Can anyone with a pyramid show me how the beat repeat function works ? Like can you use it on all channels to beat repeat your whole track like a looper ? I know there also is a midi loop function can these be used together to create beat repeat patterns to chop up your track midi data ?
The beat repeat works as one of the live modes. So as you play a midi keyboard you can use the pyramid’s pads to ratchet the incoming midi notes on that track. You’re able to record the beat repeat performance as long as you don’t use the count-in for some reason (record+play). However, once some midi notes are recorded on the track you cannot use the pyramid’s pads to ratchet those notes afterwards (just the new incoming midi notes).
As far as using the beat repeat on all channels simultaneously, I don’t think that’s possible. You can get creative with the midi delay effect and configure it to 100% wet for each track. Then either add the delay automation for each track on the sequence, or assign multiple incoming CCs to enable each track’s delay.
Another option would be to add muted notes on the sequence (recording in the beat repeat), then assign a knob to the “master mute probability.” That way all the muted notes on all tracks will play when you turn the knob up.
So yeah, throwing a beat repeat effect on all the tracks is a bit difficult on the pyramid since it only deals with midi. Your best bet might be trying to get that effect once everything’s audio with a pioneer efx 500 on the master or something.
Good answer… essentially note repeat is easy enough. Beat repeat doesn’t really exist…
It’s all midi after all and beat repeat by my understanding is an audio mangling effect
Is it possible to run a setup where digitakt and digitone are sequencing themselves, but also have the digitakt send transport control to pyramid which is sequencing a virus?
Hoping for some advice or a link in the right direction here.
I’m interested in some of the more unique features of the pyramid like the polyrhythms and midi fx, but i also want to be able to make straight ahead music in chunks of 4 bars, which will line up nicely with the 4 bar chunks that the digitakt can do.
I’ve done the math and it looks like i will need to get into the “patterns” per track, which I don’t quite get from reading their guide on the website. Are there any tutorials on using patterns, or is it pretty straightforward? For example, if I have 8 instruments/tracks, can I play 32 patterns on each instrument one after another within one sequence before needing to progress to the next sequence?
Maybe the best answer is to just stick to ableton or a more traditional sequencer like the qy700 if I want to do this. tia
on the Pyramid it’s very easy to stick to 4 bar loops. it just also gives you the options of more/less/polymetric/etc stuff.
the internal structure of Pyramid is a little strange, despite their attempts to make it a simplified thing. not shading the company, some people gel with it immediately but i didn’t at first (it seems you may be there too).
basically Live Mode and Step mode are where you create melodies, chords, rhythms, etc…which are all recorded into Tracks. by default each Track only contains one collection of notes/etc., which can be of any length, time signature, etc… if you’d prefer multiple collections of notes, chords, etc. on one Track, you can tell that Track to support Patterns. only one Pattern can be played at a time. any number of Tracks can be played at once however… you can program each Track to be any MIDI channel with its own settings, though, so you can create multiple Tracks that all control the same MIDI instrument, even at once. a Sequence is a collection of track mute states, and you can chain Sequences together into a linear song.
(tried to keep that short so if you need something clarified just ask)
Loopop has a good tutorial on the Pyramid after the update which includes Patterns so that may be helpful overall for you.
there’s not much straightforward about Pyramid imo. i’d recommend it, but at least for me it’s taken a little time to fully get it. i’m sure there are plenty much quicker/smarter than i am who’ve gotten along with it perfectly from day one though
there’s a setting in there that determines if Patterns are played in sync (like you’re describing) or not…where Pattern 1 on every track plays together. for complex multi-track songs, this might be the best way to do things. you can of course set it the other way so different Patterns play only when sequenced or triggered to do so (Pattern 1 on Track 1 plays at the same time as Pattern 15 on track 2)
are you thinking of using the Pyramid to trigger the Digitakt? there’s some trickiness with getting the Pyramid to trigger pattern playback on Elektron gear. probably been documented in the squarp.community forum (or upthread ITT) better than i can quickly explain here.
Thank you for the in-depth response! I don’t own one yet but I found one for a pretty good price, so was considering it. I rewatched the loopop section on patterns, and it made a bit more sense, but maybe if I read the manual it will be clearer to me.
It would be nice to send program changes to the digitakt, but I also don’t necessarily mind changing the patterns on it manually. Sending program changes with ableton to the digitakt also doesn’t work as one would hope (imo), so I’m kind of used to these workarounds.
the loopop in depth tutorial is really good. watch it through a couple of times with a notepad and a lot of the confusing stuff actually slots into place fairly quickly. i had/have trouble getting my head around the tracks/patterns/mute states of sequences thing but it becomes more intuitive when its there in front of you
When I first got mine a few years back I hated the SEQ section, I found it a bit annoying, back then it was literally just snapshots of mute states, what I’d call scenes.
However the addition of patterns and the ability to set how tracks play back really won me over on SEQ usage, you can use it to very quickly make sections of your music for live selection or played in a list.
It definitely helps to use a pen and paper or spreadsheet to plan out your song, I think the Pyramid is one of my favourite midi sequencers that I have used, it is very efficient I think, and once you adapt to how it works it is a pleasure to use.
The nomenclature is different from Elektron:
Tracks contain notes or patterns of a single midi channel, sequences determine what data plays back together.
Seems like a few bugs being reported, flickering screen and some note length bug, I think I’ll hold off for now, it will probably be fixed pretty quick.
very cool, and unexpected. I had hoped for per track clock division/mult…
but i take CCs getting send before note midi !
adjusted pad resolution is certainly welcome too
I’m getting some messed up sequences. Just checked the squarp forum and can see a thread on note length errors. Probably is what I was hearing.
Loaded a new SD with the last back up, and everything is back to normal.
Regardless, I was thinking about transferring the midi files to FL Studio (basic version) and using that for a while (on a Mac air, I’m becoming extremely near-sighted) I mostly record in real-time linear fashion.
Need some advice though, like interface type? USB hub or USB to midi din converter? Do you get CC’s over USB or NRPN only?
