Yeah, I see. I should experiment with that some time. I have a powerful sample player (Assimil8or) but haven’t experimented yet with chopping loops like that… so many ides to explore!
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this method essentially comes from using trackers which allow you to start playing the sample from any point as well as choose pitch, velocity, etc. but also hardware samplers usually let you choose the start point too. this way you dont need to chop anything. volca sample 1 with pajen os even works this way. (Korg Volca Sample with Pajen os - #4 by solipsvs) its extremely versatile and your brain only needs it to be consistent. here is a result using the method described above:
oh and the values of 0, 16, 32, 48, 64, 80, 96 and 112 are written on my soul. i may get a tatt with those numbers
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i meant actual rather than representative values
Yeah, I’ve known about this technique in trackers/sample players, but never really used it myself. I think it’s very popular with breakbeat (ha, wrote that before I listened to your demo!)
Why go through the trouble of playing different sections of a single file, rather than just load up each separate one-shot in a separate channel? Is it basically a kind of hack to get around a limitation in number of channels? Or, I guess if you’ve dealing with loops then it’s LESS tedious to define sample start positions rather than actually chopping it up?
But why those evenly spaced numbers? if you have a loop that you’re chopping (virtually), then the actual spacing between start position aren’t evenly spaced right? So in theory you could assign any arbitrary start value you wanted right? Or are those particular values hard-coded by your sample player?
Just googled Zaquencer – cool project! 
I dug into this a bit. On the Assimil8or, you’ve got 8 channels. You can load a single long sample (like a breakbeat loop) into any channel, then define up to eight zones within it.
These zones are just start/end markers inside the same file — you’re not actually cutting it up. Each zone can have its own playback direction and other parameters, and you can choose which one plays using CV, gate, MIDI note, or velocity.
You can switch zones on the fly from a sequencer, random source, joystick, etc., and even trigger multiple zones at the same time from the same sample.
A zone can be triggered by a range of velocities (or CV values), and you decide what those ranges are.
Additional params for each zone you can control include Level (or accent), pitch (transpose), loop mode (one-shot, loop, ping-pong), reverse, zone crossfade (length for smooth transitions)…
Basically, you can make the same source sample behave completely differently per zone.
seems like a wet dream for breakbeat/breakcore. I’ll give it a try!
I’m really under-utilizing this thing lol. I’m just using it for my kick drum lol – but also using features to control accent and to vary length (gated sample playback)
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too many ways make for confusion unless you pick one and run with it. classic breaks usually work very well with 1/8th notes, assuming youre using a sample loop thats 1 measure long. get good at one method and run with it. another thing about this method is that when you let a note go on, the playback goes beyond the 1/8th note and even loops assuming you have set it to loop. youre not necessarily invoking only an 1/8th note of the sample at a time, youre leveraging the often unexpected way the ‘chops’ work together in the orientation relative to the downbeat. by the end of my composition, everything is intentional but this is also after noticing how slices work next to each other which happens unintentionally at first.
being a simple technique that has served me well in many circumstances and across many samplers, i gravitate toward it because i know it well. but im not only placing slices on 1/8th notes, im using 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 placement of my segments which have 1/8th start points. btw which tend to fall on key points of the loop, ie kick or snare etc. its just a technique, im not saying i dont do things outside of the technique for a specific desired outcome.
so yeah, this technique uses only one note of polyphony. this is an advantage imo. because you now have 7 other voices on assimil8or available, rather than taking up all your voices with chops. when you place a note to trigger a slice, you can then move the start point around until that part of the phrase fits the best according to your tastes. but not much is predetermined. i feel writing breaks this way assists (in a way) with writing. so i dont frown on anyone elses way of doing things. but i know how it works well when i do it, having tried almost everything there is to try.
ask any accomplished breaks maker and they will tell you this method, among others. this method is the most efficient i feel, which is what i strive for in my methods. efficiency is important to workflow. and it keeps the mind fuckery at bay. sometimes keeping track of everything ruins vibes, which is what music is made of, vibes.
my example above uses only a single note of polyphony. the whole way through. i have 9 more samples i can invoke with the same or different techniques, essentially allowing me to make an entire composition with only 10 mono samples playing at once. (of course, one of the things i can do with pajen os is choose the sample for every note i trigger, as well as any other parameter available to me. its a lot like an elektron digitakt or similar. or a tracker)
Ah OK that explains it!
Yeah, I guess if I tried it for myself that would be more obvious 
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when you fuck around with 1/8th note ‘chops’ youll begin to recognize how the ancients did things they did. each chop of the amen break at 1/8th notes is an epic recognizable sound byte. now put them together and youll begin to hear breaks from tunes from the past. take the ‘ticka’ slice and repeat it at 1/8th notes and instant jungle tension from the past
zaquencer is my other favorite midi step sequencer, my favorite that is until hapax. they have similarities and huge differences. hapax is way more advanced but you can get deep in either one. zaquencer allows you to invoke patterns with a cc message. so you can really get granular if you want. i would fill up my mpc sequencer with patterns i made on zaquencer and now i do that with hapax too! same with ableton live but im still working on that. if you can find a bcr2000 in good shape i totally recommend buying the firmware. especially if you make breaks with an assimilator and midi. assimilator lets you use said technique over midi? it might be time to check one out again. there was no midi breakout when i sold mine.
here is what google ai had to say
you can control the start index (or sample start point) on the Rossum Assimil8or using MIDI CC messages, especially with the addition of the
Here’s a breakdown of how it works:
- Locutus as the Bridge: The Locutus module acts as an interface, allowing the Assimil8or to receive and respond to MIDI messages.
- MIDI CC Mapping: You can assign a MIDI CC to a specific CV input on the Assimil8or.
- Modulating Sample Start: The Assimil8or’s “Sample Start” parameter, which determines where a sample begins playback, can be modulated by any of the CV inputs. You would connect the assigned CV input (which is receiving the MIDI CC) to the Sample Start parameter for modulation.
- Adjusting the Range: You’ll likely need to define the modulation range (S. Mod) for the sample start within the Assimil8or’s settings to ensure the MIDI CC has the desired effect on the start point.
In essence, the workflow involves using a MIDI controller to send a CC message to Locutus, which then translates that into a CV signal that modulates the Assimil8or’s sample start point.
Remember to consult the Assimil8or and Locutus manuals for detailed instructions on MIDI setup, CC assignments, and modulation routing specific to your version of the firmware and setup.
You can also use CV. It’s super flexible. All the inputs are freely routable to any parameter!
The more I use the Hapax the more I need Min Max range for midi cc ( and assign knobs ), for example I’m controlling the Fabfilter Timeless 3 plugin on the iPad and the Feedback parameter is NOT 0 to 127, I really have to take care not turning the assign knob to far in case of high Dub delay feedback red alert 
, so many example where you don’t need 0 to 127, this will be a game changer… 
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Yeah, that makes sense. Maybe they could implement a 2nd+ lnob push twist function, which would allow you to set the knob range
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another easy way to do this is of course loading 8 copies of the loop starting at 1/8 divisions but each containing the whole loop, and switching between them per step. it makes for less midi bandwidth. but you also need to put a volume 0 at the point you want the loop to stop because volca sample has only AR envelopes. or alternatively you can load a single sample of pure silence and switch to it whenever you want
and what if you made a solid 64th note pattern and also made an lfo on start point, and then even played with pitch on any sample? ok maybe a vocal sample like “soundbwoy!” you could easily have sssssssssooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnndddddddddd dnuos soundbbbbbbbbwwwwwwwwwoooooooooyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yyyyyyyyyyooooooobbbbbbbbddddddnnnnnuuuuoooosss soundbwoy! or some such but with control over pitch too lol! now wouldnt that be kinda cool? just try out different amp env shapes for best results! this technique is also used to make samples sound more organic, ie random sample start gives a waveform an analogue feel as long as you do it right. gotta have the right sample material!