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Future of song mode?

11

Hey guys. Love my Deluge. A really cool piece of gear. One thing has me down though. And this would be my number 1 feature request-- a proper song mode :) Maybe via some sort of pattern-chain function?

When I originally heard there was a song mode on the Deluge, that's when I put in the pre-order. Unfortunately, it's not a song mode at all, in the traditional sense. I thought I'd be able to finally get away from the computer for arrangement, but not quite yet.

This is actually a bit of a make or break situation for me. I'm afraid if a proper song mode isn't implemented, I might have to sell my otherwise awesome Deluge for something like one of the new MPC's. Though I'd prefer a groovebox solution. Please don't make me go back to the MC-909 :)

So are there any plans to implement a more traditional song mode?

Thanks!

Comments

  • 0
    rohanrohan Staff Posts: 590

    What are you looking to do, specifically? Have you checked out the Deluge's function to allow song "sections" to have a number of repeats set, after which the next section will launch?

  • 2
    workergrayworkergray Gulfport, FloridaBeta Tester Posts: 222
    edited July 2017

    the current song mode is linear-- it only goes one direction-- top-down. If I want to repeat a section later on I have to clone it. If I want to do this a number of times I risk running out of sections-- which means I have to create a copy of the song which will get confusing when jumping between songs to count bars, sections, etc.
    My suggestion is to make the entire note-entry grid the canvas for a song or pattern chaining. When you switch to song mode, the first pad will blink and you'd have the option to enter a section, tempo, mutes, volume curve (for fades, etc.), # of repeats or other such information. All aspects of the performance could be controlled in some sort of "focus" mode-- Like holding the pad down and it will display the song section as normal, so you can mute instruments, etc.
    Once that information is entered, you tap that pad to complete that part and the next pad blinks blinks-- repeat process.
    This might require the ability to munber song sections.

    Post edited by workergray on
  • 0
    mongrolmongrol Posts: 1

    Just signed up and am very interested in Deluge. I did some thinking about this as the song mode isn't what I originally thought it was, not that I have any problem with the current one.
    I imagined it being a bit like the standard linear DAW. In song mode each horizontal row represents one instrument. Each pad on the row represents a track. A track is represented by it's colour. So far left is the first track, say yellow. The second pad is gray, which you can press to edit a new track. That new track gets a different colour (red), then the 3rd pad is now gray. Now, repeatedly pressing a pad cycles through all the current track colours. So you can set the first 3 pads to yellow, next two to red, then yellow, yellow, then create a new track (green). The second row would be a different instrument/kit so the colours would be unrelated to the row above it but you can visualise that it's pretty much how standard linear DAWS's do it. You can visualise a song from left to right distinguishing the song as a linear timeline.

    Some points I haven't thought about properly;

    • The length of a pad could be variable. One bar, 2 bars etc.
    • Section functionality could be used to sync colours between rows. Making it easier to see where chorus/verse constructs are.
    • Perhaps track data could be reused between instruments. So that particular track pattern is Yellow. So whereever yellow is it plays this track data.
    • Might run out of colours.

    I'm well aware that this is completely different from the current song mode and that Deluge clearly has it's creators vision behind it. There is a danger this thread may disrupt that vision and our interference result in a poorer quality product. Feel free to tell us to go away. :)

  • 1
    FASTFAST CaliforniaPosts: 47

    Implement song sections available as kit parts. Song mode done...with no affect on existing work!

  • 3
    rpc9943rpc9943 New York usaBeta Tester, Mentor Posts: 184
    edited July 2017

    I am patiently hoping for a song mode and have presented my ideas with the link on the forum down below.

    Anyways, this may be quite a workaround, but since rohan has told us recently, we can set the play cursor to play at the beginning of the current screen by pressing < > + play. This means we can make long phrases. This workaround should be able to work just fine for linear type songs until we get anything else.

    anyway, here is my song mode proposal:
    http://forums.synthstrom.com/discussion/194/song-mode-sections-palette-to-draw-on-the-grid#latest

    I realize it may be difficult depending on how this is coded, and may take a long time to implement, but if it could be implemented would be a total game changer.

    I can elaborate with a quick minute video to explain it if you want - I had emailed if you did want to hear me out just let me know.

    Post edited by rpc9943 on
  • 1
    FASTFAST CaliforniaPosts: 47

    I was in your camp, rpc9943 until I started composing within kit tracks. What I am proposing would serve all of the functions that you suggested but also add a third dimension to arranging song sections as well as merging 2 areas of the Deluge onto the same page...all without adding another interface to the OS.

    In addition to arranging entire songs, song sections available as kit parts may:

    -Draw in a drum track from beginning to end of a song (very long kit track).

    -Per-step access to song sections (Beat FX). In return, the Sections View could be used like a mixing bus to send parts in and out of processing by a particular kit track (which could also be sequenced from beginning to end of a song). Maybe even get the Deluge to mute independently between the kit and song for 2 versions of the same song section.

    -Performance of kit parts and song parts at the same time. Mute the kick and solo the bass at the same time? This is my least favorite of the Deluge's one-thing-at-a-time moments. Every part of the song can be on 1 page.

    -Add a level to the file structure. Kits (entire songs) would be available as kit parts so you could have kits full of kits to create a cascade of material within a single storage location and all available at the same point in time as the play cursor. Whaaat!

    I didn't buy the Deluge to press play and walk away. For me, a proper song mode must also be a performance environment that is native to the Deluge's workflow. You can get a similar environment right now by working strictly with samples which I do a lot of so for me this is proven ground for making songs and having fun.

  • 3
    rpc9943rpc9943 New York usaBeta Tester, Mentor Posts: 184
    I bought it to compose and play instruments such as guitar and voice over my compositions live , and or to improvise changes . I want to be able to write full songs quickly. Honestly as long as there will be any changes to song mode I'll be happy and i trust rohans decisions :)
  • 1
    rpc9943rpc9943 New York usaBeta Tester, Mentor Posts: 184
    edited July 2017

    Whoa yeah just realized theres only what 12 sections we can have?

    Post edited by rpc9943 on
  • 1
    22tape22tape Posts: 43

    Some really great solutions here!

    Honestly, I could settle for a simpler solution in the meantime. Even something that isn't tied to the pads at all, something like song mode on the ESX-1.

  • 1
    rpc9943rpc9943 New York usaBeta Tester, Mentor Posts: 184
    Agreed. More sections, and a section clone key combo, looping sections, or maybe auto next song
  • 1
    workergrayworkergray Gulfport, FloridaBeta Tester Posts: 222

    seems that being able to name parts (alphanumerics, anyone?) would render unlimited parts

  • 2
    Agree I'd love to be able to make a full song and sit back and relax to listen to it. Not always playing live.
  • 1
    strych9strych9 Palm Springs, CAPosts: 8

    Just found out the hard way that there can only be 12 sections in a given song? Uh oh. I'm sequencing entire songs on this thing, not for live performance. I hope they add more sections or that would be a major crimp in my methods. :(

  • 1
    mbangmbang Gothenburg, SwedenPosts: 61

    New deluge user here; i´m figuring out how to put together entire songs and stumbled upon this thread. Working top-down, cloning tracks and repeating them makes sense i guess (couldn´t really figure out any other way to do it in the deluge interface). But only 12 sections is really a little bit short i imagine, unless i want to go more live and trig tracks on the fly. I´d really wish for more sections aswell. Thanks for this awesome machine.

  • 0
    workergrayworkergray Gulfport, FloridaBeta Tester Posts: 222

    the whole sequencing interface should (logically) operate from left to right, with patterns displayed as a number of pads determined by the zoom level and length of the given pattern.

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