Sample Chopper

The Sample Chopper lets you slice audio into pieces that you can trigger, rearrange, and play like an instrument. It's perfect for chopping loops, vocals, and creating sample-based beats.

Opening the Sample Chopper

1. Select a clip on the timeline
   Click on the audio clip you want to chop.
2. Open the Chopper
   Click the scissors icon or right-click and select "Open in Chopper".
3. The waveform appears
   You'll see your sample displayed with chop points.

Chopping Modes

Transient Detection

Automatically detects hits and creates slices:

• Best for drums and percussive sounds
• Finds natural attack points in the audio
• Adjust sensitivity for more or fewer slices

Beat Division

Divides the sample evenly by beats:

• 1/4 — Quarter note slices
• 1/8 — Eighth note slices
• 1/16 — Sixteenth note slices
• 1/32 — Thirty-second note slices

Manual Slicing

Place chop points exactly where you want:

1. Click on the waveform to add a slice point
2. Drag slice points to adjust position
3. Double-click a point to remove it

Working with Slices

Playing Slices

• Click a slice — Plays that slice once
• Use keyboard — Keys trigger slices (like pads)
• MIDI controller — Map slices to pads or keys

Rearranging Slices

• Drag slices — Move them to different positions
• Copy slices — Cmd/Ctrl+drag to duplicate
• Delete slices — Select and press Delete

Slice Parameters

Each slice can have individual settings:

• Volume — Adjust loudness of the slice
• Pitch — Shift pitch up or down
• Pan — Position in stereo field
• Reverse — Play the slice backwards

Common Chopping Workflows

Chopping a Drum Loop

1. Load a drum loop into the Chopper
2. Use transient detection to find the hits
3. Adjust slices to capture each drum hit cleanly
4. Assign slices to pads in the Drum Machine
5. Create your own patterns from the chopped drums

Chopping Vocals

1. Load a vocal sample into the Chopper
2. Use manual slicing for precise control
3. Cut between words or syllables
4. Rearrange to create new phrases
5. Add pitch variation for melody

Chopping a Melody

1. Load a melodic sample (piano, synth, etc.)
2. Slice on beat divisions or manually on notes
3. Rearrange slices to create new melodies
4. Pitch-shift slices to change the key
5. Layer with other instruments

Slice Effects

Apply effects to individual slices:

• Stutter — Repeat the slice rapidly
• Fade In/Out — Smooth the start or end
• Stretch — Change length without changing pitch
• Reverse — Play backwards

Exporting Slices

Save your slices for use elsewhere:

• To Timeline — Drag slices directly to tracks
• To Drum Machine — Assign to pads
• To Library — Save as individual samples

Voice Commands for Chopping

Keyboard Shortcuts

Click waveform	Add slice point
Double-click point	Remove slice point
Drag point	Move slice boundary
Space	Play/stop preview
1-9, 0	Trigger slices 1-10
R	Reverse selected slice

Tips for Clean Chops

• Zero crossings — Cut where the waveform crosses zero to avoid clicks
• Add tiny fades — A 5-10ms fade prevents pops
• Listen in context — Preview slices with your beat playing
• Less is more — Sometimes fewer, longer slices work better

Next Steps

• Import your own samples
• Use slices in the Drum Machine
• Save slices to collections