Beat light
This indicator flashes on every beat when BFD2’s Groove engine is playing.
Tempo
This indicator displays the current tempo.
If BFD2 is running as a plugin within a host sequencer that provides tempo information, this control is not editable and follows the
current tempo in the host.
When running BFD2 in standalone mode, or in a host that doesn’t provide tempo information, a tempo between 30 and 999 BPM
can be entered. To edit the tempo, double-click the Tempo indicator, type a new tempo and hit ENTER.
Time signature
This indicator displays the current time signature.
If BFD2 is running within a host sequencer that provides time signature information, this is not editable and synchronizes to the
current time signature in the host.
When running BFD2 in standalone mode, or in a host that doesn’t provide time signature information, the time signature can be
entered directly by double-clicking this indicator and typing a new value, or by clicking and dragging each number in the time
signature up and down.
Playback position
This readout is an indicator of the current playback position, in bars and beats, when BFD2 is in play mode (and in record mode
when recording Grooves via MIDI). Depending on a number of different circumstances, this indicator can show any of the follow-
ing:
When using BFD2 as a plugin in a host:
• The current song position of the host.
When using BFD2 as a standalone application:
• The current position in the current Groove when using any Auto-Play mode except ‘Drum Track’.
• The current position in the Drum Track when using the Drum Track Auto-play mode.
• The current position in the Groove when recording events in real time via MIDI
4:6 Using the Groove Engine
BFD2 features a number of different ways of playing Grooves. These are described in more detail in sections 5:4 and 7:1.
Playing Grooves with MIDI notes
Each slot in the Palette containing a Groove is assigned to a MIDI note. Play a Groove’s MIDI key in order to play it. In normal
mode, keep the note held down for as long as you need it to play. In Latching mode (enabled in the BFD2 Session preferences),
press the note once to start playback, and again to stop it.
Using each Groove’s preview buttons
Each Palette slot features a Preview button, which starts and stops playback in the same way as playing a MIDI key when in
Latching mode. If desired, preview behaviour can be changed so that playback only occurs while the mouse is held down on the
Preview button.
Using Auto-Play features
BFD2 features a number of Auto-Play modes, which play Grooves when the BFD2 transport is used to start playback, or when
your host sequencer transport is started. This method of operation makes BFD2 behave like a synced drum machine or auto-ac-
companiment module.
