Dr. Rex/Recycle Problem

[MoonEchoAudio]

Hello Reason People!
We are having a bit of an issue creating Rex Loops. When we import our loops into Recycle and apply some slices there are clicks and pops that occur at each slice. The timing of each slice is the correct BPM and the transients are dead on time. Now, we have tried many different ways to fix this issue but we are still get these clicks. 
Has anyone had this problem before? Any tips and tricks? 
Attached is a a .wav and the Rex loop for an example.
Best,
Moon Echo Audio

[normen]

I can't really hear the "clicks" you're talking about when I play the file in ReCycle but you have enabled the compressor ("Transient" setting) which might add some distortion on the transients. Theres also significant background noise in the original file which of course gets somewhat of a rhythmic feel when the slices are played at different speeds. But as said, when played at nominal speed I don't hear much more noise than in the original file..?

[MoonEchoAudio]

Oh sorry, we attached the wrong file. The new .zip has the correct "bad" file. If you have time take a look at that one! 
Thanks for the reply!

[selig]

I just tried the new file and don't hear any pops/clicks either in ReCycle or in Reason inside a Dr Octa Rex.

Maybe if you could describe the process you are using to hear the clicks?

[MoonEchoAudio]

It's a subtle click thats more in the low-mids. Have you compared the .wav to the Rex? Listening with headphones also helps to hear the clicks. 

[Olivier]

If i throw the sample alongside the rex on tracks in reason i can defenitely hear the difference. There are very audible clicks in the rex file thats not there in the original.
There's also a lot more bass to subbass energy in the Rex file that i don't see in the wave. I get the impression that when i chop that off i loose quite a bit of the clicks.

No idea where its coming from or what to do about it.. just came to say i can hear it

[MoonEchoAudio]

If i throw the sample alongside the rex on tracks in reason i can defenitely hear the difference. There are very audible clicks in the rex file thats not there in the original.
There's also a lot more bass to subbass energy in the Rex file that i don't see in the wave. I get the impression that when i chop that off i loose quite a bit of the clicks.

No idea where its coming from or what to do about it.. just came to say i can hear it

Yeah, still working on trying to solve this puzzle. Thanks for the info! 

[selig]

It's a subtle click thats more in the low-mids. Have you compared the .wav to the Rex? Listening with headphones also helps to hear the clicks. 

No not yet - will do…

[BPGeez]

Yea, man I hear it. And I've also had this problem in the past. Sometimes I was able to diminish the audible clicks with zooming into the waveform (in Recycle) and making sure all transients were as near zero crossings as possible. Other times it doesn't work. I tried to work it out for your rex file, but it seems to fall under the second category. I do believe that this problem is in the Recycle engine itself, and the Props should look in to fixing this. My only advice is that if you are going to play a loop straight through, it might be better to use the audio file. If you are going to mangle and transpose you loop, u probably won't notice the clicks. One word of advice tho, the clicks you hear are and the end of the slices and NOT the beginning. By importing this rex into an NNXT, you may be able to pinpoint the offending slices by "carving" them out in the "Edit Sample" window. Kind of a shitty work around, but hey..

[Marco Raaphorst]

This happens to all ReCycle files. Since the audio is sliced all parts now have a sharper attack than the original file but you can change it a little bit by changing the attack setting. By default it's on 1 ms. 

ReCycle is meant for rhythmic sounds and it kinda sucks on sustained sounds and almost everything else. Everything that doesn't have a super sharp attack will be tricky.

[MoonEchoAudio]

Thanks for all the info. Here at Moon Echo we are trying to get a loop pack together with sounds similar to the ones posted. We might have to stop trying to make Rex files soon if we can't fix this issue. It's a real bummer since Dr.Rex is awesome!  
It seems that Recycle is made for drums loops more that instrument loops... :frown:

[selig]

OK, I hear it and I've tried all of my "tricks" to get rid of it to no avail. I can make it sound different, but can't get totally rid of the effect. 

The only thing I would think would work would be to micro-fade out the end of each slice, since as others have noted the problem is at the end of the slice. But I don't know of any way to do that or I would have tried! Sorry to not be more helpful here.

[eusti]

OK, I hear it and I've tried all of my "tricks" to get rid of it to no avail. I can make it sound different, but can't get totally rid of the effect. 

The only thing I would think would work would be to micro-fade out the end of each slice, since as others have noted the problem is at the end of the slice. But I don't know of any way to do that or I would have tried! Sorry to not be more helpful here.

Well, I guess you could export the file as waves (ReCycle has that option), do some kind of fade in an audio editor and then reassemble them... Seems a lot of work though...

D.

[MoonEchoAudio]

OK, I hear it and I've tried all of my "tricks" to get rid of it to no avail. I can make it sound different, but can't get totally rid of the effect. 

The only thing I would think would work would be to micro-fade out the end of each slice, since as others have noted the problem is at the end of the slice. But I don't know of any way to do that or I would have tried! Sorry to not be more helpful here.

Thanks for trying! So frustrating!  

[MoonEchoAudio]

We did try that eusti but still no better results. Thanks for trying. 
You would think that Recycle could handle such an easy loop! What gives?!

[eusti]

There seems to be a slight problem with slice number 15 on the left channel as well...
Trying to see if I can get the fades to work by hand...

D.

[Exowildebeest]

Possible manual yet fairly easy solution: import the rex loop in Reason, on an audio track. Slice the clip according to the markers. Then apply fade outs of 3 ticks or more to all the clips. Render, merge and make it a Rex again.

[MoonEchoAudio]

There seems to be a slight problem with slice number 15 on the left channel as well...
Trying to see if I can get the fades to work by hand...

D.

Keep us posted! Thanks!

[eusti]

After looking into this a little more, you could get lucky with using the Mute Tool on additionally created slices at zero crossings just before the end...

Edit: But that still only works on some slices... Sorry!

D.

[MoonEchoAudio]

Possible manual yet fairly easy solution: import the rex loop in Reason, on an audio track. Slice the clip according to the markers. Then apply fade outs of 3 ticks or more to all the clips. Render, merge and make it a Rex again.

Yep we tried this as well...did not work. Thanks for trying. The only way to stop the clicks so far is to have large fades but then the loop has the 'pumping' sound...not good! 

[eusti]

I think the issue is that it's hard to find good zero transitions... The signal on both sides is just very different at times...
Some slices work, but others, especially the quicker two notes, not so much!

D.

[MoonEchoAudio]

So strange...what is the secret!?

[MoonEchoAudio]

After listening to the Factory Bank Rex loops I do hear some clicks like the ones I posted but not nearly as bad. Have I just not noticed this before? Frustrating...  

[selig]

Well to be fair, a lot of this stuff disappears when placed in a mix. And with a source sample that is already noisy, a few extra clicks may not likely raise any eyebrows. They are MUCH quieter than vinyl scratches, as a comparison.

[eusti]

Well to be fair, a lot of this stuff disappears when placed in a mix. And with a source sample that is already noisy, a few extra clicks may not likely raise any eyebrows. They are MUCH quieter than vinyl scratches, as a comparison.

As well, you can get rid of the clicks at the end of the long notes by adjusting the slice points...

D.