Currently, the Scale setting on the Play is a global setting.
What do you want to achieve?
The option to set Scale per track. This would be immensely useful in certain scenarios. For example, a user would like to be able to generate spontaneous melodic ideas quickly using the Play’s features but enabling global Scale filters out certain note ranges which then makes it impossible to send certain note values to a source (for example a drum machine that is expecting a chromatic range starting at C1) without turning the scale filter off.
This should be valid/true for the MIDI Tracks as well. Some people may want scales for their sample tracks but prefer not to have a scale for their MIDI Tracks.
Scale per track would also enable polytonality dynamics not currently possible with the global scale filter.
Are there any workarounds?
You can turn Scale mode off after using it in order to enter the desired notes unfiltered, but this becomes a tedious process as you have to remember to turn it on again each time you make a note value change to your tracks that are utilizing scale filtering. Alternatively, you can elect to avoid scale mode all together but this makes the randomization of values result in less pleasant sounds that require more adjustment.
As we were discussing Set scale for a range of steps, the idea came that this wish could also contemplate the possibility to set different scales for patterns and variations.
I guess I voted for this before I even really understood my limitations! Though I think Scale-per-MIDI-channel is more of what I personally would need (and maybe easier to implement via the MIDI menu?) this Wish would practically solve my issue of sequencing MIDI drums not being compatible with the Scale Filter. https://backstage.polyend.com/t/how-does-the-scale-filter-work-when-sequencing-external-midi-drums/
Wait, if I choose root note and a scale so that C is not in the selected scale and set Scale filter On, I can no longer play drum one-shots as is, unaltered? They will be quantized to the nearest in-scale note?
I have avoided scale mode altogether because I think that is the case, yes. But having avoided it I’m not 100% sure. How would the Play know if it’s playing a drum sample vs a chromatic sample? There’s no way to denote this currently (nor do I think there should be, necessarily).
This feature would be a great QOL improvement. If I time a loop to sync perfectly with another loop using pitch, then I apply a scale, it ruins the timing of the loops. The way it is set up now, I can have my loops in time with each other, or my midi tracks in a scale, but not both. I’d love to just turn the scale on or off per track/step.
This wouldn’t be just a QOL improvement, I think this is obviously a must-have for the machine.
The Play has many generative and randomization features, so scale filter usually must be on if you want to use certain repeat types that change pitch, or the random note chance, or melodic fills, or you play around with Octave 1/Octave 2 randomization during live performance, or if you perform with the red colored pads. I like using pentatonic scales under such conditions, because they are safe.
For tracks where I program sequences myself I’d stick to the diatonic scales or to the chromatic one, it depends.
For drum tracks, either samples or MIDI or the upcoming drum engine, I’d set scale to chromatic.
For different kind of loops I’d prefer chromatic too, as I usually don’t want them to sound different if I change the global scale.
There is also the chord feature. Chords currently aren’t scale filtered but I’d like to have that option for chords as well because I like to play around with chords live.
