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Using MuLab
MuLab is a lightweight, crossplatform, modular music production environment. It offers a free version with some limitations.
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Note: If on OSX the MuLab window is dragged too high up, the window handler will disappear behind the OSX menu. In this case, You can right-click the window border and choose Move To Top-Left. Or alt-click-drag the window border to move the window. (Cfr http://www.mutools.com/info/docs/common/gui-info.html)
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MuLab Setup
- Make sure midi interface is activated (in menu “edit” -> midi setup) and running (check using midi monitor in menu MuLab > Help)
- Make sure the Midi Keyboard is set to the LOWEST OCTAVE. This makes sure that your Note-Trigger events start with the lowest MIDI Number (= 0). Usually, the Note “0” corresponds to the Note “C-2” (sometimes “C-1”).
- In case your midi keyboard offers “presets”, make sure you NEVER change the keyboard preset, once selected, as this may change the controller assignements!
- Note, if you need to use output & input simultaneously, or if you want to use Bluetoot audio devices: On some versions of OSX you may have to create an “aggregate device” combining Input / Output (builtin) or to enable the use of Bluetooth Audio devices (which show up as two separate devices in the Audio-midi Setup).
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Create Multisample
- Load MultiSampla by clicking on an empty slot in the rack
- NOTE: the racks get MIDI data from top, and then this is transferred into audio by the multisampler)
- Deleting instances in Rack -> Right-click on instance, DON’t use delete / backspace directly on the rack (deletes whole rack!)
- Create Sample Zone by drag& drop a soundfile (wav / aiff) or by doubleclicking the area under the keyboard and dragging the mouse
-> If a sample can’t be loaded, change format to aiff / wav and samplerate / bitrate to project rate - Start mapping your sounds starting with the lowest midi note value: C-2, / decimal value “0”. This makes it easier to build a functional prototype.
- When you use a synth it may be necessary to transpose the synth so that sounds are audible. Transposition is achieved with XPOS
- Make sure the velocity sensitivity is set to zero (VS knob in multisampler AMP section) -> ensures that the sound is played at equal volume no matter how strong you press the key (simulates a simple trigger)
- Save Multisampla presets (save AS, navigate to desired location). Rename multisample -> IMPORTANT FOR IDENTIFICATION. Also, existing stored Multisampla presets and multisamples can be reused)
- Configure Loop (Loopmodes): Start of playback, start of loop and end of loop. Usually “alternating” is the best mode
- Add Loop point for three-step loops. (Start / loop start-point / loop end-point) by double-clicking the timeline.
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- Make the project self-contained: Menu “Session” -> “Manage Audio/Sample Files” -> at “Sample Files” via Dropdown: “Embed Into Session’s Audio Subfolder”. Then SAVE! the whole project/session.
- Now, MuLab and your project can be run from a USB stick on any computer (with the same OS)!
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Working with Effects
MuLab offers a huge range of effects, and a modular structure for creating own effects.
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- Chorus: Fattens a sound by layering
- Flanger: similar as chorus, but with a distinct frequency shifting effect. Very spacy.
- Filters: here you can find filters with two or more bands. This is already available through the MultiSampla Filter section. But you may try “Wah wah” as special effect…
- Distortion: Here you can find amp-like distortions as well as “bit crushing” effects (makes a sound “digital sounding”
- Pitch Shifter: Two-Channel Pitch Shifter (without affecting duration of sample)
- There are some interesting “experimental effects”, such as the audio freezer
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Rendering A Sound Idea in MuLab
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But, again, I recommend Reaper for in-depth sound design.
Advanced Stuff
Mulab is modular. So you can build almost everything.
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