Xequence - Midi import?

SevenSystems

@yowza said:
Would it be possible to make the black boxes on the left side under each track (with M, S, +, gear) be the same color as the track they are attached to? I’m not particularly OCD but for me the way it is now it’s a little visually confusing.

I know what you mean -- I've actually briefly tried this once, but somehow, it looked a little off (too fisher-pricey?). I will revisit this when time allows!

SevenSystems

(revisiting this right now actually)

RajahP

Just hit...

What's New in Version 1.5
We're happy to announce Xequence 1.5, which brings some significant new features, and important other improvements throughout the app.

Also, a big "Thank You" to our users for your great reviews and enthusiasm, firmly establishing Xequence in the iOS MIDI sequencing landscape only three months after its first release!

NEW:

• MIDI File Import: Import type 0, 1 or 2 standard MIDI files, including controllers, program changes and track titles, with various options and automatic creation of tracks and instruments.
• MIDI File Export: Export type 1 standard MIDI files, including controllers, program changes and instrument titles, with various options (entire song, only selected parts, etc.).
• MIDI Program Changes: Can be inserted on any tracks at any points in the song, with full backtracing just like with controllers (when changing song position, previous program changes are automatically found and sent).
• Global Clipboard: Parts from any number of tracks can be copied and pasted (either linked or independent) between arbitrary tracks and song positions, or even between different projects. Extremely smart and robust handling of linked parts and track assignment. Options can be found in new "+" menu at the bottom left.
• Up to 12 controllers per instrument (In-App Purchase).
• Arranger: "Insert empty part" (in new "+" menu).

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Arranger: Various layout and usability tweaks.
• Arranger: Track settings button now accessible at any zoom level when "Wide track buttons" is enabled.
• Arranger: Mute, solo and "Duplicate track" buttons now also available in the track settings menu.
• Arranger: Added an extra "Edit Part" button at the bottom right which can be used instead of double-tapping a part.
• Arranger: More accurate drawing of parts.
• Controllers: Each controller now has a toggle whether or not to show it on the Keyboard screen.
• Controllers: Added three more standard controllers (Effect 1-3).
• Files are now always sorted by name.
• Faster deselection when tapping empty area when "Single Tap Selects None" is enabled.
• Recording: Notes triggered during pre-roll are now recorded even with the song loop active and the pre-roll outside the loop.
• Various smaller tweaks and improvements.

FIXES:

• MIDI Thru: Do not forward Channel Mode Messages, Bank Selects or Program Changes.
• Pianoroll: Fixed a possible "Wrong scale" message when drawing notes very close to the top or bottom of the screen.
• Fixed a rare situation where menus could stop working.
• Fixed a crash when cancelling the "Edit part name" dialog.
• Fixed a crash when tapping before or after the beginning of the part in automation draw mode.
• Fixed a problem with random notes and program changes in Roland Sound Canvas.
• Fixed rare hanging notes with note chasing enabled and starting playback in the middle of a note which extends beyond a part's end.
• Potential fix for a rare error "Could not load Library/close.xeq".
• Changing the MIDI channel of an instrument while playing now correctly updates the MIDI stream.

Norbert

@SevenSystems Just to let you know. I was having the '"Could not load Library/close.xeq" again since last weekend but after installing this update, it disappeared and I could use the app fine. So it might have done the trick. Thank you for looking into it. It was damn annoying. I will try the midi export tonight with Auria and check how it goes.

Chaztrip

@SevenSystems OMG. I LOVE YOU! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

ruggedsmooth

Thank you @SevenSystems
Keep up the great work

rezidue

Great work on this release!

[Deleted User]

The King of iPhone Midi Sequencers!
Thank you !!!!

Chaztrip

Sooooo. One question. Here there a way to append midi files to the same project? Or am I missing that you have to copy that part and go back to project and paste in?

Norbert

@SevenSystem I would have one request for the keyboard. Could it be possible to allow key sliding to play with velocity in real time such as animoog or thor keyboards do? Cause at the moment, sliding vertically doesn't affect anything. And as the keys can be full screen long, sliding would be great. Thanks.

wim

@Norbert said:
@SevenSystem I would have one request for the keyboard. Could it be possible to allow key sliding to play with velocity in real time such as animoog or thor keyboards do? Cause at the moment, sliding vertically doesn't affect anything. And as the keys can be full screen long, sliding would be great. Thanks.

I think you mean sliding with aftertouch or other cc parameters. Velocity is sent with a note when it is hit only, so sliding doesn’t make sense. It would be super cool to be able to bind cc’s to vertical sliding though.

Norbert

@wim said:

@Norbert said:
@SevenSystem I would have one request for the keyboard. Could it be possible to allow key sliding to play with velocity in real time such as animoog or thor keyboards do? Cause at the moment, sliding vertically doesn't affect anything. And as the keys can be full screen long, sliding would be great. Thanks.

I think you mean sliding with aftertouch or other cc parameters. Velocity is sent with a note when it is hit only, so sliding doesn’t make sense. It would be super cool to be able to bind cc’s to vertical sliding though.

If you use animoog or moog15, there is apparently a way to change velocity on a key without having to hit it each time. It must be some kind of a gate function. Or is it simply aftertouch? And that's the feature I would like to have. As well, as you mentioned, it would be even better if we could bind a cc to key slides.

Ok let's reformulate then:
@SevenSystems feature request: possibility to bind a cc to vertical slides on the keyboard. Thank you

Littlewoodg

@SevenSystems
Wow the jet fighter just got vtol
Many thanks

wim

I think you probably mean volume rather than velocity then. Velocity is how “hard” you hit the key. Volume is how loud the sound being sent by that key is. If I hit a key then turn up a volume knob as it plays out, I can make the note get louder as it plays. The technical difference is when a midi note is sent, it sends two values, the note number, and the velocity. That only happens at the time when you hit the note.

So yeh, being able to assign any cc, including volume, filter cutoff, pitch bend, aftertouch, etc. would be super cool.

wim

@SevenSystems thanks for Midi import! I’m lovin’ it.

I think I found a bug.

• Load a midi file
• Return to the files screen and like a dummy hit save instead of Create Project
• Open another project, then go back to load the midi file again. It’s corrupted.
• An error message pops up, then when dismissed the app is hung until a forced close.

gusgranite

@SevenSystems very nice update! Thank you.

SevenSystems

@Norbert said:
@SevenSystems Just to let you know. I was having the '"Could not load Library/close.xeq" again since last weekend but after installing this update, it disappeared.

That's quite a relief to hear. I'm still at a loss as to why it happens in the first place but at least with the new check it doesn't crash now. I've grown up with the C64, and the only way a file would not be readable there if it exists is when the floppy was broken

@Chaztrip said:
Sooooo. One question. Here there a way to append midi files to the same project? Or am I missing that you have to copy that part and go back to project and paste in?

That's the way it is meant to be done, yes... after import, you could simply select all, copy, and then paste at the end of another project. I just thought the way it is implemented now causes the least confusion, because your MIDI file is treated as a separate project where you can first "tidy up" before doing anything with it.

@Norbert @Wim: Thanks, mapping sliding up/down to a controller is a great idea and has already been on our list, including various modes to choose from. I think you'll like it

@Wim: Thanks for the bug report, will check.

@Everyone: Thanks for all the great feedback as always, appreciated a lot.

SpookyZoo

Good news. Thanks.

RUST( i )K

Is there a good vid for this app?

My brain seems not meshing with the GUI for some reason.

I find myself going how do I quickly just input notes.

or

I find that the app doesn't recognize or show up on many apps as an option.

Maybe the update fixed that.

But a clear tutorial video on the basic setting up the app to piano roll notes into say 2 different apps at once would be great to see someone else navigate those steps and the way they do it versus my hunt and peck method of getting around this GUI.

The fact it is Universal is huge for me. I could see going all in with this app. If it would be more intuitive for me that is.

I am waiting for the ah ha moment. I hope there is one.

No IAA or AB is frustrating at moment.

Moderndaycompiler

@wim said:
@SevenSystems thanks for Midi import! I’m lovin’ it.

I think I found a bug.

• Load a midi file
• Return to the files screen and like a dummy hit save instead of Create Project
• Open another project, then go back to load the midi file again. It’s corrupted.
• An error message pops up, then when dismissed the app is hung until a forced close.

Had the same issue. Looking at the file in the Files app it looked to increased in size like a .xeq file would have been if the midi file was imported and then saved as a xsequence project but with a .midi extension.

SevenSystems

@RUST( i )K said:
Is there a good vid for this app?

Just made a very quick video answering those questions. Pardon the musical quality

SevenSystems

@Moderndaycompiler thanks for the additional details, that's an easy fix.

RajahP

@SevenSystems said:

@RUST( i )K said:
Is there a good vid for this app?

Just made a very quick video answering those questions. Pardon the musical quality

Congrats... finally a video.

[Deleted User]

Can a future update perhaps allow Xequence to see folders in Files app? Right now I have to dump 18,000 midi files in the Xequence folder and it can get ugly real fast. I have em irganixed by Styles. Thanks!

@SevenSystems said:
@Moderndaycompiler thanks for the additional details, that's an easy fix.

wim

@MusicMan4Christ said:
Can a future update perhaps allow Xequence to see folders in Files app? Right now I have to dump 18,000 midi files in the Xequence folder and it can get ugly real fast. I have em irganixed by Styles. Thanks!

+1 That was the first thing I tried. I have tons also.

Midi import works so smoothly. I have a bunch of drum loops that have been difficult to work with in other apps that just came in totally smoothly to Xequence. I'm very stoked about that.

For using a bunch of small loops the workflow of it creating a new project and then cutting / pasting is a little cumbersome, though I get why you decided to do it that way. It would be nice to have an additional option to import directly into a project at the current play head position as well if you think it could be done smoothly.

Thanks again for MIDI import and the rest of this great update!

SevenSystems

@MusicMan4Christ: Wow, 18,000 files OK, "folders" request is noted. I still have to evaluate how different people use this functionality in order to see what to improve.

@wim: I'm stoked as well we've tested quite a few MIDI files, but obviously there'll always be edge cases so I'm happy about every MIDI file that works smoothly. I'll see what can be done about the "Import MIDI into current project" request. The best way to do this would probably be a new option in the "+" (Insert) menu, which would work similarly to the "Paste" options, but instead would paste the contents of a MIDI file.

SevenSystems

To everyone: If you like Xequence and haven't left a review on the App Store yet, it would be great if you did when you have a minute. It's nice to compensate for the odd one-star review in between from people who can't read or are just having a bad day. Thanks!

wim

@SevenSystems said:
@MusicMan4Christ: Wow, 18,000 files OK, "folders" request is noted. I still have to evaluate how different people use this functionality in order to see what to improve.

@wim: I'm stoked as well we've tested quite a few MIDI files, but obviously there'll always be edge cases so I'm happy about every MIDI file that works smoothly. I'll see what can be done about the "Import MIDI into current project" request. The best way to do this would probably be a new option in the "+" (Insert) menu, which would work similarly to the "Paste" options, but instead would paste the contents of a MIDI file.

I really like that + menu. I hope you have plans to extend it to the piano roll. For instance, a use case: If I have a drum pattern and want to isolate just the hats into a new track. Select them, cut to the clipboard, create a new part, and then hit something like "Paste to new pattern".

Off to update my 5-star review. Thanks for the reminder!

SevenSystems

@wim: Yes, the global clipboard is planned to support the pianoroll and controller editors as well. And thanks for the "Cut" suggestion... it could currently be done by hitting "Copy" and then "X" in the bottom toolbar, but yeah, one more tap...

And thanks for the review. I always swear to myself "just ignore the 1-star oddballs" but I guess I just have a deeply rooted psychological interest aka "WHAT WERE THEY THINKING"

EDIT: concerning your use case example: the current best way to do that is to duplicate (without linking) the entire part, then select the hats in the first one and delete, then go to the second part, select the hats, invert selection, and delete again.

wim

@SevenSystems said:
To everyone: If you like Xequence and haven't left a review on the App Store yet, it would be great if you did when you have a minute. It's nice to compensate for the odd one-star review in between from people who can't read or are just having a bad day. Thanks!

Hey, 4.4 in the US app store. That ain't bad! I get you totally though on how those few bad reviews can ruin one's day no matter how good the rest of them are. I feel that way at work all the time!