Master Class: Cakewalk Beatscape

Feb 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Brian Smithers

           
 

FIND THE GROOVE WITH SONAR 8'S NEW BEAT-CREATION PLUG-IN

Beats Working

Beatscape copies any imported audio files to a user folder (C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Cakewalk\Beatscape\User Samples\Imported), causing them to appear in the User tab of the browser. They are not, however, copied to the Sonar project folder. You will need to do this manually when it's time to archive a project, or your samples will not be archived. Before opening an archived project, simply copy the relevant loops from the archive's User folder (or whatever you chose to name it) to Beatscape's User folder. If you observe the original folder hierarchy exactly, Beatscape will never know they were gone. You can select Browse User Data… from the File menu to get to the user samples quickly.

FIG. 3: Samples imported into Beatscape are saved in the User folder. Subfolders can easily be used to organize these files.

Once you start creating your own loops for use in Beatscape, you'll find that the User folder gets cluttered quickly. In Windows Explorer, create subfolders within the User folder to organize your loops by tempo and style (see Fig. 3). The Beatscape browser sorts alphabetically without distinguishing between files and folders, so you'll probably want to start your folder names with numbers (for example, 01_Boogaloo102). Starting your folder names with an underscore, which works fine in Explorer, does not help in Beatscape.

Once you have thus reorganized your files, Beatscape will no longer be able to find them. Using the file name displayed on the pad as a guide, you can drag the original file back to its pad to relink them. All pad settings, including effects and step editor patterns, will be retained.

Beatscape can import files directly from Sonar audio tracks, but if you try to import an edited clip, it will import the entire unedited source file. Select the clip and use Edit→Bounce to Clip(s) to make a new file out of the clip. (Be sure your Render bit depth under Options→Global→Audio Data is set to 24.) Name the clip (under Clip Properties) so it will be easily identifiable in Beatscape's User folder, then drag it to a pad. Press Ctrl + Z twice to undo the naming and bouncing. Because Undo doesn't affect anything in Beatscape, the file import and pad assignment remain while the track edits are rolled back. Should you want to import a phrase from a larger clip without leaving the clip chopped up, you can select the phrase, choose Split at Selection, bounce, name, drag, and then undo three times to restore the source clip.

I don't generally recycle Beatscape configurations, so I wasn't originally impressed with the idea of saving programs. However, having a program archived along with all of your samples allows you to restore your Beatscape configuration quickly and accurately in the event of a corrupted project file.

Although Beatscape is a great tool for tempo matching complementary loops, it does not currently conform one groove to another — although that would be a great addition. To get around this, use AudioSnap to conform your grooves first, and then import them into Beatscape. To keep things tidy, you might prefer to do this in a separate project dedicated to beat harvesting. Once the samples are in the User folder, they're available to any other project.

Ch-Ch-Changes

The range of the Step Editor's grid is so wide for such a small area that it is often misaligned with the loop's rhythm. As a result, it's not very useful for pan, volume, and pitch changes. (The Step Edit menu has an option to snap the steps to incremental chunks, which can help make this feel more controllable.) This problem notwithstanding, the Step Editor is handy for making relatively smooth changes in cutoff and resonance. In the Step Edit menu, choose No Snap for smoother parameter resolution, then draw the shape you think you want. Listen and redraw until you get the sound you're after. The only drawing technique that's really useful is holding Shift as you draw, which enables you to create a straight line. Try using Mirror Step Levels to make the second half of the loop reflect (literally) the values you drew in the first half.

The Step Editor's filter is a 2-pole resonant lowpass filter, fine for basic timbral tweaks. It becomes more interesting when you give it beefy overtones to sculpt. Four of Beatscape's effects — FM, AM, and the two distortion effects — are especially useful at creating harmonics to chisel. (FM and AM were added as part of the 1.0.1 update.) Put FM and AM on subsequent effects slots of a kick drum and crank up the wet mix and octaves, and you have a completely different beast. Automate a bandpass filter on the third slot or sequence the Step Editor's filter to shape the timbre rhythmically.

Beatscape's outer simplicity can be deceptive: it's easy to get started, but when you dig around, you find a deep tool set. Whether for remixing, deconstructing samples, crafting beats, or designing sounds, it brings a lot to the table.

Brian Smithers plays woodwinds, arranges, conducts, and records in sunny Florida. He is department chair of workstations at Full Sail University.