Patterns Workflow

[escargot]

How do you guys organise your sets? Not much emphasis on the workflow in the manual. 

So far i mainly used single sequences, now i would like to have different parts of the same song sequenced, like intro/verse/chorus for example with the same instrument track, and also for several tracks together jumping parts. 

I guess I never quite grasped the architecture of the machine: sessions (i take that for different songs), and within sessions, tracks put in groups of 4. Are patterns between sessions and tracks and what i'm looking for? 

thanks

[Hawkeye]

Logical MBSEQ datastructures from top to bottom:

* Sessions are saved to disk, another name for them would be project/song.

* Patterns are stored within sessions. Every pattern always holds four tracks (sequences). Per default, four inital patterns thus hold the 16 tracks. A session can have many more patterns saved. This is useful to e.g. switch a group of four tracks at once (e.g. exchange a group of four drum tracks at once, you can do this in the "Patterns" screen).

* Tracks are what we see in the mute/unmute screen and are the basic building block, that hold the individual sequence notes.

You could totally ignore patterns and just use the 16 tracks (mapped to four patterns, but you need not care)... for my limited songs, i do the same, 16 tracks are enough, i mostly unmute/mute them, change tracklengths/fx and that is enough for me...

Many greets and enjoy!

Peter

[mongrol]

Hmm, thats quite different from me. I've been influences by the midi channel numbers of my synths andkept the tracks with roughly the 1-16 channels. 

• Tracks 1-4
  • A-90 Piano (4 part multitimbral so channel 1-4)
• Tracks 5-8
  • 5 - Volca Keys
  • 6 - Microbrute
  • 7 - Axoloti
• Tracks 9-12
  • 9 - Micromonsta
  • 10 - LXR

So really I have 3 active patterns at one time and tend run them sequentially. Use a few unmutes then roll everything over the A2 for next song section. Then A3 for another sections. (I don't hold with verse, chorus etc it boxes you in)

So if we look at the pattern sequence with mutes it could be something like this;

• Start with piano and drums.
  • o*** **** *o** ****
  • 4x A1, A1, A1, A1
  • oo** oo** *o** ****
  • 4x A1, A1, A1, A1
  • oooo ooo* *o** ****
  • 8x A2, A2, A1, A2
  • **oo *oo* *o** ****
  • 4x A2, A2, A2, A2
  • etc....

I find patterns groups a bit confusing. Hopefully SEQv4+ has enough ooomph to do away with them. :)

P.S.

I realise my channel alignment is silly. I can't be bothered changing it.

P.P.S.

I sequence drums on the LXR and use program changes to drive pattern switching (Brendan Firmware) and use MB for one shots, rolls etc.

[escargot]

so you can save mutes in patterns as well? 

[mongrol]

No. Mutes are set as an "action" in the song structure. See the manual under "Song Page" for possible actions. Basically you add a "mutes" action, set your mutes then add a x1-16 action to play the designated patterns x times.

http://ucapps.de/midibox_seq_manual_m.html

 

[escargot]

yeah. never did any song modes on any sequencer. things need to happen when i decide on the spot, not the other way around...

snapshots would be awesome then... 

[monokinetic]

Personally I find the pattern mode really useful, especially when coupled with "save and take over patterns". If you haven't tried it, it enables you to assign changes in your song to the 16 GP buttons. For each of the 16 slots, MBSeq stores mutes, can send program changes and mixer maps and then trigger 4 pattern groups (i.e. choose 16 tracks). You have 16 slots like that (i.e. 16 changes) per song. I used it for a live set earlier this year and it was great, sending program changes to all of the midi kit we controlled was pretty much instantaneous and with 3 MBSeq songs set up like this we jammed for an hour.

I'm not sure if that would match your snapshot concept, but I'd give it a try. It enables you to decide the structure of the song pretty live IMO :)

Edited August 24, 2016 by monokinetic
Spelling

[escargot]

great, i have not used pattern mode yet, and it is exactly what i need so will look at that asap. thank you. 

ps: this thread is also to see what general workflow people have performing or creating with the seqV4 so keep it coming! 

[mongrol]

On 24/08/2016 at 7:11 PM, monokinetic said:

Personally I find the pattern mode really useful, especially when coupled with "save and take over patterns". If you haven't tried it, it enables you to assign changes in your song to the 16 GP buttons. For each of the 16 slots, MBSeq stores mutes, can send program changes and mixer maps and then trigger 4 pattern groups (i.e. choose 16 tracks). You have 16 slots like that (i.e. 16 changes) per song. I used it for a live set earlier this year and it was great, sending program changes to all of the midi kit we controlled was pretty much instantaneous and with 3 MBSeq songs set up like this we jammed for an hour.

I'm not sure if that would match your snapshot concept, but I'd give it a try. It enables you to decide the structure of the song pretty live IMO :)

Once "Save and Take over Patterns" assigns a pattern to a GP button. How are they accessed to switch patterns? Can't find it in the manual.

Edited December 4, 2016 by mongrol
solved

[mongrol]

Scratch that. Found it. :)