The arp can play more than major or minor scale, I posted this for A4 but figured it should live here too…
The common major scale actually has seven modes which translate into other scales in other keys.
The major scale in one key is actually 6 other scales if played with a different root note.
The notes used are the same notes, but give a different musical relation depending on what root key they are played over.
G major consists of the same notes as E minor for example, they sound happy when played over a G, but sad when played over an E. The other modes have different favors, G major notes played over a D note is D mixolydian and has sort of an “epic” flavor…
For example, the G major(Ionian) scale consists of the exact same notes as:
A Dorian
B Phrygian
C Lydian
D Mixolydian
E Aolian
F# Locrian
So by setting the arp to G major you get G major, assuming the root of the key your playing is actually G.
With the same G major setting, playing in a root note of A will give you the Dorian mode(scale), playing with a root note of D would give you the Mixolydian mode(scale), etc…
So any of the seven modes can be used not by selecting the scale, but rather changing the root key of the arp setting, while playing in a different root key…
Hope this makes sense, at some point maybe I’ll find or make a chart as it’s a lot to explain how to figure out which root to set…
Edit: link to chart : Octatrack Tips & Tricks (OT Tips)