Issue with triggering patterns in the pattern editor by midinotes

[Kai-vD]

Sometimes the triggering of patterns in the pattern editor doesn`t work. The current pattern is then being played over and over and the trigger notes are ignored.

Then I have to double click on a pattern in the tracklist of the pattern editor.

And then it works again - for example: during the song. And when the song starts over again from the beginning the trigger notes are ignored again.

But it also often comes to this issue while I'm working in my project - all of a sudding Nora ignores the trigger notes and sticks at the current pattern. That is really annoying.

I have no explanation, no idea what is wrong.

I think I'm doing the assigning of the trigger notes in the right way, as in the manual discribed, see attachments.

Nora1.PNG

Nora2.PNG

Nora3.PNG

As I said: It works most of the time, but also often not.

Is this a bug?

(It's a bit strange that the trigger notes in the lowest octave "-2" are regognized at notes in the octave "-1", but that doesn't seam to be the problem, right?
And that the trigger notes are received on channel 2 - don't know why - is also ok?)

My System: Win7/64, Cubase 8.5

[squaredheads]

The C-2 or C-1 isn't the problem, that's just a custom label. Every host uses their own labels for the notes which goes from 0 to 127, and Nora work with these values, not with the labels.

Let me ask you few questions:
- How long are the Nora patterns?
- Are you looping in the host? If you are, do the same pattern always fail to trigger? Or is it absolutely random?
- Try to unassign the patterns, and assign them using the second slot (queue vs inmediate).

Queue (using first slot):
- When you trigger a note assigned to a queued slot, that slot will be queued. Then once the current pattern ends, the pattern switch, if there isn't any weird thing, like moving the transport manually or similar. I recently did a change, if in the same moment I trigger a queue, the pattern is about to start, then instead queue it, I play it. I did it to ease the work. So, lets say you press play, and in such instant a queue note is comanding that pattern 4 plays, instead queue it, I switch it instantly.

- When you trigger a note assigned to a instant slot, the pattern switch - It doesn't matter it's in the middle of a note, it just switch instantly.

[Kai-vD]

How long are the Nora patterns?

Not long, mostly 4 Beats.

Are you looping in the host?

No.

Try to unassign the patterns, and assign them using the second slot (queue vs inmediate).

Ok, I`ll try that.

Thanks!

[Kai-vD]

Yes! That solved the problem, Thanks!

[squaredheads]

Thanks for letting me know. The two modes are pretty different and with different usages. The normal mode (queue) should be triggered a bit before the current phrase end, while the inmediate mode is, as its name says, here and now.

[Kai-vD]

Yes, I must admit, that I wasn't really familiar with the difference between this two modes - should have studied the manual deeper, but my english is not the best, so I didn't really get it by reading first.

However because of your helpful fast support now it's clear - here and now is how I like it

Thank you for this great Software and outstandig support!

I have Cream, Cthulhu, Thesys - I dumpt them all: NORA does everything but better!

What I am really looking forward to is the next patch were this will be realized:

Patch.PNG

If that funktion is included, NORA would be absolut perfect for me . When do you think that will be?

[squaredheads]

If that funktion is included, NORA would be absolut perfect for me . When do you think that will be?

If you are only waiting for that, then the work I'm doing will be beyond perfection for you I do not have a date, however I have the order of events: built from zero webpage (+newsletters, the old system spammed all my norish users), private testing and last tweaks, professional skinning (we did with our poor knowledge the original one - but with lof of excitement!), small one/two week teaser, public testing, then release.

The best thing you can do meanwhile is focus in the reasons why you purchased Nora and do stuff with it. Honestly, I perform regular searches in the web, and I feel really happy when I see a good video or song or comment. Afterall Nora is like my small child and I feel proud of it!

[dmitriyK]

Nora in my personal opinion is great tool but still has areas to cover to become an ultimate product.

Purchased Redux recently only to find out it has no midi output for phrases. [dream]Key-mapped MIDI phrases, which are edited in a tracker-like way would be a killer. Phrases could be assigned to root key per range (=transpose on the fly) and key range (=selecting phrases by key). Nora still has space to grow in in-app phrase recording/editing department (you'll have to make an internal sequencer, I mean), and phrases keymapping interface.[/dream]

[squaredheads]

I'm not sure if I fully understand your dream. What do you mean with a tracker-like? Having a Fast Tracker 2 inside Nora like this:

C-4 01 ---
D#5 01 A03
--- -- ---

Well, that unfortunately will not happen, because I'm aiming Nora to be as graphics as possible. Maybe in a future I develop something more abstract, but as another product.

Phrases could be assigned to root key per range (=transpose on the fly) and key range (=selecting phrases by key).

Detecting the incoming chord, and automatic reordering notes is on my todo list, but it won't happen yet. However, assigning a root key / range... isn't overkill? Too much time to setup a phrase, I would say, when you just can play the chord you desire.

(you'll have to make an internal sequencer, I mean

In the moment I do an internal sequencer... Nora would be transformed in a standalone DAW (keeping the plugin version). I would lie if I would say you that I never think about that.

[dmitriyK]

I do understand there's a conceptual contradiction between arpegiator, that plays notes according to the order they are recieved, and a phrase player, that plays predefined melodies via triggers with optional transposing. Those ideas dont fit into one program for now.

What I've meant by «internal sequencer» is a wide range of convinient in-app tools for shaping and tweaking the phrases. But if a certain range of drag and drop options will be implemented, its not a big problem, you can prepare midi file somewhere else...

[squaredheads]

Lets see if I'm able to extract your point. You want:
- Play (without the host runnning, with your keyboard) one simple key and obtain a phrase transposed to such key.
- Use another range of keys to change patterns at fly.

Is it that right?

[dmitriyK]

Not another range.
- A phrase is mapped to a range of keys (C4-E4 for example);
- A phrase has a root note set manually (D4 for example; lets skip scales for now);
- A key pressed in this range of C4-E4 plays a mapped phrase transposed according to the key. If you press C4, the phrase should be played -2st lower; D4 will play the phrase unchanged, and E4 will play it +2st. A G4 can play as is or be ignored at all...

Once again, this is just an idea for you to think about in the future for new software; for now Nora's phrases have no keys at all, they have lanes ±octave, and what I'm describing here is a phrase player where phrases have default (predefined) note pitches inside (basically, I'm thinking about small midi clips playing per key) which is totally different world.

[squaredheads]

Yes, Nora only have relative keys. However, did you try to chain NoraHarm (or another chorder) with Nora ? You could do everything you are asking for, except you would need to use CC to change to a different pattern. Or, do you find any hard restriction that avoid you to feel comfortable with that combo?

This a demo for an old version (1.4). You could do much better now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYBMwpvHFxU

[dmitriyK]

Hey, I'm intelligent enough to split incoming keys in an octave to 12 channels, launch 12 Nora instances and route those 12 channels through different chorders, and make a template track or fx chain out of that... Thats not about circumventing. I feel there's a spare room in VST-midi market, and people would be happy to pay money for the features I propose. Drop a midi file into a plugin, set its key note manually or automatically, play them by single note... Tracker-style editing is underrated too.

[squaredheads]

Well, you'd be really surprised about how many people email me asking for NoraHarm, so I had to try

Anyway, unless I say an absolute 'no' like the tracker style, you may consider your request as a 'in my idea-list'. I fully understand it now