Personally I love chromatic mode and use it quite a bit, I’ve always assumed everyone feels the same as me but I’ve got to wondering how often does everyone actually use chromatic mode?
I have a DT (less than a year) and an AR2 (about 2 months) I find I do use it more on the DT. Maybe because of the 2x8 rows that can approximate a keyboard better than the AR 1x16 buttons or pads (on the AR I always use the pads for chromatic)? Or the fact that I think of samples in terms of notes more than drums?
So is it essential to you?
Do you never use it?
Do you ave any tips or tricks you’ve developed?
I love chromatic mode on the dt. I like the way scales clump Into sort of Tetris shapes. Use it in every pattern pretty much. I love dt bass.
Only downside is the number of keys. Limits melodies and makes me favor certain keys over others.
Yes, also it is so hard to play outside of the octave! It at least takes a lot more planning. Of course a midi keyboard in helps. I have found myself practicing octave jumping while playing melodies, I guess this would be a common technique for people (?).
Good point as I’m also interested in how people see the technology/layout influencing the way they decide to incorporate (or not) chromaticism.
I have my AK but I haven’t used it to control the dt yet, I like having full poly on the AK and another sound on the DT for a bass or counter to the AK
I don’t especially like the 16 trigs chromatic mode of OT. I tried AR pads, the missing octave is frustrating, like on my MPC500.
DT/DN I don’t have are maybe better.
My favorite is A4 chromatic keyboard, but I think 25 notes are the minimum.
I used to like using the chromatic mode but scale wise it’s a bit limiting. If I want a certain scale I just plug my Launchpad Pro and use the scale modes on that. The velocity sensitivity is also pretty nice to have.
like it much more on my DT and DN than I did on the OT but I still will rarely use it since I have a full sized midi keyboard hooked up to everything already.
The velocity is pretty decent. Way better than my Push 1, not as good as my Maschine Mk3. It’s a cozy medium. I’ve only tested out the adtertouch with Ableton’s Wavetable but it is was pretty dang good if I do say so myself.
I’d like it more if I could assign the notes manually, then the limited number of keys available isn’t as much of an issue, also a momentary octave up/down button would help playability.
I use it all the time on the DT for basslines and melodies. There’s nothing better than sitting in bed with one box for jamming out ideas, without other controllers or keyboards getting in the way. One thing that would improve it is musical scales – ie, chose the Am scale and never fear going off key when jamming something
you could try using a MIDI track with fixed scale (arp settings) and feedback MIDI out to MIDI in. but don´t ask me how that exactly works. never tried myself.
Hot tip, set all midi channels to send on the same channel as whatever audio track you want play live. Change each midi track to a different note of the scale you want to play. No octave +or- but gives good playability.
Midi loopback necessary
And you still have access to the rest of the kit
