Skip to content

Song mode

Turning loops into a set list: how the 16 pattern pages relate, what PMODE does, and how the SONG arranger chains pages together.

Pattern pages, loops, and PMODE

One pattern holds 16 pages × 16 steps = 256 steps per song. The page strip on row 16 (see Matrix) shows which pages have content. How playback walks pages is set by SETTINGS → PMD (PMODE):

ModeWhat playback doesBest for
OFFStays on one page foreverDJ-style locked loops; live tweaking.
ONMarches forward to the next used pageA→B→C song form without the arranger.
SONGFollows the SONG arrangerNon-linear set lists, repeats, bridges.
NEXTWaits for a cued target then jumps onceLive transitions on a queue.

The SETTINGS → LOOP setting caps how many steps in a page actually sound (or OFF for the natural 16). Short loops feel groovebox-like; longer loops feel more linear.


The SONG arranger

Open SONG from the root menu. The screen shows a chain of up to 64 slots, each pointing at one of the pattern's 16 pages. With PMODE = SONG, playback steps through the chain and wraps back to the start.

Example: page 07 written into song slot 23.

1 Encoder 1
ShortBack to gridReturns to the last grid view without losing the chain.
2 Encoder 2
TurnPattern page (1–16)Picks which page goes into the currently selected song slot. The page number is shown in that page's voice colour.
ShortClear slotRemoves the selected slot from the chain; later slots shift up.
3 Encoder 3
ShortTransport (play/pause)Starts and stops the chain. Same role as on the grid.
4 Encoder 4
TurnSong slot (1–64)Moves the edit cursor along the chain. The currently sounding slot is shown as a bright dot moving along row 1 while playback runs.
ShortInsert empty slotPushes later slots down by one.

Workflow: set PMODE to SONG, open the SONG screen, choose a slot with encoder 4, dial the pattern page with encoder 2, repeat. Empty slots are skipped. During playback you see two strips at once: the page strip on row 16 (which pattern page is currently sounding) and a moving green dot on row 1 (which song slot you are on).

Tip: chains can repeat. Put the same page in three consecutive slots to "stay" on it for three loops before moving on, or alternate page 01 / page 02 / page 01 / page 02 to create a call-and-response.