I am new to Pyramid but after a day of learning and researching, it seems SEQ mode leaves a lot to be desired. I think it deserves a revamp.
I noticed that recently the note limit was increased to 13000.
What if a Sequence was expanded with a special MIDI track, and internally, notes and CC would trigger and mute/unmute tracks and patterns. This would enable the user to be entirely free to chain as many patterns and track mutes and unmutes as there is note memory left. Additionally, it would be very nice if you could navigate through this track page-by-page like you can do in Step mode, and enter mutes and pattern changes live or step-by-step.
To enter this new advanced Sequence mode, the shortcut could be STEP+SEQ.
One great advantage of using MIDI data behind the scenes is sequences could be imported into a DAW and edited there, or created entirely in a DAW if one feels more efficient that way.
For me, I’m not quite getting what you’re trying to achieve. More Events?
You can already do this with a loopback - check out the PyraOS MIDI Implementation: you can use MIDI Events to Mute/Unmute Tracks & Patterns and control MIDIFx, including such things as if you use the Chance 0% hack.
Internal routing would be amazing and I would use that for SO MUCH, but I personally don’t think that’s in the cards. A Feature Request to Squarp is the best bet for that, too.
Yeah, only 32 SEQ. I personally don’t use this mode at all (don’t ask, lest you are fond of neurodivergent rambling and slightly interesting but rather tedious workflows which do “meh, kinda kool, but still: meh”), but also keep in mind that once a SEQ is activated, you are still free to modify what/how Tracks are playing by:
Muting/Unmuting Tracks manually
Use the Chance0% tied to an Encoder to bring in/drop out Track Note Events
Use Encoders sending MIDI CC’s to modulate Volume or Filter cutoff for specific synths
Use extternal controllers and/or loopbacks to further modulate Track Mute states.
This is also already possible. I tend to create MIDI Clips in Ableton, load them into Pyramid, then I have an MTPro/BomeBox script that ties Mute Groups together. Sometimes I go the other way.
My premise is that from what I read, Seq mode can’t be expanded due to memory limitations. So what it could be is an on-device mode containing an editable timeline for chaining and muting, where the note data effectively does what you described via PyraMidi. So an internal loopback, but specially tailored - potentially. The “notes” would switch patterns and mute/unmute tracks. (They wouldn’t necessarily have to be presented to the user as notes, but this is a way of getting around memory limitations by devoting the same memory used for track content for more complex sequences.)
I wonder if it would be useful if it was done simply with the standard Step mode on a dedicated Sequence track.
Right, with track data. I knew that already Very cool feature that assuages any fears of being “locked in” to anything. I’m saying, combine this feature with the internal loopback feature so we could edit our pattern switches and mutes in a DAW as well as on the Pyramid.
I thank you for your recommendations and will likely get into live pattern switching as a way of doing fills and variations during sections. I like the idea of having “snapshots”, or “scenes”, which is what sequences really are, that I can call up. Yes there are not enough of them for a proper set. Maybe not a big deal as a “set” to me is a DJ experience and Ableton is more appropriate for that, i.e. mixing finished songs with maybe some live synthesis on top… I want to do more “song performance” and don’t mind breaks between songs in that kind of performance. STILL, it would be very useful to be able to have this flexibility of unlimited pattern chaining and muting recorded within a “sequence”. It would actually live up to its name, then, at least.
So you think the idea has legs? I might submit the suggestion.
If you are asking me if I think this idea has legs, then I must admit I do not. I would suggest working with the Pyramid for a little more than “a day of learning and researching” to see how it can fit in your workflow, unless you’re expecting the Pyramid to fit a specific niche that requires these features. For myself I have a rather specific workflow which uses an outboard system/control for Track Mute/Unmute and incorporates the Chance0% thing extensively. Generally when I’m playing music I don’t even touch the Pyramid except for Play & Stop. (Everyones workflow is different…mostly)
However, I strongly suggest you submit any suggestion because I have no idea how product development works, but I imagine the most input yields the best (or at least better) products in the long run and who doesn’t want that?
Oh, and might want to wait for one of the smrt people to chime in, tho.
I’m a village idiot.
Very cool feature that assuages any fears of being “locked in” to anything. I’m saying, combine this feature with the internal loopback feature so we could edit our pattern switches and mutes in a DAW as well as on the Pyramid.
