Can Anyone Elaborate on the Timeline

[sup909]

Hello,

I have been forwarded to this site by a fellow colleague who said I might be interested in Numerology. The technique videos on the main page look very intriguing, but they do not showcase the Timeline feature at all.

Could someone elaborate on how that works and integrates with the sequencers? The one screenshot I saw on the site seems to imply that it is similar to what most people would associate as the sequencer in a traditional DAW. Is that the case?

It has been several years since I have actually used any computer software for sequencing/composing with the last thing that I used being Buzz Tracker. I loved that software and my quick impressions from the workflow styling of Numerology lends me to believe that it has a similar design concept: Building patterns in a "step" environment and then arranging them freely.

Could anyone elaborate on that?

My only other question regarding the software is with respect to the sequencer. It appears that everything is built around a base note and then transposed with half steps. I am assuming when I saw things like "m2" and "M3" in the videos for the sequencers those were referring to a minor 2nd and Major 3rd? Does Numerology have a more standard (I don't want to say traditional) sequencing capability where I could for example just type in C4, D3 D#6, etc. ?

I suppose my tracking heritage would lead me more towards that physical typing, but I am also concerned regarding the work flow issues of having to insert another note sequencer simply to play another note up higher than single octave.

Thanks for the replies.

[jim]

Could someone elaborate on how that works and integrates with the sequencers? The one screenshot I saw on the site seems to imply that it is similar to what most people would associate as the sequencer in a traditional DAW. Is that the case?


The timeline is a preset playlist arranged as a series of horizontal tracks. You command-drag to select an area, then pick a preset to play for that time range, and Numerology inserts a preset 'block' for that spot. Repeat a few times for a few tracks and you have a simple arrangement.


It has been several years since I have actually used any computer software for sequencing/composing with the last thing that I used being Buzz Tracker. I loved that software and my quick impressions from the workflow styling of Numerology lends me to believe that it has a similar design concept: Building patterns in a "step" environment and then arranging them freely.

Could anyone elaborate on that?


At a very high level it is similar : build patterns from step-based sequences, then arrange songs from those patterns. You can use the timeline to build arrangements, or do them on the fly, either from the mixer, or by assigning MIDI or computer keyboard commands to trigger presets. But the details are very different from trackers, I haven't work with trackers much, so I should refrain from trying to list what those differences are, other than mentioning that the key to understanding how Numerology works is consider how you can combine different modules to work together, and how you can modulate compositional parameters like tempo and pattern length.

My only other question regarding the software is with respect to the sequencer. It appears that everything is built around a base note and then transposed with half steps. I am assuming when I saw things like "m2" and "M3" in the videos for the sequencers those were referring to a minor 2nd and Major 3rd? Does Numerology have a more standard (I don't want to say traditional) sequencing capability where I could for example just type in C4, D3 D#6, etc. ?


It doesn't have textual entry for notes, but you can change the labeling for the MonoNote sequencer to use note names rather than intervals. The interval naming you mention above is the standard for the interval sequencer, which has no base pitch. If you watch the third techniques video, it will show the benefits of that approach.

I suppose my tracking heritage would lead me more towards that physical typing, but I am also concerned regarding the work flow issues of having to insert another note sequencer simply to play another note up higher than single octave.


That's not necessary -- you can alter the range of notes addressed by the MonoNote or Interval seq's with the 'Range' menu (on the right-hand-side) of the module. You can choose a range of 2, 4, or 8 octaves. The PolyNote sequencer uses a grid 128 steps high, so you always have the full note range.

Cheers,
Jim