4    Creating and Editing Patterns


In this chapter, we're going to discuss Patterns in general.  Then we'll explain how to set the Record and Echo controls, how to record into the various Pattern types, how to listen to your Patterns so that you can relate them to each other in their individual tempos, and how to edit your Patterns.

For the locations of the various screen controls, refer to the Screen Control Chart.



---------------------------------------------------------------------
About Pattern Types  and Groups

A Pattern in M is three things.  It is a collection of notes and/or chords.  It is a method for entering those notes into the program.  And it is a way that the program treats the notes.

There are five Pattern types currently available in M: Pitch Distribution Patterns, Step-Time Record Patterns, Drum-Machine Record Patterns, Real-Time Record Patterns, and Import MIDI File Patterns.

A Pitch Distribution Pattern is a collection of individual pitches for which other musical information, such as rhythm, loudness and legato-staccato articulation, is added separately.

A Step-Time Record Pattern is a collection of individual note events which can be chords as well as individual pitches, and for which other musical information, such as rhythm, loudness and legato-staccato articulation, is added separately.

A Drum-Machine Record Pattern is a real-time entry Pattern, where pitches are entered within a sequence loop as the loop is playing.

A Real-Time Record Pattern is analogous to a sequencer track, where the program records all musical information, such as pitches, durations, and articulations, except velocities which are added separately.

An Import MIDI File Pattern is a special variety of Real-Time Record Pattern which contains multiple channels and uses a MIDI File, rather than a MIDI keyboard, as its input source.

Each Pattern type is represented by its special icon, shown in the Type column (P5) of the Patterns window.  There are four Patterns simultaneously usable.  Each Pattern can be a different type, or all Patterns can be the same type, or anywhere in between.


Choosing a Pattern Type

To choose a Pattern type, do the following.  Click on the Pattern icon (in column P5) that you want to change.  The icon will become highlighted.  Then select New Pattern(s)... in the Pattern menu.  A dialog box will appear.  

Graphic
New Pattern Select window


Select the icon for the Pattern type you want.  Then, if you want to play a very long Pattern, select the maximum number of notes that the Pattern will contain by changing the MAX numerical (in the lower right corner of the window).  Then click OK.  The selected Pattern type and icon in the Patterns window will be replaced by the new Pattern type and icon.

To open a MIDI File, do the following.  Select the icon for the destination Pattern(s) (P5).  Then select New Pattern(s)... in the Pattern menu.  A dialog box will appear.  Click on the Import MIDI File icon.  Then click OK.  A standard Atari dialog box will open, listing the MIDI Files on your disk (MIDI File names normally end with the .MID suffix).  Select the MIDI File you want to import.  Once the file is selected, its contents will be placed in the selected Pattern.

Note: Since no one Pattern may contain more than 8000 notes (16000 ons and offs), the MIDI File will be read only until this limit is reached.  Additional information will be ignored.  See Chapter 7 for a more complete discussion of MIDI Files.

To choose a new Pattern type for several Patterns simultaneously, do the following.  While holding down the shift key on your Atari keyboard, select any number of Pattern icons in the Patterns window.   Then open the New Pattern(s)... dialog box and proceed as described in the paragraph above.


Choosing Pattern Groups 

To include a Pattern as part of a specific Pattern group, select the appropriate letter in the Group Select row (P10) before beginning to record.  M can store and immediately recall up to six groups of four Patterns each.  The groups are designated A - F in the Group Select row (P10). 

To recall a group of Patterns, click on the appropriate letter in the Group Select row.  Clicking on a letter will move the selected group to the display in the Patterns window and enable Play or Record for that group.  You can do this while Patterns are playing.


----------------------------------
Recording Patterns Through MIDI

To record into a Pattern, select the box in the R column in the Patterns window (P3) for the Pattern you want to record into.  Select the box by clicking on it briefly, so that it becomes highlighted.  

To specify a particular MIDI channel for input, change the appropriate R numerical to show the MIDI channel number you want (see Chapter 2 for changing numericals).  The boxes in the R column are Toggle/Numerical buttons that determine not only whether MIDI input is recorded into a Pattern but also on what input channel the MIDI input is registered.  In most cases, you'll want the box to show A (for "All"), which means that the Pattern is listening to all MIDI input channels.

To disable recording, click again in the appropriate box in the R column.  When a Pattern is not recording, the box is not highlighted.


----------------------------------------
Echoing Your Input

Echoing allows you to play your keyboard and have it pass through your computer directly to your synthesizer.  This is useful for trying out sounds and auditioning parts.  Or for just playing along with M.

There are two ways to echo your input.  Through the normal output channel(s) for the Pattern into which you're recording.  Or through the Echo Map.

To echo your input through the normal output channel(s) for the Pattern into which you're recording, do the following.  Select the MIDI-Thru button (in column P1) for the Pattern into which you're recording.  Whatever you play on your MIDI keyboard will sound through the current Orchest variable setting.  To change the Orchest setting, select the appropriate numerical under Orchest (MV3) and change it to read the MIDI channel to which you want your input echoed.  See Chapter 5 for a complete description of using the Orchest controls.

To echo your input through the Echo Map, do the following.  Click on the Echo button (GC4), highlighting it.  Set the MIDI-In numerical (GC5) to indicate a particular MIDI channel on which you want to input, or set it to A (for "All") so that the program is listening to all channels.  Set the leftmost MIDI-Out numerical (GC6) to indicate the MIDI channel to which you want to echo.  If you want to echo your input to more than one MIDI channel simultaneously, set the other MIDI-Out numericals accordingly.  You can echo to up to three MIDI channels simultaneously, using the three MIDI-Out numericals.  Note that when a MIDI-Out numerical shows a dash instead of a number, it is not echoing.

Note: Echoing your input through the Echo Map is independent of recording, playing back, or of any specific Pattern.  You can echo your MIDI input at any time, while the program is recording, playing, or while it is otherwise completely inactive.


Setting the Metronome Speed

To enable the Metronome, select Use Metronome in the Options menu.  The Metronome will produce an audible, periodic click from the Atari's speaker.  

To disable the Metronome, click again on Use Metronome in the Options menu.

To adjust the Metronome's speed, change the Metronome numerical (GC11) in the Global Control window.  The figures of the Metronome numerical are as follows: St = 16th-note triplets, Sx =16th-notes, Et = 8th-note triplets, Ei = 8th-notes, Qt = quarter-note triplets, Qu = quarter-notes, Ht = half-note triplets, Hf = half-notes, Wt = whole-note triplets, and Wh = whole-notes.

Note:  If the metronome setting is too fast, as in 16th-note triplets at a system tempo of 255, the audible metronome will automatically turn off.

Note: When sending a clock signal to an external device, twenty-four MIDI clock ticks are sent per metronome tick.  See Chapter 9, under Send Clock, for an explanation of sending clock signals.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Recording a Pitch Distribution Pattern

To record a Pitch Distribution Pattern with a keyboard, click in the appropriate R box and play the notes you want to record.  Take as much time as you like between notes: durations are not recorded.  The Start/Stop button may be "on" or "off" during recording.


------------------------------------------------------------
Recording a Step-Time Record Pattern

There are two ways to record into a Step-Time Record Pattern with a MIDI keyboard: Build Step Record and Timed Step Record.

To record in Build Step Record mode, do the following.  Be sure that Build Step Record is selected in the Options menu.  (Note that Build Step Record and Timed Step Record are toggle instructions.  When you click on either, it will change to the other.)  Then click on the appropriate R box and play the notes or chords that you want, holding down at least one key.  Notice that while a key is held down, new notes are added until all notes have been released.  It's a way of constructing chords note by note.  When all notes are released, the Pattern advances to the next step.

To record in Timed Step mode, do the following.  Be sure that Timed Step Record is selected in the Options menu.  (Note that Timed Step Record and Build Step Record are toggle instructions.  When you click on either, it will change to the other.)  Then click on the Start/Stop button to start the system playing.  Then click on the appropriate R box and play the notes or chords that you want.  Each separate pitch event, whether single note or chord, will be registered as a step.

Note:  A chord in a Step-Time Record Pattern may not contain more than sixteen pitches.  If a chord does contain more than sixteen pitches, the pitches following the first sixteen played will be recorded into the next step.

Note:  The Note Counter (P6) tells you how many steps (not pitches) a Step-Time Record Pattern contains.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
Recording a Drum Machine Record Pattern

To record a Drum Machine Record Pattern, do the following.  Click in the Pattern's R box and start the system playing by clicking the Start/Stop button (GC2) "on".  Play notes on your keyboard.  A Drum Machine Record Pattern begins as a looping sequence of rests.  The rests are replaced with pitches as the sequence loops.  As the sequence loops, you'll hear that the notes you've recorded are played back at their places in the loop.  And as you continue to play, you'll override what's already been recorded.  To see how this works, fill the loop with high notes, let it play for awhile, then start recording some low notes.

The default length of the sequence is 16, as shown in the Note Counter before the Pattern is recorded.  To change the length of the Pattern, change the value of the Note Counter numerical (P6).

In recording a Drum Machine Record Pattern, you might find it useful to enable the metronome by selecting Use Metronome in the Options menu (see above for setting the metronome's speed).

To stop recording, stop playing.  What you've recorded will continue to be played back.  It's a good idea, however, to clear the R box if you're finished with the recording.





----------------------------------------------------------------------
Recording a Real-Time Record Pattern

To record a Real-Time Record Pattern, set the appropriate R box to record, click on the Start/Stop Button to start the system playing, and play on your MIDI keyboard.  This Pattern type will record pitches and chords with durations.  The recording will stop when you stop playing.  If you stop recording and then start again, you'll add to the end of what was previously recorded.

It's a good idea to clear the R box when you're finished with what you want to record.  



---------------------------------------------------------
Playing and Adjusting Patterns

To start all Patterns playing, click on the Start/Stop toggle button (GC2).  When Patterns are playing, the Start/Stop toggle button is highlighted.

To stop all Patterns from playing, click again on the Start/Stop toggle button.  When Patterns are not playing, the Start/Stop toggle button is not highlighted.


Muting a Pattern During Playback

To mute a Pattern during playback, click on the Mute button (in the P4 column) for the Pattern you want to mute.  When a Pattern is muted, its Mute box is filled in.  When a Pattern is not muted, the box is clear.


Setting the System Tempo

To set a specific system tempo, do any of the following.  Change the Tempo numerical (GC13) to indicate the desired tempo in quarter-notes per minute.  Or click anywhere in the Tempo range bar (GC12).  Or drag a range in the Tempo range bar such that the center point of the range indicates the tempo you want.



Setting an Individual Pattern's Tempo

To set an individual Pattern's tempo in relation to the system tempo, change the Pattern's Time-Signature numericals (P7).  Both numerator and denominator are independent numericals which may be changed.

Think of the system tempo as a basic beat in quarter-notes given by a conductor to an orchestra.  Then think of each Pattern's Time-Signature numericals as indicating the note values in which a particular player is playing.  If they read 1/4, for example, they will be playing quarter-notes.  If they read 1/16, they will be playing 16th-notes.  If they read 3/16, they will be playing every third 16th-note.  You can easily establish complex rhythmic relationships, such as 11/15 against 6/7.

Note: If a denominator value of 1 is decremented to what should be a zero value, the letters sa will appear and the Pattern will stop playing.  The letters mean Step Advance and signify that the Pattern must be step-advanced manually through the Input Control System, described fully in Chapter 6.


Setting a Pattern's Length

To adjust the playback length of a Pattern, change the Note Counter numerical (P6).  The Note Counter numerical indicates the number of steps in a Pattern.  In the cases of Pitch Distribution and Step-Time Record Patterns, the Note Counter cannot be adjusted beyond the number of recorded events.  In the case of a Drum Machine Record Pattern, the Note Counter can be set between zero and the maximum number of steps allocated to that Pattern (as shown in the MAX numerical next to OK in the New Pattern(s)... dialog box).

In the cases of a Real-Time Record and MIDI File Pattern, the Note Counter reflects not the number of steps in the Pattern but the time duration of the Pattern measured in fractions of a beat of the system time-base.  If the Note Counter's value exceeds what is recorded, silence will be added to the end of a Pattern.  If its value is set to less than the duration of the Pattern, the Pattern will play only up to the point of the Numerical.



Changing the Feel of a Pattern

To change the "feel" of a Pattern, change the Feel numerical (P8).  Depending upon the Pattern type, this numerical works in two different ways.  In the case of Pitch Distribution, Step- Time Record and Drum Machine Record Patterns, the Feel numerical causes deviation in the durations of your notes, simulating the imperfections in timing of a human player.  In that case, the value shown in the numerical represents the range of deviation.  A value of five, for example, will cause each duration to vary plus or minus five ticks (a tick is 1/ 96th of a system beat).  Note that the deviation function works best in conjunction with a Pattern's Time-Signature setting of 1/1.  If a different Time-Signature setting (P7) is used, clicking on Sync (GC10) may be needed when resetting the feel of the Pattern.

In the case of Real-Time Record or MIDI File Patterns, the Feel numerical causes a lack of deviation in the durations of your notes, simulating the perfections in timing of a machine.  The Feel numerical sets a playback quantize value. The quantization values are as follows: Tt = 32nd-note triplets, Th = 32nd notes, St = 16th-note triplets, Sx = 16th notes, Et = eigth-note triplets, Ei = 8th-notes, Qt = quarter-note triplets, Qu = quarter-notes, Ht = half-note triplets, Hf = half-notes, Wt = whole-note triplets, and Wh = whole-notes.  To see how this works, record into a Real-Time Record Pattern, start it playing back, and change the Feel numerical to different values.


Changing a Pattern's Offset

To change a Pattern's offset, change the Offset numerical (P9).  This numerical delays the start of a Pattern's playback by the value set.  The values of this numerical are the same as the Feel numerical quantization values, itemized above.  This feature can be used to simulate delays and other effects between similar Patterns.  If you copy from one Pattern into another, for example, you can delay one Pattern while the other remains non-offset.




--------------------------------------------------------------------
Cutting, Copying and Pasting Patterns

To clear a Pattern of material previously recorded, click on the Pattern icon in the TYPE column (P5) and select Erase in the Edit menu.  The Cut command in the Edit menu can also be used to clear a Pattern, with the difference that Cut temporarily stores the Pattern's contents in M's scrapbook.  The Pattern will be stored until the scrapbook is used again.

To copy the contents of one Pattern into another, select the source Pattern icon (in the P5 column), then select either Cut or Copy from the Edit menu, then select the destination Pattern icon, then select Paste from the Edit menu.  The difference between Cut and Copy is that Cut clears the source Pattern while Copy leaves its contents intact.

To paste into several Patterns simultaneously, do the following.  Cut or copy as described above.  Then select the destination Pattern icons while holding down the Atari keyboard's shift key.  Then select Paste from the Edit menu.

To copy a Pattern from one document to another, do the following.  Cut or copy the desired Pattern to M's scrapbook.  Open the destination document by selecting Open... the File menu and using the normal Atari dialog box.  Then select the destination Pattern's icon in the new document.  Then select Paste in the Edit menu.

Note:  The scrapbook can contain only one Pattern at a time.  To cut, copy and paste different Patterns, the whole process must be repeated for each Pattern.


---------------------------------------------
Opening the Edit Window

To open an Edit window, do the following.  Hold down the Alternate key on your Atari keyboard while clicking on the icon for the Pattern that you want to edit.  Or select the appropriate Pattern icon and then select Edit... in the Pattern menu.  An Edit window will appear.
  
Graphic
Edit window


When the Edit window opens, middle C, tagged as C3, is at the center of the keyboard.  The numbers under the lowest and highest keys of the Edit window keyboard indicate notes present in the Pattern but out of view in the Edit window.  To shift the displayed octaves of the keyboard, click on the arrow on either side of SHIFT.  The visible part of the keyboard will shift to make possible the editing of higher or lower notes.



Using General Edit Controls

The following Edit window controls apply to all Pattern types in the same way.

To solo a Pattern during playback, click on the Solo button.  This will mute the Patterns not being edited.  Clicking on the button again will reset the mute settings to their previous state.

To select a Pattern for editing while in the Edit window, change the Pattern numerical (in the upper right corner of the Edit window).

To enable recording from a MIDI keyboard from the Edit window, click on the MIDI- In button.  Notice that the R button (P3) turns "on" for the Pattern into which you're recording.  If you hold down the MIDI-In button, the R button numerical (P3) will be activated.

Other controls of the Edit window have specific meanings for different Pattern types, and some controls do not apply in certain Pattern types. When a control is inactive, it is shown in light grey on the screen.


Editing a Pitch Distribution Pattern

Pitch Distribution Patterns are viewed in the Edit window without attention to the order of the notes.  All notes are seen at once, to give you an overview of the harmonic content of the Pattern.

To add a pitch, place the mouse arrow under a key and click.  The key will go up one step.  If you click again the key will go up another step.  Note: You can use this feature of the Edit window to record notes into a Pattern without a MIDI keyboard.

To delete a pitch, or lower it from one step to the next, place the mouse arrow above the key and click.

To insert a rest, click on the Rest icon.  The Rest counter, just above the rest, will increment.  

To delete rests, click on the Rest counter.

Note:  As you introduce greater extents of randomness into the ordering, the pitches, as well as the rests, will be increasingly scrambled.  If you go back to the Edit window and click one of the pitches again, raising it to another level, you will be increasing its probability of occurrence.  Note Ordering is described fully in Chapter 5.


Editing a Step Time Record Pattern

Step-Time Patterns are viewed one event at a time, allowing you to step through the original order in which your music was recorded.  Each step is edited individually.

To add or delete a note from a step, click them up or down as described for Pitch Distribution Patterns.

To insert a step, click on either of the Insert arrows.  Clicking on the right-facing arrow will insert a step following the current step.  Clicking on the left-facing arrow will insert a step before the current step.  The Pattern is automatically advanced or stepped backwards to show the new step.  Note:  When you insert a step, you are, in fact, inserting a rest to which you may then add notes.  The Rest icon has no function in a Step-Time Record Pattern.

To delete a step, click on the Delete button.  This will delete the current step and reset the Pattern to the previous step.

To travel forwards or backwards through a Step-Time Record Pattern, use either of the Step arrows or change the Edit counter as a numerical.

To play back a Pattern and view it at the same time, click on the Play button while the Edit window is open.  Note that this will work, however, only when the note ordering for the Pattern does not contain any randomness.


Editing a Drum Machine Record Pattern

Drum Machine Record Patterns are viewed as Pitch Distribution Patterns in that all notes are viewed at once.

To insert or delete notes into a Drum Machine Record Pattern, click them up or down as described above for Pitch Distribution Patterns.  Be aware, however, that you are entering notes in real time and that, consequently, the moment at which you click on a note is important.  Deleting notes can be done at any time.  Also, the Start/Stop button must be "on".


Editing a Real Time Record Pattern

Editing Real-Time Record Patterns is not implemented in this version of M.  Alas, perhaps.  But M is really about other things.