ONE SEQUENCER – TWO MODES – MANY JOBS – Drum Track Construction Tools
There is no one method when constructing your drum tracks. You might choose to record in SONG mode using a basic drum groove as a working tool, and later “paint” the track with arpeggio data. Or you may use the PATTERN mode to refine your drum track… placing fill-ins where necessary. Learning about moving data between PATTERN mode and SONG mode and vice versa can be very useful in creating and placing data where you need it. Each of these modes (SONG and PATTERN) is part of the same sequencer. Certain functions are best carried out in one or the other, and can be used for not just Drum Track construction but for all your musical needs. As we will begin to see in this section of the article, moving data back and forth will open opportunities for you and is easily accomplished. 

First, we will describe moving data from a PATTERN to an associated SONG. You can move all tracks together with some functions or you can move individual track data with others. Then we will describe moving from SONG to an associated PATTERN. Again you have some functions for moving all tracks together and others that will allow you to select individual data and move it.

Not only can you “CHAIN” an entire PATTERN Section play order arrangement and move it to a linear SONG, but you have the ability to put individual Phrase data directly from PATTERN mode to SONG using the PATTERN Mode JOB: PUT PHRASE TO SONG. And conversely, you can use the GET PHRASE FROM SONG Job to grab specific data from a SONG and bring it into your PATTERN workspace.

If you are working initially in SONG mode, you can use the JOB: SPLIT SONG TO PATTERN to move entire measure regions (all tracks) of a SONG to a specific PATTERN Section. And conversely, you can use the COPY PHRASE Job to grab a specific individual Phrase data from a PATTERN and bring it into your SONG workspace.

Moving data PATTERN mode > SONG mode 
PATTERN CHAIN: The Pattern Chain function allows you to string several different Sections together to make a one complete composition. It is like automating the playback order of the musical sections. It lets you try out different arrangements: AABACABAD. For example, create a Section [A] for the intro, a Section [B] for the verse, a Section [C] for the chorus, and a Section [D] for the ending — and you have the basic blocks to build an original composition. You are provided with up to 16 different Sections [A] through [P] simply for flexibility. You may want to make a COPY of a section and then make subtle changes to it so that it is not exactly the same. The created Pattern Chain data can be converted to MIDI sequence data and stored to a Song. To call up the Pattern Chain display, press the [F5] Chain button from the Pattern Play mode. A Pattern Chain can be created for each Pattern, letting you call up a different, dedicated Pattern Chain each time you select a Pattern.

The following events can be recorded to the Pattern Chain.
• Playback order of Sections
• Pattern track on/off—Track Mute status
• Tempo change
• Time signature change—Real time control of measure length

There are two methods to create a Pattern Chain: Recording playback of a Pattern in the Pattern Record display in real time, and programming the playback order of Sections one by one in the Pattern Chain Edit display. The Pattern Chain data recorded in real time can be edited in the Pattern Chain Edit display. It is from the Pattern Chain Edit display that you can convert the Chain to a linear SONG. [SF3] SONG. (See the QUICK GUIDE section of the manual starting on page 49 for details about Pattern Chain function: “Creating a Pattern Chain for converting to a Song”).

After creating your SECTION playback order (chain), press [EDIT] to review the commands. Use the Transport control [>>] to Fast Forward through the Measures.
Press [F3] SONG – Convert To Song 

You can select the MEASURE to start the conversion and you can opt OUT on placing the Bank Select and Program Changes (the MIX will automatically be copied so you only want to put the Program Changes in when you are going to export the data to another (different) Sequencer).

PUT PHRASE TO SONG: While Pattern Chain is excellent for moving all tracks from Pattern mode to a Song, the PHRASE JOB called “Put Phrase to Song”, allows you to move just a single Pattern recording (Phrase) to any location within a Song. This is useful if you have worked out a short drum fill-in or transition and want to “paste” it into your Song. Perhaps you used Real Time Loop Remix to create a unique transition phrase and you want to place it on the drum track in your SONG.

From PATTERN mode:
• Press [JOB]
• Press [F4] PHRASE
• Select Job 07: Put Phrase to Song
• Press [ENTER]

Of course you can select the Pattern Phrase, you can target the SONG, the Track, and select the Measure.

Tip: One thing you will really like about setting up to work with SONG and PATTERN mode together is that much of the dialog box information will be setup for you. For example, say you are writing a composition in SONG 01 and working out parts of it in PATTERN 01. As you move back and forth the context sensitive operating system will recognize that you are moving between these two entities. Even if you are working on PATTERN 12 and SONG 03, the association will be made. So, for example, once you establish a link between the SONG and the PATTERN, the Jobs that move data back and forth will use those locations. You establish this link by simply going to SONG mode and selecting a SONG number, move back to PATTERN mode – the link is automatically established (as it “remembers’ what you selected last). If you last selected PHRASE number 039, it will populate the dialog box with Phrase 039 when you select this JOB. If you last selected SONG 22 it will populate the dialog box with Song 22.

GET PHRASE FROM SONG: The PHRASE JOB called “Get Phrase from Song”, allows you to import a region of measures from any location within a Song and create a Pattern phrase. This is useful if you have data you recorded in SONG mode and you want to bring it into the Pattern. In Pattern mode you can Remix it or apply any of the Pattern functions to that data. Or you might grab data from some MIDI file. Perhaps you want to use Real Time Loop Remix to create a really unique transition phrase and then you want to place it back on the drum track in your SONG.

From PATTERN mode:
• Press [JOB]
• Press [F4] PHRASE
• Select Job 06: Get Phrase from Song
• Press [ENTER]

You can specify the SONG, the Track, select the Measure region, and of course you can select the target Pattern Phrase.

Tip: Important to know about the Measure region setting: you will notice that the default region is 001-001. What you need to know here is that this is the minimum setting. In other words, 001-001 is 1 measure. If you want to include the information in measure 002, set the region to 001-002. If you want to move a four measure phrase using this JOB, you would set the measure region: 001-004. Shown above 005-008 is a region that is four complete measures.

Moving Data SONG mode > PATTERN mode
SPLIT SONG TO PATTERN: There may come a need for you to take an entire region of a linear SONG and move it (all tracks) to a PATTERN Section. If your original idea came about while in a linear SONG, and you want to take region of it and work on it (perfect it) in Pattern mode, this SONG JOB is invaluable.
• Press [JOB]
• Press [F6] SONG
• Select JOB 02: Split Song to Pattern
• Press [ENTER]

Again you will be able to set the measure region – for example, if you wanted to take the first 16 measures of your linear Song and make it a Pattern Section, you would set the measure region 001-016 (this would include all 16 measures). It will target the associated (last selected) Pattern and Section. And if an audio sample is involved the sample data will be copied to the PATTERN. Shown is 003-010 which will copy the eight measures involved to SECTION A of a blank Pattern 05.

COPY PHRASE: To complete the ring of Jobs that move data to/from Song and Pattern mode, the SONG Job called COPY PHRASE allows you when you are in SONG mode to grab an individual Phrase from a PATTERN and place it where you need it in your current linear Song structure.
• Press [JOB]
• Press [F5] TRACK
• Select JOB 08: Copy Phrase
• Press [ENTER]

The ‘associated’ Pattern will be automatically entered, as will the last selected Phrase from Pattern mode. You have an option to select to copy any sample if the phrase includes a sample, and you can target any track and any measure of your current SONG. The targeted measure will be overwritten.

Summary: Once you can see the SEQUENCER as a single integrated tool, you can construct your musical composition using several PATTERN locations, and you can assemble them into one finished SONG. The entire PATTERN mode can be used to create your drum track. Individual Drum phrases can be surgically inserted anywhere you desire.

REAL TIME LOOP REMIX
Using the REMIX function to create cool variations

Let’s say you are not the wizard programmer of drums. And it seems that all your grooves come out sounding the same (it’s just us here now, you don’t have to make out like you have a million different ideas). Truth is everyone gets writer’s block at some point. This can particularly happen when it comes to something like drum grooves. This is one of the things we discussed when the Motif-series (parent product to the MOXF) was designed and is the germ idea behind what we’ve come to call the PHRASE FACTORY. Not only do we give you more than 2300 drum grooves, we give you the innovative REAL TIME LOOP REMIX function (or “Remix” for short). This function is one of the most powerfully interactive tools you will ever work with… let me say out front, it does not always come up with great ideas, YOU have to decide what is a ‘great idea’. The thing that it does that is brilliant is that it takes your data and spins it into literally thousands of possible variations.

This function gives you a variety of semi-random presets for dividing the MIDI sequence data and altering the note lengths, letting you create completely new variations of a Pattern. Set the parameters, then press the [ENTER] button to execute the Remix operation. If you want to keep the changes, press the [SF5] OK button. To return to the original display without altering the data, press the [SF4] CANCEL button. 

Let’s just say this is one very powerful and hopefully useful tool. 

Now when the description says “semi-random” – do not think that there is just no thought to this. Quite the contrary – you will want to read the Reference Manual section on this (page 103) to get an idea of how this function is analyzing what is on the track and how it then according to your settings, rearranges the data. It is not totally random because if you apply the same settings to the same data three times in a row it will do exactly the same thing. This is a good thing because you can count on the results when you want to use this “live”. (That’s right, you can use this function to “take a drum solo” in a live situation, it is that cool – it is after all called “REAL TIME Loop Remix”).

So when they say ‘semi-random’ it is a ‘qualified’ semi-random. However, if you accept (keep) the results and continue to apply the same setting, each variation will be farther and farther away from the original. This will all make more sense once you begin working with it.

You set three different parameters: Type, Variation and Interval.

There are 16 different TYPES
The VARIATIONS include: 16 Normal, 16 Break, 16 Roll, and 48 Fill
INTERVAL can be set to every measure, 1 through every 8th measure.

As the TYPE number increases the complexity increases.

VARIATIONS:
Normal – means the data is repositioned
Break – will gate the duration of the note-on events and will create a stop action feel.
Roll – this creates drum rolls, press rolls on different drum sounds – very useful for creating realistic drum rolls.
Fill – there are 48 variations here and these are great for leading back to the top of a pattern.

INTERVAL:
This controls how often the altered data will occur. 1 = every measure, 2 = every other measure, 3 = every third measure and so on, up to every 8th measure.
Real-time Loop Remix is a trial and error function. Depending on the original pattern what it comes up with will vary. If any portion of what it creates is useful, press [ENTER] to register it in a new Phrase. You can extract the data that you like and use it somewhere. To get the most of out this function you have to have patience, a good ear, and imagination.

The Real Time Loop Remix function is nondestructive. This means that your original data is always kept – the new Phrase is written to an edit buffer. If you decide to keep it, it gets written to the lowest numbered empty Phrase, and that phrase is “patched” to the currently selected PATTERN SECTION and TRACK. The original Phrase is not lost; it is simply unassigned (not patched into a SECTION). Your newly created Phrase will be patched into the SECTION when you accept it.

Remixing COOL FUNK 
Provided with this tutorial is an MOXF ALL PATTERN file on which you can experiment. Click the LINK: “CoolFunk.X6P” to download the file. Please load using FILE TYPE = “pattern”; Direct Pattern 01 to a blank Pattern in your MOXF.

The Band
Track 2 – Drums
Track 3 – Percussion
Track 4 – Electric Bass
Track 5 – Electric Piano
Track 6 – Organ

Select Track 2 and experiment remixing the drum MIDI data in context of a music track. 
Press [F6] REMIX 

Set the dialog box as follows: 
• Type = 1 
• Variation = Fill 37 
• Interval = 4 

Press [ENTER] to APPLY 
Keep increasing the TYPE value to hear more and more complex FILLS. The interval at 4 measures means the fill-in will occur every 4th measure. 
Press [SF4] CANCEL to return the original phrase. 

Select Track 3 and Remix the Latin Percussion. 
Try Interval = 1 so that each measure is remixed.
• Type = 2
• Variation = Roll 04 
• Interval = 1 

Select Track 4 and Remix the Bass line.
• Type 4 
• Variation = Normal 01 
• Interval = 1

Select Track 5 and Remix the Electric Piano track.
Set the parameters as follows:
• Type = 2
• Variation = Break 01
• Interval = 1

Experiment – you will have to decide what sounds and feels good. The higher the number for TYPE and VARIATION the more wacky they become… 

You can press [F1] PLAY to exit from the Remix function – change tracks (use the dedicated [TRACK] button on the right front panel) and then press [F5] REMIX to continue – all without pressing the STOP button… Work with this and get into a flow. Respect the challenge:
You have the [TRACK] button for using buttons [1][16] to select a PART to play.
You have the [SECTION CHANGE] button for moving between PATTERN SECTIONS (A-H and I- P)
And you have the [ENTER] and [SF4] CANCEL buttons to try out Variations.
Press [SF5] OK when you want to write a new Phrase and Patch it to the current SECTION.

The more you play with it the more you learn about how it works. Enjoy!