How to import tracks? What is looping? ect.

[chippedeggtooth]

I'm coming at the Cubasis software from the perspective of an analog 4 tracker, so all I've done so far is record my vocals and guitars in cubasis. I'm wondering how to import tracks from elsewhere (for instance, could I import track 15 from the cubasis demo song into a new song and jam with it?) also I have the "sounds and cycles" sampler cd that came with cubasis and I don't know what to do to be able to use these. I am somewhat familiar with Cubasis, read the manual a few times, ect. I do only audio tracks, no midi yet. I also don't really understand what "looping" is and if it's just repeating parts over and over again how you would get it so they are lined up exactly with the rhythm, or would you just do that by ear? I appreciate any insight on these questions.

Also, a side note: has anyone had any good/bad experiences converting an mp3 to a wave file and then using it as a track in Cubasis (or Cubase)? I am thinking about getting a pocketstudio like the tascam pocketstudio 5 and I want to upload the tracks into cubasis. Thanks.

Chip

[NYMorningstar]

If I remeber correctly, to use track 15 off the demo you would open up the song, open the pool, then copy and paste it into an empty track in your new song. Looping is rather simple in that you just repeat a previously recorded sample of sound (loop). There are countless number of loops available on the internet, just do a search in google or any search engine. The loops can be drums takes, guitars, bass, vocals, sound effects, basically anything you can record. You need to know the copyrights on a loop if you are going to use it in a production. Lining up the rhythm is usually done when the loop is created, but it can be edited in a sound editor. I believe you need to match all your sampling rates also.
Converting a MP3 to a wave file is ok but you will not have the quality of recording with a higher bit and sampling rate. Your recording will end up sounding a bit thin.

Hope that helped,

Bob