i’ve just started using renoise and there are just a few questions that i have, as i’ve never used a tracker before. I can’t find the answers in the tutes, apologies if they’re there…
volume tracks: by default, is the volume for each track set to max (i.e if i enter manual values, i can only make it quieter, right? the only way to increase the overall volume is to play with the master?). If so, it seems you could come to a point where you realise you want something to be louder but there’s no higher values you can enter, so you have to adjust EVERYTHING lower to give yourself more space… (sorry for bad explanation, hope it makes sense). So is it a good practice to start with things on pretty low volume settings, so there’s room for later when you want things louder?
I still can’t really understand “speed” vs “bpm” - the user guide is a bit unclear to me. It seems that the speed is like divisions WITHIN each row… does it actually matter what my speed setting is, and how can i work out the best setting for it?
I couldn’t find much on vocals within RN… is the best way to handle them just to cut up the vocals into samples and place them in a track? there’s no way to play from halfway through a sample is there… i read something about “freezing” for this, but it seemed too complex for now
You answered your own question. Most people probably work backwards though (put in all the sounds first then figure out the volume stuff as you go along)
In Renoise, check the “Song Properties” config tab. Make adjustments and look at the “Real BPM” value in the upper left, you’ll figure it out:
Cutting up the sample is probably the best way to do it. You might want to check out the offset command : 09xx - Trigger sample offset, 00 is sample start, ff is sample end. Offset positions are related to the total sample size. The larger the sample, the more inaccurate stepping will be. This value is shown to you in the Sample Editor if you click around a bit.
I can’t find the Song Properties tab.
EDIT: i found it, i guess i’m pretty blind…
in regards to volume stuff (because i want to get it right before i start anything and stuff myself up) is it better to apply volume effects in the volume column or effects (03xx). It would seem logical to use the volume column to keep the effects free (and it also seems to override the effects anyway if you assign values in both). is this correct?
it still seems a bit lame that you have such a limited amount of volume to work with… what if you suddenly realise you need something to be a lot louder? oh well, i guess i’ll get used to it.
Yes, but this only amplifies specific samples and not complete instruments.
There are a lot of ways to change volume aspects of your output down to single sample level.
Using the sample amplify slider means that the volume of your samples inside your instrument are unharmonised in contrast to the instrument in particular, so you touch this option mainly if you want to balance out your instrument in contrast to the other samples you have or if you combine the sample with a VST-instrument in the same slot (which can be done.).
Trackvolumes can be done by effect commands or by using the volume slider (either controlled by automation or just through the effect commands)
The pattern effects are rather used for finetuning certain notes that get out of proportions but you should think in the context of a recorded volume value that has been sensed by a keypress on your MIDI device or a certain tone that is in a high frequency that it sounds more noticable in contrast to the lower frequency played notes.
Meaning:pattern effects for volume are usually patchwork for precise notes.
Using the general trackvolume slider, you can use it to bring the complete trackvolume down to make it blend along with the rest of the song, or as suggested, you can use the Gainer DSP effect to raise the volume if the current maximum wouldn’t fit.
My personal favor is to balance out your instruments rather than doing track-volume changes unless you apply special DSP effects that may require volume compression or reduction (e.g. distortion).
The master volume could be set to a certain safe mode, but i guess the professional audio engineers rather suggest you to render your tracks to seperate wave-files and have them mixed down in a different audio application and having it mastered in another more fitting tool.
I personally feel that this may be the best approach.
Not that Renoise would not be proper for mastering, but handling your mixing and mastering in Renoise can be a difficult thing to do if your system doesn’t have the power to give your the realtime ability to do so, while a few rendered wave-files of each of your tracks would consume much less cpu resources and are easier to mix in wave-editors than Renoise.
