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Seq mode


 The Seq mode

A sequence is a group of active tracks. A sequence saves each 64 tracks "mute state" and "pattern".

After creating your tracks in LIVE and STEP mode, and assembling them into several sequences in TRACK Mode, you are now able to play with the sequences.

The Seq Mode is the second way to perform your song. Instead of muting/unmuting tracks like you do in Track Mode, Pyramid offers an advanced system of playing sequences:

● PERFORM: launch your sequences on the fly. You can select the delay Pyramid will wait until playing the next sequence (Instant, 1 Beat, 1 Bar, 2 Bar, ... 8 Bar). It's a great creative tool to improvise with total freedom, while always remaining in sync!

● PLAY: play straight through a sequence arrangement (chain) programmed using the project song zone.

● LOOP: loop a sequence arrangement (chain) programmed with the project song zone.

When your sequences are playing, remember that you can still enter TRACK mode to change the mute states of the currently playing sequence; enter LIVE mode or STEP mode to play, rec or program notes and automations on the current track.

Screen

The sequence progression is displayed (in %). If the current sequence contains a 3 measure track and a 4 measure track, the sequence will be 12 measures long (number of measures after which all tracks restart at the same time again). This progression zone will be 100% filled after 12 measures.

Note: On all 4 modes, Pyramid displays the current sequence and the next sequence to be played if there is one:

Pads
How to create and edit sequences
In TRACK mode, hold SEQ
and select the sequence (from SE01 to SE16) you want to create or edit with one of the 16 pads
.
To display sequences from SE17 to SE32, hold SEQ
and press  > .
The current sequence number is displayed on the screen:



Then mute/unmute your active tracks to build the sequence. As soon as you made a mute state change, the sequence is created.
 Tip  A sequence saves the mute state of each track, but also the selected pattern of each track. Changing the pattern of a track will also create the sequence.

When selecting an empty sequence, Pyramid will copy the previous mute states, so you can perform your live set without blanks!

Selecting a sequence can only be done with SEQ PERFORM enable. This action is non available when "PLAY" or "LOOP" enable, because the sequencer will play the defined sequence chain (and therefore the selected sequence = the played sequence).

"PERFORM" project


This mode allows you to build a song from sequences in a free and creative way, while always remaining in sync.

At startup, PERFORM is activated and the sequence SE01 plays in a loop.

Press any sequence number
to launch it on the fly. Pyramid waits until the current sequence ends (the end of the bar, if "1 BAR" selected) and then it launches the new sequence right away. The new sequence will then play in a loop until you press another sequence number.



In the example above, Pyramid plays the SE01, where only the TR01 is unmuted. Then the user presses SE03
which starts as soon as the SE01 ends. Tracks: TR02, TR03, TR04 and TR05 play together in a loop until the user presses another sequence.
PERFORM delay selection

You can select the delay Pyramid waits before switching to the next sequence.

● INST: The next sequence will be launched instantly, without delay.

● BEAT: The next sequence will be launched at the next beat of the current sequence.

● 1 BAR: The next sequence will be launched at the next bar of the current sequence.

● 2 BAR ... 8 BAR: The next sequence will be launched at the modulo (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 bar) of the current sequence.

● FULL: The next sequence will be launched when the current sequence is fully played (when the sequence progression reach 100%).

"PLAY project"
This mode allows you to program a set of sequences to compose a complete song ready to play.

Before enabling PLAY PROJECT, you need to design your chain of sequences.

Rotate clockwise
to highlight the first sequence slot:


Press
to make your selection and rotate
to choose the first sequence to be in the chain, for example SE03:


Press
to confirm and rotate
to choose the number of bars this sequence will play. A sequence be between 1 bar and 64 bars length, or can be shorter (1/4 bar, 2/4 bar, 3/4 bar...)

For your information, the screen indicates the full length of the sequence. It's the number of bars after which all tracks are perfectly sync again, if using different track length. For example a sequence with a 3 bars long track and a 4 bar long track has a total length of 12 bars.

Press
to confirm:


Repeat this one-handed operation to create a sequence chain as long as you choose, there is no limit to the number of sequences you can chain:


Select the PLAY PROJECT Submode:



The player stops and stands ready to play the programmed sequence chain. Press play
to launch your project. Once the song is finished, the player stops and waits for another press of
.

Once the chain is programmed, you can change the number and the length of a sequence, and even move it and delete it.

When Pyramid is playing a chain of sequences:
- Press
to loop the currently played sequence. This sequence will keep running until you press again
.
- Press  2ND  +  <  or  >  to jump to the previous/next sequence in the chain.
"LOOP project"

It's exacly the same mode as the "PLAY" project, except that the sequence arrangement loops, creating an infinite song.

Note about track lengths concurrence
One of Pyramid’s great features is when switching from one sequence to another a track active in the prior sequence keeps playing from its last position. We call it FREE run mode (enabled by default).

In the example below, you see 4 tracks:



If you play these tracks organized in sequences:



- TR01 is unmuted in all sequences: it play fully.

- TR02 is muted in SE02: it replays from the start in SE03.

- TR03 is 6-bar long: it replays from the start in the middle of SE03.

- TR04 is only 1-bar long: it loops in SE04.
Track run modes: FREE, RELATCH & TRIG

By default tracks play concurrently in FREE run mode. Each track can also be configured in RELATCH or TRIG run modes:

● RELATCH (
icon displayed under TR): when a new sequence starts, the track always restarts at its beginning. It’s an easy way to sync tracks. 
● TRIG (
icon displayed under TR): track plays once at the beginning of the sequence and does not loop. The track is simply triggered and stops when it reaches its end.
To change the track run mode, press  2ND  + TRACK to enter the track options display, and click RUN to set the track run mode:

TR01A configured as a RELATCH track, and as a TRIG track.
RELATCH run mode

Each of these 4 tracks are configured in RELATCH run mode:

If you play these tracks organized in sequences:

If an active track in the sequence is set to RELATCH, it will always start from the beginning of each sequence, even if the track is not finished yet. In other words, each track restarts at the beginning of each sequence.

TRIG run mode

Each of these 4 tracks are configured in TRIG run mode:

Now if you play these tracks organized in sequences:

If an active track in the sequence is set to TRIG, it will play once without looping. If the track is active in the next sequence, it will continue to play just as in FREE run mode.

FREE, RELATCH & TRIG mixed

A great way to add complexity to your song is to use different run modes for different tracks. Performing sequences just goes one step beyond!

Copy/Paste/Delete a sequence
Press  2ND  +  copy  + a sequence
to copy it.

Press  2ND  +  paste  + a sequence
to paste it.

 Tip  Copy saves only tracks mute states.

Press  2ND  +  delete  + a sequence
to delete it.
DISP seq view

Press DISP to display all active tracks in the current sequence. A list will also display up to 5 active tracks names + patterns numbers:


Sequence 01 is playing TR01A, TR02A, TR03A and TR04A. The other tracks are empty.

If a track is not named, "..." will be displayed.