Arcade Arpeggiator

Arcade's Arpeggiator can be accessed from a tab on the Tweak page of any Instrument.

Each Layer of Arcade contains an Arpeggiator with 6 unique sequences. The length of all of the step sequences applies across all Layers, but each Layer’s settings can be unique.

A step sequence is made up of sequences. A sequence is made up of 6 lanes of step sequencing, which are moved through at a given Rate for a given number of steps. We refer to this as a Step Table Pattern.

There are 8 sections sections to the Arpeggiator:

A. Layer controls

Volume

• This is the same Volume control from the Layer Edit and Mixer pages.

Speed

• Halve or double the Speed of the Arpeggiation.

Reps

• Reps dictates how many repetitions of a note will trigger before moving to the next pitch in the sequence.

Swing

• Swing lets you dial in the Swing or Shuffle feel of the Step Table Pattern being played.

• A value of 0 dictates no Swing.

• A right-most value of +50 dictates the most Swing.

  • Swing applies a dotted eighth - eighth rhythm

• A left-most value of -50 dictates the most Shuffle.

  • Shuffle applies a triplet - eighth rhythm

Arp Type

• ARP TYPE is a button that opens the ARP Type Menu. (This is the largest button in the ARP area of AS, and is located in the top-left corner. It is unlabeled.)

• Up: Plays triggered notes in ascending order.

• Down: Plays triggered notes in descending order.

• Up-Down: Plays triggered notes in ascending, then descending order, without counting the highest or lowest note twice when changing direction.

• Down-Up: Plays triggered notes in descending, then ascending order, without counting the highest or lowest note twice when changing direction.

• ZigZag Up: Plays ascending in the note order: lowest, third-lowest, second-lowest, fourth-lowest, etc.

• ZigZag Down: Plays descending in the order: highest, third-highest, second-highest, fourth-highest, etc.

• ZigZag Up-Down: Plays the ZigZag Up pattern, then the Zig-Zag Down.

• ZigZag Down-Up: Plays the ZigZag Down pattern, then the Zig-Zag Up.

• Random: Plays triggered notes in random order.

• As Played: Plays back the notes in the sequential order that they are triggered.

PEDAL

• When set to LOW, the lowest note in the sequence will playback after each logical Step in the sequence.

• When set to HIGH, the highest note in the sequence will playback after each logical Step in the sequence.

• The Pedal note is always played first in the sequence.

• When set to OFF, no alternating Pedal notes will occur.

B. Preset controls

• Presets contain all settings for the currently selected Arpeggiator layer

• Presets can be saved from the ... menu

• The Preset can be initialized from the ... menu

• Presets can be 'copied' from the layer and 'pasted' to another layer

C. Minimap

• The arpeggiator Minimap shows an overview of the all sequences

• The Playhead follow button turns on and off the option of the playhead moving the step sequence window as it plays back

• With playhead follow off, the arp playhead can go outside of what is visible on the arp

• With playhead follow on, the playhead moves the page of the arp sequence as it is played

• The next & previous buttons move between sequences on the page

• There is a selection area within the minimap which shows the currently displayed section, this selection box can be moved via click and drag

• The main sequencer always snaps to the left most edge of the sequence closest to the left edge of the screen. This becomes the 'selected' sequence

D. Rate and Steps controls

• The rate control sets the rate at which steps are moved through each sequence

• The steps control sets how many steps occur within each sequence

  • A sequence has a minimum value of 1 step and a max value of 32 steps

E. Step sequencer

• Sequences are played through one at a time, one after another

• Up to 8 sequences can be added to a sequence

• Sequences can be deleted through the ... menu in the top right dropdown menu of a sequence.

• There are a set of arrows displayed at the top right of the sequence on hover in the step bar

  • Clicking right moves all the visible Steps right, except the last visible Step which is moved to the start. 

  • Clicking left moves all the visible Steps left, except the first visible Step which is moved to the end. 

• There are 6 step sequencing lanes available

• Clicking on a lane opens that lane to its full size, other lanes are collapsed

• Current value is displayed on a timer when a step value is adjusted. This value is displayed on the left beneath the lane name

Volume (Velocity)

• Dragging a Step all the way up equals a value of 127 Velocity

• Dragging a Step all the way down equals a value of 0 (rest)

Duration (Step Length)

• Dragging a Step all the way up equals a value of 200% duration

• Dragging a Step all the way down equals a value of 0 (rest)

• Middle position equals a value of 100%

Chord

• Percentage value from 0 - 100% which decides the probability that a chord will be triggered

Octave

• Per step option to select +/- 4 octave

Panning

• Per step option to pan +/- 50 L/R

Probability

• Per step percentage between 0-100% that determines how often the step will trigger

  • At 0% the step will never trigger

  • At 50% the step will trigger 50% of the time

  • At 100% the step will always trigger

Random Dice

• Single Die by each Row

  • Randomize Entire Row

• Single Die in Sequence header

  • Randomize Sequence Row

• Double Die in Sequence header

  • Randomize All Sequence Rows

F. Offset

• Offset moves all of the steps within a lane of sequencing of the arp up or down at the same time relative to their current location. A middle position, or zero position, should always bring the steps back to the set position of the step.

G. Layer Link

• Link to Layer A allows users to program sequences on Layer A and have those changes mirrored on Layers B & C. While active, other Layer controls are disabled.

• Only available as option on Layers B & C

H. Dropdowns

Preset Level ...

• Save Preset

• Save Preset As..

• Copy Layer Settings

• Paste Layer Settings

• Reset Layer

Sequence Level ...

• Copy sequence

• Paste sequence

• Delete sequence

 

Row Level ...

• Copy Row

• Paste Row

• Reset Row

UX and Playback Interactions

• Double clicking a step resets the step to the middle position

• During playback, the Step that is triggered at any given time is illuminated until the next Step is triggered. 

• The user can click and draw across the arp sequencer to set values.