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Printed on 2019/10/22 16:44
5.2. Phrase Mode and Song Mode
In phrase mode you can build up to four active patterns (one in each group) and keep editing and
testing them, alternating between manually starting and stopping the sequencer until you're happy
with the result. In phrase mode the sequencer will keep playing the four active patterns over and
over, and any pattern switch must be done manually on the PATTERN page. This also means that
unless you actively, on your own initiative, switch to another pattern, starting the sequencer in phrase
mode will not erase the changes you've made since the last save.
The phrase mode is suitable for a complete performance as well. If you have your patterns ready and
saved, you can start the sequencer in phrase mode with four initial patterns, and then change the
patterns live on the PATTERN page or the SONG page (even if you're not in song mode). Pattern
changes like this can be instantaneous or timed, so that pattern change will be considered only at
those times when the set number of steps has been played (e.g. every 8th step, or every 16th step).
This is controlled with the Option page (UTILITY Opt.) settings #2 and #3 ('Pattern Change
Synchronisation'). Option #2 sets the number of steps that have to play before a pattern change is
considered, and option #3 enables/disables option #2.
You have pattern 1:A1 whose tracks are 16 steps long, and you set option #2 to 8 steps. If
you press PLAY (in phrase mode) and don't do anything, the pattern will play 16 steps over
and over (because that's the length of the tracks). If you turn a knob on the PATTERN page or
SONG page to switch to pattern 1:A2 when the sequencer is running at step 3, the sequencer
will play 5 more steps before it switches to 1:A2, because 3 + 5 = 8, and you've set the
sequencer to allow pattern change only after every 8 steps. If you switch to 1:A2 when the
sequencer is running at step 12, the sequencer will play four more steps before switching to
1:A2.
If you set the number high (e.g. to 64), you can give yourself plenty of time to scroll through
the patterns you have available before the switch actually takes place.
In song mode you can chain the patterns you've made into a predetermined sequence of four parallel
patterns. In addition to just putting the bundles of four patterns one after the other, you can also use
song position operations to effect loops, mutes, tempo changes etc. (For details see section 5.2.2.)
In song mode you must remember to save the pattern(s) before starting the sequencer, if you don't
want to risk losing the changes you've made, because in song mode starting the sequencer will erase
the changes made since the last save.
You can check whether you're in Song or Phrase mode by pressing SONG. On the right LCD (top row)
you can see either “Phrase Mode” or “Song Mode”. The mode can be changed with GPK13–14. You
can also press & hold the SONG button, which will bring up the song page utility menu. While you
keep pressing the SONG button, you can alternate between song and phrase modes by pressing
GPB9–10.
In addition to the information of the LCD, the LED above the SONG button indicates the mode, no
matter which page you're in: if it's lit, it's song mode, and if it's unlit, it's phrase mode. When you're
