beatscape pads

sos has a good getting started guide here...

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/jan09/articles/sonarworkshop_0109.htm


emusician has one as well with this handy tip:
[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal"]FIG. 2: The first 16 notes of Beatscape''s keyboard, starting at C3 (Note Number 36), trigger the 16 pads. Each pad''s audio slices are mapped to MIDI notes starting at E4 (Note Number 52) on the channel corresponding to the pad''s number.
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[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal"]http://www.emusician.com/techniques/0768/master-class-cakewalk-beatscape/137232

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[font="arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: normal"]be warned though: if you're going to be automating parameters, most of them are mapped wrong to the track automation parameter name.  best thing to do is select a knob with write enable on and tweak it, then manually edit the automation envelope that's generated.

i love the toshiba!!! it's super fast... very stripped down.  the webcam sucks (lol) the hard drive is a bit slow (my usb3 external is a bit faster, oddly), but i knew i was going to upgrade it, so i picked up one of these:  http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/JEYI-H117-Aluminum-12-7mm-optical-drive-hard-drive-bays-SATA/710516_598140805.html and installed a wd black 7500bpkt as a second internal hard drive.  only problem is it sucks power like crazy on battery.  i didn't need super graphics because this is an audio only laptop, so the integrated intel hd is fine.  the realtek onboard audio is good as well... you can see it in action here in one of my mad scientist experiments:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KC2xs0FuAo


the model i have has 1 usb2 and 2 usb3 ports.  i run my audio interface in the usb2 port but it works fine when connected to the usb3 in any combination:  directly, or through a non-powered usb2 hub.  looks like the mfrs finally got the usb2/3 kinks worked out to some extent.  super fast with windows 8.  it's an impressive little meanie!


i'd take a look at one of these, they're on sale at best buy:  http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Toshiba+-+Satellite+17.3%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+8GB+Memory+-+750GB+Hard+Drive+-+Prestige+Silver/7543046.p?id=1218851199437&skuId=7543046#tab=specifications


if you have probs with the usb3 ports, you can disable usb3 and enable uefi-based usb2 mode via the bios so it would work out fine.  if you're cautious, tho, get one with a usb2 port that way you have little to worry about.