (at present) it only accepts rex format.
Any other solution other than converting them all via Beat Creator?

Thanks,

Chuck"

Surely a little bit of research and some posts to the very helpful members on this forum would have answered your questions. It's a great piece of software and a number of the members of these forums have used it to to great effect to complete their own albums and tracks. Certainly not the "piece of crap" that you rate it as.

The Instant Drummer has a great many styles and varieties but are mainly focused on the pop/rock/metal/blues genres (undoubtedly the most popular) and unfortunately not on other styles at present. A quick look at the Sonoma online store would have allowed you to listen to an audio preview all of the available drum content prior to upgrading to V2.

It definately can be used for alternative time signatures. One of my recent compositions was in 6/8, using the Groovin Odd Time drummer and it worked extremely well.

I appreciate that RiffWorks, at present, isn't suited to flamenco guitar. Perhaps requesting some Instant Drummer patterns that would suit your style of music rather than flaming the creators would further your cause. But I can't accept your conclusion of it being a "$99 white elephant" (from the Line6 forums) or a "piece of crap". There are loads of posters on these forums who I am sure, like myself, find the software extremely creative and with the release of V2, better than ever.

Cheers,
Al

[BuleriaChk]

Rifftracks is a white elephant for those interested in real music (hey, I haven't even mentioned 7/8 or 9/8 or 5/4 time signatures - common throughout the world.) And I wouldn't have an objection if RiffTracker provided either a wav or midi option....

But without it we are limited to YOUR rhythmic tastes, not ours. And in my experience a jazz 6/8 (often confused with 2/4 tripets) isn't the same as a Flamenco 6/8 (which is contrasted with 3/4; being different accentuations of six 1/8th notes)

Well you can defend all you want to, I'm not going to attack any longer. I just think your program is for musical kindergarten, and isn't even a good educational tool without those features....

Sheesh - even Gearbox will loop .wav files.....

[hbursk]

Riffworks supports Rewire. So you already have a solution to the problem you are posing. Slave your 5.1 version of Ableton Live to RiffWorks, and you can use any wave file in any time signature or tempo your heart desires. And Ableton will do the timestretching and beatmatching and most importantly wave file playing that you ask of RiffWorks.

RiffWorks never claimed to be a full featured recording application. You can't edit, how can it be? What it is, is a streamlined sketchpad for guitarists and composers who want to spend more time making music than filing through options and menus. I use RiffWorks all the time to great effect. I write music cues for film and television, and it allows to work quickly and on the fly to compose and create musical ideas that I wouldn't have been able to make using any other program. I too use Ableton Live all the time. But when I want to compose, I turn to RiffWorks.

[BuleriaChk]

Bottom line: I'm happy that you're happy with Riffworks, and I hope you become rich and famous creatiing whatever in hell you can create with Riffworks.

There is good news and bad news:
The good news: The tools of procuction are at last in the hands of the workers.
The bad news: The tools of production are at last in the hands of the workers......

I'm outta here....

[prawntoast]

Rifftracks is a white elephant for those interested in real music (hey, I haven't even mentioned 7/8 or 9/8 or 5/4 time signatures - common throughout the world.) And I wouldn't have an objection if RiffTracker provided either a wav or midi option....

But without it we are limited to YOUR rhythmic tastes, not ours. And in my experience a jazz 6/8 (often confused with 2/4 tripets) isn't the same as a Flamenco 6/8 (which is contrasted with 3/4; being different accentuations of six 1/8th notes)

Well you can defend all you want to, I'm not going to attack any longer. I just think your program is for musical kindergarten, and isn't even a good educational tool without those features....

Sheesh - even Gearbox will loop .wav files.....

I see. Because it doesn't support the music you like - it's useless. I beg to differ.

The music I enjoy and write is real music, my friend. Perhaps not to your taste - but real music all the same. I love guitar music of all kinds - period. Blues, jazz, pop, prog, metal, rock, classical, neo-classical, indie, emo, hardcore, flamenco - you name it, I love it all.

Your assertion that my musical taste is in some way lesser to yours only highlights your own inability to recognise that music comes in many, many flavours. Some we find instantly enjoyable, others takes time to resonate and some are particularly challenging to listen to and appreciate. But this doesn't dimish their overall worth.

All software is written with the majority in mind - not the minority. It's simple economics. Why develop a program which will appeal to only a small, select few? How would the developers re-coup their costs? Sonoma is still in it's infancy and so is the RiffWorks software and there is still a lot more to come from these guys.

The WAV importing subject has been a topic on these boards for many, many months and Sonoma are well aware that a number of users would love this functionality. These guys LISTEN, believe me. This or something similar will, no doubt, be incorporated into a future version of the software as the scope of RiffWorks is increased.

The fact remains, however, that the design ethic behind the software was to simplify the recording process and help remove the barriers between the guitarist having an idea and turning that idea into a reality. There are already tons (ProTools, Logic etc.) of applications on the market that will do exactly what you need, without a doubt, so perhaps that is where you should focus your attention. RiffWorks is aimed at an entirely different market that's not fixated on complexity. I like to think of it as Pro-level sound without Pro-level complications. The interface, when it's designed well, should become so intuitive it's almost invisible to the user. I think RiffWorks has achieved that from day one. It's most certainly not "Kindergarten" level.

Have you listened to RiffCaster? Have you heard what people are doing with this software every day? One listen to the imaginative, creative and inspirational things that people are doing with RiffWorks would blow your "Kindergarten" arguement to bits.

There are loads of users on these forums who feel the way I do and I'm sure they'll post on this subject.

I also use Logic Express 7 and GarageBand 3 to record my music, so I'm no Sonoma whore. I just feel that it's one of the only packages on the market that has been designed for the guitar player from the ground up. I'm truly appreciative of their efforts to democratise computer recording, making it accessible to everybody, no matter what their technical or creative abililty is.

EDIT: To correct spelling errors.

Cheers,
Al

[ShredRex]

Bottom line: I'm happy that you're happy with Riffworks, and I hope you become rich and famous creatiing whatever in hell you can create with Riffworks.

There is good news and bad news:
The good news: The tools of procuction are at last in the hands of the workers.
The bad news: The tools of production are at last in the hands of the workers......

I'm outta here....

Thanks and don't let the door hit ya in the ass on the way out, and not a minute too soon I might add. I am going back to my building blocks.........

[strat]

IF its not in 5/9 or 13/16 time, its not real music...thats funny..how about a 1/2 inch open end.maby its to hard to play some normal time sig...peace..

[GuitarSlinger]

Yeah rex files arent as popular as acidized wave files but they do time strech better than acidized wave or apple loops. There is no such thing as a free acid to rex converter. Just as there is no such thing as a free wave to acidized wave converter. Each loop would have to be programmed with tempo information manually or it simply wouldnt work. If you really want to use rex files for flemenco music and dont like the isntant drummers Id suggest you fork out some cash for some loop packages like Big Fish Audio's Alma Flemenco.

http://www.bigfishaudio.com/4DCGI/detailWhatsOn.html?981

You get both Rex2 and Acidized wav files.

I'm sure with a little googling you can find plenty of available media to meet your needs.

That being said Riffworks is not a midi editor or tradition sequencer. Id have to say its more for people who want to focus on playing guitar and songwriting. Its an invaluable tool but isnt the only tool youll need. If Live5 works for you then great, no need to bash here. Surely you knew what you were buying. Personally I hate Live I like Acid Pro for editing loops. And then theres Reaper that you may want to try the fully functional free version.

Anyways nobody ever only needs one program and riffworks is a little basic. And thats why I like it. I can just fire it up, hit record and jam. I jam with it on all the time, I can generally sit down and write and record entire songs within a day and I am not fast at writing. It a great way to record ideas. Many people export their final tracks minus drums to other programs or for final mixes.

Give it a whirl.

[dug]

We don't produce all the drum content for RiffWorks. The companies we partnered with do, and they are some of the top drum content providers. That they don't have lots of options in the genre's that you're looking for might be an indication of the demand for those genres.

We'd love to be able to convert wav files to rex as dave mentions. But Propellerhead owns that format and they chose to make the only tool for converting rex files their own ReCycle.

And by the way, Recycle at $199 + RiffWorks Standard at $129 is still less than Live at $399. I think we priced our software well for the features we offer.

thanks,
dug

[alphamate]

Its great to get honest feedback. Thanks Chuck..

Since the recent release of all the version 2 drummers there's alot more to offer in the verstatility and style department,, not to mention a few new time signatures for your rythmic tastes. Rex is always your friend too... If you're not finding the beat you need in the 50 + drummer library, you can always make music with any rex beats you can get your hands on, or just make your own rex with Recycle.

Let us know if your liking the improvements once you try out some of the new drummers and features!


Cheers,,

Edit: I hear you on the wav player. Very good idea.

[cocoa1]

i have tried alot of programs and riffworks is the fastest way to record.i have sonarpro 4 for sale with a 600 page manual you can have dude.why did you not try the demo first to see if the program was for you.sounds like you can only play one style of music and everything else is not to your liking.i dont care for the new ashly simson cd im not putting it down though the songwriters who wrote the songs are good.129.00 is a great deal.