[LAU] aligning rhytmic free-ish audio to strict tempo

[David Baron]

On Thursday 29 April 2010 21:03:27 Niels Mayer wrote:
> On Thu, Apr 29, 2010 at 9:40 AM, Atte André Jensen <atte.jensen at gmail.com>
> 
>  wrote:
> > I have some audio that is recorded without click. It's not wildly rubato
> > or anything, but it naturally doesn't align well with a sequencer
> > running at a steady tempo, which is exactly what I'd like to achieve.
> > 
> > I seem to remember audour can do something in this area, but what would
> > be the best way to get the audio in sync with a strict tempo?
> 
> On different platforms, i'd recommend looking at N.I's "Reaktor" or
> "Traktor" which nicely integrates beat-matching and both can output OSC; if
> you learn when to trigger a re-sync (giving the software a hint on what
> part of the beats should match) sometimes it almost works && you can
> "torture" some interesting sounds out of it as well (warning: glitchy,
> experimental&live:)
> http://nielsmayer.com/DJColtraneRexx_TheRevealingScienceOfParticles_scratch
> padmix1.mp3 http://nielsmayer.com/DJColtraneRexx_Frithyloop.mp3
> 
> Is there anything like Ableton Live for Linux, yet?
> 
> I wish there was a decent "looper plugin" that could "plot" any vector, at
> any speed/pitch(&granularity), through any soundfile and output digital
> audio, while also outputting its derived tempo, through whatever means
> necessary (OSC?) to whatever app it is plugged into. Alternately the same
> plugin can sync to master tempo on OSC (or whatever) "bus." That way you
> can get rid of quirky and fundamentally limited "DJ" apps and reuse their
> functionality within your DAW of choice: each track, loop & sample can be
> "flown in" to the overall workflow&BPM-mapping generated by the DAW.
> 
> Niels
> http://nielsmayer.com

For a nice, expressive ballad, I have actually aligned the tempo graphically 
to the audio. Surprisingly effective, possible in qtractor or rosegarden. Set 
tempos so that the beat lines hit the audio where one wants.

Faster stuff done without the click track, things can be quite chaotic, 
however. I do like recording ballads without clicks or by varying the tempo 
planned ahead.

One can snip the audio and move it to beat lines. Might have to expand or 
contract in extreme cases or crossfade. Any of the programs should be 
adequate.