This is a re-creation of a post I made that got out of hand. Forum rules say that I should make one request per post and I put far too much into that one post for that to be true. This post is to make the single request.
https://forum.singularsound.com/t/set-midi-mode-with-next-part-button-disable-client-master/20986/3
When the Aeros is in “new song” state, the ‘next part’ button is currently (correctly) greyed out because there are no parts to choose from.
My request then is this: the next part button be used to cycle through a number of song modes. My anticipated list would be:
- MIDI clock client. This is the current functionality. The Aeros accepts MIDI clock, time signature and transport commands over MIDI.
- MIDI clock master/Auto-quantise: This is not available yet, but when it is it will need a place to be activated. The Aeros sends the transport commands, time signature and tempo. That information, I anticipate, will come from two potential sources (a) the existing song settings, manually defined (b) when auto-quantise is used, the tempo is inferred from the first recorded loop.
- MIDI ignore. So that a drum machine can be used alone, without having to activate Aeros – whose looping one then has to fight with – MIDI start/stop would be ignored. It’s been pointed out to me that a workaround for this is to set the global-setting “MIDI start” to “playback only” – that’s great, perhaps exactly that functionality would be attached to this button in what I’m calling “MIDI ignore”.
(obviously nomenclature is secondary – what I call the modes is just descriptive, I wouldn’t really care how they’re labelled)
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For future reference, command/ control + K allows you to hyperlink a highlighted phrase, like so:
Go here for the original post detailing this request.
It just makes it easier and more likely people read your post!
As to your request, *next part button only exists in 6x6 mode, and we aren’t keen on making behaviors that are so radically different between 6x6 and 2x2. That being said, we could make midi commands to turn these settings on and off hands-free, and we do plan to make these settings more accessible from the stopped screen.
Because of the limitations, I will tag this request #considered, thank you
(EDIT)I had confused Next Part with Next Track *
“Next part” right there in 2x2 mode (it’s in 6x6 a as well of course, so it’s just as useful there) Dimmed because there’s nothing for it to do (only on this one particular circumstance where the song is empty … Exactly when it’s appropriate to change mode). So why can’t it choose mode?
It also exists during playback so that one can change to the next part, but I’m not asking for that to change. I think you’ve had a small brain fart… Not a problem.
With that in mind, any chance of untagging it “considered”?
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My bad, I had confused Next Track with Next part!
We can’t do that because it is currently used to switch parts during a stopped state if there are recorded parts, so the tag will stay as is, sorry about the confusion there! We do plan to improve the accessibility and availability of MIDI sync filtering, but this is not likely the route we will choose.
Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks for your quick response but I think you’ve still not seen what I’ve said properly.
It isn’t used to switch part during the stopped and empty state. It’s greyed out. It does nothing now. So it’s not correct to say that that means my suggestion won’t work.
Mode changes of the sort I’m asking for are not appropriate at anytime other than for an empty song. And that is exactly the time when the greyed out next part button does nothing. Hence it doesn’t need to be “next part” during that time.
I’m perfectly happy for it to return to next part and the mode not be changeable in stopped mode with recordings just as it is now.
To be honest, it sounds more like you’ve already decided that you want this to be via a mm midi command and so are looking for reasons not to find my suggestion valid. That seems incorrect to me… You can have a midi command that controls midi filtering (or rather midi in/out enable/disable, which was my request). It’d be like having a midi controlled on/off switch. You’d have great trouble using the “on” facility.
It is not an issue in understanding, this is our position on this, I will gladly forward your remarks to see if it is reconsidered.
It does seem to be an issue in understanding. You say it can’t be done because
Since I only want the button to change function when there are no recorded parts. This is not a reason for not doing it.
As for “this is our position on this”… That’s a very discouraging phrase. That shuts down all conversation because of course as developers you get to pick what you work on. It’s also odd because I don’t see how you can have a position on something which has still not been understood. You are insistent that a button which currently has no function in a particular state cannot be given a function.
I’m genuinely not trying to be objectionable, and I don’t require that everything I ever suggest be implemented. I would like to feel like the suggestion has been understood and evaluated and there are reasons for rejection above “because we say so”.
Yes, I misunderstood that first sense that it could be done only if the song was empty, so yes you are right it can technically be done. But, that will require a UX change because we will not change behavior of button presses without relabeling, and that may not be what we will do.
I can retag it to #under-consideration so you don’t feel discouraged! I can see your case, but I cannot say we will go this route. I have made the case for how it could work, and will get back to you with the position and if it is any different.
I am only here to relay the company’s plans, they are not my judgments to make, that takes time, so thank you for your patience.
Fair enough.
Thank you for your time, politeness and flexibility.
(I would note just as a final point though that the point of having on screen labels for buttons is precisely so they can change… Just like record, overdub, play, mute, unmute, cancel unmute, etc, etc, does. It hardly seems an enormous UX disaster to relabel a currently dimmed out functionless button. Especially given that functional real estate is in short supply. But I guess that’s as far as this can be taken now.)
Hey again, I forgot about the Tap Tempo function that is on that button when there is no midi sync device acting as master but Aeros is in quantized mode. That proves a problem for this implementation, we’d have to change something, and the tap tempo is useful there when needed, and will be particularly useful once we implement ability to act as master. We do however like the idea of MIDI behavioral templates so we will continue to consider how it could work.
Thanks again for the feedback
Ah that’s interesting. I have BB so always in midi sync mode so hadn’t seen that.
That definitely invalidates my suggestion. It’s not an unused button.
Request withdrawn then. Thanks again for taking suggestion seriously.
Of course! It’s not fully out of our heads, we like the concept of behavioral templates, the real question is how we can make it hands-free and if it can be done without a MIDI device to do so.
Thanks always for the feedback, will leave #under-consideration for now 
