Arranger:
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| arranger |
The Arranger is EigenD's step sequencer. Belcanto commands are assigned to each course of the Arranger (much like a Talker). This allows the user to schedule much more than the playback of musical notes - for example scale and key changes, tempo changes, time signature changes, recorded take playback and drum loop playback.
The following terms will be used when describing the Arranger Agent:
The Arranger Agent is accessed and controlled via an area of keys (normally for ease 'grid-like' in its orientation) on the Eigenharp called the active window. This area of keys and the LED feedback associated with the Arranger give you a physical visual representation of the arrange grid.
The arrange window can be thought of as a grid with two axes, 'rows' and 'columns'. Assuming a 'standard arrangement' of the upstream Keygroup (i.e. one in which the keys in each course are sequential, and the courses are sequentially defined), the along-course axis ('column') represents a predefined division (in beats or fractions thereof) of musical time; the across-course axis ('row') represents a predefined Belcanto phrase (hereafter described as an 'event').
The Arranger's arrange window can be of indefinite size, both in the number of 'rows' to which Belcanto phrases are assigned and also in terms of the length (in musical time) of the arrange window.
When the EigenD's Metronome is running, the Arranger tracks the current song beat. If the Keygroup Output connected to the Arranger is selected, the 'mode keys' and the 'active grid' and hereafter referred to as the 'active grid' (defined by geometry of the upstream Keygroup - see below), are available on the Eigenharp.
Events can be placed onto the arrange window by pressing a key within your 'active grid'. The LED adjacent to the key you pressed will light red, to indicate an event which will be triggered when the Arranger is playing. To remove the event from your active grid, press the key again, at which point the LED will turn off - the event will no longer be triggered.
Events are triggered when the Metronome's song beat corresponds with the relevant point in the Arranger's 'loop window'. This is defined by the user by setting the 'Beginning' and 'End' points of the loop window within the arrange window, either within the 'Set loop start and end points' mode (explained below) or using Belcanto (also explained below).
Upon the start of the Metronome, the Arranger will project a representation (comprising of a strip of green LEDs) of the current 'Position', the Arranger's equivalent of a 'transport bar', onto the active grid. This will then cycle between the 'Beginning' and 'End' points of the loop window, triggering events when scheduled at the time which corresponds to the current 'Position'.
The Arranger has a number of different mode keys (marked on page 22 of the Alpha Quick Reference Guide):
When the Arranger Agent is created, first of all a Keygroup must be connected upstream of it. This keygroup must have at least two courses - the first course contains all the mode and scroll keys related to the Arranger:
The remaining course(s) define the keys available for the 'active grid'.
Arranger rows are as explained above defined in the same manner as Talker Events . A few examples of Belcanto phrases commonly assigned to Arranger rows are explained in the Arranger Row article.
The playback of musical notes from EigenD instruments using the Arranger uses the a command initiated from the relevant instrument's Recorder Agent in which you specify the note number, velocity and sometimes duration of the note, as well as the Arranger you wish to use. Please see the Arranger Row article for more information.
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| controller | input |
The controller input is used in most cases to pass information from an upstream Agent such as a Keygroup's courses, octave, scale and tonic.
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| pressure | input |
The pressure input receives key pressure signals from upstream agents.
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| roll | input |
The Roll Input receives key roll signals from upstream agents.
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| yaw | input |
The Yaw Input receives key yaw signals from upstream agents.
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| song | beat | input |
The song beat input is used to indicate to the Arranger the current position of the song when the Metronome is running - as a consequence you have to connect the 'song beat output' of the Metronome to this input for the Arranger to work correctly.
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| running | input |
The running input is used to indicate to the Recorder that the Metronome is running - as a consequence you have to connect the 'running output' of the Metronome to this input for the Arranger to work correctly.
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| light | output |
The light output is a connection made against the normal flow of signals to send data back to the Keyboard Agent to determine which LEDs should be lit at the appropriate time.
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| beginning |
Beginning refers to the Arranger's start point (in steps). This can also be set on the Arranger itself using the 'set loop start and end points' mode, tapping within the row of red LEDs, then choosing a new position within the arrange window.
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| end |
End refers to the Arranger's end point (in steps). This can also be set on the Arranger itself using the 'set loop start and end points' mode, tapping a key within the row of amber LEDs, then choosing a new position within the arrange window.
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| doubletap |
Doubletap is the interval within which a second tap on the same key is considered a confirmation for that key's action. This is used for instance to clear out all arranger events without risky to do so with a single tap.
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| step |
The Arranger's step size (in beats) is determined by dividing the Arranger's 'Step' parameter by its 'Fraction' parameter.
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| fraction |
The Arranger's step size (in beats) is determined by dividing the Arranger's 'Step' parameter by its 'Fraction' parameter.
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| position |
Position refers to the current position of the Arranger's 'transport' bar. This is controlled by EigenD when the metronome is running to determine the events within the arrange windows to be played at that moment in time (represented by a strip of green LEDs). The normal way of adjusting this is within the 'set loop start and end points' mode - to adjust the 'position', tap a key anywhere within the current arrange window (marked by one red strip of LEDs and one amber strip of LEDs - see 'Beginning' and 'End').
None:
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| play |
The 'play' verb is used to start the Arranger events playing (it is also available as a toggle key - 'Arranger On/Off' in the Quick Reference Guide).
The 'un play' verb is used to stop the Arranger events playing (it is also available as a toggle key - 'Arranger On/Off' in the Quick Reference Guide).
The 'cancel' verb is used to cancel the phrase assigned to an Arranger row.
Before using the Belcanto examples below, please make sure you have the desired Arranger in the conversation using
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| arranger | X | listen |
where X is the number of the desired Arranger.
To play the Arranger (i.e. start triggering the Arranger's events) use
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| play |
To un play the Arranger (i.e. stop triggering the Arranger's events) use
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| un | play |
To cancel a Belcanto assignment to a row, use
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| X | cancel |
where X is the number of the row to which the Belcanto phrase is assigned (this number corresponds to the number of the Course defined in the upstream Keygroup to which that row belongs).
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