Say I have a chord progression that spans more measures than a pattern can hold (16 measures or 64 beats in 4/4). I know I can chain patterns – is that the only way to get longer durations?
So, for example, let’s say I have a chord progression that spans 128 beats, but my basic bassline is 32-beats and my drums are 16-beats . Do I just copy the bassline and drums and make 2 x 64-beat patterns and chain them? If I decide to change the basic drum beat I then have to go edit all related patterns?
you can also change the “length” in the scale menu…change the signature…can be 1/8x, 1/4x, 1/2x, 3/4x, 1x, 3/2x, and 2x
obviously, your pattern would be a factor but many people do that to lengthen a pattern that would fit into the timing
that’s not per track though, right? that’s per pattern?
It is per track…you need to change to advanced mode (on the left when in the scale menu).
It seems to be NOT per track. If I set i.e. 3/4 on a track, it changes all the tracks.
Scale multiplier is in fact a global pattern setting. Not per track… Yet. Hopefully this is added some day.
I’m hoping scale multiplier eventually becomes per track like on the octa. In the meantime, if you have redundant bassline patterns you can use it as an excuse to do some parameter tweaking.
yeah, it seems that building ‘real’ songs that don’t have a large element of live tweaking in them isn’t particularly…convenient. For example, just wanting to have a ‘fill’ doesn’t seem very straightforward?
scale being global is extremely bad =( Was hoping to have my pad/chord track be at 1/4 and the rest be normal…ugh.
Well, hopefully they will implement different time signatures per track, which would give incredibly more versatility to an already versatile machine. When and if they can do this, being also able to have any given track go in reverse and random would be equally wonderful.
In the meantime, having other keyboard synths with versatile arps going at same time should help you with those ‘fills’ and variety is indeed the spice of life and music. 
well my goal (as you can see from my avatar) is to have a portable A4/MD setup that doesn’t require anything external
I completely understand you. However, even a small synth with keys such as a Korg Micro X or even Alesis Micron would give you both ability to use midi to input notes/chords into A4 and either of suggested small synths have phrase sequencers, advanced arps, and incredibly versatile sound engine to ‘fill-in gaps’ with transitions in 2 or 3 octaves, respectively. Just a suggestion from a utilitarian point of view and take little space. The Micro X has the full Triton Engine and then some and Micron is full ION Engine, and then some. Would also help keep things from sounding all very 4-bars-like as well.
The Micro X would also give you an X/Y vector ability joystick for A4.
[quote=“” namnibor""]
[quote=“ModularOverkill”]well my goal (as you can see from my avatar) is to have a portable A4/MD setup that doesn’t require anything external
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However, even a small synth with keys such as a Korg Micro X or even Alesis Micron […][/quote]
Excellent suggestions, especially since the Micron can be found for very little money on the second-hand market. It’s an absolute steal and editing can be made vastly easier with the “megamicron” iPad app. It also has audio in as well as a nice vocoder effect. On top of that it’s also on of the most compact 3-octave full-size synth action controller out there.