Xequence midi sequencer ?

JonLewis

I have a request that might not be as ridiculous as my last one. Could we get the ability to constrain the range the keyboard y-axis sends out? For example, I like to use the keyboard y-axis to control filter cutoff, but it's really hard to keep it subtle enough when the range from top to bottom of the key is 1 to 128. Basically I was hoping for an 'amount' knob for y-axis expression (maybe in the preferences area next to where you choose max at top or max at bottom etc) for those times when the thing being modulated is a more sensitive parameter.

crony

Not sure if you do that outside of Xequence with an external controller, but I can tell you that AUM does that very nicely !
For instance I reduce the range on a bass filter knob on my Arturia BeatStep while I need them back fast...it goes into AUM, stop at 70 instead of 127...
I could do that on the controller itself, but it's more accurate and fast doing it into AUM.

JonLewis

That’s just the kind of thing I mean! I don’t use an external controller though.

SevenSystems

@JonLewis no ridiculous requests from you so far! Yes I understand your desire to control the range of controller values. However, as it stands currently, it seems like it might be a bit too much "control over control"... I think this is really something that should be done in the target app, i.e. there should be a control matrix where you can actually set the % influence for each controller. I know though that many apps don't have something like that.

As a workaround, are you working on an iPad? If so, switching to single (instead of dual) keyboard obviously helps, as well as trying the "Key Position To Controller" curves in Settings -> Interface.

iamspoon

@SevenSystems said:

@Samu said:

@SevenSystems said:
@Chaztrip not directly, but just adding a dummy instrument, naming it "Markers" and then drawing named parts into its track is quite a workable alternative:

(This also enables you to loop any section with two taps by tapping its "marker" and then "Loop to selection"...)

That trick also works quite well for making a custom metronome track

For a metronome track, I would recommend just making a single one-bar part at the beginning, setting it to "Loop on", and then add the metronome ticks in there... that way you can always come back to edit your "metronome" and it will work for the entire length of the song...

Hi,

o.O ...Do the tracks offer independent Loop Lengths?

For instance, is it possible to have certain tracks looping as with the metronome example and simultaneously have other tracks playing in a linear arrangement across the timeline ?
Cheers.

SevenSystems

@iamspoon said:

@SevenSystems said:

@Samu said:

@SevenSystems said:
@Chaztrip not directly, but just adding a dummy instrument, naming it "Markers" and then drawing named parts into its track is quite a workable alternative:

(This also enables you to loop any section with two taps by tapping its "marker" and then "Loop to selection"...)

That trick also works quite well for making a custom metronome track

For a metronome track, I would recommend just making a single one-bar part at the beginning, setting it to "Loop on", and then add the metronome ticks in there... that way you can always come back to edit your "metronome" and it will work for the entire length of the song...

Hi,

o.O ...Do the tracks offer independent Loop Lengths?

For instance, is it possible to have certain tracks looping as with the metronome example and simultaneously have other tracks playing in a linear arrangement across the timeline ?
Cheers.

Not individual tracks, but individual parts. Just select the part that you want to loop independently, tap the Magic Wand menu and then "Loop On"

iamspoon

Cool, thanks.
Sorry to be dense but... Does this mean that the looping behaviour can be independently applied to several parts on different tracks simultaneously?
(For example, looping a 1 bar part on track 1, while looping a 4 bar part on track 2 .etc.)

SevenSystems

@iamspoon said:
Cool, thanks.
Sorry to be dense but... Does this mean that the looping behaviour can be independently applied to several parts on different tracks simultaneously?
(For example, looping a 1 bar part on track 1, while looping a 4 bar part on track 2 .etc.)

Yes, definitely.

iamspoon

Great!
That's a pretty unique feature AFAIK and something I've always wanted from Cubase running as my main PC DAW.
Very interested in trying this out now.
A couple of further questions if you don't mind

I assume this allows for more complex timing divisions/polyrhythms to be setup? (perhaps looping a 4 beat bar over a 6 beat measure etc...)

Could you confirm that it is possible to record something linear onto another track and have the Looping and Linear sections play back together?

Thanks : )

espiegel123

MidiFire is a great app for performing this sort of filtering. You could have it sit between your controller and Xequence.

@SevenSystems said:
@JonLewis no ridiculous requests from you so far! Yes I understand your desire to control the range of controller values. However, as it stands currently, it seems like it might be a bit too much "control over control"... I think this is really something that should be done in the target app, i.e. there should be a control matrix where you can actually set the % influence for each controller. I know though that many apps don't have something like that.

As a workaround, are you working on an iPad? If so, switching to single (instead of dual) keyboard obviously helps, as well as trying the "Key Position To Controller" curves in Settings -> Interface.

SevenSystems

@iamspoon said:
Great!
That's a pretty unique feature AFAIK and something I've always wanted from Cubase running as my main PC DAW.
Very interested in trying this out now.
A couple of further questions if you don't mind

I assume this allows for more complex timing divisions/polyrhythms to be setup? (perhaps looping a 4 beat bar over a 6 beat measure etc...)

You caught me there -- unfortunately, part looping is limited to whole bar boundaries. However, if you can live with making one long part, Xequence has a very nice "Fill part" feature that works inside the Pianoroll editor and will instantly fill the rest of the part with the current selection, repeating at the grid resolution (which is freely selectable). If you want to change your melody, just delete the rest of the notes and use "Fill part" again.

But I agree, having the "Part looping" feature with sub-bar granularity would be fab!

Could you confirm that it is possible to record something linear onto another track and have the Looping and Linear sections play back together?

Yes, that is no problem at all.

iamspoon

@SevenSystems Sorry Thanks for the info and that workaround idea seems very efficient.
I agree with your agreement that sub-bar granularity would be fab
Cheers!

SevenSystems

@iamspoon here's a short video showing the idea:

• First, I create a 2-bar part and make a 1.5-bar melody
• I then extend the part to be many bars long
• Back in the Pianoroll, I use the "Fill part" feature
• Later, I select the original melody, "Invert selection", and then delete the rest
• I change the melody
• Use "Fill part" again

I think it's a workable workflow (that wasn't the best sentence...)

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

RajahP

Can we have a list of IAPs available... and is this ‘generative’ thing an IAP.?

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

iamspoon

@SevenSystems Thanks. Yeah that looks like a very workable working workflow : )

Of course, at some level looping regions without having to duplicate notes as in a traditional linear DAW is part of the appeal of having parts looping independently of the main arrangement.
However, the full bar limitation for loops isn't that restrictive for most things.
(Although, it would be cool if you would consider adding more resolution to loop lengths of course...)

SevenSystems

@tja said:

@SevenSystems said:

@iamspoon said:
Cool, thanks.
Sorry to be dense but... Does this mean that the looping behaviour can be independently applied to several parts on different tracks simultaneously?
(For example, looping a 1 bar part on track 1, while looping a 4 bar part on track 2 .etc.)

Yes, definitely.

Thats new to me too

You should realy write some FAQ / Best Practice

The first thing I do when I have a new app is wildly tap every single button in every menu I find in every possible combination and see what happens. You would have found out!

iamspoon

@SevenSystems said:

@tja said:

@SevenSystems said:

@iamspoon said:
Cool, thanks.
Sorry to be dense but... Does this mean that the looping behaviour can be independently applied to several parts on different tracks simultaneously?
(For example, looping a 1 bar part on track 1, while looping a 4 bar part on track 2 .etc.)

Yes, definitely.

Thats new to me too

You should realy write some FAQ / Best Practice

The first thing I do when I have a new app is wildly tap every single button in every menu I find in every possible combination and see what happens. You would have found out!

best practice!

On a sort of related note: My nieces (7 years old & 5 years old) got hold of my iPad on a recent visit and managed to crash a music App I had set up for them to use by recreating the steps as listed by @SevenSystems above...
I think children are probably the best Q&A/Bug testers and could even help uncover features in your music software you didn't know existed and/or crash your device.

SevenSystems

@iamspoon yeah, and you often have the opposite problem with beta testers: they're so grateful and delighted to be part of your team, they're often afraid to even touch the app because that might mean they'll offend the developer by submitting a bug report

Samu

@SevenSystems said:
@iamspoon yeah, and you often have the opposite problem with beta testers: they're so grateful and delighted to be part of your team, they're often afraid to even touch the app because that might mean they'll offend the developer by submitting a bug report

And some only apply to beta to get 'early access' and in some cases even a free copy of the app once released

I've not been able to make Xequence crash yet so I must be doing something seriously wrong LOL.
(It hurts my beta-test ego not being able to make an app crash or malfunction hahahaha).

SevenSystems

@Samu Thanks, very reassuring I assume it is possible to crash the app by generating a huge amount of events / parts, but that's the same for any piece of software I guess, unless the app actively limits the amount of objects that can exist in a project, which Xequence doesn't do.

iamspoon

@SevenSystems I'll get my nieces to sign up... don't expect too many cogent bug reports though
@Samu Haha I doubt you've subjected any App to the kind of frantic, mindless button mashing that my niece's were capable of..

Samu

@iamspoon said:

Haha I doubt you've subjected any App to the kind of frantic, mindless button mashing that my niece's were capable of..

So far I found a thing or two and reported back but no severe crashes yet
Also experienced some 'midi hickups' when switching apps but that's an iOS thing...

LucidMusicInc

@SevenSystems said:
@Norbert glad you like it. I just had to accept that not everybody has a dark soul or makes EDM

Dark Ui was the main detracting element for me from buying this orbany other dark themed app. I can’t use BM3 for more than 5 minutes without feeling some repulsion.

skrat

@LucidMusicInc said:

@SevenSystems said:
@Norbert glad you like it. I just had to accept that not everybody has a dark soul or makes EDM

Dark Ui was the main detracting element for me from buying this orbany other dark themed app. I can’t use BM3 for more than 5 minutes without feeling some repulsion.

Use invert colours function of iOS (you can map it on triple-push of home button), see https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/09/ios-11-dark-mode-smart-invert-colors-how-to-enable/

So it's it's not really needed for apps to implement it by their own, invert colours is a perfectly working solution to get "white-dominant" theme from a dark-themed app. That said, I would much more welcome implementation of a "high-contrast" themes, because if you invert these cool looking dark themes, you usually get a "50 shades of gray" theme and the text is still not perfectly readable, as it is usually a dark grey on a light grey background (or other color combinations that are not contrasting). High contrast combined with a white-dominant theme (which can be achieved by invert colours function) is what would make the app the most usable on direct sunlight. AFAIK no developer implemented this yet...

senhorlampada

@SevenSystems and @Samu
Sometimes when i'm testing an app, I feel bad, as I am one of those who just want it for a free early access when I cannot find any errors!

Samu

@senhorlampada said:
@SevenSystems and @Samu
Sometimes when i'm testing an app, I feel bad, as I am one of those who just want it for a free early access when I cannot find any errors!

I stay quite low until I find highly repeatable issues that are easy to reproduce.
And well, most of the time I try to feedback a thing or two that can be improved

What annoys me personally is that when easily reproducible 'bugs' have been found during beta and they are still there when the app is released...

LucidMusicInc

@skrat said:

@LucidMusicInc said:

@SevenSystems said:
@Norbert glad you like it. I just had to accept that not everybody has a dark soul or makes EDM

Dark Ui was the main detracting element for me from buying this orbany other dark themed app. I can’t use BM3 for more than 5 minutes without feeling some repulsion.

Use invert colours function of iOS (you can map it on triple-push of home button), see https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/09/ios-11-dark-mode-smart-invert-colors-how-to-enable/

So it's it's not really needed for apps to implement it by their own, invert colours is a perfectly working solution to get "white-dominant" theme from a dark-themed app. That said, I would much more welcome implementation of a "high-contrast" themes, because if you invert these cool looking dark themes, you usually get a "50 shades of gray" theme and the text is still not perfectly readable, as it is usually a dark grey on a light grey background (or other color combinations that are not contrasting). High contrast combined with a white-dominant theme (which can be achieved by invert colours function) is what would make the app the most usable on direct sunlight. AFAIK no developer implemented this yet...

From the experience of using BM3 I’ve learned that I don’t like using dark coloured sequencers for the same reasons I don’t like writing or reading white on black for extended durations. Can’t focus. Not saying it’s anyone’s fault, or it’s a flaw. But I as a consumer wont use apps like BM3 or Auxy or MPC Pro 2 in large part for the dark theme. Edit: add the long forgotten Modstep to that list. High contrast FWIW.

colonelgeil

Hello,

I want to control my ob6 via xequence.

I was that i can only use Midi cc 1-119.
Bank select is cc 0.
on the Midi Chart in the manual there are also Cc Parameters from 120 to 127 to.

Why is the cc Range locked ?