Main Tab

The Main tab gives you access to the sample mapping of the pad as well as to the most important parameters.

The Main tab shows a simplified sample editor. You can adjust the sample start and end markers, the fade-in and fade-out markers, and the fade curves in the display.

Mode

Determines the trigger mode for the samples of a pad:

  • In Velocity mode, the incoming velocity determines which sample is played.

  • In Layer mode, all samples are played at the same time, regardless of their velocity.

  • In Round Robin mode, the samples are played repeatedly one after the other, from left to right.

  • In Random mode, samples are played randomly. Repetitions can occur.

  • In Random Exclusive mode, samples are played randomly, but repetitions are not allowed.

Poly

Sets the maximum polyphony of a pad. For example, if this is set to 4, you can trigger a pad 4 times before notes are stolen.

Note

The polyphony value represents the number of notes that can sound simultaneously, therefore triggering layered samples on a pad may lead to a much higher number of actual sample voices.

Fade

Specifies the time it takes for a voice to fade out when voices are stolen.

Note

You can specify different fade settings for the different samples of a pad.

Exclusive Group

This allows you to assign a pad to one of 32 exclusive groups. Pads within a group are never played back simultaneously. When a new note is played, the previous note stops.

Volume

Sets the level of the sample.

Pan

Sets the position of the sample in the stereo panorama.

Coarse

Adjusts the tuning in semitones.

Fine

Adjusts the fine tuning in cents.

Cutoff

Controls the cutoff frequency of the filter.

Note

Cutoff, Resonance, and Distortion are only available if a filter is used.

Resonance

Sets the filter resonance.

Distortion

Sets the amount of distortion. The effect of this parameter depends on the selected filter mode.

Output

The output to which the samples are routed. The following outputs are available:

  • The Kit Mix.

  • One of the 16 Agent mixer channels.

  • One of the 16 stereo output busses of the plug-in.

    If you use in a Steinberg DAW, selecting a plug-in output from the menu automatically activates this output in the host application. The first stereo out is the Master output. This output is always active.

    Note

    Samples that are routed to an output that is deactivated in your host application are automatically sent to the Master output of the plug-in.

  • One of the AUX channels. This allows you to create sub groups, for example.

Note

These outputs can all contain insert effects.

Playback Quality

Sets the quality.

  • Standard: Select this mode to play back the samples with their original bit depth and sample rate.

  • Vintage: Select this mode to emulate the sound quality of early 12-bit drum machines. The detuning of the samples produces the typical aliasing effect. The sample rate is limited to 26040 Hz.

  • Turntable mode is similar to Vintage mode. The samples are played with 12bit/26040 Hz. Use this mode to emulate the typical workflow of hip hop producers. Because the first digital drum machines only had a very limited amount of RAM, turntables were sampled at a speed of 45 RPM instead of 33 1/3 RPM. This way, more samples could be saved into the available RAM. During playback, the samples were tuned down, to correct for the change in pitch. This added the typical crunch and aliasing that the early drum machines are famous for.

Note

If Vintage or Turntable is selected for a sample, you cannot edit the sample using the AudioWarp functions on the Sample tab. If you try to select one of these modes for a sample that uses AudioWarp, a warning message is displayed.

Filter Type

Sets the filter type. You can choose between Classic, Tube Drive, Hard Clip, Bit Reduction and Rate Reduction.

To deactivate the filter, select Off.

Filter Shape
  • LP24, 18, 12, and 6 are low-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies above the cutoff are attenuated.

  • BP12 and BP24 are band-pass filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated.

  • HP6 + LP18 and HP6 + LP12 are a combination of a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 18 and 12 dB/oct, respectively (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies above the cutoff.

  • HP12 + LP6 and HP18 + LP6 are a combination of a high-pass filter with 12 and 18 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct (asymmetric band-pass filter). Frequencies below and above the cutoff are attenuated. Attenuation is more pronounced for the frequencies below the cutoff.

  • HP24, 18, 12, and 6 are high-pass filters with 24, 18, 12, and 6 dB/oct. Frequencies below the cutoff are attenuated.

  • BR12 and BR24 are band-reject filters with 12 and 24 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated.

  • BR12 + LP6 and BR12 + LP12 are a combination of a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct and a low-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct, respectively. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated.

  • BP12 + BR12 is a band-pass filter with 12 dB/oct plus a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below, above, and around the cutoff are attenuated.

  • HP6 + BR12 and HP12 + BR12 are a combination of a high-pass filter with 6 and 12 dB/oct and a band-reject filter with 12 dB/oct. Frequencies below and around the cutoff are attenuated.

  • AP is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around the cutoff are attenuated.

  • AP + LP6 is an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct plus a low-pass filter with 6 dB/oct. Frequencies around and above the cutoff are attenuated.

  • HP6 + AP is a high-pass filter with 6 dB/oct plus an all-pass filter with 18 dB/oct. Frequencies around and below the cutoff are attenuated.