Matrix suggestions

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Synthfox and @Robert - thanks for your ideas - i can confirm some improvements to LoopA’s otherwise static “beatloop” sequence progression/jump functions are planned for a future MatriX version - i’ll think about both requests, if and how they can be implemented.

Thanks for your feedback!
Best regards,
Peter

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Hi Peter,
another wish for your list, sorry for the additional work :-)

Note Replacer
I would like to make variations of a loop track. There is a set of predefined patterns to replace a note within the given scale.
E.g. C->E, D->F etc, as tierce parallel melody on C major scale.
Or mirror melodies, or even wierder patterns.

We could use the top 5 unused button rows on the Scale Page, to have 80 replacement patterns in total.
If you decided to implement this, I would love to define these patterns.

Robert

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To make the whole thing even more sphisticated
, do something like that: https://jacobduringer.com/the-monolith 🤣

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@Robert

thanks, that is a very intriguing idea, which would allow on-the-fly melodic replacements, a feature that would be suited great for LoopA. Probably the note replacements would need to be defined relative to the root note in semitone intervals?
For example - in C Major, your replacement example C->E, D->F would have this replacement table?

0 (C, currently active FTS scale root note) -> +4 halftones (remapped to E)
2 (D, +2 halftones over currently active root note) -> +3 halftones (remapped to F)
…

Would force-to-scale be applied before or after note remapping? I guess it should be active after remapping, to make sure we stay in scale, but just asking 🙂.

@Synthfox
That’s very cool, Mr. Duringer was pioneering with that idea quite early, i did not know about it! The MatriX keyboard mode in SEQ v4+ mode is quite similar, its layout is chromatic (in contrast to LoopAs isomorphic layout) and maps the different vertical key positions to different velocities - it would be possible to map to different output instruments instead.

Both of you: thanks a lot for your suggestions - i’ll meet up with Andy in the next days and discuss with him.

Best regards,
Peter

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The transformation chain would be:
[original notes] -> [replacement] -> [FTS]
I think one row of 16 buttons is replacing in semitone steps each 8 steps downwards and to 8 upwards. Would be not the same as changing the root note, but similar results? Not sure.

However, after FTS these replacements will fit melodically again.
E.g: C major, assuming FTS chooses the next higher semitone.
one semitone replacement: [C D E F G A B] -> [C# D# F F# G# A# C] -> [D E F G A B C]
three semitone replacement: [C D E F G A B] -> [D# F G G# A# C D] -> [E F G A B C D]
four semitone replacement: [C D E F G A B] -> [E F# G# A B C# D#] -> [E G A A B D E]

And, oh yes, should work with realtime playing as well…

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Another suggestion for the wish list, as I like FTS page for live variations very much: 😃
FTS Root Note is currently assigned to slider X. Better would be to assign the notes to the lower key group A..L, so we could change them with one press while playing (instead of slowly determining the correct one with a slider).

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Hi Robert,

that’s a very good idea - i’m always for direct parameter selection, whenever possible.
I’ll implement it, along with the note replacement feature in the next version - still need a bit of time, but it’s coming! 🙂

Best regards and have a good weekend!
Peter

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Just been playing with the matrix and seq 4. So much fun!!

One idea I thought would be useful is regarding the background colour. Being able to have different colours for the 1st,5th,9th and13th column vs all the other columns.
This would make it visually easier to know where the beats are, especially when starting on a blank pattern

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@gwpt glad you enjoy your MatriX!

Good idea to be able to choose a different background for every 4th column, i’ve added it to the list.

Best regards and have a good new year 2023!
Peter

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Small development preview - dual LoopA support for MatriX is coming - 12 tracks in parallel on Macro screen 🙂

Best regards,
Peter

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Would it be possible to use Matrix as a standalone MiDI controller?

I assume a custom cable at least, or a small interface box would be needed.
The slider could send CCs and buttons could do the same, perhaps a CC number per row, and a diiferent CC value per column

V2. Could be to add a sequencer to Matrix 🙂

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gwpt Thanks a lot for the suggestions!

The MIDI controller idea is indeed already on the future MatriX software wishlist (not for the next revision, as it will take quite a lot of work).

The suggestion to add a sequencer to MatriX has also already been made, but there are some drawbacks to this approach:

a) MatriX has no direct MIDI ports and would need a separate output interface to attach synths. But adding that would take away the BLM ports that are necessary to attach MatriX to our common sequencers.

b) A non-quadratic (wider-than-high) display to show the sequences (other than the 128×128px OLED on MatriX) would be helpful - then it’s just easier to see what is going on.

c) Other user interface elements (i.e. rotary encoders) would be most helpful to configure all sequencer parameters.

Both LoopA and SEQ v4+ address points a) - c). Or in other words, MatriX has been deliberately designed as an extension to existing sequencers that bring all of the required I/O, i.e. MIDI ports, wide screens and encoders.

So for that, i think MatriX will always perform best as an extension to the existing sequencers (or in the future maybe as a separate MIDI controller).

Best regards,
Peter

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It’s a rather simple request, but it would be great to have an option to quickly select all the notes from the current clip.

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if there seem to be varied requests, could there be certain hardware or software ports that can be added for development/experimental use?

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@koooch thanks for your suggestion!

Selecting “all” notes is absolutely possible, currently though, the note update cycle sends all changed note informations to LoopA, so it might not be well optimized to update many notes at once. How about this: if there is a selection (at least one note selected) active, pushing the “A” button would select all on-screen notes? Depending on the zoom-out level you could select all notes, and modify them, but if you are zoomed in, you could work on what you see?

@Billloopav2 the MatriX Core PCB has been designed to work best with the integrated other PCBs (thus also its special form-factor), so everything has been optimized for the features MatriX requires - which additional hardware features would you be looking for? The software side of course can always get new extensions 🙂.

Best regards,
Peter

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Hawkeye That would be perfect!

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Another thing - it would be great if selecting notes on Matrix would also select those notes in the LoopA notes screen.

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koooch thanks for the suggestion! LoopA (with its smaller user interface) can best handle a single selected and edited note at a time, LoopA’s notes editor has been designed for that and it would be difficult to change. That’s why MatriX is such a nice extension for LoopA, as it offers multi- note editing. Which multi-note edit function are you missing in MatriX? Maybe we can implement it there?
Many greets and have a happy easter time!
Peter

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Hawkeye That makes sense.

How about copying multiple notes? From what I see in the current manuals, neither LoopA nor Matrix supports copying single/multiple notes - only whole clips.

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koooch good idea!

While difficult on LoopA (single note selection only), it should be possible to do on MatriX, which allows for multi-note selection.

I’m currently just not sure how the workflow would be best integrated on MatriX, so that it is obvious and not too difficult, do you have a suggestion? Maybe select the “to-be-copied” notes first, then push a “copy-key” while moving a copy of the notes away from the old notes (which stay in place), using the joystick?

Best regards,
Peter

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Hawkeye How about using “shift” key for this? I imagine something like holding shift key while moving the selected notes would copy them instead of moving and double tapping shift would switch between “copy mode” and “move mode” so that you don’t have to keep pushing shift whole time. If there is no currently selected notes, then shift key would work as usual.