Performance/Layers in conjunction to Seq. Tracks

22 Dec 2003, 16:40

I have a question on something I’m trying to get clear in my head pertaining to the sequencer and the patches.

My question/example:

I’m about to create a song which will began as a 4 bar loop. I go to the performance screen and decide to user a layer of a (guitar and some string) on TRACK 1.

Performance Screen
1. [x] String
2. [x] Guitar
3. [ ] Hi Hat
4. [ ] Brass Horn
5. [ ] Toy Box
6. [ ] Scratch FX
etc…

I create the 4 bar loop of the layered sounds on TRACK 1. Now I want to create a bass riff on track 2. I go into the performance screen and

I go back to the performance screen and make the following change.

Performance Screen
1. [ ] String
2. [x] Real Bass
3. [ ] Hi Hat
4. [ ] Brass Horn
5. [ ] Toy Box
6. [ ] Scratch FX
etc…

This is my question. Will the sound that I recorded on the first track be changed from the Guitar to Real Bass? I guess what I’m asking is that do the layers on the performance screen corresponding to the tracks in the sequence screen. When I do the above example and create a track 1 riff with a layered sound. I don’t use track two in the sequencer because I’m thinking that the sound for that track is being used in the layer sound for TRACK 1 and If I chance the sound on layer 2 in the performance screen it will change my sound on track 1. I’ve created a few songs and although I don’t use all 16 tracks in the sequencer, I may not use TRACK 2 because of the layer sound I’m using on TRACK 1. So I skip placing anything on TRACK 2 and go to TRACK 3 to record the next part of the song. If I use a lot of layered sounds my midi track will run out soon, unless I sample the tracks and use the sample instead of the midi notes. I’m I looking at the Performance/Layers working with the Sequencer the wrong way or is this how it works?

As always I hope I’m making sense.

Thanks,
Kai Wen

Re: Performance/Layers in conjunction to Seq. Tracks

22 Dec 2003, 16:53

Settings for sequencer tracks and performance parts are not connected. If you change the patch for part 2, it will change for all tracks that have this part recorded.

Hey artemio

22 Dec 2003, 17:16

Thanks for the reply. I understand what you are saying about anychanges I make to a patch will be reflected in all tracks that use that patch. I don't think you are understanding what i'm asking.

If I use 2 or say 4 patches on track 1.

Can I used tracks 2, 3, and 4 with a different patch? If I go back to the performance screen and uncheck all the patches used in track 1. change the patches to different sounds on patches 2, 3 and 4. Will track 1 still sound the same or will track 1 use the new sounds I've selected for track 2, 3, and 4?

I'm skipping tracks needlessly when I use layers thinking that they corresponde to the midi tracks in the sequencer? Remember I'm not talking about editing the patch. I'm talking about switching the sounds from say warm pads to a drum kit.

I guess when I use layers I'm expecting to see midi data on all the tracks that the Performance/Layers match, but I only see data on the one track that I have selected on the Performance Screen. Even If I have 3 patches selected for a layer, I only have midi info on one midi channel in the sequence screen. If I wanted to record something on the sequencer screen to track 2, can I? Don't I have to change the sound in the performance screen? If I change the sound will it mess up the sounds that I recorded on track 1 using a layered performance?

Re: Performance/Layers in conjunction to Seq. Tracks

22 Dec 2003, 17:19

Well what happens when you try it?

Loz

FYI

22 Dec 2003, 17:28

I'm not in fount of my keyboard to try it. At work now.

I guess when I create layers on my Kurzweil (K2500) which are called SETUP. When I use the setup and record something in the sequencer. I have data on each track that the midi channel correspondences to in the SETUP. If I use a layer in the fathom-s I only have data on one midi/track channel or so it seems to me. That's why I'm asking if you go back to the performance screen and change the sound on say patch (2), because now I want to record track 2. If performance patch (2) was used in a layer in track 1 want track 1 sound different in play back if I change the performance patch to another sound thinking I'm about to record my track 2 in my song?

Hey Lawrencew

22 Dec 2003, 17:35

I'm going to give it a try when I get off from work. I guess it's just nagging at me. From the things I'm created so far I would just skip the track in the sequencer if I used a layer patch in the performance. I just took it that the sound 16 performance patches correspondend to the 16 midi sequencer tracks.

Regards,
Kai Wen

Re: Performance/Layers in conjunction to Seq. Tracks

22 Dec 2003, 18:23

Basically the 16 parts of a performance relate to the 16 midi channels (you can reassign them, but thats just complicating this discussion)

When you record a track, all the parts that you have ticked in the layer view, and provided they are in the keyboard range, is recorded into the track you select.

So you can record parts 1, 2, and 3, into track 1.
If you look in the microscope you will see duplicate events for each of parts 1 2 and 3, which have the appropriate midi channel next to them (1,2, or 3)

You could now change the layer options and record parts 2, 3, and 4 into track 2.

However, if you now change the patch used in part 2, then the new patch will sound when you play track 1 and/or track 2.

The sequencer is recording MIDI data. Normally you have a performance set up so that part 1 is channel 1, and so on. You can reassign it, but you cant have more than 16 parts and 16 channels.

So really the answer is NO, you can't do what you were asking. Any change to a PART in the PERFORMANCE, will affect that PART in ANY TRACK it is recorded in.

It is straightforward to think of the 16 midi channels, 16 parts in a performance and 16 tracks having a direct relationship.

Yes, you can reassign parts and midi channels, and record multiple parts on a track, and record part 8 on track 3, or set part 6 to be channel 9 if you feel like it, but you cannot get round the fact that the sequence is recording 16 channels of midi data and each of those channels will have a corresponding part in the performance

Hope this clears it up

Loz

Thanks

22 Dec 2003, 18:32

I kind of thought that. Thanks guys. Have a great day.