Loop function

[Nextom]

After several months of fooling around with RC, you'd expect that at least I'd understand the loop-function. But no. I learned from Attila, that for the loop to work, I need to pull up the blue zone in the mastertrack and to not only check the loop-symbol, but the one left to it as well (whatever that one's function may be). That usually works. But not always. Like here in the picture:

I'm trying to switch it on, but it won't let me. And when I play the track, of course the playhead runs over the blue zone. WTF?

[yellukhan]

you need to create selection first
a-if you want to loop whole (Part1 -> Line1) area try double clicking to red line (region)
b-if you want to select specific part of timeline for example from bar 2 to bar 5
first cancel the selection (selection "a") via double click to red line again, now click to bar name (2.1 in your screenshot)
and drag mouse to bar 5 you should see the 3 bars selected also loop selected area icon now must be clickable.

[Nextom]

Hi yellukhan,

I must be thick as a brick, but I still don't get it. I tried to follow your advice, didn't quite get it and then arrived at the following situation:


To my utter surprise, now the loop ran from 2.4. until 5.1 in the timeline. Who would have thought that? Why from 2.4 on and not from the beginning? And how would I be able to tell, just looking at the screen?
And what's stranger: While I wrote these last lines and made the screenshot, RC has obviously changed its mind: When I now start to run the pattern, the loops starts again at the beginning, as I would expect it.

I can only scratch my head at this. If it were my first sequencer, then I'd book it under personal stupidity. But I never had such a hard time with this seemingly simple function in Cubase, nor in Ableton, nor in Logic nor in any of my hardware-sequencers that I owned over time. Why can't I just pull a ribbon to define the loop, press a button to switch it active and that's that? Why does it have to be two buttons (the loop button and the one left to it) and two ribbons (the red and the blue)? And why does RC react one time this way and next time the other way? And why does the button left to the loop-button allow me one time to switch it on and next time it doesn't? For Christ's sake …

[dsan@mail.com]

Thomas, just an observation and not to be critical, but when one becomes quite frustrated, and it appears you are in that state now, it may be best to put things aside for a while and come back to it when fresh.

Take things slow. Follow yellukhans examples very closely. He is quite good at putting together these little vids.

With a fresh mind, I am certain things will be easier to understand.

Frustration is a killer and shuts down completely the ability to think.

Again, not meant to be harsh but an attempt to help.

[yellukhan]

hmm to me not so important but...i think there is one confusing part of RC's behave in this case, which is:
after you select a part of timeline and activate selected area loop function
if you click to red line (region) even by accident selection goes instantly,
first thing to came to my mind is might be good to remove this select whole region area via one click
and left only double click: double click to region Select & double click again de-select.

[tonedef71]

I sometimes forget how to do set up looping after I have been away from RC for a while.

For me, the key points are that a selection of half-beats (that is the smallest division I have been able to select) must be highlighted in the middle portion of the Timeline (circled in yellow) and the Time Region and Looping buttons must both be enabled (circled in red):

[Nextom]

Code: Select all

For me, the key points are that a selection of half-beats (that is the smallest division I have been able to select) must be highlighted in the middle portion of the Timeline (circled in yellow) and the Time Region and Looping buttons must both be enabled (circled in red):

Exactly, that's my current understanding, too! But today the left loop-button didn't allow me to switch it on. And then, when it finally did, the loop went over a different range than I would have to expected - only to change after a while to the full range that was indicated by the blue selection. I still don't know why. So it's still a question of luck or of fumbling around for some time until I get the loop to work. Hm … I don't like this loop-function. And I know that even if I would follow dsan's advice and let things cool down a bit, I would still not like it much better when I come back. I've been struggling with the loop-function since I got started. For my taste, it needs an overhaul.

[musicdevelopments]

Please don't confuse the master track selection with timeline selection.
I am open to suggestions for how the loop function could be simplified.
Maybe the 'region' button could be removed but how can you make playback start at always the same position then?

first thing to came to my mind is might be good to remove this select whole region area via one click
and left only double click: double click to region Select & double click again de-select.

Very good suggestion, yellukhan! I'll fix this for the next update.

Attila

[yellukhan]

sounds good!