Channel per row limitations vs splits

[jsterne]

I very occasionally use splits, but I am realizing this is really inefficient for my playing style and needs. What I’d rather have is 1 row at the bottom for bass notes, and the rest of the Linnstrument to play melodies, chords etc., in the rare cases I do this. Think of it like having a foot controller for bass notes, and then playing the rest with your hands. Bonus: I could use one of my foot pedals as a “latch” for the bass notes, so I could sustain bass while using both hands up top.

It seems to me the only real limitation of channel-per-row vs channel per note is that if you hit two notes on a row, you can’t use poly pitch bend. Obviously, the kinds of riffs I can do are limited by not having a 4ths layout if the bottom row is dedicated to a bass sound (I could dedicate two bottom rows, though...). But are there other practical issues that people have run into?

[guitarra]

The note pads of the Linnstrument are arranged like a string instrument. The split, on the other hand, is based on the split of a piano keyboard: between columns.
A split between rows (as between strings on my NS/Stick) would be a great extra feature!

[Roger_Linn]

Thanks for the suggestion. My view is that and the left/right split makes more sense on a long and wide musical instrument that is played with two hands side-by-side. With only 8 rows, I don't think a front/back split would be so useful for most people. So for the few who like it, using Channel Per Row serves their needs, and I think that changing the Split mode to a 4-quadrant split would be difficult to implement without making the UI confusing for non-technical musicians. I see this as one of those features that is outside LinnStrument's core function as an expressive performance instrument. However, if anyone is willing to code it up, that's why the software is open source. If the UI implementation is simple enough and enough people find it useful, we could integrate it into the code.

[Herr Mosa]

It's not that I need it, but a simple extension of the "Low Row" function, namely sending midi notes on the midi channel of the other split could do this function?

[Roger_Linn]

The problem is that the Low Row function is intended for simple control, not for playing notes. Changing it would require another entire set of Per-Split assignments merely for one mode of Low Row, plus I suspect people would then say "Can I make the Low Row's new performance mode to work on 2 rows or 3 rows or 4 rows?". That is why what you are asking for is really a row-based split, not an extension of the Low Row, and my reasons for preferring to not implement it are the same.