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visual distinction for empty patterns in SEQ page
#1
Hi forum, firestARTer, 

  goal:   user can shift-start on a row, and only the patterns in that row will start. 

  
The current behaviour, where an empty slot in a row will be filled by 'the pattern in the nearest, lower-numbered row' is fine, of course.


However, in order to obtain clearly visible, controlled playback of ONLY the active patterns in a given row, it is necessary to add an empty pattern in the tracks you wish to remain silent.  

Issue is that using a two-digit code like 00 or 11 for your 'empty' pattern space holder, takes a lot of space, and it's not easy to see which tracks are active and which are silent.

So proposal:

- add a small symbol (little dot, square, x, etc.) to the list of valid pattern names, to represent an empty/null/mute pattern, so that when you shift+start a row, all the columns are full, but it is easy to see which slots are silent.  You hear what you see.  

This is equivalent to a 'scene' in Ableton Live, where you click on a row, and all the active clips launch, but inactive tracks do not jump up or down in time to grab a clip, they just play silence for that row.
    
So instead of 00:    12 13 22 45 99 99 24 54  ,   where 99 is my empty pattern,   it looks like 
    
                    00:    12 13 22 45 * *  24 54        where * or something else small and unobtrusive, is a valid pattern symbol, and it's empty.


I think this removes the need for another mode e.g. "don't jump up", it's just extending the pattern numbers to include more than the 256 values 00-FF.  Or if pattern numbers are stored as a chars and you have no more space, maybe overload a pattern that no-one uses, like 68 to become the new symbol.


Thanks, KevinC  /   minphase
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#2
From a tracker standpoint I don't think this makes a whole lot of sense as there are times where you don't use all 64 steps before ending the pattern. Sometimes i don't even use 16. In order to have this filler you would need multiple versions or a way to tell it how long to wait before jumping to the next pattern. 00 works perfectly fine for this, as you can set brk anywhere.
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#3
Not asking for auto-filler, or any new behaviour or kind of pattern. If 00 works, this works. I'm asking only for a new symbol, that takes less space on the screen than 00. Asking to extend list of pattern names to include a symbol(s).

If one has need for more than one kind (length) of empty pattern, one has to use more pattern names, you're absolutely right.

Maybe option to change colour of a pattern (the font, or background of a cell) would be nice, and more general purpose. What I'm looking for is visual distinction only. Thanks for posting, I've changed the question to reflect.
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#4
A dedicated "empty" pattern would be nice if you want to make songs with structure, but I wonder how that would look when it comes to patterns of different lengths.
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#5
(01-17-2019, 05:25 PM)shledge Wrote: A dedicated "empty" pattern would be nice if you want to make songs with structure, but I wonder how that would look when it comes to patterns of different lengths.

Yes, thats why i think it needs some further brainstorming. As patterns can have different length, so there must be different length placeholders.

I guess to choose a SHIFT+START behaviour might be the best solution so far. Don't forget that there are other things to come which make the whole live behaviour more hands on.
PLEASE use the search function if something have been asked or discussed before.
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#6
Thinking about one solution where patterns that are not filled in just stop when using SHIFT+START. So not the next upper pattern will play. There is actually some danger i see. Just imagine, you press SHIFT+START just below the pattern you wanted, then the whole row will stop playing.
But again....things to come bring new options.
PLEASE use the search function if something have been asked or discussed before.
Every (unnessesary) forum support means less time to develop! But of course, i am here to help!  Smile
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#7
I would love this behavior, please !
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#8
(01-19-2019, 12:52 PM)chapelier fou Wrote: I would love this behavior, please !

Which one?
PLEASE use the search function if something have been asked or discussed before.
Every (unnessesary) forum support means less time to develop! But of course, i am here to help!  Smile
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#9
(01-19-2019, 11:28 AM)XORadmin Wrote: Thinking about one solution where patterns that are not filled in just stop when using SHIFT+START. So not the next upper pattern will play. There is actually some danger i see. Just imagine, you press SHIFT+START just below the pattern you wanted, then the whole row will stop playing.
But again....things to come bring new options.

I see stopping in empty patterns going catastrophically bad in a live setting.
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#10
(01-19-2019, 02:00 PM)XORadmin Wrote:
(01-19-2019, 12:52 PM)chapelier fou Wrote: I would love this behavior, please !

Which one?

In fact, after a second thought, I think that the best compromise would be an option "SHIFT+ START do not play upper patterns". 
So when you hit SHIFT+START, it will launch the patterns on the line, and let the previously playing patterns play. 

This way, you can just put an empty pattern where you want it to stop the playing pattern. 
Then, having a special sign like ** for the empty pattern would be a bonus.
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