Can a sequence be created to start and stop other sequences in MuTools ?

[amazonas]

Okay what I want to do here is instead of having a huge long scroll for a song I want to be able to create a sequence that will tell the other ones when to play and when not to play.

Is this possible? Seems like it should be.

For example lets say have a verse part make up of four tracks and a chorus part made up of four tracks.

I want to build a sequence that tells the verse part to play twice, then stop, then tell the chorus part to play and so on.....

This saves having a huge long inflexible scroll and also allows me to 'play' the song live by switching the parts around.

Thanks.

[dakkra]

Possible yes. It's very complex and (in my opinion) not worth the trouble to try. I do know that live performance mode is a feature request though.

[sl23]

So what you want is a 8/16bar loop that mutes/unmutes tracks as the song plays? This would need to automate the mute buttons and would therefore need to be a track however long your song is? Unless there's another way?

A quick look reveals mute is selectable as an automation parameter, but can this include ALL used tracks? That I'm not sure.

[fluffy_little_something]

I am using CK's step sequencer VST, it offers something similar. In the right-hand columns one can basically schedule how often which sequence is played and in which order.
http://www.chriskerry.f9.co.uk/CK_VST.html#StepSeq

[amazonas]

Okay, the verse / chorus thing was only an example.

Automating mute would be one way to do it but that's still linear.
What I am saying is making the song structure modular.

Have a sequence that tells other sequences when to start and stop.

Something like (this is only an example) with a sequence being a bar in a four bar verse or chorus section.

Play bass verse sequence, drum verse sequence and piano verse sequence together four times.

Now stop them and play bass chorus sequence, drum verse sequence and piano chorus sequence four times.

Now stop. And play some other sequences, or whatever.

Now supposing I wanted to play two verses before the chorus instead of one. I just tell the master sequence to play the verse parts eight times instead of four.

Seems a lot easier than having to go into the scroll and inserting or deleting parts.

The reason I bring this up is because I was able to do this on my Dr. Ts sequencer running on a Commodore 64 in 1988. So I'm surprised if I can't do it now.

Thanks.

[pljones]

No, the composer is linear - the time line runs from the start, in increasing time as it moves the play position. It's not possible to manipulate the play head through automation/scripting.

[amazonas]

Okay thanks. Is there at least a way to alter a large section of sequences at once?

I was hoping to be able to select a group by maybe holding shift and clicking on the beginning and the end but this only selects the first and last sequences. In order to select them all I had to lasso them all.

This would be hard work if you were looking to move a large segment.

Also is there a way to create a gap in the middle? Say I wanted to insert a new part. It's hard to lasso the remaining rest of the song and move it all to the right.

Thanks.

[fluffy_little_something]

And why don't you want to use the lasso? It works in your scenario... Maybe it helps when you zoom out, then you have it all on one screen without scrolling.

[amazonas]

I'll use it if I have to, but selecting all by clicking on one item, holding down some key and then clicking on another item and having it select everything in between does seem like something logical. It's used in word processors all the time.

For example, this text I am writing right now.
I put the cursor at the beginning, hold down shift and click at the end and all the text is selected. It's much more precise than having to eyeball lassoing it especially the bigger it gets.

[fluffy_little_something]

The Shift key is already used for extending existing selections.

[pljones]

I'll use it if I have to, but selecting all by clicking on one item, holding down some key and then clicking on another item and having it select everything in between does seem like something logical. It's used in word processors all the time.

I do agree on this point... The expected usage of shift and control for selecting (i.e. shift to adjust a selection in an inclusive linear manner, control to pick and choose individual items) isn't there, so it causes some confusion. Being able to select a part, scroll the composer view so that part's off screen and then select another part and have all those parts between the two would be very useful. At the moment I have to zoom out to get everything on the screen and lasso (at least lasso works inclusively, so I don't have to draw outside the parts, which does help).

(In the composer, at least, it doesn't appear control affects click-to-select at all, so it's not like there's a conflict.)