Instruments and Effects

406 Chapter 25 EXS24 mkII
Additional AKAI Convert Parameters
Within the AKAI Convert window, you will find the additional parameters listed below.
Save converted instrument file(s) into sub folder
You can use this when importing an entire CD. This creates a folder name which reflects
the CD-ROM’s name. Alternately, you may want save your converted instruments into a
sub-folder based on a category, such as Strings. This way, if your AKAI CD consists of
string samples, any imported Programs or Volumes will be added to the Strings sub-
folder.
To enter a name for a sub-folder in this parameter field, click once with the mouse and
type in the desired name, followed by pressing Return. All imported Volumes and
Programs will automatically be added to this folder.
Note: If an existing name is used, the imported sampler instrument will be added to
the folder. It will not create a new folder of that name.
Default instrument output volume (head room)
Sustained pad sounds and polyphonic instruments in AKAI format often tend to have a
higher output than a drum groove, for example. This can result in the output levels of
some converted AKAI instruments being much higher than the rest of your EXS24 mkII
sampler instrument library—occasionally, converted programs may be so loud that
they clip. Set this parameter to the desired amount, which will limit the headroom
(output level) of the EXS24 mkII parameter settings for each converted AKAI program.
The value you should choose for a given AKAI CD is a matter of trial and error, but here
are some suggestions:
 For drum CDs, start with either no change (0 dB) or a headroom value of –3 dB.
 For piano, string, or pad CDs, you might try a headroom value of –9 dB.
 For very loud programs, such as layered analog synthesizer instruments, you might
even want to try –12 dB.
 In cases where you’re not sure of which headroom value to select, start with the
average setting of –6 dB.
Merge programs (same MIDI cha. and prog. change number) into one EXS
instrument
Many CD-ROMs created for AKAI samplers feature programs that contain single velocity
layers for an instrument. AKAI samplers require that an entire volume, or all necessary
single programs are loaded, in order to play all velocity layers. All of these single
programs are automatically assigned to the same MIDI channel, and also respond to
the same MIDI program change number.
The EXS24 mkII AKAI conversion intelligently checks for these settings, and builds a
single EXS sampler instrument out of multiple single programs. In general, when
importing samples of this type, this option should be switched on.