Pattern arranger
Are there any plans for any expansions of the sequencing capabilities?
I love what it does currently, but I’ve been imagining since version one that the pattern paradigm would really work with a linear pattern arranger/sequencer.
Something like FL studio desktops playlist feels like it would fit Drambo nicely. Flexible placement of patterns etc
I realise this may not be the direction that the app is going, but wanted to suggest/add a plus 1 to the idea.
Comments
+1 I have always used clip matrix as more a bank of clips the play with. Hard to mix that with fixed arrangement. Would love a timeline.
What would be different in the timeline compared to the existing song arranger?
Clip matrix is for experimenting and performance, timeline is fixed. Like ableton.
It’s workable currently and I’m trying to get better at accepting it. But lack of a proper timeline or arranger, that’s separate from the clip matrix, has been a real barrier for me to project completion.
you can certainly arrange with the clip matrix, but when you do that, you somewhat lose the ability to treat it as a bank of clips. Rearranging things becomes difficult (esp if you have clips that are not yet part of the arrangement.) you can’t “see” your song structure as you might have a section repeat several times.
Yeah, exactly.
As @bcrichards says, with the clip matrix you can build up songs, sure. I do so, but it lacks flexibility for the reasons noted above.
I also start off using the clip matrix for experimenting with stuff, like I would in the ableton session view. With ableton I’d then start arranging the clips, on the arranger view to build up/try out different ideas for the song structure.
In Drambo, I end up adding extra clip lanes adding and removing clips as I go.
I guess it’s primarily designed for building up songs live, but if you do that, it has to go somewhere, and unless I’m missing something, in Drambo that means a live recording. Which is fine for immediacy, but not for replaying and tweaking, editing etc. after the fact.
The alternative is to use different lanes for different sections and copy and paste for repetition of parts. It works but it’s a bit harder to track.
I guess what I’m talking about is an arranger like in ableton.
I mention FL Studio, because one of the things I’ve always liked about the playlist there is the fact that that the patterns are ‘track agnostic’. Unlike Abletons arranger view you can layer and combine them however you like. Beautifully flexible.
In my head I imagine the two things colliding in Drambo.
I guess a linear arranger would also be helpful if audio tracks were ever introduced.
Not that I think it needs audio tracks necessarily. And again, I realise @giku may have a distinct vision and plan for it.
He is a very good genius, and it’s already brilliant. Just a suggestion/personal hope really.
It would be much more difficult to have a decent Launchpad configuration that supports clip launching. Because of that I wouldn’t want to give up the grid for a timeline.
if it’s something giku wants to explore, ableton seems to manage just fine. On iPad, I believe grooverider 2 has launchpad support and it has both a clip launcher and a timeline.
It’s a different way of working - but I would wager a lot of folks might prefer a linear timeline for fleshing out finished tracks. Not saying it has to happen!
To be clear, this isn’t a suggestion for a replacement , but an additional sequencing option. and not one that works exclusively either.
While I’m keen for the purposes of arranging a song pattern by pattern, ideally you could record what you launch (by whatever method) from the grid into the arranger. This is one of the ways Ableton does it. I’ve not used grooverider 2 before but as it’s been mentioned I had a look at the manual and apparently it allows that method of arranging too.
As I mentioned before, currently you can build a song live in real time by launching and stopping clips as you go and record the master as you go, it feels like it’d be a logical extension to be able to record it to a linear timeline as well.
Or alternatively go straight to placing patterns manually on the timeline. Whatever you prefer.
I’ve no idea how easy any of this would be to implement, or if it’s something giku has any interest in in terms of his plans for Drambo, as only one man he’s got to focus on what he feels is important, mainly wondering if it had been considered or was even on the cards already.
I hadn’t figured out why I’ve finished more songs on GR2 than Drambo but I think it’s that song mode like you said, between that and the dj style crossfader that lets you morph between patterns at different tempos smoothly - GR2 a really nice experience for songs/sets. I still use drambo 90% of the time to be clear so 🙃
Positive i’m missing something that might not make this most ideal, but like you said @bcrichards - GR2 manages the ability to have a bank like a clip launcher and has the song mode.
A button where the automation button perhaps that launches another screen like the the other thoughtfully designed tabs.
Of course as soon as that comes, the next request will immediately be ... audio tracks. 😎✌🏼
When isn’t that a request? 🙃
Realistically, audio brings issues it seems for devs to implement. At least historically. I don’t mind DAWS that don’t use audio, would love that feature too.
A song arranger like GR2 or even Loopys basic sequencer would be great but i’m good either way.
A pattern switch crossfade like GR2 or Loopys set list feature. Though idk what kind of wizardry Jim did to make that crossfade. Smooth as butter. Though i’m sure theres a way to hack one together now with the ins racks being midi mappable
I heard drambo will implement audio tracks just after NS2 does, you know, not to steal the thunder