Practical guide

Find everything you might need by exploring the different tabs

I. Startup and audio

Connect the du-touch to a sound device fitted with a standard 3.5mm mini-jack socket: wired headphones, portable speaker… or any other device fitted with an AUX socket (Bluetooth incompatible).

Turn it on by briefly clicking the on/off button, then wait a few seconds while the instrument initialises (indicated by the lighting up of the central button and the dualo logo on the screen). When the logo disappears, you should then hear a “pop” emanating from your sound device: the du-touch is ready to be played.

Note: If the instrument does not turn on or the battery level at the bottom right of the screen is red and almost empty, connect it to an electrical outlet with the charger provided. The instrument can recharge while in use.

II. The du-touch in short

The interface of the instrument is structured around three elementary functions:
– Choosing sounds
(sound button on the left of the screen) and playing them freely
– Making music (music button in the center of the instrument) by recording and managing loops and songs
– Change parameters (settings button on the right of the screen)
of the instrument, the sounds and the songs.

Visual feedback is provided by the screen (located on top of the du-touch) and a tricolor code on the keyboard keys.

The scroll wheel (central tactile slider) is used to adjust the general volume, and to modify the value of the parameters displayed on the screen.

III. Choosing a sound

Choose a sound by holding the sound button, release it to play
The keyboard becomes a sound selection interface: each key lit up in green (or orange) is a sound, the three keys at the bottom of the left keyboard are tabs for changing pages. The selected sound and page are in red.

Notes:
– When stroking the central slider while choosing a sound, you can access 4 different presets (variants of the same sound with predefined effects)
– Be sure to fully put the pad of your left thumb on the sound button (capacitive) to avoid false contact.
– On the three pages of sounds proposed, the right keyboard offers acoustic sounds (percussion, piano, guitar…), the left keyboard offers electronic sounds (electronic drum kits, leads, pads …), from the most percussive at the top to the most melodious at the bottom of the keyboards.

– The harmonic sounds (to play notes) will display a lit up path: the scale. Other sounds (percussions, various sound effects, etc.) will display a different color code according to the types of sounds that constitute them: idiophones, membranophones, kicks, snares, cymbals …

lV. Recording and managing loops and songs

Record loops by tapping on the music button
Briefly tap the button (the screen should display the rec/pause logo); the recording will start at the first note played. Play something, then tap a second time to close the recording.

Notes:
– P
refer short loops: on the one hand to avoid mistakes, and on the other hand because the following loops will be of multiple lengths of the first. You can learn to record “beautiful loops” in the “Starting properly” tab.
– When recording your first loops, start with a small number of individual notes and/or chords; good songs rely on simple bases, you can add complexity as you progress.

Manage the recorded loops by holding the music button
When holding the central button with your left hand, the loops you have recorded appear on the right keyboard, in green: they are playing. Using your right hand, tap on the ones of your choice to put them in orange, then release the button at any time to mute them.

Note : To delete a loop, firmly press the relevant key, or double-click the central button to delete the last recorded loop (useful in the event of a mistake).

Manage the recorded songs by holding the music button
By holding the central button with your right hand, the pieces you have recorded appear on the left keyboard: the current song is located on a green key if it is playin, or orange if it is stopped; the other non-empty keys being in red. Click on an empty space then release the central button to start a new song.

Notes:
– As with sounds, the three keys at the bottom of the left keyboard are tabs for changing pages.
– As with loops, you can start and stop a song by clicking on it, and delete it by firmly pressing its key.

V. The dualo note layout in short

The keys lit up in the form of a light path belong to the same scale; by default, the scale of C major is illuminated: the orange notes are C, the green are the others (D E F G A B). Play on it to stay in tune! To ascend the scale, start on an orange key and follow the light path to the next one located on the other keyboard, alternating both hands.

Chords are easy patterns: play 2, 3 or even 4 notes one below the other (on the same keyboard) at the same time, and preferably by following the lit up keys to play chords within the scale.

On a same row of keys, the sharps are towards the center of the instrument, the flats towards the outside.

0. Vocabulary and du-station software

Your instrument is called du-touch, but you can also call it dualo!
And its accessories: the du-belt being for use whilst playing standing up; the du-bag for transporting your dualo; and the du-stand, the wooden support for placing it on a table/shelf.

A sound/instrument (chosen with the sound button) is called a du-sound
– When choosing one on the du-touch, the screen displays in order: its category, its name, and the name of the current preset (which contains a set of settings and effects).
– If its location is green, it is an official sound created and supplied by the manufacturer: Dualo, or Intuitive Instruments. If its location is orange, it is a sound that you or a member of the community have created.
– A tab in the du-station software is dedicated to renaming their presets, creating them, loading them into your du-touch, and saving them on your computer.

A song (chosen with the music button) is called a du-music
– Each du-music is composed of loops called du-loops.
– A tab in the du-station software is dedicated to renaming them and loading them into your du-touch, and saving them on your computer.

An interactive tutorial (chosen with the music button) is called a du-game
– A tab in the du-station software is dedicated to loading them into your du-touch via the map of musical styles: the du-world.
– In your du-touch they are in some ways considered as “augmented” du-musics, and will therefore be in red like classic du-musics.

The du-station software allows you to manage your du-sounds, du-musics and du-games in memory in your instrument (see video above).

I. Preparing a song

Enter the settings of an empty du-music: hold the music button and touch the settings button
You can release both buttons. On the right keyboard, several green keys light up, corresponding to different settings, the selected setting (in orange) is displayed on the screen. The value of each setting can be modified using the central slider. For instance you can:
Change the scale: on the left keyboard, tap a key to change the base note (the tonic), and stroke the central slider up/down to choose a variant (the mode).
– Set the rhythm: first turn on the metronome (“clic level”), then change the tempo value to determine the frequency of your song’s beats. It is highly recommended to set a “quantizer“, which will place your notes properly according to the metronome to make a song that is in time and pleasant to listen to; generally the value 1/4 is preferred (to put a maximum of 4 sounds per beat).
Exit the menu by choosing a sound, starting a recording, or briefly touching the settings button again.
Remove the metronome after your first loops if/when you no longer need it.

Notes:
– Take the time to try each mode to see the different musical “colours” they offer.
– Do not underestimate the usefulness of the metronome and the quantizer, they will be very useful for training or perfecting your sense of rhythm.
– Try recording loops with different quantizer values, to see the difference in the recorded result.
– The “signature” setting allows you to determine the number of beats per bar (only the metronome, which accentuates each first beat, is affected): therefore set the first number, the writing “/4” meaning “based upon the quarter note” (?).
The quantizer’s “swing” sub-setting enables you to give your rhythm a bouncy effect; try to compare the same recording with a value of 0% and 100%!

II. Creating songs more fluidly and efficiently

 

Opt for short first loops (see the above video)
It is even possible to record a very short loop: for example, looping a bass drum played only once enables it to be not only efficient, but can also be used as a metronome!

Establish a regular creation timeline
Favour drum and percussion loops to start with, then add bass and chords, and finish with a heady melody or improvise without recording.

(Really) play in the scale
– Learn how to make the orange note (the tonic) the “central” note of your song: the first chord, the first note emphasised by the instruments. Similarly when you listen to music, train your ear to recognise this note; it’s the first step towards your own adaptation of your favorite songs on your du-touch!
– Experiment with chord sequences (at best the closest to each other on the keyboard), and make sure that the other instruments, especially the bass, follow them as closely as possible … whilst allowing some freedom (linking notes, slight delay…)! (see video video below)

Don’t forget to play with your loops
Especially if you are creating in public, being the conductor of your loops is very important to avoid the tedium of an overly repetitive piece. It’s often effective to stop the bass drum and the bass for a while, add a new instrument, and then put them back in.

III. Becoming familiar with music theory

Harmony: watch our dedicated video tutorials (link to the playlist below) and/or follow the du-games of the Harmony region
Following your instinct and experimenting to start with is good, but once you can understand what you’re doing, you will progress even faster: whether it is with us (tutorials directly applied on the dualo keyboard) or elsewhere (Internet, books, private lessons…), there are a thousand pleasant ways to understand the real keys to music, and therefore to progress quickly.

Rhythm: follow the du-games, in particular those from the Rhythm region
Playing music undeniably requires a certain sense of rhythm; the quantizer is, of course, there to help you compose songs which are more in time, but if you feel a need to improve yourself, nothing beats practice (e.g.: stamping your feet or clapping your hands while listening to music). You can also discover typical rhythms with a bit of research (binary, ternary rhythms …).

IV. Trying the du-game, and subscribing to it

The du-game is a fun way to learn music. Within a map of musical genres, each interactive piece of music loaded into your du-touch S teaches you the typical characteristics of a style. A vocal guide accompanies you, step by step, to reproduce the patterns indicated by the lights displayed on the keyboard.
Thanks to its evaluation algorithm, it is only with the success of one step that the next is triggered. Two difficulties are available, depending on your level. In addition, theory tutorials teach you the basics, and a few popular songs are also available. New content is published regularly!

After the Welcome du-game, try the first du-games from each available region (Hip-Hop, Techno, Breakbeat, House…) for freeSubscribe (via du-station, Profile tab) to unlock related du-games and access popular songs offered in the Playlist tab.

Start with the “initiation” du-games if you are uncomfortable with music and with your instrument. They allow you to familiarise yourself with the elementary rhythms, and with the keyboard of your du-touch. Challenge yourself with “expert” du-games if you are (and when you will be) comfortable with the music and with your instrument. Few explanations, the patterns are complete and will sometimes be challenging. In most cases, the “initiation” du-games will allow you to approach the “expert” du-games calmly.

Summary of the previous tabs, and introduction to the settings

I. General settings (touching the settings button)

On the right hand keyboard, several green keys light up, corresponding to different settings, the selected setting (in orange) is displayed on the screen. The value of each setting can be modified using the central slider. You can in particular:

– Change the note display: Roman (do ré mi fa sol la si), English (C D E F G A B) or German (C D E F G A B H).

– See the battery level and general information (du-touch).

– Activate/deactivate the illumination in red of the keys when played (lighted keys)

– Set the key brightness and the central button brightness (logo brightness).

– Activate/deactivate the sensors: sliders, gyroscope, aftertouch. Assigning/unassigning them can be made in the menus explained below.

– Change the key layout: if the dualo keyboard is not suitable for you, try the other isomorphic keyboards.

– Trigger a sound each time you change a setting (noise for settings).

– Set the MIDI mode (to control music software): Use the “ctrl/synth/seq” mode in the vast majority of cases and to play normally without software. Activate the MIDI BLE parameter to make it detectable and usable in Bluetooth.

– Adjust a general equalizer to boost certain frequencies depending on your listening system. Here is a little recommendation: high gain +3dB, mid-high gain -3dB, mid-low gain -2dB, low gain +4dB.

Exit the menu by choosing a sound, starting a recording, or touching the settings button again.

II. Du-sound preset editor (holding the sound button then touching the settings button) and du-loop effects editor (double-clicking on a loop)

When you select a sound with the sound button (and a preset with the central slider), touch the settings button to enter the preset editor of the selected sound. When you double-click on a du-loop, you will enter the du-loop effects editor, very similar to the preset editor menu.

On the right-hand keyboard, several green keys light up, corresponding to different settings, the selected setting (in orange) is displayed on the screen. The value of each setting can be changed using the central slider, and you can try your settings live on the left-hand keyboard. You can in particular:

Adjust “simple” settings:
– volume
– octave (play the same but lower/higher notes)
– reverb (reverberation simulation of a large room)
– portamento (link between two notes by streching the first; only in the du-sound preset editor)

Some settings are “double” (double-click on the key of the setting to access their complementary setting) :
– attack/release (fade in/out)
– filter/auto-filter (filter and its automation)
– panning/auto-pan (left/right position and its automation)
– pitch/vibrato (variation of the pitch of a note in semitones and its automation)
– expression/tremolo (volume and its automation)

Play chords with a single finger (chords; only in the du-sound preset editor): The red key on the left-hand keyboard is the reference note, make the desired pattern (e.g.: the key two lines below to add the fifth).

Set the key sensitivity (only in the du-sound preset editor): velocity is expressed between 0 and 127, that of the notes you play is displayed on the screen.
– flat allows you to stay at a fixed value (useful for “weak” fingers, but no nuances)
– standard for playing notes between 40 and 127 (the most widely used, preferred to begin with and to progress)
– piano/forte to be completely free (from 0 to 127, offers more nuances but requires “strong” and precise fingers)

Display in red the score of a du-loop on the keyboard (score, only in the parameters of a du-loop): Set this parameter to “on”, then exit the menu to follow the keys which light up, in order to learn or as a composition aid (e.g.: follow the bass notes to play chords or vice versa)

Exit the menu to instantly save your preset, by choosing a sound, starting a recording, or touching the settings button again.

III. Playing with the sliders, the aftertouch, and the gyroscope

Assigning a slider to a parameter:

1. In the general settings menu, make sure that “sliders” is set to “on”.
2. Spot the parameters having the pictogram / \ in grey (either in the du-sound preset editor, in the du-music settings, or in the settings of a du-loop ), meaning that they can be assigned to the sliders.
3. Hold, without squeezing, the settings key while stroking one of the two sliders (on either side of the central slider on the du-touch S, on the sides of the instrument on the du-touch): the screen should display a confirmation of the assignment.
4. Exit the menu. The pictogram / \ will be white and displayed on the screen to point out that the sliders are assigned.
5. Perform the same operation on the “un-set ctrl” (du-music or du-loop settings) or “controllers” (du-sound preset editor) setting to unassign the sliders.

Assigning the aftertouch to a parameter:

1. In the general settings menu, make sure that “aftertouch” is set to “on”.
2. Locate the parameters having the hexagonal pictogram in grey (either in the du-sound preset editor, in the du-music settings, or in the settings of a du-loop), meaning that they can be assigned to the aftertouch.
3. Hold, without pressing too hard, the settings key: the screen should display a confirmation of the assignment.
4. Exit the menu. The hexagonal pictogram will be in white and displayed on the screen to point out that the aftertouch is assigned.
5. Perform the same operation on the “un-set ctrl” (du-music or du-loop settings) or “controllers” (du-sound preset editor) setting to unassign the aftertouch.

Assigning a gyroscope axis to a parameter:

1. In the general settings menu, make sure that “motion” is set to on. You can set the maximum angle and the activation threshold angle (“deadzone”) in the sub-parameters displayed at the bottom of the keyboard.
2. Spot the parameters having the pictogram with two double-arrows in grey (either in the du-sound preset editor, in the du-music settings, or in the settings of a du-loop, meaning that they can be assigned to the gyroscope.
3. Hold, without pressing too hard, the settings key while leaning forward/backward (“pitch”) or to the left/right (“roll”): the screen should display a confirmation of the assignment. The origin point is determined when releasing the key.
4. Exit the menu. The pictogram with two double-arrows will be in white and displayed on the screen to point out that the gyroscope is assigned.
5. Perform the same operation on the “un-set ctrl” (du-music or du-loop settings) or “controllers” (du-sound preset editor) setting to unassign the gyroscope.

0. Saving your du-musics, du-sounds and presets

As with any other computer activity, it is recommended to save your files, created on your du-touch (du-musics and presets) as on the du-station (du-sounds), as often as possible.

Saving files on the du-station:
– To save your du-musics, go to the du-music tab of the du-station software, then drag and drop du-musics from your du-touch to “My du-musics” (or a list previously created).
– To save your du-sound presets, double-click on a du-sound in your du-touch, then copy and paste presets in the same du-sound beforehand stored on the software. Warning: it will be longer to drag and drop entire du-sounds from your du-touch to “My du-sounds” (or a list previously created), and this second option is not recommended when saving official du-sounds ; indeed, brand new du-sounds will be created (as if you created them yourself) and thus will not be recognised by du-musics using them.

Saving files on your computer:
– To export du-musics, go to the du-music tab of the du-station software, and do a right-click > export for the du-musics that you want to save: either from your du-touch or from “My du-musics” (or a list previously created). If the du-music uses sounds created by users (orange), you can include them in the du-music file (necessary for sharing) if they are stored on your du-station. Importing a du-music into the du-station or on your du-touch is also possible by drag and drop (in the du-music tab).
– To export du-sounds, do a right click > export for the du-sounds you wish to save: either from your du-touch (longer) or from “My du-sounds” (or a list previously created). Importing a du-sound on du-station or on your du-touch is also possible by drag and drop (in the du-sound tab).
– To export presets, double-click on a du-sound (either from your du-touch, or in “My du-sounds” or a list previously created), and select the option “Copy to hard drive…”. The import is also possible using the “Import” button.

I. Sharing your files and downloading those published by the community

In the “du-community” tab “File sharing” section, you can access du-community.org. This integrated website allows you to download and share du-music and du-sound files between du-touch players.

Use the same username and password as to connect to the du-station.

When you download a du-sound/du-music from this platform, they are automatically added in the du-community’s du-sounds/du-musics list (in the respective du-station tabs). You can then load them in your du-touch or edit them in the usual way after moving them to “My du-sounds/du-musics” or a list previously created.

II. Sharing your audio and video creations

Don’t be afraid to share your creations! You can of course start by presenting your pieces of music to your loved ones on your du-touch, before you decide to record or even film to share them. The community is the best place to start publishing; it is a real source of motivating encouragement and kind advice!

Once you are proud of a song, you can first practice turning on/off the right loops at the right times to structure your piece with your audience (especially to make it more alive and less repetitive). Also practice playing over, improvising within the scale or playing one of the loops live. Finally, become a real pro by knowing how to replay the entire song by looping it live!

There are lots of ways to record and film yourself : The best is to use a sound card and an editing software (e.g.: Audacity) for the audio, a camera to film and a video editing software to assemble the audio and the video (e.g.: Microsoft PhotosiMovie…). You can then share your tracks on streaming platforms like SoundCloud, or your videos on YouTube for example.

III. Creating your own du-sounds (basics)

Creating sounds to put them in your du-touch is quite simple. On the du-station software, in the du-sounds tab, section “My du-sounds” (or in a previously created list), click on “+ Create a du-sound“. There are three types of du-sounds:
Harmonic (sounds stretched over several notes, ideal for note samples)
Percussive (sounds on the keys of one keyboard, quasi-symmetrical on the other, ideal for percussion)
Samples (sounds on any key of the double-keyboard, ideal for sound effects and voices)

You will need audio files (“samples”) in .wav format (44100Hz 16bits (?), in mono (?)). You can find a very large number of samples on the Internet, or record them yourself.

Note:  If you import .wav samples with a sampling rate different from 44100Hz 16bits and/or in stereo, the du-station software will convert them automatically (the samples may however be slightly altered).

Processing your samples

If you have audio files in a different format (e.g.: .mp3), you need to convert them: Audacity is an example of software, simple and free, for processing audio files. The software enables you in particular to adjust the sound volume, the length, add fades in/out… When you export/save sounds from the software, choose the correcct format. Try it out and have fun! Here are some initial recommendations for processing your samples:

Cropping: determine the end, and especially the begining of your samples (there may be a few milliseconds of silence at the beginning of the original file, which will therefore provide an undesirable “lag” effect when you play).

Fade out: to avoid clipping noises at the start and end of your samples (control sudden passages between sound and silence, and vice versa), make sure you put at least a little fade out, and even a tiny fade in if this does not affect the triggering of the note (to be avoided on percussions for example).

Normalise your samples: for the sake of balance with the other sounds, decide on the maximum amplitude of your samples taking into account that the very high-pitched sounds sound louder and the bass lower. For example: at Intuitive Instruments, the bass drums are normalized to -3dB, the cymbals to -12dB, the snares and other sounds in general to -6dB. Also remember that the du-touch will read the samples less loudly if you hit the keys less strongly.

Sample type du-sounds

Place each sample wherever you want.
– You can name them: the “Category” field corresponds to the line that will be displayed above the “Name” field on the du-touch screen.
– In the presets tab, you can decide on the lights that will be displayed on your du-touch (“Custom marks”).
– For each sample you can determine whether it is systematically played in full (“Active note-off” deactivated) or use the “release” of each preset to determine its length when releasing the key (“Active note-off” activated).
– Each sample has a number (“Note”), the “Exclusive note” field allows you to choose a note to turn off when the selected sample is played (ideal for stopping the sound of an open hi-hat when playing a closed hi-hat for example).

Recommendation:
– For some samples it will sometimes be useful to name them with their tempo (BPM) and their scale/chord to facilitate their use on your du-touch. You can find the BPM of most known songs on the Internet, and there are several solutions to find the scale (usually the first chord of tablatures / scores, finding by ear,…)

Percussive type du-sounds

Each sample will be reflected on the other keyboard in an almost symmetrical way; ideal for playing rolls with both hands.
– You can name them: the “Category” field corresponds to the line that will be displayed above the “Name” field on the du-touch screen.
– In the presets tab, you can decide on the lights that will be displayed on your du-touch (“Custom marks”).
– For each sample you can determine whether it is systematically played in full (“Active note-off” deactivated) or use the “release” of each preset to determine its length when releasing the key (“Active note-off” activated).
– Each sample has a number (“Note”), the “Exclusive note” field allows you to choose a note to turn off when the selected sample is played (ideal for stopping the sound of an open hi-hat when playing a closed hi-hat for example).

Harmonic type du-sounds

For each sample, double-click on a note to determine the reference note (the note actually corresponding to your sample, in red), and click on lower-pitched (higher) and higher-pitched (lower) notes to determine its stretch (in green). Like this in your du-touch, playing a note in this zone will trigger the reference note, accelerated or slowed down to correspond to the note played.
– In the “Infos” tab, you can determine whether the notes are systematically played in full (“Active note-off” deactivated) or use the “release” of each preset to determine the length of the notes played (“Active note-off” activated).

Recommendations :
– Range (maximum range of playable notes): 7 octaves from b-1 to ab6 for the du-touch S (9 octaves from b-1 to ab8 for the du-touch)
– Length of samples for constant notes (wind instruments, strings …): approximately 3 seconds minimum
– Acoustic sounds: at least 3 notes per octave
(ex: c, eb, f#, a), maximum stretch of -3 and +3 semitones to avoid making transitions too obvious between samples. Electronic sounds: no particular instruction, but consider that a large stretch shortens (high-pitched) or lengthens (low-pitched) the duration of the sample played.

Velocity layers

When you tap a key on your du-touch, a numerical value appears on the screen (under the name of the triggered note if its display is activated). This value corresponds to the velocity with which you hit the key (expressed from 0 to 127),  the average being 100. In the du-station, you can determine which sounds will be triggered according to the velocity, by creating layers. The more layers you have, the more the sound will be “alive”, which is particularly recommended to create acoustic and percussive sounds more faithful to reality (e.g.: a cymbal struck strongly will make a sound very different from a cymbal brushed softly). You can access examples on some of the official Intuitive Instruments du-sounds (drums, piano, wurlitzer…). The real difficulty is to obtain samples of instruments recorded at different velocities (mainly sample packs on the Internet),…

Recommendations:
– 2 layers: 1-109 (soft), 110-127 (strong)
– 3 layers: 1-89 (soft), 90-109 (middle), 110-127 (strong)
– More layers: consider the average area around 100

IV. Playing with others

The du-touch may well allow you to play complete songs, and playing with other dualists or with other musicians can be very rewarding, and multiplies the possibilities tenfold!

If you are playing with other du-touch players or users of programmable software / machines, just set the same tempo and use the quantizer to synchronize at least your first loops.

If you play with more traditional instrumentalists (pianists, saxophonists, guitarists,…), you can either set the rhythm by recording at least one reference rhythmic loop (preferably with tempo and quantizer), or follow the rhythm of the group; the tempo being more organic and therefore inconsistent, you will not be able to record loops.

In any case, agree on a scale and even a chord grid, knowing that it will sometimes be necessary to integrate yourself by ear… Also don’t forget to listen and leave room for other musicians: you have an instrument that can do everything, devote yourself to the “missing elements” among the main elements of the group: drums, bass, chords, melody. Also don’t hesitate to question/answer between solo instruments, and improvise on the scale when it’s your turn to play your solo!

I. Creating your own du-sounds (advanced)

We saw in a previous tab the basics of creating a du-sound. To go deeper, there are advanced editing options that can be activated in the du-station settings.

The fields “Loop start” and “Loop end” enable therefore the selected sample to be looped, so that it automatically repeats part of itself when it reaches its end (ideal for making sounds last indefinitely using shorter files). We see here how to create a “loopable” sample in a fluid way, and how to determine its looping points.

The ADSR graph will allow you to adjust the behaviour of the samples individually (ahead of the “attack” and “release” setting of the du-sound preset editor, which applies to all of the samples). It is very useful when several very different instruments compose your du-sound (examples: official Intuitive Instruments du-sounds “world (1)” and “world (2)”). Here we can see the general functioning of the ADSR to help you to use it.

Looping your samples

If you have samples that deserve to be infinite (generally of constant intensity: violin notes, pads, synthesisers…), there is a way to loop these samples when you edit them in a software. To do this, you will first need to display the time scale in samples (which are simply the points making up the waveform curve of your sample).

The whole point is to obtain a file containing a part which can be put end-to-end without the transition being noticeable by ear. Apart from simple signals (sine, square, triangle …) whose period is easily identifiable, you will most certainly have to make this file yourself, and fortunately it is not necessarily very complicated. Here is a tip used at Intuitive Instruments:

Create a file overlaying two tracks: in the first you will place your sample to which you will have previously added a fade out; the other containing the same sample with this same fade out and a fade in. Opt for long enough fades, but keep a central area of the sample common in the two files (in blue on the diagram).

Arrange these two samples one over the other so that they overlap. Place the start of the second sample beyond half the length of the first, to have two common sound zones; they are absolutely identical, it is where the loop points will be determined.

Listen to the sound result of different positions, to avoid the transition from one file to another being too obvious (the superimposition of files can generate a power loss/gain, phase effects…).

When you’re happy with the result, export the file as a single sample and check the effectiveness of your loop points (many software allow you to loop play a selected part of the sample), determined as follows:
Loop start = your choice in the first common area
– Loop length = position of the start of the second sample
Loop end = loop start + loop length

If everything works perfectly, you can delete the part of the sample created beyond the loop point (keeping a small safety margin of a few dozen samples), to reduce its size.

Create your du-sound in the du-station by entering the loop values in the corresponding fields: you’re done!

Notes :
– You can also split samples by displaying the time graduation in bars and beats, useful if you want to end up with pieces of a song whose tempo you know exactly. In this case, the looping points will be very easy to determine, ideal for making launchpad-style remixes!
– Use round numbers to make your task easier: here the second sample is placed at the 130,000th sample, the loop closing at the 280,000th. In our case, you can also loop between 120,000 and 270,000 for example.
– You can identify the reliefs as points of reference (in orange on the diagram).
– Be sure to name your samples to store the looping information, example: “a1 (130000-280000).wav”
– Note that by default, the looping points are: start = length of the sample, end = start + 31 samples (of silence)!

Set the ADSR

The Attack Decay Sustain Release (ADSR) envelope is a very common envelope in synthesizers. Synchronised with the keyboard, it modulates the amplitude (between 0 and 1) of the sound of each sample using four parameters:
Attack: time required to reach the maximum level, after pressing a key on the keyboard.
Decay: time required to go back down to the sustain.
Sustain: stable level, kept as long as the key is held down.
Release: time required for the level to decrease until returning to 0, when the key is released.

By default when adding a sample, the ADSR curve is “almost neutral”; playing the note and releasing it is equivalent to simply reading and stopping the sample.

Try changing the values ​​and check the result on your du-touch. As mentioned in the introduction, ADSR is useful within the same du-sound, for example to simulate the sound inertia of a cymbal and the clear stop of a rattle sound when you release their respective keys (whereas adjusting the release in the preset editor will necessarily affect the two samples).

Bonus

If you are really resourceful, you can for example:
Graft samples on “unused” notes on a harmonic sound (ex: sliding sounds on a guitar neck, placed on the lowest/highest notes of a du-sound of guitar).
Place other samples on a single layer (example 127-127): You can configure one of the 4 presets in flat sensitivity (all the notes played will be at a fixed value you can set) and thus be able to play, on the same du-sound, different sounds in the same range (ex: for a du-sound of violins sustain, put on this layer some pizzicato sounds).
Overlap the layers (ex: make a layer 1-127 of long bass notes, and a layer 100-127 of short slap sounds; for a note triggered between 100 and 127, the sounds of each layer will be superimposed).

Need advice? Contact the du-community

You can contact support if you want, or ask other du-touch players (support technicians included):

On the Facebook group (publish a post that others can comment on)
On the Discord chat (instant messaging)

A suggestion? If you have an idea of a new feature, submit it to the community to discuss it with the other players, the Dualo team will not forget to intervene (and this may even guide the development of the next updates)!

A malfunction? Contact the support

If you have a problem with one of our products/services, the boxes below may help you. If your problem is not listed there or the proposed actions do not work, you can contact us:

By e-mailsupport [at] dualo.com (usually quick response and during the day on weekdays)
On Messenger (Facebook instant messaging, usually quick and weekday response)

Please describe your problem as well as possible, indicating to us if possible the element that you suspect is triggering it (an update, a fall …) and the manipulations that you might have tried to solve it (reset, reset) …). If you can, join tangible elements (a small video, screenshots, error messages …) that can help us … to help you! Depending on the case, we can also chat with you by phone or even by video call.

In the event of a serious problem, we will tell you what to do if a repair is necessary. As a reminder, your instrument is guaranteed for 2 years; after this period or if the repair concerns an item damaged by the user, costs (sending, repair or replacement of components, etc.) may apply.

If your du-touch has frozen during use

Like many complex electronic devices, the du-touch has a reset button. If your instrument seems to be blocked during a normal use (“freeze”), you can click on the reset button (small hole next to the USB socket) using a fine point (a paper clip, a needle …) to restart the instrument.

Normally very rare, if a blockage is recurrent and reproducible, don’t hesitate to report it to us by contacting support (contact info above)..

Note: The saving of a du-music being made at the change of a du-music, a normal connection to the du-station, or a normal extinction: these all run a risk of erasing what you made since the last backup.

If sounds are sustained (un)intentionnally

If you hear sustained notes/sounds that you have not recorded, you can stop them by replaying them or by double clicking on the sound button; the words “all notes off” appear on the screen, corresponding to the “MIDI Panic” function found in many computer music interfaces.

These “held notes” occur when you touch the sound button or the music button before releasing a note on the keyboard. From the du-touch point of view, the information of “note-off” is therefore not sent to the synthesiser, thus making it play until its end (if it has one, as certain sounds like the pads don’t really because their samples are  looped).

Also, maintaining a note can be useful in certain cases, in particular to play an on-going background chord with a pad, or to trigger long samples (a rap flow for example) in a flash to free your hands…

If you hear unwanted held notes in a loop, the recording was ended before those notes were released, so the “note-off” information was not recorded. In this case, you will have to re-record your loop.

If you have problems connecting your du-touch to the du-station software

– First check that the du-touch is turned on, and the USB sockets are well plugged in.
– At the computer level, try several USB ports (and avoid the use of USB hubs / multiple sockets). If you are on Windows, you can follow this tutorial.
– Use the supplied micro-USB cable, or try similar cables if you have them (fairly common and easy to find on the market, especially used for many smartphones). Please note, some cables are only dedicated to charging and do not allow data transfer (essential to connect to the du-station): unfortunately the distinction is often overlooked by manufacturers.
– Check, without forcing, whether there is a false contact at the micro-USB socket on the du-touch.

If nothing seems to solve your problem, contact the support.

If no sound comes out from your du-touch

– First check that your general volume (adjustable with the central slider) is at a sufficient value.
– Then check that your sound device (headphones, earphones, speaker…) is working properly, and/or try to use another one. Also check that the cable (jack/mini-jack) used is working properly with other devices. If not, check, without forcing, if there is a false contact at the du-touch mini-jack socket.
– In the general settings menu, check that the “midi mode” setting is set to ctrl/synth/seq.
– Try several du-sounds/presets and/or check that their “volume” and “expression” settings are at a sufficient value (in the preset editor).

If nothing seems to solve your problem, refer to the section below, and/or contact the support.

If some of the du-sounds behave abnormally

Try several du-sounds/presets to see the extent of the problem. Your sound bank may be corrupted due to a problem with the du-touch’s internal memory.

Make sure to save your presets and du-musics if necessary (described in the “Creating / Storing / Sharing” tab), then delete the du-sounds concerned, then reload them. Depending on the extent of the problem, you can also “Erase all du-sounds” (“du-touch” tab of the du-station software), then load and try a small-sized sound, before loading other sounds.

If nothing seems to solve your problem, contact support.

If the du-touch is blocked on the start screen

If your du-touch gets stuck on the display of the dualo logo, your du-touch may have had a problem during its last update or file transfer. In this case a manipulation can allow you to reinstall the elements necessary for its proper functioning (no loss of data is to be expected):

If you have a du-touch S: Turn off the instrument by forcing it to turn off (holding the on/off button for several seconds). Then, holding the reset button (small hole next to the USB socket), click on the power button, then release the reset button. After a few seconds, the screen should display “Flash me…”: connect it to the du-station software to reinstall the latest update.

If you have a du-touch (big model): Turn off the instrument by forcing it to turn off (holding the on/off button for several seconds). Then hold the on/off button for approximately 10 seconds. After a few seconds, the screen should display “Flash me…”: connect it to the du-station software to reinstall the latest update.

If the manipulation does not seem to solve your problem, repeat the operation but refuse the proposed update; then, in the du-touch tab, reset the internal memory, erase all du-sounds, and reset the official soundbank (or load sounds manually from the du-sound tab).

If you encounter an issue during this manipulation, contact the support.

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