MIDIbox SEQ V4 User manual

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Table of Contents
MIDIbox SEQ V4 Beginner's Guide 1 .................................................................................................
1. The basics 1 ..................................................................................................................................
1.1. User interface 2 ........................................................................................................................
1.2. Basic concepts 4 .......................................................................................................................
2. Basic settings 5 ............................................................................................................................
2.1. Track EVENT 5 ...........................................................................................................................
2.2. Track LENGTH 12 ......................................................................................................................
2.3. Track DIVIDER and tempo 13 ....................................................................................................
3. Trigger layers and parameter layers 15 ..................................................................................
3.1. Trigger layers 16 .......................................................................................................................
3.3. Drum tracks 26 .........................................................................................................................
4. Entering notes 28 .........................................................................................................................
4.1. The Jam page 28 .......................................................................................................................
4.2. Working on the EDIT page 36 ...................................................................................................
5. Working with patterns and songs 41 ........................................................................................
5.1. Saving a pattern 41 ...................................................................................................................
5.2. Phrase Mode and Song Mode 42 ...............................................................................................
5.3. Copying Patterns 46 ..................................................................................................................
5.4. Measure 47 ...............................................................................................................................
5.5. Guide Track 49 ..........................................................................................................................
5.6. Track selection, Solo and Mute 50 ............................................................................................
6. Some advanced features 52 .......................................................................................................
6.1. Using a bus to control a track 52 ..............................................................................................
6.2. Force To Scale 56 ......................................................................................................................
6.3. Random generator 57 ...............................................................................................................
6.4. Euclidean rhythm generator 58 ................................................................................................
6.5. Mixer maps 59 ..........................................................................................................................
Appendix 1. Customising some button functions 61 ..................................................................
Function buttons F1–F4 61 ...............................................................................................................
Button behaviour (momentary/toggle) 62 ........................................................................................
Appendix 2. Bookmarks 63 .............................................................................................................
Appendix 3. The MIDI Router 64 ....................................................................................................
Appendix 4. MBSEQv4 CC implementation 66 .............................................................................

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MIDIbox SEQ V4 Beginner's Guide
The Beginner's Guide is intended to cover the basic operation and concepts of the MBSEQv4 step
sequencer. It does not include instructions on how to make the most out of all the features of the
sequencer, or what each of the options on every menu page does, but it does give a good overview
for the new user.
Most of this guide is based on what can already be found in the "official" MBSEQv4 manual, and it's
not intended to replace that. On the contrary, once you've learned the basics, it's much easier to
search the official manual for a particular menu page and check out what you can do with the options
that are not mentioned in this guide. This guide is written first of all for new users who are not looking
for information on some particular detail, but instead would prefer to have an overview of the basics.
What this guide does not cover, however, is building the unit, the control surface, where to get the
parts etc. It is intended to be useful when you have a completed and working unit at your disposal,
preferably with Wilba's frontpanel design.
Also, this guide is based on the premise that you have a MIDI controller connected to the sequencer's
MIDI IN1 and a polyphonic synthesizer (mono- or multitimbral) connected to MIDI OUT1 of the
sequencer. If you don't, the guide will still be useful, but you'll have to find out yourself where you
need to do things differently.
The Wiki allows you to export a PDF version of this page. You might want to store a local version (and
print it out) - please click on this link:
Export namespace "mididocs:seq:beginners_guide:" to file MIDIbox_SEQ_V4_Beginners_Guide.pdf
1. The basics
Before starting with the basics, it's useful to create a new session so that you're be able to explore
the sequencer's functions in practice. After switching the sequencer on, press EXIT until you reach the
top menu, where you can choose options like 'Open' and 'New' on the right LCD. Choose 'New', and
then wait until the sequencer has created the session.
The default new session has sixteen tracks that are almost similar.
• All tracks are Note type tracks
• Track length is 16/256 steps
• Divider/Timebase setting is 16
• Port is Def.
Only the MIDI channel setting is different, each track having its own MIDI channel (1-16) on which the
track is sending data.

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1.1. User interface
The physical user interface consists of buttons, indicator leds, two LCD displays, and 17 knobs. In this
guide the buttons are referred to with their names in ALL CAPS, i.e. MENU means the menu button,
PLAY mean the play button etc.
The sixteen numbered buttons immediately below the LCDs and knobs are referred to either with
their button names (LENGTH, DIVIDER, FX etc.), especially if they are used together with the MENU
button; or if they are used without the MENU button, they are called general purpose buttons, or GPBs
for short (usually with a number, e.g. GPB7 for the 7th GPB from the left). Often the menu pages, too,
are called with their button names (EVENT fron the Track Event page etc.), to indicate the means to
get to that page quickly.
All knobs are called general purpose knobs, or GPK for short (also with numbers) with the exception of
the big knob in the middle of the panel, which is called the datawheel. The displays are called the left
LCD and right LCD.
The unit should have at least one physical MIDI IN and one physical MIDI OUT port, and that's taken
for granted in this guide (it is likely you'll have four of each). These will be called MIDI IN1 and MIDI
OUT1, or just IN1 and OUT1.
The top menu page. Use the datawheel to scroll through the various menu pages on the left.
Almost all of the menu pages can be reached by pressing EXIT (once or a few times, depending on
where you are) to get to the top menu, then using the datawheel to browse the options on the left
LCD and finally pressing a GPB to select the menu you need. However, with Wilba's frontpanel layout
most menus are only one or two button presses away. Some menus/functions have their own
dedicated button, while many others can be brought up by pressing MENU together with one of the
GP buttons. The MENU button, along with several others, can be configured in the HW setup file (see
Appendix 1) to be momentary or toggle. “Momentary” means the function is active as long as you
keep pressing the button, while “toggle” means you press once to activate the function, and another
time to deactivate it. You can choose whatever you prefer; the notation in the guide will be of the
form MENU + [BUTTON_NAME].

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Various options on the screen will be written between apostrophes. For example, if reference is made
to the save function on the main menu, the option is written as 'Save'; if you are advised to press a
button to initialise the active track, you are told to select the 'INIT' option, etc. Also, 'on' and 'off' will
be written between apostrophes to indicate that they denote a binary state instead of grammatical
pre- or postpositions.
Many buttons have indicator LEDs associated with them. These LEDs will tell you whether something
(out of many possible options) is selected, or whether some mode or function is toggled 'on' or 'off'.
The 16 LEDs directly below the knobs are step indicator LEDs which will tell you something of the
state of the step. In addition, when the sequencer is running you will see a red cursor LED indicating
which step is being played and how fast the progression from one step to another will be. Above the
datawheel, there is a tempo LED, blinking quarter notes.
On the left side of the frontpanel there's two groups of buttons which deserve special mention. The
eight buttons on the top left are the group and track selection buttons. The left column selects a
group (1–4), the right column selects a track within the selected group. (More on groups and tracks in
section 1.2.) The LEDs indicate which group and track is currently selected, though the information is
often available on the LCDs as well (most often on the left edge of the left LCD).
You can select multiple tracks at once within a group by pressing & holding one track selection button
and then pressing the others one by one; press another time to deselect. (Any combination of tracks
can be selected on the Track Selection page, which is available only as a F1–F4 button or as a saved
bookmark; for customising F1–F4 buttons, see Appendix 1, and for bookmarks, see Appendix 2.)
Below the group and track buttons there are six more buttons for layer selection. The left column is
used to select trigger layers of the selected (active) track, and the right column is used to select
parameter layers of the selected track. (More on layers in section 3.)
In a new session, trigger layer button A selects the gate trigger layer, button B selects the accent
trigger layer and button C brings up a menu of all the trigger layers, allowing you to choose the one
you need with the GP buttons. You can have a maximum of 8 trigger layers, except on drum tracks,
where the maximum is two.
In a new session, parameter layer button A selects the note parameter layer, button B selects the
velocity parameter layer, and button C alternates between length and roll parameter layers. Each of
the default session's tracks has four parameter layers, but if your track has more than four parameter
layers, button C brings up a menu, allowing you to choose the layer you need with the GP buttons.
You can have up to 16 parameter layers, except for drum tracks where the maximum is two.

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1.2. Basic concepts
1.2.1. Groups, tracks, patterns and banks
MBSEQv4 is organised into groups, tracks and patterns. Patterns are stored into four banks.
There are four groups of tracks, and each group has four tracks, so all in all there are 16 tracks. Group
1 always holds the tracks 1–4, group 2 always holds the tracks 5–8 and, group 3 the tracks 9–12 and
group 4 the tracks 13–16. In MBSEQv4 shorthand language, groups and tracks are referred to with the
formula GxTx. For example, G1T3 means “Group 1, Track 3” (i.e., track 3 out of 16), and G3T4 means
“Group 3, track 4” (i.e., track 12 out of 16).
Tracks contain the data – gates, accents, notes, note velocities, CCs etc. – that you've programmed in
them and that is sent over to your MIDI equipment. This data is in trigger layers and parameter
layers. (For details, see section 3.)
In addition to the musical data, tracks also contain settings data. Defining the settings for each
individual track is one of the most complicated operations a new user has to face, because of all the
interconnections that are not immediately self-evident. The flipside is that track setup offers a lot of
possibilities. Some settings (like the MIDI Router settings, see Appendix 4) are independent of any
session.
Most of the time one track is selected and visible on the screen. This is the active track, the track
that's ready for editing. You can always tell which track is selected by looking at the group and track
selection LEDs (on the left of the frontpanel); most of the time the active track is also named on the
left edge of the left LCD (“G1T1”, “G2T4” etc.). By selecting several tracks simultaneously (with the
track selection buttons, or on the Track Selection page) you can also edit several tracks
simultaneously, e.g. to set their length. In this case the selected track on the left LCD will be of the
form GxTM, where 'M' stands for 'multiple'.

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A pattern is a collection of musical and other data on four tracks. Each group always has one active
pattern in it. Because there are four groups, you will always have four simultaneous active patterns.
(Whether or not all the active patterns have any practical data in them is another matter.) Groups and
patterns overlap in the sense that a pattern in Group 1 will always be made up of tracks 1–4, a
pattern in Group 4 will always be made up of tracks 13–16, etc. But the group is just an organisational
concept, a receptacle, and the pattern is the content that fills it. The same pattern can be played in
any of the groups.
Patterns are stored in four banks (1–4). In a default session, Group 1 plays patterns from Bank 1,
Group 2 from Bank 2, etc., but in principle there's nothing stopping you from playing a pattern from
any bank in any group you like. Patterns always have a numerical names, which indicate the bank
they are stored in, and the location within that bank. For example, pattern 3:B2 is stored in the 3rd
bank, 10th slot. Every bank has 64 slots, and the slots are named with a combination of a letter (A–H)
and a number (1–8). Thus, A8 is the 8th slot, B1 is the 9th, and H8 is the 64th.
Patterns can be chained to form songs. Songs are several patterns played one after the other. A
maximum of four patterns can play in parallel (one in each group). It is not possible to put individual
tracks one after the other; a pattern is made up of four tracks, and that is the smallest unit that can
be chained.
A totality of tracks, patterns, songs and settings (and a few other things like groove patterns and
mixer maps) is called a session. One session can have a maximum of 256 different patterns (64 per
bank) and 64 different songs (i.e. different sequences of the patterns in the session).
It makes sense to organise your groups (and hence the four tracks they contain) around a
principle. For example, Group 1 could be for lead sounds, Group 2 for keys and pads, Group 3
for bass, and Group 4 for drums. Or, Groups1–3 could be dedicate to different synthesizers,
and Group 4 from drums and percussion.
2. Basic settings
2.1. Track EVENT
The track EVENT page is the central page for track settings. In a new session, each track will have
some default settings, but it's likely that you will have to change them to match your setup. Changing
the track's Type settings on the EVENT page requires you to initialise the track for the changes to
take effect. The sequencer will tell you when this is needed by displaying a message in the right LCD.
A track is initialised by pressing GPB16 ('INIT') on the EVENT page for a few seconds.
Initialising the track erases all data in the track's parameter and trigger layers and replaces them with
default initialisation values for the chosen track type. Initialisation won't affect Port, MIDI channel, and
Program Change commands (on the Track Instrument page, GPB8), but all other settings such as
length, divider value, name etc. are reset to default values.
By default, initialisation switches the gates 'on' for each 4th step. In the options menu (UTILITY  Opt.

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 Option #11) you can disable this effect, so that initialisation inserts no notes in the track.
Initialisation works for only one track at a time, even if you have several tracks selected. Only the
track that's being displayed on the LCDs, the active track, will get initialised.
Let's take the first two tracks in Group 1 (i.e. G1T1 and G1T2). At the very least you need to
set their type, length, port and MIDI channel. These settings are made on the EVENT page
(MENU + EVENT).
Make the following settings for G1T1 and G1T2:
• Track type should be “Note”
• Maximum length should be 128 steps
• Port should be 'Def.' (or 'OUT1')
• the MIDI channel (Chn.) should be whatever your synth is listening to (you must know the
right channel yourself)
The port (that's where your synth is physically connected to) is going to be the same for both
tracks in this example, but it still has to be set separately for each track. As to the MIDI
channel, the simplest solution is that you set both tracks to the same channel, so they're both
playing the same (polyphonic) synth. If you have a multitimbral synth, you could use G1T1 to
play a lead sound on one synth and G1T2 to play a bass sound on another, but it's ok if both
tracks are playing the same sound (as long as your synth is polyphonic).
If your synth is monophonic, you will have to apply the following according to your best
judgement, because it's written for, and has been tested with, a polyphonic synthesizer.
Select G1T1 with the group and track selection buttons. To get a track that is of the type
“Note” and 128 steps long, turn GPK2–4 on the EVENT page until the type is “Note” and
“Steps” is 128. This will automatically set the correct layer numbers as well. Initialise the
track by pressing GPB16 for a few seconds.
Next, select the correct port and MIDI channel. Use the GP knobs to set Port to 'Def.' and Chn.
to whatever channel your synth is listening to (you will have to know yourself what the right
channel for your equipment is).
Then push track selection button #2 to select G1T2. You will notice that you stay in the same
menu page (the EVENT page), but the information you see now pertains to track G1T2. Make
the same Type, Steps/Layers, Port and MIDI channel selections for G1T2 as you did for G1T1,
and initialise the track.
2.1.1. Track types
On the MBSEQv4, track selection possibilities are organised into several predefined options based on
track type, length (number of steps), number of parameter layers, and number of trigger layers (the
options are listed below).
Changing the track type allows you to select different kinds of track presets that best suit your

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purposes. The track types are Note, Chord, CC and Drum, and each of these types has subtypes
based on a combination of maximum track length, number of parameter layers and number of trigger
layers. (For the difference between parameter layers and trigger layers, see sections 3.1. and 3.2.)
Because of memory limitations it's not possible to have the longest possible track (256 steps) with the
maximum number of parameter and trigger layers (16 and 8, respectively), so each subtype is a
compromise within the overall limitations.
Note, Chord and CC tracks always have 8 trigger layers, so in effect the track has to be balanced
between maximum length and the number of parameter layers. Drum tracks are somewhat different
from the other types, so they are dealt with separately. (See section 3.3.).
Mode Steps Param. layers Trig. Layers Instruments
Note 64 16 8 1
Note 128 8 8 1
Note 256 4 8 1
Chord 64 6 8 1
Chord 128 8 8 1
Chord 256 4 8 1
CC 64 16 8 1
CC 128 8 8 1
CC 256 4 8 1
Drum 64 1 2 16
Drum 128 2 (32 steps) 1 16
Drum 128 1 2 8
Drum 256 2 (64 steps) 1 8
Drum 64 1 1 16
Drum 128 1 1 8
Drum 256 1 1 4
When changing track type, the track needs to be initialised for the changes to take effect. Press
GPB16 for a few seconds to initialise the track. Initialisation erases all data in the track's layers!
It is important to note that even though initialising a track to the selected preset fixes the number of
parameter layers, you can, after initialisation, freely change what kind of parameter layers you have.
The difference between Note, Chord and CC type tracks is just in what the default parameter layer
functions are; a CC type track contains only CC parameter layers, while Note type tracks contain none
of them, but nothing stops you from from changing the parameter layer functions to whatever you
like after initialisation (naturally within the maximum overall number set at initialisation). Only drum
type tracks are different in this respect. (See section 3.3.)
Indeed, you will have access to many parameter layer functions (like Pitch, Delay and Probability) only
this way, as they won't be available in any of the presets. On the EVENT page, use GPK9 to choose
which parameter layer you want to edit (from A to H, if you have eight parameter layers), then turn
GPK10 to set which function you want to control with that parameter layer. You need to confirm the
change of function by pressing GPB10 (the seq will tell you this). Note that if you change parameter
layer functions, e.g. from Roll to Nth1, you will lose all parameter values in the Roll layer.

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2.1.1.1. Note tracks
In a default session, all tracks are of the same type: they are Note tracks that are 256 steps long and
have four parameter layers. This kind of Note type tracks have one velocity layer (parameter layer B),
one length layer (parameter layer C, for note length, not track length!), one roll layer (parameter
layer D), and one note layer (parameter layer A). If you initialise a shorter Note track, you just get
more note layers (parameter layer E and onwards); if you want other kinds of parameter layers, you
have to set them manually on the EVENT page (see section 2.1.1.). Maximum length of 128 steps
gives you four extra note parameter layers compared to the default, allowing you to enter up to five
note chords, and that should already be enough for most purposes.
The setting Sustain on the MODE page is good to keep in mind when setting up a track to play chords
or long single notes. Sustain holds each note/chord until another one is played on the track, and this
spares you the trouble of having to set the length of each individual note/chord.
2.1.1.2. Chord tracks
Chord tracks are set up length and layer wise just like note tracks. However, in a chord track,
parameter layer A is a chord layer instead of a note layer. The chord layer doesn't take normal notes
as input, but instead a value from A-P to a-p (plus octave value from 0 to 3), each of which represents
a pre-defined chord. The list of the predefined chords is found below.
The advantage of this to using several note layers on a note type track to play chords is that you can
have the chord data on a single layer, even if the chords are made up of 4 notes. Because you only
need a single parameter layer for chords, you can increase your track's maximum length to 256
steps. A disadvantage is that the value names don't make musical sense, though the names of the
chords do appear on the right LCD (top row). A bigger disadvantage is that in order to play chords
with different root notes (and not just different chords of the same root note, like C major, Cm, Csus4
etc.), you need to set up a loopback track to transpose each chord. (See section 6.1.)
There are two chord parameter layers, called 'Chord' and 'Chrd2'.
List of predefined chords for layer 'Chord':
• A-C: Major I, Major II, Major III (transposed variants)
• D-F: Root note, 3rd note, 5th note (single notes)
• G,H: Root+3rd, Root+5th
• I-N: Maj6, Maj7, Maj8, Maj9, Maj10, Maj12 (4-note chords)
• O,P: Sus4 and Maj+
• a-c: Minor I, Minor II, Minor III (transposed variants)
• d-f: Root note, 3rdMin note, 5th note (single notes)
• g,h: Root+3ndMin, Root+5th
• i-n: Min6, Min7, Min8, Min9, Min10, Min12 (4-note chords)
• o-p: Co7 and Min+
List of predefined chords for layer 'Chrd2':
• A-C: Pwr5, Pwr8, R+mj3
• D-F: R+min3, Maj, Sus4
• G–I: Maj+, Maj6, Maj7

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• J–L: add9, Maj9, Maj11
• M–N: Maj13, Min
• O–P: Min6, Min7
• a–c: Minad9, Min9, Min11
• d–f: Min13, Dom7, 7Sus4
• g–i: Dom9, Dom11, Dom13
• j–l: 7b5, 7#5, 7b9
• m–n: 7#9, DimTri
• o–p: Dim, m7b5
Note that some of the chords in Chord2 layer have more than four notes. You can use both chord
layers to send note data to an arpeggiator track (see section 6.1. for details), but the arpeggiator
function will receive only four notes. If you send chord layer chords with more than four notes, only
the last four notes of the chord will be accepted; the earlier ones are ignored.
If the length of a chord track allows more than 4 parameter layers, by default all the extra ones will be
note layers. However, it is not really possible to play chords and melodies simultaneously on the same
track, because each parameter layer shares the one and only gate trigger for that track. Thus you
cannot trigger individual gates for the notes of the melody in a note layer, while leaving the gate
untriggered for the chord layer at the same time. If you go to Layer View (press & hold EDIT + GPB3;
see section 4.2. for details on different EDIT modes), you can insert notes in the note layers by turning
a knob, but it's only feasible in the same steps where there is already a chord and where the gate is
already on.
The setting Sustain on the MODE page is good to keep in mind when setting up a track to play chords
(whether transposed or not). Sustain holds each note/chord until another one is played, and this
spares you the trouble of having to set the length of each individual note/chord.
Given the disadvantages of the chord track, for the beginner it is probably easier to just initialise a
note type track with four or more note layers (maximum length 128 steps or less), and record the
required chords there as several simultaneous notes. (For recording, see section 4.)
2.1.1.3. CC tracks
CC tracks allow you to send Control Change messages to your MIDI equipment. By default, all
parameter layers of a CC type track are CC layers that do the same thing, i.e. they send CC
messages. By default, each newly initialised CC layer is 'off'. On the EVENT page you can switch them
'on' and set which CC number each layer is sending. Use GPK9 to choose a CC layer and GPK11–13 to
choose which CC number that layer sends. Confirm your selection by pressing GPB10.
For example, if you want the first CC parameter layer (layer A) of your newly initialised CC
track to send modulation wheel messages, select layer A with GPK9. Then turn GPK11–13 all
the way to the left to choose CC number 001, and then confirm the selection with GPB11–13.
Then go back to the EDIT page and choose the CC layer you just set up (press parameter
layer selection button A). You can see your CC number selection on the top row of both LCDs:
“PA:#001” (instead of PA:COff) on the left, and “CC# 1” (instead of “CC#off”) on the right.
Now you can use the knobs to enter a CC value for each step, simulating the position of the
modulation wheel at that step. CCs can be recorded live as well. (See section 4.1.4. for

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details.)
Note that you don't necessarily have to have an independent CC type track to send CC messages.
Instead you can change one of the note layers on a “normal” Note type track into a CC parameter
layer on the EVENT page.
2.1.2. Port and MIDI Channel
Each track sends out its data, first, into a physical output port, and second, on one MIDI channel in the
chosen port.
Port value on the EVENT page defines which physical port the track's data is sent to when the
sequencer is running. The default value is “Def.”, which means the track gets its port value from
another page. To get to that page, press MENU + MIDI and select 'Midi Router' on the left LCD. The
right display will now show the default port on the right edge.
For the examples in this guide, the default port on the MIDI Router page should be 'OUT1'.
Back on the EVENT page, in addition to the Def. (or 'OUT1') port options, there are several others, the
(real) availability of which depends on the hardware choices made when your sequencer was put
together. However, if you scroll to the end of the value list, you will find values 'Bus1–4'. These are
virtual outputs that can be routed inside the sequencer, so that one track of the sequencer sends its
data on, say, Bus2, which is listened to by another track. (See sections 4.1.1. and 6.1. for details.)
MIDI Channel (Chn.) defines the MIDI channel on which the track's data is sent (in the chosen port).
Naturally you want to match this with the MIDI channel(s) of your synth(s). The options are
straightforward: channels 1–16. If Port is set to one of the buses, MIDI channel setting has no effect.
(For the one exception, see section 6.1.6.)
With 16 MIDI channels, you can control up to 16 different synths or other MIDI equipment.
Normally setting the channel for each synth/etc. is flexible, but some MIDI equipment have
limitations to which channel they can be made to listen to. For example, the Electro-Harmonix
V256 Vocoder only listens to MIDI channel 16. If you have equipment with conflicting channel
requirements, several physical ports (e.g. OUT1 and OUT2) offer a way out: you could have
two tracks sending data on the same MIDI channel, but into different physical ports.

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2.1.3 Track Event and Track Instrument
While on the EVENT page, you can switch between two pages by pressing GPB8: Track Event, which is
the default when entering the EVENT page, and Track Instrument. On the Track Instrument page, the
port and channel settings will be the same as on the Track Event page (and will be automatically
copied between the pages), but in addition you can set a Program Change command and name for
the track so that you remember better which synth and what kind of line the track is playing, for
example.
Top: Track EVENT page, bottom: Track Instrument page.
When you've reached a point where you have many songs saved on the sequencer, it would
be awkward to dial in the right synth patches by hand on every synth whenever you change
to another session, so it's super handy that you can use this page to set program change
messages to switch to those patches automatically, when you press PLAY and start the
sequencer. Note that not all synthesizers will be able to change patches “in zero time”.
The Program Change command is saved with the track when you save a pattern, so when you chain
patterns into a song, the Program Change command can be used to change the patch on the
synthesizer that is listening to that track at the same time as the pattern is changed. Note that
smooth live functioning of this feature depends on how quickly your synths can load new patches. If
this is causing problems, Program Change commands can be sent also on a parameter layer
dedicated for this purpose, allowing you to time them more flexibly, so that your equipment has time
to react (see section 3.2.10. for details). Note, however, that sending Program change messages
simultaneously from the Track Instrument page and the Program Change parameter layer may lead to
conflicting commands!
If you press GPB9 on the Track Instrument page, you go to the Edit Name page. Naming the track has
two components. The first component of the name is a category like lead, bass, pad, FX, drums, keys,
your-synth-name, or whatever you can fit into 5 letters. The second component is a more detailed
name for the actual sound/patch/whatever that is played on that track.
For example, the tracks could be named with the categories Lead (tracks 1–4), Keys (tracks
5–8), Bass (9–12) and Drums (13–16). As to the second component, they could be named
them after the synths that are played by that channel, including the MIDI channel that track is
sending on, and let the Program Change messages take care of the patch change (many
synths show the patch names on their diplays). Punching in the letters works the same way as
writing an SMS on a mobile phone.
One of the tracks could be called “Lead – Synth So-and-so ch6”, and this information would be
visible when you're on the EDIT page (left LCD, top row). It is handy to have the MIDI channel
there too, because the track numbers don't necessary match the MIDI channels they are
sending on (it depends on your setup). It's not necessary to name the tracks at all, though. If
you don't, you will just see “[Port] [MIDI channel]” as the name, and “NoCat” as the category.

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Back on the Track Event page there is finally 'PRESETS', which can be used to save and load content
and settings for tracks. Presets are not session dependent, so this is a way to move tracks and track
settings between sessions. (This is especially useful for drum tracks, if you've changed the default
name and note settings for all 16 drum instruments.) Another way is to prepare and save a “basic”
session with common/standardised settings, and then every time you want to start a new session, you
can open the basic session and save it under a new name.
Presets can be saved in the right LCD by pressing GPB14–15 ('PRESETS'), then GPB11-12 ('SAVE AS
NEW PRESET') and then giving it a descriptive 8-character name.
In the left LCD, you can recall saved presets. Selecting one of them brings up a menu where you can
delimit which track data you want to import. Name and Chn. are self-explainatory, Maps means mixer
maps (see section 6.5.), and Steps means trigger layer and parameter layer data. What Cfg.
(configurations) refers to is too much to go through here in detail, but in brief it means all other track
settings apart from MIDI channel and port, i.e. settings such as track MODE, LENGTH, DIRECTION
settings, FX settings etc. (See Appendix 4 for details.)
2.1.4. Setting parameter layer functions
Finally, the EVENT page allows you to customise your parameter layers. Use GPK9 to select the layer
and GPK10 to select the function for this layer. The default sessions has four parameter layers, and by
default parameter layer A controls note, layer B controls note velocity, layer C controls gate length,
and layer D controls roll. (For parameter layer functions, see section 3.2.) You can set these functions
to any of the available options, if you don't like the defaults.
If you change parameter layer functions, e.g. from Roll to Nth1, you will lose all parameter values in
the Roll layer.
2.2. Track LENGTH
The maximum length of a track is determined when the track is initialised, and cannot be changed
unless you reinitialise the track. However, it is possible to make the track play shorter than the
maximum length. This can be done on the LENGTH page. Turn GPK2–3 to set the length, or
alternatively you can press GPB9-16 to quick-select a common length.
Unless otherwise specified, all 16 tracks in the four active patterns will run independently of each
other, sharing only the tempo. Different track lengths mean thus that eventually the tracks will end
and restart at different times, and the effect is cumulative: a track that is four steps shorter than the
others will restart four steps before the others, and on the next round, 8 steps before the others etc.
For more on this topic, see sections 2.3. (Track DIVIDER and Tempo), 5.2. (Phrase mode and song
mode), and 5.4. (Measure) with its subsections.

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Select G1T1 and go to the LENGTH page. Set the length of the track to 16 (so the display will
show 16/128), then select G1T2, and set the length to 8 (so that the display will show 8/128).
Now you have two tracks that are of different length. Select G1T1 and press EDIT. Track
initialisation has probably entered some notes in the track which are not wanted, so press
CLEAR to get rid of them.
Punch in some notes with the GP buttons under the displays. For the first track you, for
example, could punch in every other button, i.e. steps 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 15. Each GP
button press will produce the note C-3, and if you press again, you can delete it. Let's leave
the notes there for now, though, so press a GP button for another time if you deleted any
notes.
Next, select G1T2, CLEAR the track and punch in the notes as with the first track, but then
use the GP knobs under the notes to adjust the value of each note so that the first two
become E-3, the next two become G-3, and the four last ones become G-2.
Remember that the second track is only 8 steps long. If you punched in the notes on the right
LCD as well (like you did with G1T1), it does no harm, but they will not get played unless the
track length is set to 16 steps. However, let's keep the track length at 8 for the purposes of
this demonstration, and despite the shortened length, let's keep the notes on the right LCD.
Everything should now be ready. Press PLAY on the front panel to start the sequencer. If you
still have G1T2 selected, you will see a red indicator LED running from left to right. It will go
up to the eighth step and then start again from the first step. Now select G1T1 (while the
sequencer is still running), and you will see how the red cursor is running all the way up to
step 16, and then starts from the beginning. Try turning one of the GP knobs to change one
note one up or down on each track. You can also press MENU + LENGTH while the sequencer
is playing and use the quick select buttons on the right display to change the length of a track
live.
You can change the length with the knobs as well, but there you'll run a higher risk of making
the tracks go out of sync. If this happens, you can always stop the sequencer and hit PLAY
again.
The idea of this was to demonstrate in a concrete way that the tracks are running
independently of each other, even if they are within the same pattern. You could press STOP,
change G1T1's length to some strange value like 11, press PLAY again, and each track would
run its length and then wrap back to the start, regardless of where the other track is going.
2.3. Track DIVIDER and tempo
2.3.1. Tempo
Even though by default the tracks are running independently of each other, they share the same
tempo for reference. This can be set by pressing MENU + BPM. The BPM (beats per minute) setting

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can be adjusted with GPK3 and GPK4, or alternatively with Tap Tempo by pressing GPB16 five times in
a row. Alternatively, pressing & holding MENU and pressing PLAY five time can be used for the same
purpose. In both cases, the fifth press will also start the sequencer. Toggling on FAST (left side,
bottom row on the frontpanel) you can change how the GP knobs for adjusting BPM behave. An LED
on the front panel, above the datawheel, will flash every quarter note.
2.3.2. Divider
You can make each of your tracks run faster or slower compared to the others by changing the
divider/timebase value. If you want all of your tracks to run faster or slower, it makes better sense to
just change the tempo (MENU + BPM), but if you need only a few individual tracks to run faster or
slower than the rest, then changing the divider/timebase value for those tracks is a good idea.
The DIVIDER page offers two ways to change the divider value: either by changing it directly with
GPK2 (and GPK3 for normal/triplet), or by quick-selecting a common timebase value with a GP button.
The former allows for great precision, but the latter makes more human sense and is probably the
more useful option for most situations.
Normally you would use timebase 16 (divider value 16), which in simple terms means that when
you're on the EDIT page, every step on the two displays (8 steps per display = 16 steps altogether)
represents a 16th note, allowing for four note (or other) events per quarter note. If, on the DIVIDER
page, you select timebase 8 (divider value 32), each of the 16 steps on the EDIT page now represents
an 8th note, allowing for two note events per quarter note (the BPM led above the datawheel always
shows the length of the quarter note). Timewise, the track lasts twice as many seconds as before, but
what is gained in duration is lost in resolution (possible events per quarter note). In the same vein,
quick-selecting timebase 4 (divider value 64) means that each step represents a quarter note, and so
on.
The divider value can be set to normal or triplet (in the quick select menu triplet is denoted with a T).
Triplet option can be used to effect “triplet timing” for that track, but in that case you might want to
have the track set to “sync to measure”. (See section 5.4.) Of course, you can realise triplet timing
with the “normal” divider setting as well and without “sync to measure”, provided that the resolution
of the track is enough to allow the adequate placement of notes.
If you change the timebase value while the sequencer is running, you risk the track becoming out of
sync with the others unless you're right on the beat. This is even more true of changing the divider
value directly with GPK2, as by default the tracks won't sync automatically when you've reached the
right divider value. For ways to fix this asynchrony, apart from simply stopping the sequencer and
then pressing PLAY again, see section 5.4. on Measure.
It is probably a good idea to limit divider/timebase changes to a small number of tracks, otherwise
you won't remember which ones were playing a custom timebase (and which custom one).

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Two cases where changing the divider/timebase value is useful are 1) fast melody tracks and
2) slow chord tracks.
You might have a lead track where the default 16th notes are not enough for the melodies
you want. If the other tracks are 64 steps long and their timebase is the default 16 (divider
value 16), you could set the lead track to 128 steps, running at timebase 32 (divider value 8).
Each step on the displays now represents a 32th note. This way the longer track would reach
its end at the same time as the other tracks, but you could effectively write your melody with
32th notes.
If you need 64th notes, quick select options have run out and you have to use GPK2 to
change the divider value to 4.
Slow divider settings, on the other hand, are useful e.g. for tracks which play chords that
don't change very often. For example, if your “chord track” is 64 steps long, you could set its
timebase to 4, i.e. four times as slow, and fit all your chord changes in the two displays on the
EDIT page. This way you can see the relevant note information easily, without the need to
scroll back and forth around the track.
Set G1T1 LENGTH to 16/xx, G1T2 LENGTH to 8/xx, and G1T1 and G1T2 dividers to timebase
16. Then press PLAY. If you switch between G1T1 and G1T2 with the track selection buttons,
you will see they are running at equal speed. (It's good to be on the EDIT page for the best
demonstration of this.) STOP the sequencer and select G1T1, then go to the DIVIDER page
and quick-select timebase 32 (divider value 8) by pressing GPB16. Press PLAY. You can see
the red cursor running twice as fast as before for G1T1, and playing the notes twice as fast.
Each step on the EDIT page for G1T1 now represents a 32th note, and G1T1, which has 16
steps, will now run from start to end as quickly as G1T2, which is only 8 steps that represent
16th notes.
Now let's make G1T2 run twice as slow compared to the original speed. You can change the
timebase when the sequencer is playing, but unless you're right on the beat, the tracks will
go off beat (and even more certainly with changing the divider value live with a knob). So,
press STOP, change G1T1's timebase back to 16, and then change G1T2's timebase to 8
(divider value 32). Press EDIT and PLAY again, and you can see how the cursor is running
slower, and the notes are playing slower. Also, the tracks are ending at the same time,
because even though G1T2 is twice as short as G1T1, it's also twice as slow.
—–
3. Trigger layers and parameter layers
On the lower left corner of the front panel there are three trigger layer selection buttons (A, B, C) and
three parameter layer selection buttons (A, B, C). These allow you to select different layers for editing.
Editing is done either with the GP button under each step (for the active trigger layer) or with the GP
knobs under each step (for the active parameter layer).

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By default, trigger layer selection button A selects the gate layer, B selects accent, and C brings up a
page where you can select one of the eight trigger layers with a GP button. (Drum tracks have only
1–2 trigger layers, for these see section 3.3.)
With parameter layer selection buttons, button A selects the first parameter layer and B selects the
second parameter layer. If your track has only four parameter layers, button C alternates between
parameter layers C and D. If you have more than four parameter layers, button C brings up a page
where you can use a GP button to choose one of the available parameter layers. (Drum tracks have
only 1–2 parameter layers, for these see section 3.3.)
Trigger and parameter layers hold most of the data that makes up your music, such as gates, notes,
note lengths, CC values etc. In order to understand what recording a note actually does, it is
necessary to first say something about these two kinds of layers.
One trigger layer and one parameter layer are always selected, and thus active, ready to be edited
with the GP buttons (for triggers) and GP knobs (for parameters) below each step. The active layers
are named on the EDIT page (left LCD, top row). “Px: Name” gives the active parameter layer, where
x is the layer (A-P) and “Name” the name of the layer, such as Vel. (velocity), Len. (length), etc. “Tx:
Name” gives the active trigger layer (A-H) and the name of the layer, such as Gate, Roll, etc.
3.1. Trigger layers
Note, Chord and CC type tracks always have eight trigger layers. Drum type tracks are a special case,
and have 1 or 2 trigger layers; they are dealt with in a separate section (see section 3.3.).
A trigger layer always has one of two values: 'on' or 'off'. Whether a trigger layer is 'on' or 'off' can be
seen by selecting the layer (with the A, B or C buttons) and checking if the LED under the step is lit or
not. If it's lit, the trigger of the selected layer is 'on' for that step, and if it's not lit, the trigger is 'off'.
The active trigger layer's name is visible on the EDIT page on the left LCD's upper right corner. (E.g.
“TB:Acc.”, for “Trigger layer B: Accent”.)
You can set which trigger layer controls which trigger function on the TRIGGER page (MENU +
TRIGGER). The page displays a list of all available trigger functions (nine) and their assignments into
the trigger layers (max. eight). Turn a GP knob to change the function for each layer. Note that
normally all trigger layers apart from RollG (see section 3.1.9.) are available by default (drum tracks
are an exception). Note also that you can control multiple triggers with a single layer. For example, by
assigning both Gate and Accent trigger to trigger layer A, every time you trigger a note with Gate, it
will also be played at Accent velocity.

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3.1.1. Gate
Gate is the basic trigger, without which other layers (whether trigger or parameter) cannot express
themselves. Gate controls whether the data in the step is going to be played or not. If gate is 'on', the
contents of the step's layers will be played, and if it's 'off', it will be treated as an empty step, even if
there is data in the other layers of the step.
You can verify this by pressing & holding EDIT, which brings up a menu where you can choose
the type of EDIT view you want. Choose 'Trigger View'. The left display shows eight trigger
layers, and the right display shows the first eight parameter layers. (If you need to see the
rest of the parameter layers, you can choose 'Layer View', which shows all available
parameter layers.)
If you select G1T1 and use GPK1 to view Step 1, you can see that Gate is 'on' (*), and all the
other triggers are 'off' (o). As to the parameter layers, you can see that note, velocity and
length layers have something in them. Now use GPK1 to select Step 2. All the information in
the steps stays the same, only the gate flag is turned 'off' (o). If you switch back to step view
(press & hold EDIT), you can't see anything on the display for step 2, because gate is 'off'. But
if you press GPB2, you will create a C-3. Where did that come from? It was in the step all the
time, your button press just turned the gate on, and made the information in the step
“visible”.
3.1.2. Accent
If the Accent trigger is 'on' (*), it simply means that the step will be played at maximum velocity
(127), i.e. “as loud as” it can be played. Velocity values simulate the force with which you strike a
piano key: the higher the value, the “harder” the note is played. However, synthesizers often allow
many other variables to be controlled with the velocity value, so it depends on your synth's settings
what velocity actually does.
3.1.3. Roll
If the Roll trigger is 'on', it means the note in the step will be played two times in quick succession
within that step (a kind of flam). This allows only very simple rolls. For more detailed control over the
roll in a parameter layer, see section 3.2.4.
Note that the Roll trigger won't work if the Sustain setting on MODE page is on.

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3.1.4. Glide
If the Glide trigger is 'on', the sequencer will trigger a glide from the note in the current step (where
the glide trigger should be set 'on') into the note in the following step. This kind of glide is also called
“fingered portamento”. Glide will have no effect unless the two notes are different.
Note that the operation of this function depends on your synthesizer's settings. Also, not all
synthesizers have the capability to trigger slides.
Triggering a glide from step 3 into step 4. The visible layers in the image are note and length
parameter layers (first and second), and the glide trigger layer (third).
3.1.5. Skip
If the Skip trigger is 'on', the step in question will be skipped. This is not simply an “empty step”, but
the step will be jumped over, and the track will effectively become one step shorter than its length set
on the LENGTH page. For example, if you set the skip trigger 'on' for step 5, the sequencer plays
steps 1, 2, 3, 4, and jumps then directly to step 6. If your track length on the LENGTH page is 16/128,
setting the skip trigger 'on' for three steps effectively makes your track three steps shorter'.
3.1.6. Random gate (R.G.)
If this trigger is set 'on', the step will be played randomly at 50% probability. This is especially useful
for drum tracks to increase variation without creating multiple tracks. (See also Probability parameter
layer, section 3.2.8.)
3.1.7. Random value (R.V.)
If this trigger is set 'on', the note in the first note layer will be played at a random value, within one
octave up or down of the original value.
3.1.8. No FX
If this trigger is set 'on', the step won't be forwarded to FX functions like echo, humanizer and limiter.