P3 v4.5 beta firmware notes ============================ v4.5 is an update on the P3 v4.0 OS. It is essentially the same, so read the v4.0 usage notes if you are not already familiar with v4. The changes in v4.5 relate to the assignment of patterns to part & track locations. In contrast to v4.0, patterns do not belong to a specific location. All patterns are held in a pool of up to 64 patterns per bank. To create a new pattern, you simply enter edit mode for a track that has no pattern assigned. A new pattern will be created. When you exit edit mode, you will see the following display: ---------------- |save save | |orig new lose| ---------------- If the pattern has just been created, save orig and save new will do the same thing. The pattern will be given the next free pattern number (from 1 to 64), and you will return to play mode with the new pattern assigned to the track you edited. If you edit this new pattern again, then the 'save orig' option will save any changes to the original pattern number. 'Save new' will save the modified version of the pattern to the next free pattern number. In play mode, if you want to assign an existing pattern to a new location, hold FUNC and press the track key. This brings up the new pattern select menu, which looks like this: ---------------- |Ptrn: 1 T:1 | |<-> <+> exit| ---------------- Here you can use F1 and F2 to step back and forth through the pool of patterns. Any pattern can be assigned to any track, but if you select a pattern that was not created on the track you are currently assigning, the top line will appear like this: ---------------- |Ptrn: 1 C:3 T:1 | |<-> <+> exit| ---------------- The C:3 indicates pattern 1 was created for track 3. This makes it easier to see which patterns are for which instrument. The 'ghost from' function has also disappeared from play mode, as the free assignment of patterns means the concept of a source part and track no longer has any meaning. Note that P3 Tools 2 for v4.0 does not understand the pattern pool in v4.5 You may be able to use it to some extent, but correct behaviour is not guaranteed. Colin Fraser Sequentix Music Systems Ltd http://www.sequentix.com