Elektron Musical Instruments

>
>> Isn't this just like programming a different pattern on the MD?
>
> Well sort of, but I'm trying to achieve a more efficient use of the MD 
> in
> terms of programming, playing back and triggering variations of 
> patterns.
> Song Mode does this very nicely. But again, I'm trying to do the same 
> thing
> by triggering portions of patterns from external devices without 
> resorting
> to copying multiple versions/fragments/variations of a pattern filling 
> up
> the pattern banks.

Fill those banks and dump.
A dump for every song, as it looks like you use the MD in the studio 
and not live, then it shouldn't be a problem.
or just record patterns as audio, loop and chop them as you used to do.

>>> Any ideas out there on how this could be accomplished with the 
>>> current
>>> capabilities of the MD today outside the use of song mode?
>>> If not, I propose Elektron add the ability to define pattern offset 
>>> and
>>> length in the Map Editor.
>
>> Map Editor?  which one is it?
>
> Global Edit > Midi > Map Editor
>

yes, sorry... I haven't used the MD for a while and forgot its name.
this could be interesting, but it will only work for some patterns, and 
at the end it would be like creating new patterns because you would 
need many global setups.


>> check the pattern length menu, it should do the trick.
>
> Are you referring to the Scale Setup page for a pattern?  If so, yes 
> this
> addresses the length of a pattern, but not the start point (offset).  
> You
> cannot set the start point in pattern mode that I can see.  Patterns 
> always
> start at the beginning.  Again, I want to be able to both define (or
> override) start and end points in a pattern and map that to a 
> midi-note.
> But this may not be possible with the current feature set of the MD.


Does the MD triggers patterns instantly when you press keys?
if so, then pattern length is not a problem, because you could trigger 
a pattern before the previous one has finished playing and stop that.
If it doesn't work this way, then this could be an option.

About pattern offset: this is going to be difficult IMHO.
it goes against the way the MD was designed to work.

May be some kind of real time control on pattern playback, a function 
like swing or accent that lets you choose the starting point and 
switches to that when the pattern has finished playing.
Or a new song parameter, something like loop but with realtime control.

I think a feature like this should have been planned during 
development: we know that the guys at Elektron like to keep the UI 
straight and simple and usually don't add functions when they don't 
have an appropriate control for that.
Try asking Daniel if this could be done (and they are willing to).

hey,
ask for track muting via midi too :-)

Federico