Analogue-sequencer

> I believe once you know how to use it,
> you'll find it logical and easy to get on with. If experienced users
> disagree with that, please let me know...


hrm..
well i guess i fall in the 'experienced user' category. Colin & Paul 
are right in saying that once you're over the learning curve it's 
pretty intuitive. i've been sequencing with P3 only for about 10 
months now, and i find it the most creative & inspiring sequencer 
i've had, and i'm only using a fraction of the possibilities on a 
regular basis. the things that make it so cool are the ones i hadn't 
expected when i first came across the P3 (how long ago was that 
Colin? a couple of years by now?); playlists, which greatly expand 
it's use as a main sequencer, and AUX events, which i'm using quite a 
lot now; more than midi-controller-sequencing, which i expected to be 
using a lot. i still come across stuff i don't quite get, but with a 
basic understanding of how the P3 works and a bit of experimentation 
i can figure most things out, especially since i've started R'ing TFM 
again (got the hint Colin ;-)). with all it's potential & 
possibilities it's especially well suited for people with an 'i 
wonder what this button does' mentality.

I don't think of the p3 as exclusively a performance device...some of the confusion with the more esoteric functions, I think, has to do with the fact that the documentation really doesn't go far enough in explaining how exactly certain of the functions work, and that there isn't enough explanation about how exactly to accomplish certain tasks. This is understandable given the fact that Colin isn't a big company - he's just one guy who put this together. 
In actuality, the P3 is quite intuitive to use. I think I'm pretty close to having a handle on it, and I've just been using it for a couple of weeks. There are other sequencers that do some things more easily and intuitively - I've been running into that with my Polymorph, which is also 'new'. It has some advantages when it comes to setting up polyrhythmic sequences, and triggering sequences. However, the Polymorph only does a small fraction of the things that the P3 can do - there is no real comparison overall.
When you first get it, I'd recommend using Paul's tutorials. They're pretty short, but I think should get you started pretty quickly.

-------------- Original message -------------- 

> the discussions going on have led me to some goofy conclussions about this 
> instrument even though i dont have one yet. some of the functions described 
> sound an awful lot like the functions found in the old oberheim Cyclones. A 
> tasty beast to be sure but the UI was despicable considering the depth involved. 
> Are we approaching that level here?? some of the functions also sound like they 
> are better suited for a computer device rather than a tabletop sequencer that is 
> a "performance" device. or am i wrong on this?? was it designed more for studio 
> work? doesn't matter to me... i'm still going to get one, but it just seems to 
> me that the machine is getting so deep that it will be impossible to figure out 
> what is going on from the limited space allowed for info transmission on the 
> front panel. When it comes to shuffling parts around, wasn't that once the 
> domain of computer based sequencers?? and now it's being put it a black box??... 
> how is the average numb nut going to be able to keep track of what's going on? 
> That said, i can't wait to get my hands on a machine that seems to be tailor 
> made to reinforce my "how the hell did that happen" approach to composition. 
> LMAO!!! 
> kind regards 
> john duval 
> 
> -------------- Original message -------------- 
> > If you have a pattern where aux events are set up to influence the last 
> step 
> > and time base, how is the length of a repeat determined? 
> 
> A combined function based on relative humidity, phase of the moon and the 
> length of a piece of string... 
> 
> > I have a pattern 
> > which takes quite awhile to reach the end at step 16, and this is what I 
> was 
> > hoping one iteration would be, but that's not the case. 
> > Did that make any sense? 
> 
> A little... 
> With chg=B in your playlist, the length of a repeat should be 1 gbar. 
> With chg=P it's a little more complicated - the next repeat starts when the 
> pattern is reset at it's last step (based on a separate count of 'position' 
> for the random direction modes). 
> If the length of the pattern is getting screwed around by aux events, it may 
> be hard to predict when it's going to end if chg=P. 
> Disclaimer: IIRC 
> 
> Cheers, 
> Colin f 
> 
> 
> 
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On Tue, 06 Jul 2004 17:51:20 +0000, implode7@comcast.net wrote:

>When you first get it, I'd recommend using Paul's tutorials. They're pretty short, but I think should get you started pretty quickly.

I'm gonna do more and put in more details - just as soon as I stop
messing with this thing!

Actually, once you understand the principles of the Aux events (and
that is the single biggest thing to get your head round - and
something you can avoid altogether if you like) it's just a matter of
thinking of useful applications for them. It's not like learning as
such because the tools are all there but it's up to you to decide what
to build.

Considering the P3's background and original remit, it's a UI that I
still find surprisingly quick once you're over that learning curve.
It's easier to learn than the violin anway!

Paul
---
Paul Nagle / Soft Room Music
Email: paul@softroom.co.uk www.softroom.co.uk
                           www.BogusFocus.com

> Considering the P3's background and original remit, it's a UI that I
> still find surprisingly quick once you're over that learning curve.

The original remit was just for a dead-simple performance step
sequencer.
It was Nagle that made me add all the tricksy stuff, honest !

I find people who have used an X0X drum machine generally get the basic
pattern editing straight away. I wouldn't hit someone with aux events
until they get used to the normal stuff.
Playlists seem to confuse a lot of people to begin with, which I think
is maybe because they were grafted on after the UI was complete so it's
a bit of a compromise. If I was doing it again, I'd have separate LEDs
to show playlist positions and more buttons...
But you don't have to use them either - enable the quick pattern select
option, and you can treat it as if there are no playlists - you just use
FUNC+track followed by a step key to select a new pattern for each
track.

The disavantage of a forum like this is that the people asking questions
are still on the learning curve, so an observer might get the impression
that it's really hard to use. I believe once you know how to use it,
you'll find it logical and easy to get on with. If experienced users
disagree with that, please let me know...

Cheers,
Colin f