This beat slicer can do much more than just slice your beats and export the results. You can load up to 64 wave files at a time, slice them up and combine the slices in the multitrack arranger.

Each slice is coloured based on the content so you can easily tell them apart - this makes manual rearranging a lot faster, and more inspirational, since you are working with direct representations of the audio and not just abstract midi notes. If you find arranging beats in a piano roll / drum map a bit awkward at times, LiveSlice will definately change the way you make music.

With support for wav, aif, REX, mp3 and ACIDized wav files, as well as fast drag'n'drop import of multiple files, you can easily access your entire collection of loops. Even one shot samples can be dragged to a loop slot, so you can do some quick single hit replacements.

With up to 256 slices on each loop liveslice is as much a granular synthesizer as a beat slicer. Do experimental melodic arrangements, or work with vocal bits in your own unique way.

The real fun begins when you start using the graphical parameter sequencer. You can sequence amplitude, panning, attack, decay, release, pitch, probability and reverse for each slice just by drawing with the mouse creating anything from subtle variations to total chaos.

From v.1.3 LiveSlice has been able to record incoming audio. This can be used live to capture loops from real instruments and remix them instantly or in the studio to quicly record 1-32 bar loops from any instrument and gain instant access to the powerful and intuitive rearranging capabilities of the LiveSlice arranger.

LiveSlice has no internal effects - instead you can sequence midi CC's that can control for example your favourite filter plugin - load it as an insert effect and let LiveSlice control the cutoff frequency with different values for each slice.

This will work in all hosts that support midi routing between plugins - part of the VST2.0 standard. This includes Cubase, Ableton Live, Energy XT, Tracktion, Jeskola Buzz, and Fruity loops. The illustration to the left shows LiveSlice controlling the cutoff frequency of the excellent frohmage filter.

Additionally everything in liveslice can be controlled by midi. You can sequence playback as well as randomization of slices, arrangements and parameters. Why not connect an external LFO and let it control the pitch? The possibilities are endless. Several arrangements can be triggered simultaniously - great for layering arrangements.

LiveSlice is available as a VST or VSTi for windows only. An OSX version is ready and working, but still in beta stage.

Features

• Automatic or manual slicing
• Import REX and ACIDized loops along with wav, aiff and mp3 files
• Export sliced loops as wave files and midi
• Multitrack sequencer with snap / quantize
• Host sync
• Audio recording - synced to the host - can be used as a realtime dicer / granulator
• Drag and drop import of multiple loops
• Hi quality resampling using spline interpolation
• Low CPU usage
• Integrated, resizable loop browser with preview
• Full MIDI control, and MIDI out
• up to 32 tracks, 64 loops, 256 slices
• resizable gui, zoom in slicer
• up to 8 outputs with individual slice routing
• integrated loop browser with preview
• loads all uncompressed .wav formats
• supports any sample rate

System requirements

• Windows 7, Vista, XP, 2000, NT, 98 or Wine. OSX universal binary VST is currently in beta
• Anything faster than 500mhz will do, CPU use is pretty low - works great even on my old Centrino laptop
• Memory requirements: Uses 4mb of memory + about a mb pr. loop (average)

Demo

The demo has the following limitations:

• When you reload a song all the loops are replaced by a demo loop (built into the plugin).
• The default loop path is not saved
• You cannot use the slice export feature or drag'n'drop loading of multiple files

download demo and manual

or go and purchase the full version and start liveslicing today

Version history

1.5(current)

• audio and midi export
• drag'n'drop loading of files
• mp3 import
• aif import
• you can now load multiple files at once
• load many one shot samples to the same loop slot
• keyboard shortcuts in the file manager
• added an option to speed up loading of files at the expense of less detailed graphical representation
• updated user interface backend (better performance)
• improved scrolling in the file browser and loops list

• default colors now loaded
• fixed minor bug with pasting events
• the "clear" command now properly resets all parameters
• fixed clipping during 24 bit export

1.47

• REX import
• Resizable file browser
• Faster GUI and a new "lofo GUI" for smooth operation on older machines
• Improved waveform display: visualizes both the average and the loudest frequency so there's a visual difference between a bassdrum with or without hihat - even when the hihat is quiet.
• More midi automation options: slicing and recording can now be controlled by midi (for example: hit a midi-key to record, use mod-wheel to auto slice the recording)
• Time signature support, durations in bars + beats in both slicer and arranger.
• clicking the "play" button now results in a monophonic preview mode (play one arrangement at a time, select the currently playing arrangement with the mouse)
• Loops list no longer auto-scrolls on click
• Removed the "clear event" feature (there's no need to have empty events in an arrangement)
• Middle mouse now deletes events if no parameter is selected, and resets parameters if a parameter is selected
• it's now possible to reset event parameters by clicking and dragging with middle mouse button down.

• Better sorting in file browser
• Refresh after Ctrl+V an Event - now stays on the destination track
• Refresh after Adding a Track - now displays the new track
• Refresh track selection after Deleting a Track
• Refresh track selection after Re-opening LS
• right click to toggle default values are back (loop / arrangement duration and time signature)
• "Lock to loop" setting is now correctly recalled when opening projects
• graphical waveforms always removed when loop is deleted
• some bugs when changing MIDI config details fixed
• fixed "Changing banks, selects another arrangement"
• fixed "missing file" dialog bug
• more minor bug fixes

1.46

bugfixes

• fixed bug with waveform displays not being refreshed when loading banks and songs with embedded audio.
• fixed some multithreading bugs (on dual core systems)
• fixed bugs with "autopitch" _/ "autostretch" settings not being correctly saved and recalled.

1.45

new stuff

• time stretching
• loop cropping
• normalize
• MIDI learn
• VST 2.4 compliant
• Volume envelope improvements and enhancements
• Use arrow keys to pan from slice to slice (useful when editing slice points at max. zoom)
• shortcut keys in the file manager
• space bar now controls playback (instead of randomize)
• added an option to define what midi note LiveSlice will use for middle C (in case you changed that in your host)
• Waveform gfx. improved (improved visualization of zero crossings)
• Slicedisplay zoom / scroll rewritten from scratch - much faster
• optional semitransparent slice display (see through overlapping slices)
• further gui optimizations. The gui response is less affected by the number of events in the arranger
• locate slice will now scroll to the corresponding loop in the loops list.
• the arrangement configured for individual slices playback is can now be triggered as any other arrangement (was locked in 1.44)
• fixed saving 24 bit wav. files and added saving of 32 bit (pcm and float)
• "autopitch" (right clicking "autostretch" button) now updates pitch on tempo changes
• More stable wav file reader - better error tolerance for buggy wave files

bugfixes

• Track parameter "Volume" now works (midi config)
• fixed bug that would cause events to be removed when doing granular work (150 events or more placed very close)
• mouse cursor update bug fixed
• fixed bugs with controls / buttons not being properly reset on arrangement change
• fixed: "trigger with host" now changes the active arrangement even when seq. is not running
• fixed: file browser is now updated when a file is saved
• fixed: repaint bug when changing number of visible tracks
• fixed: system would hang if slices were insanely small
• missing file search no longer scans the whole filesystem if no search folder is specified
• fixed crash related to undo
• fixed crashes related to copying and deleting events and tracks (BR 60 and 64)
• rare crash related to very rapid preving fixed
• change: when replacing events, the selected parameter is enherited from the replaced event
• the red "playing" markers are now updated when changing bank
• fixed problems with missing popup and wrong value-ranges in midi settings
• fixed midi channel bug
• the default sample paths are now updated when pasting / writing in the text box
• very short folder names no longer corrupts the folder name display

1.44

new stuff

• GUI optimized - more than twice as fast - especially when using large arrangements
• 72 arrangements - 3 banks of 24
• playback position is only reset the first time the play button is pressed
• track clear changed (mouse buttons reversed): LMB does a complete clear, RMB leaves empty events
• improved event display when moving events

bugfixes

• single slice trigger timing bug fixed
• gui play button bug fixed (is now updated correctly)
• settings page display bug fixed
• changing number of visible tracks now refreshes properly
• parameter value set and display bugs fixed
• Audiomulch crash when closing file dialogs fixed

1.43

new stuff

• Bugfixes - the 1.4 series is now stable
• GUI speed improved
• spanish manual available

1.42

Bugfixes

• Copy / Paste was broken in 1.41 - now fixed
• Slicer was not updated correctly - now fixed

1.41

New features / changes:

• Copy / Paste events between arrangements - even across different instances (although no loops will be replaced)
• Hold down left mouse button somewhere in the track to paste at a new location
• The right hand end of the file name is shown in the missing loop window
• The Volume parameter value is shown in -dB
• Manual updated

Bugfixes

• Select and move bugs fixed
• Filebrowser scroll bug fixed
• Multiple instances gui bug fixed
• Sonar 3 bug fixed
• Rare crashes on color change using text edit field fixed
• LiveSliceEffect now works properly as an effect
• Input recording bug fixed
• More bugfixes

1.4

new features / changes:

• keyboard shortcuts
• customizable colors
• multi level undo
• keyboard shortcuts
• select a range of events
• change parameters on all selected events simultaneously
• numerical display of parameter values while editing
• playback of individual slices from all tracks in an arrangement
• improved scanning for missing files, and posibility to browse for missing files
• responds to "All notes off" messages
• Snap to zero crossing re-enabled
• Auto slicing fine tuned
• sync playback to host (drum machine mode)
• locate slice feature
• now supports 32 bit IEEE float wave files
• support for "All notes off" midi controller (#123)
• workaround for ACID 6 bug (use manual sync mode)

1.35

new features / changes:

• Spline interpolation = better sound quality
• Zero dB line in slicer
• improved the grid / event display:
• gui opens faster
• Improved tolerance for erroneous wav files
• selecting a parameter now terminates the current shift+LMB selection
• shift+LMB selecting a slice deselects the current parameter to indicate that parameter values cannot be changed.
• the delete buttons now work as normal windows buttons (if you release the mouse outside the button, no action is taken

bugfixes:

• display was not updated on end recording - fixed
• snap function now sets the pitch envelope value (within +- 1 octave), and is saved with the song
• freeze when randomizing two events bug fixed
• skipping slices in ACID / Directixer fixed
• the note divisions for the triplets are now correct
• sometimes slices were inserted at a wrong position - this has now been fixed.
• you can now disable the "include loops in songs and banks" feature
• Fixed problems with loading a large number of wave files
• grid snap values are restored correctly
• file browser now scrolls with the same speed regardless of the number of files in the current directory
• always delete the first loop bug fixed
• double triggering when changing arranger durations bug fixed
• skipping events when sequencer loop was shorter than liveslice loop bug fixed
• fixed a bug in the wave file preview code

1.3

new features / changes:

• Live input recording - record loops from your tracks for instant liveslicing of any sequenced materia, or use LiveSlice as an effect
• Drag'n'Drop slices to tracks
• Preview slices in the arranger
• Midi through
• Loops can now be renamed and saved with a different filename
• When a loop is not found on disk (ie a new recording) it is automatically saved with the song
• New feature: stretch – automatically pitches all events to make the duration match the project tempo
• Manual sync will now override host sync information (workaround for hosts that provide incorrect sync info)
• Zoom / Pan is now activated on double click
• Clicking middle mouse button on a parameter will reset (before it would clear the event underneath)
• Manual updated

bugfixes:

• fixed a bug in the file browser that could lead to crashes
• fixed problem with some controls not responding when running multiple instances of LiveSlice

1.25

new features:

• Manual sync will now override host sync information (workaround for hosts that provide incorrect sync info)
• Zoom in slicer improved. Reduced the general wobblyness, and eliminated the need to hold down right mouse button to zoom

bugfixes:

• Quantize would allow overlapping events
• Fixed tempo problem in Sonar using DirectiXer
• Slices were not reversed in the gui
• Loop output settings are now cleared on "clear all"
• First event in a track would have too high attack and release
• Snap no longer affects "lock to loop"
• Error checking when importing cue-points as slices (fixes "silent slices" and "wrong slice num. reported" bugs)
• Setting a midi controller to event and then to track mode caused the parameter to stop responding
• Manual sync would sometimes cause double triggering of the first event
• Gridlines going solid bug fixed

1.22

• Fixed crashes when triggering empty arrangements and using manual sync

1.2

new features:

• Clear button to clear arrangements and / or loops
• trigger individual slices from arranger tracks - this means you can use all the parameters when midi triggering.
• configurable maximum attack and release times (up to 1 second)
• Zoom by dragging in the slicer (hold down both mouse buttons)

bugfixes:

• When a file has been loaded, it is deselected in the browser so it can be reloaded
• When you load only slices, the fileName is not changed
• event durations visualized properly in the gui, when attack and release times are changed
• track parameters are now redrawn properly on midi control changes
• midi note off messages handled incorrectly in controllers - fixed
• fixed problem with triggering and quantizing empty tracks
• other fixes to secure even greater stability and compatibility

1.12

new features:

• Grid is now drawn on top of events
• Events can be moved past their neighbours
• Events can no longer be hidden behind other events - use tracks for layering events
• When snap is activated, new events are inserted at the nearest available snap interval, without needing to hold down control.
• Tracks have "snap" activated as default
• Snap now moves back instead of moving to the closest interval

bugfixes:

• save function enabled (was disabled by mistake)
• fixed problem with very rapid pan changes
• corrupted ini file crashing liveslice fixed
• "grouping slices" problem solved
• buggy graphics driver workaround (eliminates waveform artifacts on high zoom levels on some graphics cards)
• Hand cursor shown when you can move events only
• Midi parameter "toggle" status shown correctly
• minor gui glitches fixed

1.1

new features:

• horizontal zoom in slicer
• save slices and tempo info as acidized loop (saves directly in the wave file)
• mousewheel support in all hosts
• mousewheel can now be used on sliders and menus too
• grid in arranger - so you can find your way
• bpm detection and acid import improved
• faster audio import and improved coloring
• middle mouse support (works as CTRL+RMB, that is: delete)
• arranger workflow improvements
• octave numbering system is adapted to the host labeling convention
  (the note C1 in Cubase is called C3 in Fruity loops and C0 in Tracktion1.6)

bugfixes:

• deleted slices in first track was reinserted on reload.
• right click "clear button" bug fixed
• crash with loading some invalid wave-files fixed
• bug when opening the same .fxb bank multiple times fixed
• tracks were not being properly deleted - fixed
• manually inserted slices could not be triggered individually
• midi slice triggering bug fixed
• changing the size of the arranger was disabled
• other minor bugfixes

1.04

• fixes issues with crashes in Cubase and Live
• wave file preview enabled
• loop file preview on loaded loops (right click)
  (delete loop now CTRL+right click)

1.02

• Imports ACIDized loop and slice info as well as standard .wav file markers. With option to import just the slices.
• Right click the reset parameters button to reset all parameters
• GUI tweaks
• Display is updated when the tempo is changed
• Fixed distorted sound on reopen
• Fixed freeze bug (Cubase / Live5)
• Other minor fixes
• Manual updated