Scene enhancements (scene lock, naming, sequencing, and midi learn)
Here are several ideas regarding scene behavior that I believe could be improved upon.
1) Scene Lock // the ability to enable/disable p-lock capture when scene mode is engaged. There are times I want to create scenes, and there are times I want to play within a scene. Current implementation doesn't encourage knob twiddling in a scene if you've set it up a specific way. It would be better if there were a [SCENE LOCK] button to prevent further (accidental or intentional) changes to scenes. As it is now, when scenes are engaged, the last position of a parameter change, or the last value of a CC sent to a mapped parameter is saved as a p-lock.
2) Sequencing scenes internally. As it is now, scenes can be manually triggered or triggered by midi learn. This requires a controller (in standalone) or a 2nd instance of Drambo. It would be great if there were 'scene track', or another method for triggering or automating scene changes internally.
3) Different midi learn targets for Tracks Main-15 and scenes A-P. Currently tracks and scenes have the same midi learn target.. if track 2 is learned to the note C4, then C4 will also trigger scene B (when scene mode is engaged). I find this problematic.. if the scenes are mapped to CC's, then I can't use midi notes to trigger the tracks, among other examples.
4) The ability for the Enabled/Disabled state of a module to be saved in scenes. That is, if I wanted a quantizer enabled in scene A, but disabled in scene B.
5) Naming for scene pads A-P. For example, if I wanted to name scene A 'Major', scene B ' Dorian', scene C 'Phrygian' etc.
Thats about it. The way I use scenes personally is more about playing, finger drumming, and sequencing the scenes for immediate value shifts, and less about morphing between 2 selected scenes.
I recorded this video to demonstrate why how internal sequencing of scenes could be used (replacing my manual triggering) and why naming scenes could be useful. In the video the scenes transpose through all the diatonic modes of F minor over 2 octaves. I am doing modal transposition on 2 separate tracks, with 2 instances of Drambo. Instead of manually transposing, this changes could be automated by a sequencer (or in my wish list, internally) 🙏
Comments
Wow, these are all excellent suggestions. Thanks for taking the time to describe them in detail!
2) has already been requested (triggering scenes by a dedicated step condition, including A and B sides of the crossfader so you can set them independently) plus an enhanced scene condition that allows for selecting multiple scenes. Also, the crossfader cannot yet be moved from a sequence but it may be a better candidate for smooth automation.
@rs2000 I’m glad to hear that there’s some consideration about scene triggering.
step conditions would be a good option, but slightly cumbersome requiring going to the step screen and is no longer visible in track view. I think in addition to step conditions, there could be another more fluid method.
hear me out:
As it stands now, in ‘Main’ each track module has an audio, and a midi input which can control the transpose of that track. What if there were an additional input on the track modules which allowed scene select (maybe with an index input like the switch modules).That way the active scene of specific tracks could be addressable simultaneously or individually.. or is that a bit too Drambo 2.0?
The other idea I had is if there were a single ‘scene track’ device module which could be added from main, just like track device modules. On this track a specified range of notes would trigger global scenes A-P, and use other midi messages to handle various other scene related commands.
As it stands now, in ‘Main’ each track module has an audio, and a midi input which can control the transpose of that track. What if there were an additional input on the track modules which allowed scene select (maybe with an index input like the switch modules).That way the active scene of specific tracks could be addressable simultaneously or individually.. or is that a bit too Drambo 2.0?
Actually this would be quite unlike Drambo because scenes are meant to be a global mechanism without any specific relation to tracks.
Scenes aren't the one-for-all solution. There have been more requests related to scenes like e.g. optionally leaving morphed parameters at their last position instead of returning to their original position which might be desirable at times.
Plus, introducing scenes on a track level would require yet another mechanism to access those 16 scenes multiplied by the number of tracks.
I think that the introduction of an independent new control layer like macro control knobs that can be freely assigned is more likely.
The other idea I had is if there were a single ‘scene track’ device module which could be added from main, just like track device modules. On this track a specified range of notes would trigger global scenes A-P, and use other midi messages to handle various other scene related commands.
Midi notes can already be mapped to global scenes A..P and a dedicated scene control step component with A/B side selector and the 16 scenes would do exactly that. As for MIDI messages, all the above can already be mapped to CC and notes.
By the way, if you want to control scene-related controls from inside Drambo now, you can use a CoreMIDI loopback app like FreEWI running in the background and send MIDI CC or note data from any track to it. Works for selecting any scene, left or right side of the crossfader and for the crossfader position itself... in case you'd like to rhythmically morph between two scenes using a beat-synced LFO or, more modern, the Graphic Modulator 😊
Yeah, that per track scene selection was more of a throwaway idea I just had. I know it doesn't fit the modus operandi of Drambo's global scenes. I agree that a macro controller would be a more elegant solution on a per track basis.
I still think a scene device to generate a dedicated scene track would be a fluid solution to automate scene related commands internally though, without the need to use auxiliary midi devices or apps. The advantage I see to it is in the immediacy of track view sequencing vs editing components in step view.
Btw, do you know if midi loopback is still in the pipeline? I recall Giku mentioning it for the roadmap some time ago. (in the meantime I'll look into FreEWI)
I consistantly do midi loopback with Drambo as an AUv3 in AUM, using Streambyter to filter the messages I don't want. I have default Drambo/AUM templates set up so its all ready to go, works great.
5) Naming for scene pads A-P. For example, if I wanted to name scene A 'Major', scene B ' Dorian', scene C 'Phrygian' etc.
there is always the textbox utility ...
Scene names and a dedicated scene track. Both good points.
The scene track could also help implementing other global functions like a tempo track with swing and beat meter changes.