as evryone knows you can edit every patterns length and the lines per beat as you want. so far so good.
i recently was forced to edit the first pattern to get very fast notes, while playing a certain synth preset, recorded properly.
(256 pattern length at 110bpm with 16 lines per beat for example).
in the left pattern matrix now you have left and rightclick to either copy the hole pattern to a new one WITH all the recorded notes etc. or just make a new one (with leftclick on “+”).
the thing is, rightclicking copies the actual set pattern length , while leftclicking just sets a new one with global default pattern length. of course its no big deal to use rightclick and then delete all notes to get the goal, but its not a very elegant way.
is it actually possible to configure renoise, so leftcklicking in the pattern matrix will set a new blank pattern with the actual set pattern length instead of the global default?
if not, wouldnt it be way smoother to be able to have a third option (like shift/leftclick) to create new empty patterns with the actual set pattern lenght?
Probably, yes would be cool option, but if you want to change your default pattern length for the song I think it is really intended for you to just take a second and go into song>song options and change it. I mean, the one that plops into your matrix it isn’t exactly a global default, it’s a template default. Well, I guess that’s kind of global, though. But changing the song default will change that for the song you are working on.
So, yeah, you can make a per song default as well. If i find out I’m needing some pattern length in a song that doesn’t match my template length, I just go into song options and change it.
Anyway, in the case that that’s not what you want and just want the occasional ‘zoomed’ pattern and you are step editing: I think phrases are the way to go.
(I guess sometimes I wish phrases were displayed in the pattern some way that made them differentiated them, but we can use out brains until then. Sometimes I just use them like any midi note triggered/affected arp/seq. stuff so I don’t really care anyway. I guess I’m already used to having to using my meager brain with that… ikr too much?)
i didnt work with phrases so far, i bought renoise not so far ago (not even half a year), so im missing a lot of stuff until now. i will check it.
i generally dont see the benefit of setting a global value, when starting a new “song” file and having to edit this value anyway. most of the time the workflow isnt like
“hey i want to make a song with a strictly set “global” 64 pattern structure from start to end and a fixed bpm value”.
my main “goal” is to be able to get a fast empty pattern copy via the matrix left/rightclicks without being forced to either delete the note content (if using rightclick) or having to change a value via the “current pattern length” inside the pattern editor (if using leftclick).
either way its a minor cosmetic thing, but it would be a nicer workflow to be able to make a copy of the actual pattern length via the pattern matrix with one more optional mouseclick/shortcut combination.
anyway its a tracker and has its own given structure and its up to the coders to decide, if its worth to implement a new option.
and anyway renoise/redux is already a fuckin great DAW :D.
Well, you can change the template song to change the standard pattern length. Maybe, we just don’t see this ‘problem’ the same. That’s OK. Anyway, i think your idea of cloning a blank pattern of the same length is cool, i know i have ran into the dilemma you are talking about. A lot.
One cool thing about renoise, though, is if you want a different length pattern somewhere you can do it and everything looks and works well in the song structure. Of course, you can do it in many other DAW type things but you might have to change the length of all the individual parts and then the lines might get messed up, or you have to scoot everything over if you decide to change it later. Or, if it has the facility (hopefully) of changing time signatures you take a moment to screw with that (but that’s not much different from the tracker thinking, if you think about it?). So, it’s not that bad in the scheme of things.
But, yes, it’s some trade offs. I bet your idea could easily be done with a tool, it’s a good idea and very tool appropriate.
lets say u make a song with almost constant change of pattern length. the value u set under the preferences (song options) would be almost useless.
the possibility to copy a full (empty) pattern with the exact same length than the one u copy from in the matrix, similar to the way u copy a certain pattern with notes via rightclick, would be a default working routine.
at least it feels more like the better way to do it. working on a song inherits a lot of changes sometimes, pattern length included.
the default preference value of pattern length isnt something obsolete overall. theres always a starting point needed when creating a song structure.
usually a change in pattern lengthes inside a song is not the case, a change in LPB is far more often necessary. like, in my actual case, when a synth preset patch in beatzille had pretty fast rythmic changes and recording it live into a pattern structure at a certain bpm needs a certain ratio of patternlength/lpb/bpm to avoid an visually messed up pattern structure. thats why i like to work renoise. its almost like writing/reading a traditional score.^^ and why not enhance little options.
Using the default key bindings, with keyboard focus in the Pattern Editor…
Press Control + K to duplicate the current pattern, including its length and contents.
*** Renoise now automatically switches to the new pattern ***
Press Control + F3 to clear all the new pattern contents, including any automations.
*** You now have a new empty pattern with the same length as the previous one ***
Job well done, using 2 quick and easy shortcuts.
(Of course, your suggestions and thoughts are noted for future consideration… I’m simply giving you something that works quickly and easily right now.)
Using the default key bindings, with keyboard focus in the Pattern Editor…
Press Control + K to duplicate the current pattern, including its length and contents.
*** Renoise now automatically switches to the new pattern ***
Press Control + F3 to clear all the new pattern contents, including any automations.
*** You now have a new empty pattern with the same length as the previous one ***
Job well done, using 2 quick and easy shortcuts.
(Of course, your suggestions and thoughts are noted for future consideration… I’m simply giving you something that works quickly and easily right now.)