Thinking About Writing A Sampler

[GameGod]

Hey guys,

I can't find any decent live looping sampler software for Linux, so I'm thinking about writing my own. It just occurred to me that if I made an SDL-based interface for it (or something like that), it'd be easy to port it to GP2X. Has anyone used an external USB soundcard with a GP2X?

Also, what's the easiest way to build a simple interface on the GP2X? (I kinda don't feel like writing a ton of GUI code from scratch. Does anyone have a preferred library, maybe something that uses SDL for actual drawing?)

Thanks!

P.S. If anyone has no idea what I'm talking about, a loop sampler lets you record input and basically compose songs/beats on the fly. If you have one hooked up to a turntable, you can do some pretty wicked stuff with it. See 2tall...

 

[Parkydr]

What's wrong with this?

 

[GameGod]

It's just really hard to use in a live situation without a MIDI controller (like a pedal or something)... maybe all sampler's are going to have that problem.

SooperLooper's just a bit too complicated too. (Play with it and you'll know what I mean.) I just need something very simple, and preferably that'll run on a GP2X.

 

[MiL0]

yeah I'd definitely be interested in this... keep us updated :]


edit: but what I'd >really< love to see is a Recycle/Dr-Rex style beat slicer. Slicing up breaks for using within Cubase/Reason is fairly laborious... would be nice to be able to do it whilst sitting on the train to work. I've already asked the author of NitroTracker on the DS to consider something like this.. would work especially well on the DS cos of the excellent touch screen.

 

[Parkydr]

Freewheeling is better in that has tutorials etc but it's not GP2X friendly.

I think this could be a tricky project for the GP2X, setting up midi side of it.

 

[GameGod]

Well, that's the thing Parkydr - This loop sampler won't use MIDI.

The problem with Freewheeling and Sooperlooper is that they basically _require_ you to have a MIDI controller for it to actually be useful. I want to design this so it can operate semi-hands free.

For example, I want to be able to record only for a pre-defined interval. I want to be able to punch in "4 bars" into the sampler, push record, and then have it give me a 1 bar prep time before it actually starts recording. That way I can have both hands occupied with musical things...
(See what I'm getting at?)

MIL0: I agree, a beat slicer would be awesome