Song Mode and the Song Editor
Song Mode: The MAIN Page
13-2
Parameter
Range of Values
Default
Volume
0 to 127
127
Pan
0 to 127
64
Tempo
20.0 to 400.0 BPM, EXT
120.0 BPM
Mode
Merge, Erase
Merge
Location
-9999:9 to 9999:9
1:1
The Events field on the top line displays the free RAM available for events in the selected song.
The Song Status, also on the top line of the display, is always one of the following:
STOPPED
The default sequencer status; also appears when you press the Stop or Pause
button.
PLAYING
Appears when the Play button is pressed, but only if the following conditions
are true: the Record was not pressed prior to pressing Play.
REC. READY
Appears when the Record button is pressed while Song Status is STOPPED.
When REC. READY is displayed, it indicates that the sequencer is waiting to
start recording.
Current Song (CurSong)
This shows the ID and name of the song currently selected for recording, playback, or editing.
When a song is selected, Program Change, Volume, and Pan information is sent to all MIDI
channels assigned to tracks that have data on them, and the internal clock is set to match the
setting of the Tempo parameter. When looking for a previously saved song, you can scroll
through songs while the sequencer is playing to quickly hear the beginning of each.
Tempo
The Tempo parameter determines the initial tempo for the selected song. The song will always
start playback at the initial tempo. Whatever the tempo is set to when you record your first track
will be the song’s initial tempo. During playback, the current tempo is shown in this field. During
recording, tempos dialed in here get recorded in the Tempo Track. The initial tempo and other
tempo changes can also be edited in the event list for the Tempo Track. The Tempo track also
allows you to program more precise fractional tempos with two decimal places.
To quickly change a song’s initial tempo, press Record (the Song Status will change to REC
READY), set the tempo desired, then press Stop. The initial tempo can also be changed with the
Tempo parameter on the COMMON page in the Song Editor, or at the top of the event list for the
Tempo track on the EVENT page in the Song Editor.
Note: You can also set the tempo using the tap tempo function. Press the left and right cursor
buttons simultaneously to access the TEMPO page (see
for more details.)
You can also set the tempo to be controlled by an external sequencer. Use the Alphanumeric Pad
to enter “0” in the tempo field, and press enter. “EXT” will appear in the tempo field. Any MIDI
Time Clock (MTC) signal received at the Forte SE’s USB or MIDI in port will now set the Song
playback tempo.
