Switch and Confirm Modes

While a loop is in Confirm or Switch modes many functions will behave differently than they normally do. This is sometimes referred to as the "switch quantization period" or by some older uses as the "lame duck period".

Most functions you execute will simply be delayed until after the switch. This is called function stacking. In the user interface, you will see the function names stacking under the loop switch event marker. This can be used to queue up interesting combinations of functions and have them all execute exactly at the same time after the switch. For example, putting the next loop into Reverse, Speed Toggle, and Substitute modes all at once.

Until the switch occurs you can use Undo to remove stacked functions if you trigger the wrong one or decide you don't want it. Once you have removed all the stacked functions and you are left with only the switch event marker, using Undo will cancel the switch and leave you in the current loop.

NOTE: The EDP uses Undo as the switch confirmation action. If you like this and have Undo set in the Switch Confirmation Functions global parameter, then you will not be able to use Undo to undo the stacked functions and cancel the switch when you are in Confirm mode. You can however use Undo normally while in Switch mode.

A few functions have special behavior when executed during the switch quantization period.

 Record - forces the next loop to be rerecorded, even if it is not empty

 Overdub - performs a Sound Copy if the next loop is empty

 Multiply - performs a Sound Copy if the next loop is empty

 Insert - performs a Time Copy if the next loop is empty

A Sound Copy creates an instant copy of the original loop in the next loop. A Time Copy creates a clear loop of the same size as the original loop, but does not copy over any of the audio content. Both of these concepts are described in more detail later.

The difference between Overdub and Multiply is what mode the loop will be left on after the sound copy. When Overdub was stacked, the loop will always be left in Overdub mode if a sound copy occurred. If Multiply was stacked the loop will be left in the mode specified by the Sound Copy Mode preset parameter.

17.4 Empty Loop Action

If you switch to a loop that is empty, the Empty Loop Action parameter will be used to determine what happens after the switch. The possible values for Empty Loop Action are:

 None

 Record

 Copy

 Copy Timing

When set to None, no automatic action will be performed. The loop will be left in Reset mode.

When set to Record, the loop will immediately enter Record mode after the switch.

You can record as long as you like but you must remember to execute the Record function to end the recording.

When set to Copy a Sound Copy will be made from the original loop into the new loop.

When set to Copy Timing a Time Copy will be made from the original loop into the new loop.

Copy Timing and less often Copy Sound are very useful because they let you creating synchronized loops that are exactly the same size or an exact multiple of a common factor. See the Loop Copy section of the Mobius Synchronization manual for more information on creating synchronized loops.

17.4.1 Time Copy

When Empty Loop Action is set to Copy Timing and you switch to an empty loop, a new clear loop will be instantly created that is exactly the same size as the previous loop. This is called a Time Copy. Review the Reset, Empty, Clear, and Silent section of the Getting Started manual if you are not sure about the difference between

"empty" and "clear". A clear loop has a size and it can be played and modified, it just starts out with no audio content.

In addition to copying the size, time copy will also copy the number of cycles.

17.4.1.1 Time Copy Mode

When you first switch to a time copied loop, you will be placed in a mode defined by the Time Copy Mode preset parameter. The possible values are:

 Play

 Overdub

 Multiply

 Insert

The default value is Insert.

When Time Copy Mode is set to Play the copied loop will simply start playing. When set to any of the other values, it behaves as if that function were automatically executed immediately after the copy. You must then remember to execute that function again to cancel that mode. For example, when Time Copy Mode is set to Insert you will immediately begin inserting into copied loop. You must press the button for the Insert function when you are finished.

The values available here are the same as those available for Sound Copy Mode.

This means you can select Multiply but this is less useful after a time copy because there is no audio content to repeat so Multiply behaves almost the same as Insert.

The main reason to use Multiply here is if the source loop had several cycles and you wanted to immediately use "remultiply" to remove some of the cycles from the end.

See Shortening The Loop for more information on using the Multiply function to make the loop smaller.

17.4.2 Sound Copy

When Empty Loop Action is set to Copy and you switch to an empty loop, the current loop will be instantly copied to the next loop. This is called a Sound Copy. From the

listener's perspective, they won't know the copy happened, they will still be hearing the original loop.

You may now begin changing the copied loop using Overdub, Multiply or any other function. When you are finished modifying the copied loop you can use the same technique to create another loop, or you may switch back to the original loop.

17.4.2.1 Sound Copy Mode

When you first switch to a copied loop, you will be placed in a mode defined by the Sound Copy Mode preset parameter. The possible values are:

 Play

 Overdub

 Multiply

 Insert

The default value is Multiply.

When Sound Copy Mode is set to Play the copied loop will simply start playing. When set to any of the other values, it behaves as if that function were automatically

executed immediately after the copy. You must then remember to execute that function again to cancel that mode. For example, when Sound Copy Mode is set to Multiply you will immediately begin multiplying the copied loop. You must press the button for the Multiply function when you are finished multiplying.

Some people find it convenient to assign the Play function to a button. Play is like a universal mode canceling function, if you are in any recording mode (Record,

Multiply, Insert etc.) pressing Play will cancel that mode and return you to Play mode.

So after you have performed a loop copy you don't need to think about Sound Copy Mode and execute the corresponding function to end the mode, just use Play and it will cancel whatever mode you are in.

17.5 Switch Location

The Switch Location parameter determines where the playback position will be after you switch to another loop. The possible values are:

 Follow - keep the same location you had in the previous loop

 Restore - restore the location the new loop had the last time it was playing

 Start - start the new loop from the beginning

 Random - move to a randomly chosen subcycle

When using Follow, if the new loop is smaller than the current loop the playback position may need to be "wrapped" so that it fits within the new loop. For example if the current loop is 6 seconds long and you are currently at the start of second 5, then you switch to a loop that is 3 seconds long, the new loop location will be at the start of second 2.

When using Restore, if the new loop has never been played the location will be at the start. If you are using one of the methods to perform a sound copy or a timing copy (see Empty Loop Action) then the location will not be restored.

Switch Location only applies if the loop is not empty (in Reset mode). If the loop is empty then the new location will always be at frame zero of the empty loop.

17.6 Switch Duration

The Switch Duration parameter determines how long you will stay in the new loop after a switch. This parameter is used by all switch functions except Sustain Next Loop, Sustain Previous Loop, Restart, and Restart Once. The possible values are:

 Permanent - stay in the new loop until it is manually changed

 Once - play the new loop until the end, then automatically enter Mute mode

 Once Return - play the new loop until the end, then automatically return to the previous loop

 Sustain - play the new loop for as long as the function button is held down, then it automatically enter Mute mode

 Sustain Return - play the new loop for as long as the function button is held down, then return to the previous loop

The most common option is Permanent, you remain in the new loop until you change it with another loop switch function.

The Once option when combined with a Switch Location value of Start makes the loop triggering functions behave similar to a sampler. The loop always starts playing from the beginning, plays once, then stops (enters mute mode).

The Sustain option must be used with a switch function bound to a sustainable trigger . If you use a non-sustainable trigger then this will behave the same as Permanent, you will remain in the new loop but it will not enter Mute mode automatically.

The Sustain Return option must also be used with a switch function bound to a sustainable trigger . If you use a non-sustainable trigger then this will behave the same as Permanent.

Note that when Switch Duration is set to Sustain Return the Next Loop function behaves the same as the Sustain Next Loop function. Sustain Next Loop, and Sustain Previous Loop will always return to the original loop when the sustain ends.

They ignore the Switch Duration parameter.

The Restart and Restart Once functions ignore the Switch Duration parameter.

Restart always behaves as if Switch Duration was set to Permanent and Restart Once always behaves as if Switch Duration was set to Once.