I have been playing with ZynSeq lately trying to understand it. The ZynPad page is pretty clear if you use it as a clip launcher like Ableton. When the pads are configured with the arranger to play longer sequences with multiple tracks there is no way to tell which is which (they both just show the stop button icon).
Not sure if this was already suggested but…would it be a good idea to show when a pad is going to play a pattern only (default configuration) or when it has a sequence? In the screenshot pad A2 has a pattern, pad A4 has a sequence that includes the pattern from A2 but they both look the same.
I thought about another icon on the pad to show this, the rectangles at the bottom indicate that this pad contains a sequence rather than a single pattern. It could be even smaller so it doesn’t get in the way of the text.
Both pads pla a sequence. One of those sequences had only one pattern whilst the other has several patterns. The default configuration adds a single pattern to each sequence. The idea was that users brave enough to enter arrangements would know what they are doing.
I can see that it could be useful to show some extra info in zynpad but we must not clutter it too much. There are many things that could be lurking behind a pad including:
an empty sequence
a sequence with one track containing one pattern of some duration
a sequence with one track containing one pattern is some other duration
a sequence with one track containing several patterns
a sequence with multiple tracks…
Each may benefit from some indication but we need to keep the UI simple and clear.
I wrote a swing feature but it was flawed so I didn’t deployed it. From memory there has to be a significant change to support that so it’s not like to occur in the immediate future. Sorry!
Yes, UI is a balance to find just enough info to function but also prevent a cluttered look which can also become confusing.
I have noticed one thing, when I use the ‘clear scene’ from the arranger menu. It says it will clear and reset to empty sequences. It doesn’t appear to do that, the arranger keeps the patterns as they were and the zynpad view does not change. I’m not sure if this is a bug…?
edit: Is this what it should do? Is it supposed to be the ‘reset button’ for the scene and makes everything default and empty again?
To add some more to this: I chose ‘clean all’ from the main menu. All my intruments/tracks are cleared, the mixer is now empty. When I go back to ZynSeq, it also looks empty (there are no names on ZynPad). However, when I go back into arranger view, all my previous instrument/track names are there. It seems to keep a ‘memory’ even after everything should be reset.
I tried a reboot to double check and the arranger view has now cleared.
I’m a Zynthian user of one week’s vintage and after finding many delights I have most recently been investigating the step sequencer. I am delighted that there is a mode for recording live midi and have used it to copy a sequence from my MPK Mini Plus’s sequencer. Unfortunately, my timing is terrible and, although the sequence has recorded perfectly, the whole thing needs shifting a few steps along the time line. As far as I can tell there is no ‘Select and Drag’ feature for multiple notes just now. Is there another way of doing this?
Thanks,
Ben
Sadly, I don’t think the MPK keyboard I have has any import or export for its sequences beyond to and from its PC editor and thence to proprietary format backup file. Of course, I will avoid making sequences in it from now on and do them in Zynthian (and may be Koala every now and then) from now on
There is an offset option that can push your notes forward but not backwards but I just noticed a limitation / bug that the select all does not work for offset. (@jofemodo is that by design?)
To correct these few sequences, you could export them from Zynthian into a DAW, fix them then save as SMF for reimport back to Zynthian.
No. It’s not by design, but implementing “modify all offset” could be challenging if notes have different offsets values like they do when capturing live. We could limit the offset range or we should move some notes to next/previous step.
I was playing a bit with zynseq, trying to record midi in the pattern editor.
It’s fine, but I wonder if the option “Quantized recording” should be enabled by default?
I have to add, that I you Akai APC Key25 together with @oscaracena’s driver and don’t know if it’s a question to him: So when you hit record + Pad, it also enables the quantization?
Another question that just gets into my mind while writing and trying again on the Zynthian:
Shouldn’t also the stop of the midi-note be quantized to the nearest grid-line in the pattern-editor?
Nope, I did not enable quantization, so it will use whatever you set in that pattern. If that is interesting, I may add it with some key combination or something. If you want it, please add a feature request, I’m trying to find time to finish all my pending tasks…
I don’t think so. It may be 50/50 split but brooch able to record live is a boon and the ability to enable quantisation is a further advantage. I like it as it is. I have to manually enable quantisation which modifies what I play.
I don’t think so but possible child be an option. Tight quantisation of the start of notes is an established way to dehumanise your music but keeping the note length variation provides some dynamics. Maybe there should be an option to completely remove all feeling from the music.
Maybe there should be an option to completely remove all feeling from the music.
Yes you’re alrighty with what you’re saying and I would go along with it mostly!
But sometimes I just like the pattern all tidy and when you enter notes to the grid the ‘live’ way with the record function, it’s kind of a work to get the ends of the notes just in the right place, because I can’t get them all there with my keyboard abilities
Maybe it’s just me but I like to sketch up a bit first and then add sth here and there and I find myself tidying up all those notes that don’t finish at the grid-line I wanted.
Of course quantizing just the start of a note already is making it so much easier and to enable it with a key combination would be cool, too
