Shameless question : what are patterns good for ?

MPC1000/JJOS2XL

So far I have done a lot of things with my MPC1000 (both in DRUM and INST tracks including arpeggio and chord tracks etc. etc.)

But one thing I have not yet done once is to use patterns. So today I am asking what are patterns (for example as opposed to tracks, sequences, etc..) and above all what are they good for ?
(I am aware that if JJ has included them in his OS there must be some compelling reason.)

Please feel free to be as basic as you wish !
Thanks.

I've never used them either, but bliprock recently posted a useful tip I'll probably start to use. You put patterns on pads that are empty except for an FX change command, so you can change fx slots using pads, and record them too.

Sometime I'm going to actually explore patterns to see for myself where they could come in handy.

yeah what he said.

Patterns are something you make. It takes only a minute, but worth it. You have sets as well. These are banks of patterns if you like. It means you can change setups back and forth.

Every pad has the option to be midi note, MIDI CC and value, program change, cycle pad, and random cycle.

So in this case it will be pattern. You make a few bars of a track into pattern and assign it to a pad. Easy.

It is what you put in the patterns that makes it good. You can for instance put in just midi CC 71 say for a typical 4 bar filter sweep, it has no other data, no midi notes at all, just CC71 data. make it a pattern, assign it to a pad, and assign the target track. Say if your midi synth is on track 12 and you then can send a sweep to it a hit of a pad.

I've used patterns on the pad status screen to layer loops of different lengths.

Good for using a pad to send a series of midi messages to external gear.

consuming wrote:Good for using a pad to send a series of midi messages to external gear.

what are you sending then? I mean to do what ? just so peeps can get an idea is all.

I'm assuming program changes, CC messages and the like. For instance, I can use patterns to automatically control sooperlooper running on my laptop, ie. start and stop recording to a loop, pitch-shift and timestretch. Well I just made that up, but I know it's possible because I've got a MIDI footpedal to do it manually.

They're actually one of the most powerful parts of JJOS that I've barely scratched the surface with. Their most useful feature is reusable CC automation though, I think.

would be dope if someone posted a beat, or example of them using patterns, and a timeline of where the pattern effect started and ends.

im still trying to wrap my head around these too.

The reason I do not use pattern to pad is quite simple.CC to pad and PC to pad.You
can achieve the same results without having to convert your sequence to a limited
pattern.So many options on my midi track Thanks JJ

TYPO wrote:The reason I do not use pattern to pad is quite simple.CC to pad and PC to pad.You
can achieve the same results without having to convert your sequence to a limited
pattern.So many options on my midi track Thanks JJ

I wouldn't the same result but yeah they too are a good thing. I mean you can not do something like a 4 bar filter riser with one CC message, but the CCs are great for things like volume ect

what are you sending then? I mean to do what ? just so peeps can get an idea is all.

A simple example:

I use pattern pads to control a rack looper. It's got four tracks of loops. I program a pattern to send the series of PCs and CCs to select the track and then record. Setting the pattern to a pad allows me to send the sequence to record using a single button, as opposed to a few button presses on my looper.

yeah that is pretty cool

I have a few patterns with pad A01 playing notes that steadily increase in velocity. A pattern for quarter notes, another pattern for 2 bars of 16ths etc. I send the midi data to software drum vsts (like superior drummer) to sample them at different velocities, and also to test the result of layering samples together on the mpc. simple but saves some time (you can just tranpose the pattern to the next note to trigger the next drum...)