Request for Direct Audio File Support in Step Sequencer (Not a Drum Sampler)

[murat k.]

I've noticed that people generally envision a Built-in Drum Sampler when it comes to the limitations of the Step Sequencer. But that’s not what we actually need at the first place.

One of the most significant limitations of Cakewalk in creating Loops is the inability to dynamically generate Loops with Audio files. We’re forced to use Drum Samplers for this, but it doesn't have to be that way.

All that's needed is to allow the Step Sequencer to directly read Audio files. This would let us replace the target file whenever we want and change Steps as we wish. In addition, unlike MIDI views, we’d get direct visual feedback through audio patterns.

What’s being created is merely a repeated pattern of the waveform image of the target file. Each time a new step is added, only this pattern will be recreated, not the audio waveform itself, ensuring efficient performance.

This feature not only addresses a major limitation in Cakewalk, but also boosts our workflow efficiency without the need for another tool. Additionally, it is easier to implement than a Drum Sampler and offers capabilities that a Drum Sampler cannot provide.

[murat k.]

Usage could be as follows:

• Dragging and dropping an Audio file from the Media Browser or File Explorer onto the Step Sequencer will create a new Row. Along with this, an Audio Clip will be created at the Now Time in the focused Audio Track or in a new Audio Track.
• Additionally, Right-Clicking on an existing Audio Track will show an option: "Convert Clip(s) to Step Sequencer." This single command will convert both Audio and MIDI Clips into Step Sequencer Clips, eliminating the need for a separate "Convert MIDI Clip(s) to Step Sequencer" command.
• The target file should be replaceable with another file at any time if needed.
• There could also be an option to choose whether the files are read from their original location or from within the project.