Live Performance Improvement: Sample/Device Presets

Feature Requests
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1

What is the problem?

When trying to live sequence via Live Rec or just by adding steps (for/during a performance), you often want to switch between different “instruments”:

  • On the MIDI Tracks → you want to choose a different MIDI Channel or a Synth Slot and change parameters before adding steps
  • On the Sample Tracks → you want to choose a different sample, set parameters and then add steps

Currently in order to do this you have to keep two things mind:

  • Make sure you are NOT in Live Rec
  • Make sure you DO NOT have a Track selected

Then you can change all your settings and THEN you have to go back into Live Rec, making sure you re-select a track to record into.

This causes a lot of friction and is a source of error especially during live performing.

This request, proposes a solution to simplify this process and make the Play/Play+ a more mature Live Performance Device.

What should this feature achieve?

We propose a Sample/Device Preset System.

During a discussion about this topic, @Sandroid has created a video explaining the problem and offered a possible solution:

The idea is it to have a system, that allows you to quickly change the state of all knob parameters to something you have predefined and that you can recall on the fly, to continue performing, without having to change parameters for each different knob.

A preset consists of:

  • A selected Device (Synth slot 1,2,3 or MIDI Channel) or a specific Sample
  • Knob parameter values for all available Knob settings (Chance, Volume/Velocity, Reverb, Delay, Note Length.. these depend on the type).

These “presets” are stored only within the project (similar to how instruments are handled on the Tracker)

How to use Presets

  1. In the Menu add an entry Instruments / Presets. Ideally you should be able to reach it as fast as possible, since you are trying to recall a preset during a live performance.
  2. Allow users to save or recall presets in that submenu
    • Saving a preset:
      Allow naming of presets via the keyboard feature that is already available
    • Recalling a preset:
      What happens when you recall a preset depends on whether a preset is a sample preset (a wave file) or a device preset (Synth slots or MIDI Channel). In both cases, do not change any existing steps if a track is selected or do not exit Live Rec if enabled.
       
    • If it is a sample:
      1. Set the sample/folder to what is defined in the preset
      2. Set all knob parameters to what was defined in the preset
      3. Change view to Sample Mode / to the Sample Tracks
         
    • If it is a synth slot or MIDI channel:
      1. Set the device to what is defined in the preset
      2. Set all knob parameters to what was defined in the preset
      3. Change view to MIDI Mode / to the MIDI Tracks

Are there any workarounds?

  • Don’t make any mistakes during your live performance :sweat_smile:
  • Remember to get out of Live Rec
  • Remember to NOT have a track selected

Any links to related discussions?

Any references to other products?

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