KEY ON START can be activated when using Direct Performance Record. It synchronizes the start of the Sequencer to the triggering of the Key to simplify using multiple Arpeggiators of Performance mode when recording to either a Song or Pattern.

KEY ON START can be activated in Pattern mode, it synchronizes the start of Pattern playback to the triggering of the Key. This works for playback only, not Record, and is used when playing over Patterns.

Start of Record, while in Song or Pattern mode, is always via realtime count-in. You can set the count-in from 1-8 measures. There is no Key On Start recording in Song or Pattern.

What you can do for better timing
Arpeggio phrases, once started, have a fixed timing. Meaning: if you trigger an Arp phrase and you are 27 clock ticks late... the phrase will consistently be 027 clocks off the beat. Timing can be non-destructively offset (GROOVE Play FX), but you can also rewrite the event data using the SHIFT CLOCK Job.

If you are a stickler for "to the clock tick" accuracy, you should familiarize yourself with the various edit and job functions... yes it is editing after-the-fact, but it gets the job done.

When not using Arpeggios, the MOXF allows you to non-destructively quantize the data -this way you hear what it will sound like before you execute the Quantize JOB.

🙁 OK, then if the best alternative is the SHIFT CLOCK Job, would you be able to explain how to exicute this job step by step? See, I am blind, so I am unable to read the screen. That's why I was hoping for the key-on start function to make my life easier.

If you wish to use Key-On Start to help you with your timing, start your recording session buy building a Performance and use Direct Performance Record. You can lay down your first initial tracks by assembling a Performance... say you want to start with a Drum groove and a keyboard Bass.
Create a Performance with a Drum under ARP control and the Bass sound across the keys.

Press Record direct your Performance to a blank Song or Pattern using the Key-On Start feature.

Record extra measures so that you have Music to listen to as you punch in to overdub the rest of your instruments... record for example four extra measures (which you can delete later). So all serious overdubbing will begin at Measure 005. This way you can play along while overdubbing and fall into the groove on these extra four measures... you can have the MOXF punch you in at Measure 005.

Unfortunately, for what I'm doing, performance record would not work. See, I have some looped backing tracks on my old synth, and I am trying to record the loops in to pattern mode. It's just like recording arps into pattern mode, except they're being played back from an external source. I've figured out how to record the data into pattern mode, but my timing is always off by several ticks. you mentioned earlier that there is a SHIFT CLOCK function that might help me get the timing straightened out. would you be able to explain how this works?

It is not difficult to understand. Imagine the following: The resolution of the sequencer is 1920 pulses per 4/4 measure. (480 per quarter Note). Each of these "Clock ticks" is a pin sticking up; 1,920 of them... and your notes are like ping-pong balls, that when dropped, must land on one of these pins.

There are major pins (1 foot long) every 480 (those are your quarter notes). There are pins (half as long) every 240 pins (those are your eighth notes). There are pins half again as long every 120 pins (sixteenth notes)... and so on.

If you are recording an Arpeggio or transferring data from another device... if the Kick Drum is hammering out 4-on-the-floor then in Measure 001 hits should land as follows:

Measure 1, Beat 1, Clock 000
Measure 1, Beat 2, Clock 000
Measure 1, Beat 3, Clock 000
Measure 1, Beat 4, Clock 000

Now say your data is not lined up, the good news is each event will be shifted the exact same distance late... if you are 34 Clock ticks late, then your data will be documented:

Measure 1, Beat 1, Clock 034
Measure 1, Beat 2, Clock 034
Measure 1, Beat 3, Clock 034
Measure 1, Beat 4, Clock 034

SHIFT CLOCK is a job that allow you Advance or Delay all the Events in the designated region by a specific number of clock ticks.
By setting the SHIFT CLOCK Job to "Advance" the data in measure 001 by 034 clock ticks, you will have aligned the data.

The thing about MIDI data that is recorded, it should maintain the distance between events - this is why this will work.

But you have two other very easy solutions available - why you wouldn't use them is a mystery: here's what I mean:

If you have MIDI data already recorded in another device, you can simply save it as a .mid file
Loading it into your Pattern Section will eliminate you having to shift the data in the MOXF. Don't even bother with realtime transfers. Just Load the data. Takes seconds. 100% accurate, 100% of the time.

If strict timing is what you are after, the second easy option -if you insist on real time transfer/or your other device can't export a .MID- use Quantize. Quantize allows you to auto correct timing. On the MOXF, this can be done BEFORE or AFTER the fact. Meaning you can quantize on the way in, or after you've recorded the data.

Quantize on the MOXF is extremely flexible, as you can set the percentage quantize applied. You can move data closer to those long timing pins... if you applied 50% to our example, instead of moving the Kick Drums to the 000 Clock tick, it would move the Kick only 50% of the distance... to clock tick 017

Set the smallest interval... for example, if there is nothing smaller than a 16th note, quantizing to 120 will make for perfect timing (if that is your goal).

I would say the "worst way" (least efficient way) to accomplish your goal would be real time transfer. Too much room unnecessarily left for error. Takes the most time and effort. The other two methods are 100% accurate and faster.

Up to you...

😮 I didn't realize that you could insert a midi file into a pattern section! Otherwise I would have done that to begin with. I do have one question about that, though. Tipically, an SMF0 midi file has an extra measure at the beginning for program-change, bank select, and other important messages. However, in pattern mode, where the phrase is looped round and round, this extra measure would be out of place. How would I go about dealing with that? I have attached a Dropbox link to a type 0 midi file to explain what I mean. It is already formatted to work on the MOXF.

Pardon my multiple uploads. I was trying to upload a file, and it didn't work. Oops.

What I would do is the following.

you will need to learn to use the follow MOXF features:

_ STORING THE MIXING SETTINGS AS A MIXING TEMPLATE / RECALLING TEMPLATES (page 126 Reference Manual)
_ SONG JOB: SPLIT SONG TO PATTERN (page 96 Reference Manual)

How to proceed
Get your .MID File, Load it into a blank SONG. (yes SONG mode).
Most GM Files do have a setup bar - with a GM RESET, Program Changes and other setup parameters... you will not need these as the MOXF has memory that can store all of your program selections and parameter settings (GM modules do not have to have this type of memory, so the SETUP BAR is a necessity for GM protocol). You will capture the Program Selections of the original author... then later you can substitute whatever VOICES you want for each PART, if you want.

Play it from SONG mode - make sure that the SETUP BAR is, in fact, just one measure.
Play it again this time starting from MEASURE 2.

Starting at Measure 2 should allow all the Program Changes to have taken place...
Press [STORE] to store the current selection of Programs.
Now you can place this MIXING setup in what is called a TEMPLATE (this will remember the Voice selection and the Tempo)

Press [MIXING]
Press [STORE]
Press [F2] TEMPLATE
Set the Template Number 01, and give it a NAME (Name it after the song).

Saving this setup as a MIX TEMPLATE will allow you to recall it for your PATTERN

You don't say how many measures you wish to capture to SECTION A, but just as an example, say you want to capture the 8 measures starting at measure 2 as your SECTION A.

Press [JOB]
Press [F6] SONG
Select the JOB 02: SPLIT SONG TO PATTERN
Set the dialog box:

Measure: 002-009
PATTERN xx (where xx is a blank PATTERN)
Section A

This will place the eight bars 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 into SECTION A as Measures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Go to your target Pattern in PATTERN mode... now you can import the MIX TEMPLATE
Press [MIXING]
Press [F6] TEMPLATE
Select your MIX TEMPLATE
Press [ENTER]

You have now both captured the original selection of sounds from the File, but you have removed all the GM RESET, Program Change and Setup data, because as I mentioned the MOXF has memory that will save this for you - no need to have a setup bar with MOXF. The MOXF has what is called a HEADER (a bit of memory that remembers what VOICE was used, what Volume it was set at, what Effects were used, etc. And this Header is automatically referred to as soon as you recall the PATTERN.

You can now change any of the sounds to those you like. But in PATTERN mode in order to change a sound you must rewrite the Header - here's how:

While in PATTERN mode, press the RECORD button. The SETUP screen appears.
Press [F2] VOICE
Here you can see the data stored in the header... Change the VOICE to the one you would like to keep... then press STOP.

The header documents your selection.

Thank you! split song to pattern is much more practical. I have successfully copied my backing tracks from my old synth to the MOXF. 😀

Awesome!