You should create new patterns without some tracks or use workarounds like empty activated variations when you wanna have a pattern that simply starts with some muted tracks.
What do you want to achieve?
Having an ability to save solos and mutes to patterns. With this simple feature it will require less actions to make natural progressions. Also, when such pattern is activated, you could easily see what tracks are actually there in a waiting state with no need to remember how this pattern was intended to work, remember what variations you should switch etc. As a bonus, it would require less patterns in general to be actively used live. If someone donāt want to save tracks states, it could have a global option.
One solution, would be to add a new global setting for mutes and solos, to be one of these two options:
Global
Per pattern
Global would be the default, and acts like it does currently. Per pattern would save it with the patterns and automatically activate mutes and solos when the patterns play.
For reference, the Elektron Digitakt allows mutes to be global or āper patternā, and it functions like this, without a global config setting:
There are two different versions of MUTE mode on the Digitakt:
⢠GLOBAL MUTE MODE
In GLOBAL MUTE mode, the muted tracks are muted in all patterns, and the trig [TRIG] keys are lit green.
Press [FUNC] + [BANK] to enter GLOBAL MUTE mode. If tracks are muted in GLOBAL MUTE mode, the tracks will flash green when the pattern plays.
Press [FUNC] + [BANK] to exit GLOBAL MUTE mode.
⢠PATTERN MUTE MODE
In PATTERN MUTE mode, the muted tracks are muted only in the active pattern, and the trig [TRIG] keys are lit purple.
Press [FUNC] + double-tap [BANK] to enter PATTERN MUTE mode. If tracks are muted in PATTERN MUTE mode, the tracks will flash purple when the pattern plays.
Press [FUNC] + [BANK] to exit PATTERN MUTE mode.
The GLOBAL MUTE mode settings are saved together with the project. The PATTERN MUTE mode settings are saved together with the pattern.
Iāve tried to achieve solo-per-pattern (for non-desctructive subtractive arrangement and whatnot) with Track Speed set to Pause, but unfortunataly the first step (if there is) still gets triggered. The workaround is to set the first stepās volume to zero. Not very handy, but gets job done.
messing with volume is not only cumbersome, but also doesnāt provide visual feedback, so when a pattern starts you donāt really know what tracks are muted. if you need some specific volume for these tracks, you wonāt be able to resore them at once.
I want even more that that: an ability to mute individual steps. Thatād be a cool performance tool as well. Run a pattern, mute some steps, unmute them, mute other stepsā¦
If steps were mute-able, saving track-mute-per-pattern would be just a matter of muting all steps in the track.