How About A "How Do I Do This?" Section?

Under the General Discussion - Aeros - there’s a thread titled Deleting aTrack or Part where people are talking about how they want to be able to delete a part and the difficulty they’re having in trying to figure out how to do that and how to delete a part.

I also want to be able to delete a Part so i’ve been reading it. kangham was having a hard time deleting tracks so i had an exchange with him that i think is a reasonable illustration of why the suggested “How Do I Do This” Category makes sense:

kanghan:
“I’m about 4 hours into the Aeros. Seems like deleting parts and tracks are the most requested feature and its surprising that it hasn’t been addressed. Looks like we can’t really edit tracks once we create them either.”

Rick the Stick
“This is my only complaint with the Aeros. It’s basic function that somehow has been overlooked. I’m told this will be addressed very soon.”

kangham:
“Yeah, after spending some time with it, it seems so obvious that you would need to delete a track especially in 6x6. Hold down select while in Mixer mode. Or, of course, add a delete button under the mute would be even better. It’s quite a fun piece of kit, but this (and the part delete) are unfortunate. Perhaps, it’s just a scratch pad for a DAW, but it is so close to being a full DAW in a pedal.”

Rick The Stick
“Yes, 11 months ago this thread was started about this glaring omission and we’re still waiting. I’m pretty sure it will be addressed in the next firmware update. Hang in there. Yep it’s like having a DAW more than a looper. As soon as the delete issue is resolved, there will be nothing on the market that could touch this!”

rmeadowbrook
“not quite getting this. i agree deleting a Part should be something we should be able to do but can’t now, while my experience is that we can essentially delete tracks by undoing them.
you never have more than 2 layers to a track as each overdub is incorporated into the first layer once you do the next overdub, or second layer. holding down Undo first erases the 2nd layer and continuing to hold down Undo erases the first layer so you have an empty track to re-record. this is essentially a deleted track. am i missing something?”

kangham
“Hey, thanks for helping explain this. I didn’t know about the two layers and had trouble understanding how to properly use “undo.” Once it starts flashing undo are you supposed to release? On second press, it flashes “redo.” Can you delete both tracks by pressing and holding down the button until the track is deleted? I will try this because I was not able to remove the tracks. Also, it seemed like the loop length wasn’t wiped out, but maybe I just wasn’t holding it down long enough.”

rmeadowbrook
"How to delete (Undo) a track

1.) Record a track.
2.) If you don’t like that track, hold down the Track Button (lower right) until Undo shows (flashes) and then release the button. The track will be undone. At this point you can press record which will set it up so when the beginning of that track comes around it will automatically record what you play. Alternatively, if you decide you liked the original track you can hold down the button until Redo appears. Release the button at that time and the undone track will come back.

With An Overdub:
1.) Record a track
2.) Overdub that track
3.) If you don’t like your overdub then hold down the Track button until Undo appears (flashes) and then release the button - your overdub will be undone and Overdub should appear. Pressing Overdub now allows you overdub a new part.
4.) If you don’t like your overdub AND the original track layer then hold down the Track button. It will show undo, which will undo your overdub. If you keep holding it down it will show overdub and then undo again which will undo the original track layer leaving nothing recorded on the track. Above the button should then show Record which you can press and the track will start recording at the beginning of where it started previously.

With Multiple Overdubs:
1.) Record a track.
2.) Overdub that track with another layer (overdub).
3.) Once you now overdub a third layer (overdub) the previous overdub you played (before your most recent one) will be merged with the original track layer and CAN NOT be separated from it anymore.
4.) If you don’t like the third layer (overdub) you just recorded you can then hold down the Track button and Undo this layer. If you continue to hold down the button and release it when Undo flashes again your last overdub layer AND the original track layer that has been MERGED with the first overdub layer you did will also now be Undone. Now there’s once more an empty track. Or you can hold down the button and REDO your last overdub or hold it down longer and REDO your last layer and the original track layer with its now-merged first overdub layer.

Every subsequent overdub will cause the previous overdub to be permanently merged with the overdubs that came before it and the original track layer.

So you can never have more than two track layers and they can both be Undone so as to leave you with a track where something completely new can be recorded. As to when that track starts, I haven’t explored or understand well the options but the Settings section allows different options for this. I hope this helps."

kangham
“This helps immensely. I was about to write my mea culpa about not reading the manual thoroughly, but I just did, and this is not in there. This is a great explanation, and its been working pretty well.”

rmeadowbrook
“Glad it helped kangham! if you had read the manual and watched all the videos available and slogged your way through a bunch of trial & error (like i did!) you could have eventually figured it out, but it shouldn’t have to be so hard.”

Is “How Do I Do This?” for questions, or answers?

I would go into how do I do this and ask…

How do I delete a track?

Then you would give your reply about undoing a track.

Doesn’t it end up just identical to General discussion?

Or is “How Do I do This?” for answers only?

So you are only allowed to put the answer in there?

People would still ask questions in there anyway.

So what you end up with is…

How do I delete a track?

A/ It’s going to be in an update at some point.

B/ You can’t delete a track, but you can undo a track.

All I see is the identical post to the General Discussion, because deleting a track is not available yet, and How Do I Do This ends up with no answer. So the Category “How Do I Do This” ends up with a lot of posts with no answer to them.

My own question was How Do I create a track that continues into the next part?

The answer was “lock track will be in a future update!”

Again it was not an exact answer, but an update.

You are going to get a lot of questions with no answers. Which is really a general discussion, or Support.

Did you see my last post on the thread? It’s an example that just happened between a guy and me where he asked a question and i answered it and he was totally appreciative. so who cares if there’s questions with no answers? is that an affront to the universe? The Aeros section of General Discussion, in addition to questions about functionality has these topics there now that are NOT about learning functionality:

Aeros randomly deletes loops
The new update is live!
Headrush Looperboard 2.0 Update fires back
Wishlist - roland spd-6 pads, 6 tracks … coincidence? I hope not
What I’d like for Christmas 3
I have returned my Aeros Looper
Used the Aeros for the first time on a gig, went well
I think I will return this alpha stage unit
Actual Current Draw Of The Aeros
Wishlist - IOS connectivity for Aeros
First Live Gig Aeros
For the Aeros Loopstudio, does the 60 day guarantee apply for distributors in Europe
& on & on

This category is meant to be dedicated to both questions and answers without a lot of other topics that fall under “General Discussion.” Your question “How Do I create a track that continues into the next part?” and the answer ““lock track will be in a future update!” is a one of a million examples of what could be asked and answered there. If someone asks a question that doesn’t fit “How do I do this” it will either go unanswered and the person will ask it somewhere else or someone will answer it saying " your question would be more appropriate for another category in the forum called…” If you don’t like this Category if it gets implemented you don’t have to use it. Really. I still don’t understand your logic for putting all this energy into opposing it when it will only make it easier and simpler for people to find a place to ask questions and learn. Really.

I put energy into it, because you already proved that General Discussion worked with a question “How Do I Do This?”

And I proved that Support worked with “How Do I Do This?” with my question.

You want a 3rd place for the same questions, and that 3rd place will still contain the same missing answers, and the same discussions.

First place, General Discussion didn’t work like that. I only went to that thread for a different reason and decided to help someone out who had a question. It was a fluke.

But ok, if you want a prize for feeling you’ve proved something maybe Singular will send you one. Or at least put a star on your forehead like in third grade.

Well I’m a computer programmer, I’ve been programming since 1980. I’ve worked on Ai, I’ve made computer games. I work on Science projects, Ai, Neural Networks, and Psychology. I’m using knowledge about folders, and sub-categories, and how the brain works all in one go. Usually you would not create a folder within another folder of the same name… and that is what you want to do.

You expect “How Do I Do This?” to be different to General Discussion, but it will end up the same.

Your idea applies to all forums that make a product…Why don’t all forums have “How Do I Do This?”?

Because the forum already expects you to ask questions anyway.

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For all your knowledge and experience you seem to me to be missing something essential that for some reason you can’t get no matter how many times I explain it. I’m just a person who sees a practical, common sense need and some others seem to agree. In this case you might know too much. But that’s ok, we’ll see how it turns out.

OK so you are the sort of person that needs to see something running before you see the downfalls. What will happen is that the category will go up…

How Do I Do This?

Then in General Discussion, and Support people will ask “How Do I Do This?”

You will then tell them that they should have posted in “How Do I do This?”

They will reply “Sorry I didn’t know there was such a place.”

And that will go round in circles for the next 5 years.

The only way that this would work is if all forums had “How Do I Do This?”

Then people would get used to it.

From what you’re describing I get the sense of it being sort of like a ‘FAQ’ section that users can create and contribute to?
Similar to this maybe…
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/faq

If not like the FAQ, can you link to a site that would be an example of the sort of format you envision.

Ok, so now you’re Nostradamus. What will happen in 100 years?

Oh, oh, I know, I know. There will be a music chip hard wired into our heads, and whatever we think will be magically available, all parts, all separated out. And you’ll have options to record, share and print. You know, kinda like what everybody expects the BB and the Aeros to do right now.

This came from my own rather arduous adoption of the Aeros. There seems to be a general consensus among new adopters and especially those newer to looping that the existing manuals and videos aren’t as helpful as they could be. I’ve been looping for years and went through the common progression from simple to more complex and ended up with the Boomerang, so I’m not unfamiliar with looping, but it always felt that the instructional materials available were produced from the perspective of people who knew a fair amount already, leaving beginners somewhat floundering.

After helping some new folks with their questions I just thought it made sense to have a Category strictly devoted to being a place that someone could easily find where they could post “hey, I’m trying to do X/Y/Z with the Aeros (Beat Buddy/Maestro) and I’m having a hard time figuring it out.” Other people on that part of the forum could then answer and explain it to them. I’ve already done this a few times.

In a sense it could, as you describe it, function like a constantly growing, user generated FAQ section. I hadn’t thought of it like that because I see typical FAQ sections as static, company generated answers that in my experience are typically quite limited. The Microsoft FAQs - like all FAQs - are helpful, but I believe they’re almost always there because the company doesn’t want to or doesn’t have the capacity to have an actual human helpline like used to exist more back in the day.

This new Category could kind of act like that human helpline although the response would not be the responsibility of Singular Sound or anybody in particular. Any forum user could respond or Singular folks could to if they felt like it. I’ve often found when I’m having a challenging time with figuring something out that my questions are often not reflected or answered in a company’s FAQs. In this case someone having a problem could go to the section, search to see if their question is answered already, and if not, pose the question. That’s something that FAQs don’t do. There are so many complexities and possible actions one can take with these devices (why we bought them) I believe it would be a good while before all possible aspects of questions about functionality would be addressed. And with functionality regularly changing due to upgrades the questions should keep coming.

Off the top of my head I can’t think of a site that would be an example of what I envision, but these questions I’m referring to have been asked and answered by people already, but all over different parts of this forum. I’m just proposing an easy to find, properly labeled Category in which they can find a home. Thanks for your questions. Hope i answered them.

Working on that. Next iteration.

That’s all on my site…lol… but offtopic.

I would like to chime in here, that I do already peruse the forums and answer the user’s questions, I do believe that it is slightly redundant to make what appears to be a sub-forum within the forum, the forum already is meant to satiate all the things you’re asking for, the community is strong enough that people are usually able to help and give great tips and advice when a moderator like myself is not able to assist immediately.

I do agree use cases are probably one of the most sought after idealizations of product integrations, like, for example, using Ableton, the BeatBuddy and the Aeros in conjunction and how to use the Aeros in this specific set up. I’d imagine a Singular Sound video would be very cool, but maybe something more stripped down and informal than our usual youtube how tos.

At that rate, I think I’m not 100% clear what we want to do here so I’m gonna tap @AnthonySostre here again, because I’d like to make clear what he envisions from this request.

Hey Brennan, I really appreciate the way that you have been chiming in on topics, as it makes me feel that Singular really does care about issues that are coming up in the User community. I do find this Forum to be hard to navigate in order to find help on a topic. And, that does lead to a great deal of double posting or time wasting when searching the Forum to find, for example, a tutorial that I have already posted. I realize that different engines are used for Forums, and that may be one of our issues, but I have always found the organizations of the Vguitar Forum to be much easier to use when I am looking for guidance on topics.

https://www.vguitarforums.com/smf/

Maybe something along those lines should be considered.

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My pleasure! We pride ourselves on excellent customer service, it helps when you have excellent committed customers!

In response to the organization, Anthony has let me know we plan on reorganizing the sections and subsections to be device-centric versus all devices in one place, more on that soon. It is notable that this will not affect the topics within the sections.

In a sense it could, as you describe it, function like a constantly growing, user generated FAQ section.

So this is more or less in line with what I have planned. We want to reorganize things and in the process add a plugin that allows the OP to mark a reply as the answer to their question. This will allow others to discuss and provide answers while having the most helpful (to OP at least) answer marked up top and a “solved” status applied.

I’m really hoping to do this in October before the holiday rush hits too hard and my bandwidth becomes too limited.

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I didn’t think this would be controversial or difficult to implement when i suggested it. I just thought creating a place that users could quickly & easily find without having to comb through lots of other topics - of which there are many in the existing Aeros General Discussion Category and which will only continue to multiply - where all questions and answers about PRESENT functionality could be addressed only made sense. Still do. Maybe I’m missing something.

I think it’s great that you’re on it in responding to users’ issues but i imagine if Aeros becomes as successful as the company would hope, the volume of questions and comments to respond to would become overwhelming and beyond your - and Singular’s - capacity to respond to in a timely manner. Of course that’s where the community comes in and i thought a central point of aggregation with a limited focus would benefit everyone.

It seems having a reply marked as an answer to a question - what @AnthonySostre suggests - is a good idea but I still don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want all of this in one, easily identifiable, carefully targeted place, which I don’t find the Aeros General Discussion Category - because it is for GENERAL Discussion - to be. Thanks again for your consideration.

Just took my first long walk in a month in fresh air here in CA and another way of saying it from a non-developer/non-technical perspective occurred to me:

Since getting the Aeros into the hands of musicians so they can learn how to use its stellar capabilities is the MAIN PURPOSE of the device, why there wouldn’t be a simple Category devoted to this whole reason for its existence - to learn how to use it - eludes me.

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