Per-Split Settings are settings that generally need to have different values for each of the two keyboard splits. For example, MIDI Channels is a Per-Split Setting because the left and right splits need to send over different MIDI channels.
To view or change the Per-Split Settings, press the Per-Split Settings button and the button will light. Now notice that all the lights on LinnStrument's playing surface have changed:
Now the upper four rows of lights indicate the status of the Per-Split Settings printed directly above each column. For each column, the status of the uppermost printed setting is indicated by the uppermost note pad; the status of the second-from-top printed setting is indicated by the second-from-top note pad; etc. For example, if the highest note pad in column 1 is lit, this indicates that "One Chan" is selected.
Tip: The Per-Split Settings button has both momentary and toggle action:
If held for more than 1/2 second, it is momentary, staying on only as long as you hold it. This is used for fast changes: hold Per-Split Settings, change a setting with your other hand, then releasing Per-Split Settings.
Or if tapped briefly (held less than 1/2 second), it toggles between on and off with each press. This is better for one-handed use: turn on Per-Split Settings, change a setting, then press Per-Split Settings again to turn it off.
Each of the Per-Split Settings is explained below.
The Per-Split Settings screen includes two sets of settings-- one for the Left Split and another for the Right Split.
If LEFT is selected here, the settings in the leftmost 14 columns apply to the Left Split.
If RIGHT is selected, the settings in the leftmost 14 columns apply to the Right Split.
Also, when Split mode is off, the entire playing surface will use either the Left or Right Split's settings, depending on which Split is selected here. And you can quickly switch between them while playing by double-tapping the Split button.
There are three different ways that LinnStrument can send its MIDI information:
1) One Chan (One Channel)
All touches are sent over a single MIDI channel, called the Main channel. This is LinnStrument's default setting, making it compatible with every MIDI sound generator in existence, because all traditional MIDI keyboards send over a single MIDI channel. Click here to learn about LinnStrument's Smart MIDI, which prevents conflicts over a single MIDI channel when playing simultaneous pitch slides or Y-axis movements.
Tip: For best compatibility with standard one-channel (not MPE) synths and their preset sounds, which are optimized for traditional MIDI piano keyboards, use these settings:
MIDI Mode: One Channel
Main Channel: 1
Bend Range: 2
Timbre/Y: CC74
Loudness/Z: Poly Pressure
Hidden Setting: set all settings for one-channel non-MPE synths
Hold this button for more than 1/2 second to instantly change the MIDI settings to the above values. (This feature was added in version 2.3.1 software.)
2) ChPerNote (Channel Per Note, also called MPE for MIDI Polyphonic Expression)
Each touch is sent on its own unique MIDI channel, permitting independent 3D control for each simultaneous touch. Played notes are rotated through the assigned Per-Note Channels (see "MIDI Channels" below). Messages common to all notes (like Program Change, Sustain/CC64 or Volume/CC7) are sent over the Main channel, or if no Main channel is selected, redundantly over all Per Note Channels.
Hidden Setting: set all settings for MPE synths
Hold this button for more than 1/2 second to instantly change other relevant Per-Split Settings for MPE compatibility. The button's light will turn light blue and these settings will be set as follows:
Left split: Main Ch 1, Per-Note Chs 2-8
Right split: Main Ch 16, Per-Note Chs 9-15
Bend Range: 48 (This uses the hidden setting "Any Bend Range". See "Bend Range" heading below.)
Timbre/Y: CC74
Loudness/Z: Chan Pres
Also, LinnStrument will send a MIDI Remote Activation message (RPN 6), which will remotely set an MPE sound generator to MPE mode and set its channels and Bend Range to match LinnStrument's.
Note that if LinnStrument receives such a message from a synth, it will select Channel Per Note mode and set its Per-Note Channels and Bend Range to match the values in the received message.
3) ChPerRow (Channel Per Row)
Each row’s touches are sent on a unique MIDI channel. By default, the lowest row is sent over channel 1, the next over channel 2 and the highest row over channel 8. Messages common to all notes (like Program Change, Sustain/CC64 or Volume/CC7) are sent over the Main channel, or if no Main channel is selected, redundantly over all Per Row Channels.
Hidden Setting: Reverse Row Order
Normally the lowest row uses the lowest of the assigned 8 Per-Row Channels and the highest row uses the highest numbered channel. This can be a problem for some guitar synthesizers that always use channel 1 for the highest row/string. In such cases, hold the ChPerRow button to reverse the channel order so that the highest row uses the lowest of the 8 assigned channels and the lowest row uses the highest channel number. The button's light will change to the split's accent color.
Columns 3 through 6 are used to select the MIDI channel(s) over which MIDI messages are sent. Depending on the selection in the View column (column 2), one of three MIDI channel assignments can be viewed or changed:
1) If VIEW is set to Main Chan (main channel), you can view or change the Main MIDI channel in columns 3 - 6. By default, LinnStrument uses channel 1 for the left split (MPE lower zone) and channel 16 for the right split (MPE upper zone).
If MIDI Mode is set to One Channel, then this setting determines the single channel over which all MIDI messages are sent.
If MIDI Mode is set to Per-Note Channels or Per-Row Channels, then this setting determines the channel over which messages common to all touches (like Program Change, Sustain Pedal / CC64 or Volume / CC7) are sent. Or if no Main Channel is selected (press the selected channel to deselect it), common messages will be sent redundantly over all Per Note or Per Row Channels.
2) If VIEW is set to PerNoteChs (Per-Note Channels), you can view or change in columns 3 - 6 which of the 16 MIDI channels are used for Per-Note messages. This is only useful if MIDI Mode is set to Channel Per Note. You can turn any of the channels on or off. By default, LinnStrument selects channels 2-8 for the left split and 9-15 for the right split.
3) IF VIEW is set to PerRowChs (Per-Row Channels), you can view or change in columns 3 - 6 which of the 16 MIDI channels are used for Per-Note messages. A contiguous block of 8 channels is always selected. To change the selection, select the lowest channel of the 8-channel continuous block you wish to use.
Tip: If using a non-MPE synth that permits each voice to receive on a unique MIDI channel, it can be used as an MPE synth. To do this, set each of the synth's voices to receive from one of LinnStrument's assigned Per-Note channels. However, only MPE synths have a Common channel (1 or 16) that is used to receive messages that apply to all voices such as sustain pedal (CC64), overall volume (CC7), etc.. To work around this limitation, Set MIDI Mode to ChPerNote and the "View" column to Main Chan, the deselect the lit channel button in columns 3-6 so that no Main channel is selected. This will cause all such common messages to be sent redundantly over all of the Per-Note channels.
When you slide your finger left or right to perform pitch slides or bends, LinnStrument sends standard MIDI Pitch Bend messages. This setting determines the number of columns you must slide your finger left or right in order to send the minimum or maximum MIDI Pitch Bend value, equivalent to moving a MIDI keyboard's Bend Wheel fully forward or backward. For example, a setting of 12 means that sliding left or right 12 columns produces the maximum bend value. This should be set to the same Bend Range as in your synth. If set correctly, performing a pitch slide will finish on the same pitch as if you pressed the destination note pad directly. If not, this setting is wrong.
By default, LinnStrument's Bend Range is set to +/- 2 semitones, because nearly all standard preset sounds on common synthesizers use a bend range of 2 semitones. Though this provides compatibility with common sounds, it also prevents pitch slides over 2 columns. To increase the range/distance of pitch slides, set the Bend Range in both LinnStrument and your synthesizer to a higher value. A value of 24 is ideal for LinnStrument because it permits pitch slides of up to 2 octaves, which is the length of each row in the large LinnStrument model.
The options are +/- 2, 3, 12 or 24 semitones.
Hidden setting: Any Bend Range
To select any Bend Range from 1 to 96 semitones, hold the "+/-24" pad and the screen will display the current value in large numbers. Swipe left or right to adjust it from 1 to 96. If other than 24, its light in the Per-Split Settings screen will change to the split's accent color.
Left-right movements (X axis) are always sent using MIDI Pitch Bend messages. The settings in this column are:
1) ON
If on, Pitch Bend messages are sent when you move your finger left or right, permitting smooth performance of vibrato or pitch slides.
If off, Pitch Bend messages are not sent, so pitch slides or vibratos cannot be performed. In this case, sliding left or right will play a series of consecutive semitone notes, as if gliding your finger up or down a piano keyboard or sliding up or down a guitar neck.
2) QUANTIZE
If on, striking a new note anywhere within the note pad will result in the same perfectly quantized semitone.
Then after you strike the note, moving your finger will produce unquantize pitch slides or vibratos. This is the equivalent of having frets when you strike the note but no frets (permitting vibrato or pitch slides) while holding the note after the initial strike. This permits fast play in perfect tune, yet with the ability to perform expressive pitch gestures at any time.
If off, striking different locations within the pad will produce different pitches. For example, striking exactly between 2 note pads will produce a 1/4 tone that is exactly between the center pitches of the 2 note pads.
3) QUAN HOLD (Quantize Hold)
If on, pitch will be gradually corrected after a vibrato or pitch slide is finished. This permits you to stay in perfect tune while performing vibratos and pitch slides. This is especially useful when performing 2- or 3-part pitch slides on chords.
4) QHOLD FAST (Quantize Hold Fast)
Same as Quantize Hold but with a faster pitch correction after the vibrato or pitch slide is finished. This is useful for faster playing but may correct very slow vibratos or pitch slides.
For slower pitch correction, Press Quantize Hold + Qhold Fast together. This can be helpful when performing very slow vibratos or pitch slides because they will not be mistaken for the end of a pitch movement and mistakenly corrected.
For no Quantize Hold, turn off both Quantize Hold and QHold Fast.
Hidden setting: Reset On Release
Press the 5th pad from the top to turn on Reset On Release, which sends a Pitch Bend value of zero when a note is released. Normally this should be off to prevent pitch change upon release for sounds with long releases. However for sounds with fast releases, if you're hearing an occasional fast pitch sweep at the beginning of notes, it's because a previous note's bend value is remembered by the synth and is quickly being zeroed at the start of the new note. Turning this on will correct that.
These settings are related to forward/rearward finger movements, which are limited to the 17 mm depth of each note pad.
1) ON
If on, MIDI messages are sent in response to Y-axis finger movements.
If off, they are not.
Hidden setting: Timbre/Y High/Low Limits
Normally the value sent for Timbre/Y has a range of 0 to 127. However, you can change the low and high limits so that the sent values will be scaled between these limits. To change these range limits, hold the On pad and the screen will display large characters. Swipe up or down to switch between the following two settings, and left or right to edit each setting’s value:
"L 0": the Low Timbre/Y limit, from 0 to 127.
"H127": the High Timbre/Y limit, from 0 to 127.
If these settings are changed from their default values of L 0 and H127, the On pad in the Per-Split Settings screen will be lit in the accent color. Note that if the high limit is lower than the low limit, the output range will be inverted.
2) CC1
If selected, MIDI Control Change #1 messages will be sent in response to Y axis movements.
3) CC74
If selected, MIDI Control Change #74 messages will be sent in response to Y axis movements. CC74 is the standard MIDI message for sending MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) Y-axis data.
Hidden setting: Y Axis Message Select
Hold this button to select any CC number from 0 to 127, or Poly Pressure or Channel Pressure messages, for sending Y-axis information. The current assignment will be displayed in large characters. Slide left or right to adjust the CC number (0 to 127), followed by Poly Pressure and Channel Pressure. If Poly Pressure is selected, this permits polyphonic Y-axis data over a single MIDI channel. If a value other than CC74 is selected, the button will light in the split's accent color.
4) RELATIVE
If off, CC messages reflect absolute finger position within note cell.
If on, a CC value of 64 is sent at first regardless of the position of touch, and subsequent Y-axis movements increase or decrease that value.
Hidden setting: Y-axis Relative Initial value
Hold to set the starting relative value from its default of 64 to any value from 0 to 127. For example, if using Y-axis to add a modulation amount, the Y-axis value at first touch will be zero, then moving your finger forward will increase the value.
These settings are related to the sending of MIDI data in response to varying pressure on the note pads.
1) ON
Enables sending of pressure (Z axis) messages. If off, no pressure messages will be sent.
Hidden settings: Loudness/Z Range Limits and High Resolution Pressure
Normally the value sent for pressure control has a range of 0 to 127. To change these range limits, hold this button and the screen will display large characters. Swipe up or down to switch between the following 3 settings, and left or right to edit each setting’s value:
"L 0"
This is the Low Loudness/Z limit, from 1 to 127. Normally this is set to 0.
"H127"
This is the High Loudness/Z limit, from 1 to 127. Normally this is set to 127.
Note that if the high limit is lower than the low limit, the output range will be inverted. Also, if these settings are changed from their default values of L 0 and H127, this button in the Per-Split Settings screen will be lit in the split's accent color.
"7 BT"
Normally pressure is sent as a 7-bit value from 0 to 127. Swipe right to send a 14-bit value as two CC messages. Then you must hold the “CC11” note pad and select a CC from 0 to 31. LSB data will be sent on the CC number that is 32 higher than the selected CC. For example, select CC11 to send MSB (Most Significant 7-bit Byte) on CC11 and LSB (Least Significant 7-bit Byte) on CC43.
2) POLY PRES (Polyphonic Pressure)
Send pressure data using Poly Pressure messages, also called Polyphonic Aftertouch.
3) CHAN PRES (Channel Pressure)
Send pressure data using Channel Pressure messages, also called Channel Aftertouch. Channel Pressure is the standard MIDI message for sending MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) Z-axis (pressure) data.
4) CC11
Send pressure data using Control Change 11 messages.
Hidden setting: CC Select
To change the CC number to something other than CC11, hold this pad and the current value will be displayed in large characters. Swipe left or right to change the CC number (0 to 127). If anything other than the default 11 is selected, the CC11 pad in the Per-Split Settings screen will change to the split's accent color
Note that either Poly Pressure, Channel Pressure or CC11 may be selected. You cannot select more than one.
Select red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, yellow, white, orange, lime or pink for each of the following:
1) MAIN
By default, these are the note pads used to light all scale notes except C. The default color for the left split is green and for the right split is blue. Press this button to change the Main color, rotating through the 10 available colors.
Note that you can change the scale that is lit in Global Settings > Note Lights On/Off.
2) ACCENT
By default, these are the note pads used to light only the C notes within the scale. The default color for both splits is cyan (light blue). Press this button to change the Accent color, rotating through the 10 available colors.
3) PLAYED
When a note pad is touched (or a Note On message is received over MIDI), the note pad will change to the color selected here. Red is selected by default. Press this button to rotate though the 10 available colors or none.
Hidden setting: Light Animations
Hold to select one of a number of light animations that appear around the played note:
• Cell (Only the pressed note pad is lit. This is the default setting.)
• Same (When pressed, all note pads with the same pitch on other rows will light.)
• Crosses
• Circles
• Squares
• Diamonds
• Stars
• Sparkles (Roger's favorite, best in white)
• Curtains
• Blinds
• Targets
• Up
• Down
• Left
• Right
• Orbits
4) LOW ROW
This is the color of the Low Row when turned on. See the description of Low Row feature below.)
The lowest row can be changed to have a variety of alternate functions, conveniently operated by the thumb while the fingers are used to play notes on the other rows. The options are:
1) NORMAL
The Low Row feature is turned off and the lowest row is used for normal note play.
2) RESTRIKE
Striking the low row will restart all notes held in the upper 7 rows.
3) STRUM
Dragging your finger left and right across the Low Row will restart notes held directly above the current position on the Low Row, effectively strumming the notes above where you touch on the Low Row.
4) ARPEG (Arpeggiator)
Pressing the Low Row enables the Arpeggiator (at the selected Rate in Global Settings > Arpeggiator) for as long as you hold it.
Also, sliding your finger left or right from the initial position of touch will change the Arpeggiation rate between the 7 possible rates: 1/8 notes, 1/8 triplets, 1/16 notes, 1/16 half swing, 1/16 triplets, 1/32 notes and 1/32 triplets.
5) SUSTAIN
Pressing the Low Row acts as a momentary sustain pedal to sustain any held notes after release.
6) BEND
Pressing the Low Row and sliding left or right bends the pitch of all held notes. The bend range is set by the Bend Range parameter.
7) X=CC1
Pressing and sliding left/right on the Low Row acts like a continuous control strip, sending Control Change #1 messages.
Hidden settings: Low Row CC1 Mode and CC#
Hold the CC1 button to access two hidden settings. Swipe up or down to switch between the following two settings, and left or right to edit each setting’s value:
a) Hold/Fader select:
The 2 options are:
a) Hold Mode: Press anywhere on the Low Row to send an initial CC value of 0, then slide right (up to a distance of 7 pads) to increase the sent value up to 127, then release to send a zero value. This is the default mode, intended to use your thumb as a momentary sound change while your fingers are playing notes above.
b) Fader mode; In this mode, the Low Row acts like a long linear Mod Wheel control strip. Press the left end of the Low Row to send a CC value of 0, the right end to send 127, and anywhere between for a proportional value. The sent value remains after releasing the Low Row.
b) CC#
The options are 1 (default) though 127, followed by Channel Pressure. If other than 1 is selected, the “X=CC1” pad’s light in the Per-Split Settings screen will change to the Accent color.
8) XYZ=16-18
The low row acts as a three-dimensional control strip, sending CC16 from X axis movements, CC17 from Y-axis movements and CC18 from Z-axis movements.
Hidden setting: XYZ CC Assign
To change the CC number used for X, Y or Z and more, hold "XYZ=16-18" and the screen will display large characters. Swipe up or down to switch between the following four settings, and left or right to edit each setting’s value:
a) X-axis Hold/Fader select: Select “HLD” (Hold mode; press anywhere to send an X-axis CC value of 0, slide right up to 7 pads to increase the sent value to 127; release to send a zero value) or “FDR” (Fader mode; press to send an X-axis CC value of 0-127 proportional to your finger position that persists after release).
b) X CC#: Select CC for X axis (X1 - X127, Channel Pressure)
c) Y CC#: Select CC for Y axis (Y1 - Y127, Channel Pressure).
d) Z CC#: Select CC for Z axis (Z1 - Z127, Channel Pressure).
If any of the above CC numbers are not set to the default values, the “XYZ=16-18” pad (in the Per-Split Settings screen) will light in the accent color.
Engages one (or none) of four special playing modes:
1) ARPEG (Arpeggiator)
Turn on to enable the Arpeggiator for this split, using the Arpeggiator settings in Global Settings.
2) CC FADERS
Changes the selected split into 8 horizontal sliders sending Control Change 1 (on frontmost row) through 8 (on rear row) messages over the Main channel. An example of using CC Faders would be to use the left split for normal play while using the right split to adjust 8 sound parameters in real time.
Hidden setting: CC Fader CC#
To change the CC number used for each fader, hold CC FADERS. The screen will display a large number and 8 blue lights on the right edge, one of which is lit in green to indicate which of the 8 faders is selected. Select one of these 8 lights to select a fader, then adjust its CC number from 0 to 127 (or select Channel Pressure) by swiping left or right. Note that these 8 assignments are unique for the left and right splits. If any value is changed from its default of CC1-8, the CC FADERS pad in the Per-Split Settings screen will be lit in the split's accent color.
3) STRUM
If on and Split is also on, you can strum this split to play any notes fingered on the other split. For example, select STRUM in the right split, turn the SPLIT button on, then drag your finger forward and backward over the rows in the right split to "strum" any notes fingered in the same row of the left split, similar to strumming a guitar. As your strumming finger passes each row, the notes fingered in that same row on the other split will sound. Note the following:
a) When you finger a note in the opposite split, the note will not sound until you strum it in the Strum split.
b) If you strum a row that contains no touched notes in the other split, its lowest note pitch will play, similar to strumming open strings on a guitar.
c) If multiple notes are fingered in a single row, only the highest-pitch note will play.
d) Hammer-ons and pull-offs can be performed on each row.
e) Sensitivity of the Strum split is increased while Strum is on.
4) Sequencer
This enables LinnStrument's Step Sequencer. To learn about it, click the "Sequencer" tab at the top of this page.
The Preset button and screen permit you to select sounds in an external synthesizer by sending MIDI Program Change messages. Press the Preset button and the lights will change to the following:
The current Preset (program change) number is displayed in large digits. The range is 1 to 128, corresponding to MIDI Program Change numbers 0 to 127. To change the selected preset, slide your finger left or right. Or press the green Increment or red Decrement buttons in the upper left corner. As the number changes, MIDI Program Change messages will be sent.
Each of the two splits has a saved Preset number. In the upper right corner, press the LEFT or RIGHT buttons to display/edit the Left or Right Split's Preset number.
The Preset button has both momentary and toggle actions. Press it briefly (less than 1/2 second) to turn the Preset screen on or off. Hold it (for more than 1/2 second) for momentary action. This permits faster preset selection during performance: Hold the Preset button, select a preset with your other hands, then release the Preset button.
Sometimes it is useful to change all of LinnStrument's settings at once, for example to change many MIDI settings at once from those needed for one sound generator to those of another.
At the right side of the Preset screen are 6 blue-lit note pads indicating 6 "All Settings" memories. Each of these 6 memories holds a snapshot of almost all settings, including Per-Split Settings, Octave/Transpose settings and Global Settings, but not the following:
1) The currently selected preset (1-128, MIDI Program Change) in the Preset screen.
2) The Volume screen's setting.
3) The current slider value of the 8 CC Faders, as well as the slider values of the Low Row's X=CC1 or XYZ=16-18 sliders.
Why not save these settings? Because the intent of the All Settings memories is to instantly change all of LinnStrument’s settings but not settings that affect parameter values of external MIDI sound generators. These exception settings are also lost when power is turned off.
4) All data and settings of the Step Sequencer. Why? Because these are saved separately in the 16 Sequencer Project memories.
5) The three Custom Light Patterns in Global Settings > Note Lights On/Off.
To save the current LinnStrument settings to one of these 6 memories, hold one of the 6 blue-lit note pads for 2 seconds or more, until you see it flash red.
To recall the saved settings, briefly tap one of these 6 buttons. It will flash green and will stay lit in light blue to indicate that this was the last-loaded memory.
Here are the default contents of each of these presets:
Memory 6 (highest): These are the settings for playing drumbeats and bass as demonstrated in this video. In our Logic sounds file (downloadable from the Recommended Sounds page), select the track "Elec Filter Kit" and also enable the Record button ("R") on the "Upright Bass" track.
Memory 5: These are the same settings as after performing a Global Settings > Actions column > Reset.
Memory 4: These are settings for playing MPE sounds. (Same as holding ChPerNote in the Per-Split Settings > MIDI Mode column.)
Memory 3: These settings are useful for some one-channel synths that don't respond to Poly Pressure and limit bend range to 12 semitones: MIDI Mode = One Channel, Main Chan = 1, Bend Range = 12, Loudness/Z = Channel Pressure.
Memory 2: These are the same settings as a new LinnStrument or after a Global Settings > Reset. (In Per-Split Settings, MIDI Mode = One Channel, Main Chan = 1, Bend Range = 2.)
Memory 1 (lowest): These are the same settings as a new LinnStrument or after a Global Settings > Reset. (In Per-Split Settings, MIDI Mode = One Channel, Main Chan = 1, Bend Range = 2.)
The Volume button and screen permit quickly changing the volume of the external synthesizer. This is done by sending MIDI Volume (control change #7) messages over the split's Main channel. Pressing the Volume button will display the Volume screen:
To change the volume, slide your finger left or right across the playing surface. As the width of the light bar changes, MIDI Control Change 7 messages (Volume) will be sent to the external sound generator to adjust the volume proportionally.
If LEFT split is selected in the upper right corner, the left split's volume is displayed. If RIGHT split is selected, the right split's volume is displayed.
The Octave/Transpose button and screen permit you to quickly change the playing octave or transposition. Press the Octave/Transpose button and the lights will change to the following:
There are 3 horizontal bars in the center, adjacent to the printed text "Octave", "Transpose PItch" and "Transpose Lights". Slide your finger on one of the bars to adjust its value. The 3 settings are:
1) OCTAVE
Press this row to shift the octave up or down. Range is -5 to +5 octaves.
2) TRANSPOSE PITCH
Press a cell in this row to transpose the output pitch. The range is +/- 7 semitones. After this screen is exited, the OCTAVE/TRANSPOSE button remains green for positive transpositions and red for negative transpositions, to remind you that the transposition is active.
3) TRANSPOSE LIGHTS
Press a cell in this row to shift the position of the note indicator lights (and their pitches) left or right. The range is +/- 7 semitones. For example, to move the lowest “C” note into the lower left corner cell, select a transposition of -6.
These settings are different for the left and right keyboard splits, selected in the upper right corner:
If LEFT is selected, the left split's settings are shown, and in the left split's Main and Accent colors.
If RIGHT is selected, the right split's settings are shown, and in the right split's Main and Accent colors.
If you press both LEFT and RIGHT together, you can view and change the settings for both splits simultaneously. If the settings are different, the indicator bars will show the left and right split's Main colors overlapping.
Also, when Split mode is off, the split selected here (or in the Per-Split Settings, Preset or Volume screens) will play from the entire touch surface.
When you turn off the Octave/Transpose button off, all notes assigned to middle C (note number 60) will blink briefly, to indicate you the selected octave transposition.
These 2 switches are handy during performance for turning on/off sustain or a variety of other functions. The function of each switch is assigned in the GLOBAL SETTINGS.
By default, SWITCH 1 is assigned to Sustain Pedal and SWITCH 2 is assigned to Arpeggiator On/Off.
These switches have both momentary and toggle action. If held, they are momentary. If tapped briefly, they toggle between on and off.
Press SPLIT to toggle between normal and split keyboard modes. The lights will change to the following:
The 2 splits will be displayed in their assigned Main and Accent colors, set in the Per-Split Settings.
To move the split point, hold the SPLIT button while dragging your finger across the playing surface.
While SPLIT is on, one of the 2 splits is still selected. The selected split is the one that is selected in the Per-Split Settings, Preset, Volume and Octave/Transpose screens. Also, the split button (while on) is lit in the selected split's Main color. The selected split is used in various ways. For example, if a Sustain Pedal is connected, it normally only affects the selected split.
If the SPLIT button off, the full playing surface will use the colors and other settings of the selected split. To quickly switch between playing the full surface with the left or right split's settings, double-tap the SPLIT button.
Global Settings are settings that apply to both of LinnStrument's keyboard splits. For example, Velocity Sensitivity is a global Setting it affects both the left and right splits. Same for selecting whether to use the MIDI Jacks or MIDI over USB.
To view or change the Global Settings, press the Global Settings button and the button will light. Now notice that the lights on LinnStrument's playing surface have changed:
Now the lower four rows of lights indicate the status of the Global Settings printed directly below each column. For each column, the status of the lowest printed setting is indicated by the lowest note pad; the status of the second-from-bottom printed setting is indicated by the second-from-bottom note pad; etc. For example, if the lowest note pad in column 1 is lit, this indicates that "Main" is selected.
The Global Settings button has both momentary and toggle action:
If held for more than 1/2 second, it is momentary, staying on only as long as you hold it. This is use for fast changes: hold Global Settings, change a setting with your other hand, then releasing Global Settings.
Or if tapped briefly (held less than 1/2 second), it toggles between on and off with each press. This is better for one-handed use: turn on Global Settings, change a setting, then press Global Settings again to turn it off.
Each of the Global Settings is explained below.
While in Performance mode, the notes of the C major scale are lit in the Main color (green by default) and the C within each octave is lit in the Accent color (light blue by default). All accidentals (notes not in the scale) are not lit.
Most LinnStrument players never change this light pattern. If you wish to change the light patterns, the Note Lights On/Off settings permit you to change the note lights in either of two ways:
1) You can change whether each of the 12 notes in the chromatic scale is lit in all octaves, and in one of two colors, or
2) you can create a fully custom light pattern, individually setting each note pad to one of 10 colors or off.
The Note Lights settings consists of the 1) the View column and 2) in columns 2 through 4, the 12 on/off switches to turn on or off the 12 notes of the chromatic scale.
The VIEW column has 4 options: Main, Accent, Scale Select, and a fourth hidden option called LEFT HAND MODE.
1) MAIN
If Main is selected, the 12 settings at right (C through B) determine which notes within each octave are lit in the selected Split's Main color. By default, the natural notes (C, D, E, F, G, A and B) are selected. Press any of these 12 note pads in order to turn it on or off.
2) ACCENT
If Accent is selected, the 12 settings at right (C through B) determine which notes within each octave are lit in the selected Split's Accent color. This is usually used to indicate the root note of the scale. For this reason, only C is selected by default. If a scale note is selected in both Main and Accent settings, the Accent setting overrides the Main setting.
Tip: to change the colors used for the Main and Accent colors, go to Per-Split Settings > Color column > Main or Accent. These colors are different for the Left and Right splits.
3) SCALE SELECT
This feature permits creating, and quickly switching between, multiple Note Light patterns. For example, you could instantly switch between the default C major scale lights, an alternate light pattern that lights the C minor scale, and a custom pattern that resembles the dots on a guitar neck.
If Scale Select is selected in the View column, the 12 settings in columns 2-4 (C through B) are used to select one of 12 Note Lights memories, each containing a different light pattern. (Important: the labels C through B are merely identifiers for the 12 memories, using the same 12 printed labels C through B that are printed below the 12 buttons, and have no relation to the musical keys C though B.) These 12 memories are divided into two types:
The first nine memories (C through G#) contain a unique set of both Main and Accent light settings as described above. This permits quickly changing the lights of one musical scale to another. Though all 9 memories are editable, the default contents are:
C: Major (default)
C#: Natural minor
D: Harmonic minor
D#: Major Pentatonic
E: Minor Pentatonic
F: Major Blues
F#: Minor Blues
G: Diminishe
G#: Whole Tone
The last three memories (A, A# and B) are fully custom light patterns that you can create by individually setting each of the note pads to any of 10 colors or off. This is useful for light patterns that cannot be created with the first nine memories, such as guitar neck dots or light patterns with more than two colors. Though all three of these memories are editable, the default contents are:
A: Guitar neck dots
A#: C major scale with a different color for each scale note
B: Blank
To display one of these 3 custom light patterns, briefly press Scale Select button A, A# or B, then turn off Global Settings. Your selected light pattern will appear.
To Edit one of these 3 custom light patterns, enter Global Settings then:
1) HOLD Scale Select memory A, A# or B. You have now entered the light editor screen and the existing contents of the selected memory will appear.
2) To set the color of a pad: repeatedly press the blinking Switch 1 button until it shows your desired color, rotating through the 10 available colors. Then press any note pad to change it to that color.
3) To erase any note pad: hold it.
4) To erase many note pads: press 2 pads that are 2 corners of a rectangle that includes the pads to be erased.
5) To save your changes and exit the editor: press Global Settings to turn it off and return to the normal performance lights.
Notes about the 3 custom light pattern memories (A, A# and B):
1) Most LinnStrument players never change the default note lights
2) If one of these 3 custom light pattern memories is selected, the Main and Accent options in the View color are disabled. This is because these are not used for the custom light patterns.
3) The custom light patterns always use the entire playing surface, even if Split is on. However if Split is on, playing the note pads will still work the same-- divided into left and right splits. The same is true for CC Faders mode: the normal CC Faders will not display but the function of the pads will work as 8 CC Faders. However, the Low Row will display as normal, and the Sequencer will display as normal.
4) These custom light patterns are not part of the 6 All Settings presets in the Presets screen, so they are unaffected by loading or saving any of the All Settings presets.
4) Hidden setting: LEFT HAND MODE
In column 1, the 4th button from the bottom enables Left Hand Mode.
If on, the pitch of each row increases in the right-to-left direction..
If off, the pitch of each row increases in the normal left-to-right direction.
Hold this button to alter its function to one of 3 options:
1) REV: reverse pitch direction of both splits. (Default)
2) REVL: reverse pitch direction of left split only, for mirrored outward-increasing pitch in Split mode.
3) REVR: reverse pitch direction of right split only, for mirrored inward-increasing pitch in Split mode.
Setting the note lights remotely via MIDI messages
You can set any of LinnStrument's note pad to any color by sending LinnStrument a series of three MIDI Control Change messages:
1) CC20: Column number of note pad to change (control key column is 0, left play column is 1, right play column is 25)
2) CC21: Row number of note pad to change (bottom row is 0, top is 7)
3) CC22: Color to change it to (0=as set in Note Lights settings, 1=red, 2=yellow, 3=green, 4=cyan, 5=blue, 6=magenta, 7=off, 8=white, 9= orange, 10=lime and 11=pink).
First send CC20 and CC21 to select the column and row to be lit, then send CC22 to light it.
There are two addition CC messages that are related only the three custom light patterns in Scale Select memories A, A# and B:
4) CC23: Save loaded light pattern to flash.
After sending a new light pattern to LinnStrument, send a CC23 message with value 0, 1 or 2 to save it to Scale Select memory A, A# or B, respectively.
5) CC24.: Clear custom light pattern from flash.
Send a CC24 message with value 0, 1 or 2 to clear Scale Select pattern A, A# or B, respectively.
Changing LinnStrument's rows to contain consecutive scale notes instead of consecutive semitones
LinnStrument's rows always consists of consecutive semitones and cannot be changed to consist of consecutive scale notes, skipping notes outside of the scale. The reason is explained in the first FAQ of the FAQ page (at left), General tab. If you wish to change LinnStrument's rows to contain consecutive scale notes, skipping accidentals, that FAQ contains a link to an Win/Mac application that will do that, though it breaks pitch slides.
This setting determines the pitch offset between rows, like tuning the strings on a guitar. The default setting is +5, so that the leftmost pitch of each row is 5 semitones (a musical fourth interval) higher that the leftmost pitch of the row below it, just like the 4 lower strings of a guitar or a bass guitar. This tuning is called the Fourths String Layout and is the default tuning on LinnStrument.
There are 8 tunings options:
+3, +4, +5, +6 and +7
These set the Row Offset to 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 semitones.
+OCTAVE
This sets the Row Offset to an octave.
Hidden setting: ANY ROW OFFSET
Hold +Octave and the screen will display “12” in large letters. Swipe left or right to edit the value from -16 through zero to +16, including the leftmost value "-GUIT" (upside down guitar tuning). If set to any value other than the default 12, the +OCTAVE pad will light in light blue instead of the normal blue.
GUITAR
This sets the Row Offset to guitar tuning on the upper 6 rows, plus 2 extra bass strings below on the bottom, each tuned 5 semitones below the row above it.
Hidden setting: Independent Row Tunings
Hold the GUITAR button to view the Independent Row Tuning screen. Select one of the 8 rows at left, then edit that row’s pitch by swiping left or right.
NO OVERLAP
This sets each row to start at a pitch one higher than the pitch at the end of the previous row. In this way, there is no pitch overlap between rows. This can be useful either for non 12-ECO tunings, or for control surface applications where it is desirable for each note pad to have a unique note number.
Tip: To select a Row Offset of zero (all rows start with the same pitch), press the lit selection to turn it off.
LinnStrument has a 1/4 inch tip/ring/sleeve jack for connection to any single or dual foot switch. (See the Hooking It Up page for details.) It also has two assignable switches to the left of the playing surface called Switch 1 and Switch 2. The Assign Foot/Panel Switch settings are used to assign these 4 switches to Sustain Pedal, Arpeggiator On/Off and a variety of other useful functions.
Tip: connect your foot switch before powering on your LinnStrument. When powered on, LinnStrument senses whether you are using a Normally Open or Normally closed foot switch, which is necessary for correct operation.
Tip: the 2 foot switches have momentary action, while the 2 panel switches are both toggle (if pressed for less than 1/2 second) and momentary (if held for more than 1/2 second).
To assign a switch's function:
1) In the SELECT SW column (column 7), select the switch to be viewed or changed. The options are:
SWITCH1: the panel switch of the same name
SWITCH2: the panel switch of the same name
FOOT R: either a single foot switch or the right switch of a dual foot switch
FOOT L: the left switch of a dual foot switch
Once selected, the current assignment will be displayed in the ASSIGN SWITCH columns (8 and 9).
2) To change the selected switch's assignment, press the desired assignment in the ASSIGN SWITCH area (columns 8 and 9).
Tip: Note that the foot switch jack only accepts a foot switch but not an expression pedal. To learn how to use an expression pedal with LinnStrument, see the Hooking It Up page, section "Using an expression pedal".
Here is a list of the available assignment options:
1) TAP TEMPO
Tap 1/4 notes to set the tempo for the Arpeggiator and Step Sequencer.
Hidden settings: Extra switch assignments.
Hold Tap Tempo to view or change its function to one of the following, shown in large text on the playing surface. Select by swiping left or right:
2, 3) OCTAVE DOWN and OCTAVE UP
OCTAVE DOWN transpose down an octave, and OCTAVE UP transposes up an octave.
4) SUSTAIN
This is the standard Sustain Pedal assignment, using MIDI Control Change #64 messages. To change the control change number sent for this assignment, hold the Sustain button to see the assignment is large digits, then swipe left or right to change the displayed value. If set to any value other than the default 64, the “Sustain” button will light in light blue instead of the normal blue.
5) CC65
Choose this assignment to send Control Change #65 messages with a value of 127 when pressed and 0 when released. To change the control change number sent, hold his button to see the assignment is large digits, then swipe left or right to change the displayed value. If set to any value other than the default 65, the “CC65” pad will light in light blue instead of the normal blue.
6) ARPEG
Choose this assignment to enable the Arpeggiator while the switch is on.
7) ALT SPLIT
Choose this assignment to quickly alternate between the left and right split playing across the full playing surface.
BOTH SPLITS
Because the foot switch assignments are global settings, there is a single assignment that applies to whichever split is selected, left or right. And if the Split button is on (split keyboard play), then the foot switch only affects the Selected Split. (The Selected Split is the split selected in the Per-Split Settings screen, and is also indicated by the color of the Split button.) For example, if Split is on and the Left Split is the Selected Split, the sustain pedal will only sustain notes on the Left Split.
However, if BOTH SPLITS is on, then when the Split button is on (split keyboard play), the foot switch will affect both splits. For example, if Split is on, the sustain pedal will sustain notes on both the Left and Right Splits.
HIDDEN SETTING: Virtual Third Foot Switch.
In addition to the 2 foot switches, a third "virtual" foot switch exists, actuated by pressing both left and right foot switches together. To assign it, in the Select Switch column, press both FOOT L and FOOT R together, then select an assignment in the Assign Switch columns. If an assignment is made, then the actions of the Left or Right Foot Switches will occur when releasing the foot switch instead when pressing it. To remove the assignment for the virtual third foot switch (and return the 2 principal foot switches to normal actuation on the press), press its selection to deselect it.
There are 3 levels of velocity sensitivity, plus "Fixed" to disable velocity sensing:
1) LOW (for players with a heavy touch)
2) MEDIUM
3) HIGH (for players with a light touch)
Hidden setting: Low and High Velocity Limits
Hold either Low, Medium or High to access the Low and High Velocity limits, shown in large characters. All velocities played will be scaled between these two values. Swipe up to view the Low Velocity Limit (L1 by default) or swipe down for the High Velocity Limit (H127 by default). Swipe left of right to adjust the displayed value.
Note that even with a Low Limit of 1, LinnStrument's velocity curves rarely produce a value below 20, even with very light touches. This is because LinnStrument's velocity response was tuned based on feedback from users who felt this produced the most consistent response. Perhaps this is because rubber pads lack the helpful momentum of a piano key's travel.
4) FIXED
Regardless of how hard or soft you play, a fixed velocity value (96 by default) is always sent.
Hidden setting: FIXED VELOCITY VALUE
Hold the Fixed Velocity pad to adjust the fixed velocity value that is sent by swiping left or right. Default is 96.
There are 3 levels of pressure sensitivity:
1) LOW (for players with a heavy touch)
2) MEDIUM (for most players)
3) HIGH (for players with a light touch)
Hidden setting: TOUCH SENSOR PRESCALE
This setting scales the raw output of LinnStrument's touch sensor before pressure and velocity processing.
Tip:
If you wish more control over LinnStrument's touch sensitivity than is provided by the Low, Medium and High options for Pressure Sensitivity and Velocity Sensitivity, you can try changing this setting, which will affect both velocity and pressure sensitivity.
To view the calibrated value, hold (like a Shift key) Calibration (col 16, row 4) while pressing this "Medium" button. You will see a number in large digits. To change the displayed value, slide your finger left or right on the lowest row. Note that the lowest row also acts as a pressure meter for any note pad pressed in the upper 7 rows. The displayed value can be changed between scaling values of 50 (lowest sensitivity, 50% of sensor output) to 200 (extremely high sensitivity, 200% of sensor output).
Note: In units before around 2021, this value was calibrated at the factory with a weight test. After that, the sensor consistency has been so good that at the factory, LinnStrument 200 units are set to 75 and LinnStrument 128 units are set to 90, which result in the same apparent sensitivity due to the different lengths and therefore resistances of the sensor sheets of the 200 and 128.
WARNING: settings above 100 allow you to get into trouble, possibly resulting in decreased velocity accuracy, pads falsely triggering, or limiting dynamic range by producing maximum velocity or pressure values with only light playing force. Also note that the Prescale value affects the sensitivity of the 8 control buttons, so higher values may cause problems in the operation of these buttons. For this reason, when trying out high Prescale values above 100, increase by only 10 increments at a time, If you start to notice unwanted problems, reduce the Prescale value to a setting that doesn't cause the problems.
Note that the Prescale setting is not reset by the RESET command in Global Settings > Actions column.
Also, see "How hard should I play LinnStrument?"
AFTERTOUCH
If on, LinnStrument's sent pressure messages behave like the traditional Aftertouch on MIDI keyboards: they only exceed zero once you've pressed the note pad approximately 80% of its normal finger pressure range. If off, it behaves as normal with pressure values exceeding zero with a very light touch.
LinnStrument's Arpeggiator works similarly to arpeggiators in MIDI keyboards, arpeggiating the individual notes of a held chord in various ways. However, this arpeggiator is unique because of LinnStrument's expressive control:
1) Varying pressure while holding a chord will vary the velocity values of the arpeggiated notes.
2) Varying x-axis while holding a chord will vary the pitch of the arpeggiated notes.
3) Varying y-axis while holding a chord will vary the y-axis values of the arpeggiated notes.
Here are two videos that demonstrate this 3D arpeggiator control: LinnStrument Arpeggiator, expressive beat box.
To use the Arpeggiator, set these settings as desired, then turn the Arpeggiator on in the desired Split (left or right) in the Per-Split Settings / Special column. You may also assign the Low Row (in Per-Split Settings) or the Foot or Panel Switches (in Global Settings) to momentarily turn the Arpeggiator on or off. The settings are:
There are three options:
1) UP and DOWN
UP arpeggiates in the upward direction though the held chord, DOWN arpeggiates in a downward direction. Hold UP and DOWN simultaneously to select UP & DOWN.
2) RANDOM
This setting picks the notes of the held chord randomly for arpeggiation.
3) REPLAY ALL
Choose this setting to restrike the entire held chord on each repeated time interval of the arpeggiator. Here's a video that demonstrates this feature.
The options are:
1/8, 1/16, 1/32 (Arpeggiator rate)
Select the Arpeggiator rate (1/8, 1/16 or 1/32 notes) relative to the tempo.
Hold 1/8 and 1/16 simultaneously to select SWING for 1/16 note half-swing time, a relaxed and natural swing feel with a 58%/42% ratio between the odd and even 1/16 notes, halfway between straight and triplet swing 1/16 notes.
TRIPLETS
If on, the "1/8" button becomes 1/8 Triplets, the "1/16" button becomes 1/16 Triplets, and the 1/32 button becomes 1/32 triplets.
Column 14
The settings are:
TAP TEMPO
The button's light will flash 1/4 notes at the current tempo. Tap 1/4 notes on the button to change the tempo for both the Arpeggiator and the Step Sequencer. When the button is pressed, the numeric tempo will be displayed in the upper half of the screen, which you can change by sliding your finger left or right over the displayed number.
+1 OCTAVE, +2 OCTAVE
Select one of these to add one or two upper octaves to the arpeggiated notes. Deselect both for normal operation.
Tip: If MIDI Clock is being received, the Arpeggiator and Step Sequencer will sync to received tempo and Song Position Pointer. The Global Setting button will blink 1/4 notes to indicate that external sync is being received. LinnStrument sends MIDI Clock only while the Step Sequencer is playing, and only if not also receiving MIDI Clock, in order to avoid a MIDI Clock feedback loop in your DAW.
Low Power mode:
If ON, LinnStrument is placed in a special Low Power mode that permits it to be powered over USB from any Lightning-equipped iPad or iPhone. While on, the panel lights will be dimmed.
If OFF, LinnStrument is in normal full-power mode and the panel lights are full brightness.
When connecting an iDevice to LinnStrument for the first time, you can force LinnStrument to wake up in Low Power mode by holding the Octave/Transpose button while connecting power.
Sleep mode:
Press to enter Sleep mode. Pressing any note pad turns them back on. You can also enter Sleep mode by press Per-Split Settings and Global Settings simultaneously.
Hold this pad to adjust two Sleep parameters. Swipe up/down to select the parameter and left/right to edit its value:
1) Sleep display select:
“SLP”: all lights off. Note: you can immediately enter Sleep mode at any time by pressing Per-Split Settings and Global Settings together.
“STR”: a looping promotional animation, intended for stores.
"XMS": a looping Christmas animation with snow falling on Christmas trees.
2) Timer select:
“NOW”: Pressing Global Settings > Sleep immediately enters Sleep mode, or
“D1-D30”: The Global Settings > Sleep button is a toggle. If on, then after the selected number of minutes of Delay after not touching LinnStrument, Sleep mode is entered.
USB and MIDI JACKS
LinnStrument send and receive MIDI over either the round MIDI jacks or the USB jack, but not both. To use USB, select USB. To use the round MIDI jacks, select MIDI JACKS> By default, USB is selected, which is 3.7 times faster than the MIDI jacks.
If USB is selected, your computer should show "LinnStrument MIDI" as the name of the MIDI device.
Tip: if UPDATE OS (explained below) is ON, no MIDI data will be sent over USB.
Hidden setting: MIDI Thru
Hold “MIDI JACKS”, then swipe right to select “THRU”. Now the DIN MIDI OUT jack will both send MIDI OUT data and also echo received MIDI IN data.
Hidden setting: USB MIDI Data Reduction
If LinnStrument's high volume of MIDI data sent over USB is overloading your computer or sound generator, you can slow down the transmission rate of MIDI messages. Hold the "USB" button to display a screen showing the delay time (in microseconds) that is added between sent MIDI bytes. Swipe left or right to change the value. Default is 235. As a point of reference, a value of 300 slows it down to the speed of the MIDI jacks, and a value of 600 slows it down to half the speed of the MIDI jacks.
CALIBRATE: Your LinnStrument is calibrated for accurate X- and Y-axis precision at the factory and never needs recalibration under normal use. The green color of the Calibration button indicates that it is calibrated and there is no reason to do a new calibration.
Important to repeat: your LinnStrument never needs recalibration under normal use, so please do not do a calibration unless I (Roger) ask you to. Sometimes new owners who don't yet understand the operation think the first thing they should try is a new calibration, which usually results in a less accurate calibration than was done at the factory.
There are some unusual circumstances that may cause the factory calibration to be erased, in which case the Calibration button will be red:
1) loading edited source code without using the trick explained on the Source Code page,
2) loading a beta software version,
3) reverting to an earlier software version, or
4) powering LinnStrument from an inadequate power source. (The Hooking It Up page provides hepfjul information about providing adequate power.)
Only if the button is red should you do a new calibration. The calibration is a simple two-minute process and is demonstrated at location 14:55 in this video.
Note: During the calibration procedure, each note pad will change color as you drag across it. Sometimes a pad will turn yellow after one pass over a row. This is normal and is corrected by dragging over the same row in the opposite direction. If not, do the calibration again more slowly, taking a full 4 seconds to drag across each row in each direction.
UPDATE OS: Select before receiving an OS update from the LinnStrument Firmware Updater.
Tip: No MIDI data is sent while UPDATE OS is on.
OS VERS: Select to see the current OS version.
NOTES OFF: Select to turn off any stuck notes.
RESET: Press UPDATE OS and NOTES OFF together to reset all settings in LinnStrument (except Calibration) to factory status.
While Global Settings is on, pressing note pads in 1 through 16 of the top row will cause one of the 16 text messages below to scroll across the screen. The text is upside down so that if you're holding your LinnStrument as a guitar, the messages will appear correctly for the audience to read.
To edit any of these messages:
1) Hold the button of the specific message to be edited for 2 seconds. This will enter Edit Mode.
2) Slide your finger up or down within a single column over a letter to change it, or slide your finger left or right within a single row to scroll other letters of the message onto the screen. The maximum message length is 30 characters.
3) When finished, exit Global Settings.
Note that your edits remain after powering off and on, as well as after an OS Update.
LinnStrument contains a highly versatile 2-track step sequencer with the following features:
Note from Roger: The credit for this sequencer goes to LinnStrument's software creator Geert Bevin, who not only wrote the sequencer software but also did most of the design.
If you have an earlier LinnStrument without the printed Step Sequencer settings
If you an earlier large LinnStrument model without the printed Step Sequencer settings in the upper right area of the top panel, there are 3 ways to update your LinnStrument:
There are 2 sequencer tracks, one for each of LinnStrument's two keyboard splits, using the Per-Split Settings (MIDI assignments, colors, etc.) from the split. Each split can be used for normal play or for sequencer play but not both. However, one split can be used for the sequencer and the other for live play, thereby permitting simultaneous sequencer playback and live play.
To turn on the sequencer for either split, go to Per-Split Settings > Special column and turn on the Sequencer button (4th pad from top). Then exit Per-Split Settings and the normal Performance mode lights will be replaced by the Sequencer screen, shown below.
Here is the Sequencer screen on the large LinnStrument model:
Here is the Sequencer screen on LinnStrument 128. If no note is selected in the Sequence Display Area at left, the lower-right area shows the Page Select buttons...
...or if a note is selected in the Sequence Display Area at left, the lower-right area shows that note's 4 parameter values:
The left side of the screen contains the Sequence Display Area and Step Select Bar. The right side of the screen contains the Sequencer Controls. In the large LinnStrument model, the Sequencer Controls are printed above the right side of the playing surface. In LinnStrument 128, they are printed to the right of the playing surface.
While the Sequencer screen is showing, the functions of the following buttons change:
The upper 7 Rows on the left side of the screen is the Sequence Display Area, which shows the actual note events in the sequence. If a note event has a velocity of 96 or higher, it is shown in the split's Accent color. Otherwise it is shown in the split's Main color.
There are 3 views of the sequence data-- Scales, Drums and Notes. These 3 views are explained below in the description of the View Mode buttons. The screenshots above show the default Scales view, in which each row represents a note of (by default) a C major scale. To change the displayed scale, change Global Settings > Note Lights, just as you would change the displayed scale in Performance mode.
The columns represent Time Steps. LinnStrument 128 shows 8 time steps and the large LinnStrument model shows 16 time steps. The displayed area shows you a window into a sequence of up to 32 steps and 14 rows (pitches). The Page Select buttons (explained below) permit viewing different pages within the larger sequence.
The lowest row below the Sequence Display Area is the Step Select Bar. Various colors indicate different information:
Red: This is the play head. When the sequence plays, the red light moves to indicate the playing step.
Orange: The step contains at least one note event.
Yellow: The step contains no note events.
Lime: The step is after the Sequence End and therefore does not play.
Each of the 2 sequence tracks (left and right) has 4 sequences, one of which can play at a time. There are 4 buttons for the left split's 4 sequences and 4 buttons for the right split's 4 sequence. The active sequence (1 through 4) is lit in the split's Accent color, while the inactive sequences are lit in the split's Main color. If you change the active sequence while playing, the newly-selected sequence will play when the current sequence finishes. Or to instantly switch, double-tap the new sequence button.
The MUTE LEFT and MUTE RIGHT buttons are used to instantly mute either sequence track.
There are 3 views of the sequencer data:
1) Scales
This is the default view and is shown in the screenshots above. In this view, each of the 7 rows represents a note within a musical scale. In the screenshots above, the rows represent the 8 notes of the C major scale. To change the displayed scale, change Global Settings > Note Lights, just as you would change the displayed scale in Performance mode.
2) Drums
Drums view is identical to Scales view except that instead of the rows representing scale notes, they represent different drums, or rather the MIDI note numbers for specific drums. By default, the 7 rows are assigned to the following note numbers, which are the General MIDI standard for the following drum types:
Skaker (note nmber 69, highest row)
Tamborine (note number 54)
Hihat Open (note number 46)
Hihat Closed (note number 42)
Snare rim (note number 37)
Snare (note number 38)
Bass drum (note number 36)
However, these assignments may be changed in the Sequencer Settings (Switch 1).
3) Notes
This view is the same as in LinnStrument's Performance mode: rows of consecutive semitones with scale notes lit. In this view, only the note events that exist at the selected step (in the Step Select Bar) are displayed, and appear in red.
These buttons determine the time given to each sequence step, relative to the current tempo. (The Sequencer uses the same tempo as the Arpeggiator, set in Global Settings > Arpeggiator columns.) The options are:
1/4, 1/8 or 1/16
For example, press 1/16 and all steps will play for one 1/16 note each. To select 1/4, press 1/8 and 1/16 together.
DOTTED, TRIPLET and SWING
Select DOTTED to change the selected 1/4, 1/8 or 1/16 Step Size into dotted 1/4s, dotted 1/8s or dotted 1/16s.
Select TRIPLET to change the selected 1/4, 1/8 or 1/16 Step Size into 1/4 triplets, 1/8 triplets or 1/16 triplets.
Select SWING to force the Step Size to 1/16, played at a loose half-swing in which for each 1/8 note, the first 1/16 note receives 58% and the second 1/16 note receives 42% exactly half-way between straight 1/16s and triplets swing 1/16s.
For normal 1/4, 1/8 or 1/16 notes, do not select any of these 3 buttons.
Each sequence has 32 steps, yet only 16 columns can be viewed on the large LinnStrument model and only 8 can be viewed on LinnStrument 128. Also, in Scales or Drums view, the sequence contains 14 scale notes or drums, yet only 7 rows can be viewed at a time. So the Sequence Display Area is a window into the larger sequence. The Page Select buttons allow you to reposition that window to view different parts of the sequence.
On the large LinnStrument model, there are 4 Page Select buttons, permitting viewing of 1) the first or last 16 steps, and 2) the lower or upper 7 rows.
On LinnStrument 128, there are 8 Page Select buttons, permitting viewing of 1) steps 1-8, 9-16, 17-2 or 24-32, and 2) the lower or upper 7 rows.
If either LinnStrument model is set to Notes View, there are no upper rows to view so there are no upper Page Select buttons. In this case, the Page Select buttons are used only to select ranges of steps, with buttons for LinnStrument and 4 for LinnStrument 128.
To clear (erase) any sequences, hold CLEAR while pressing one of the 4 left or 4 right Sequence Select buttons.
To clear (erase ) all notes from a step, hold CLEAR while pressing a step button in the Step Select Bar.
To copy one sequence over another, hold COPY while pressing the source, then destination sequence, from among the 4 left and 4 right sequences.
To copy a step's contents to another step, hold COPY while pressing the source step, then destination step in the Step Select Bar.
Turn on to loop only the steps that are visible on the screen. This is useful for quick editing of a portion of a longer sequence.
Turn on to reverse the play direction. Hold to alternate play between forward and reverse.
At the desired location in the Sequence Display Area, press an empty note location. The note will be entered at the velocity played.
To delete a note, briefly tap it in the upper 7 rows.
The sequence can be any length up to 32 steps. By default, the sequence length is 8 steps on LinnStrument 128 and 16 steps on the large LinnStrument model, the same as the number of displayed steps. To change the sequence length, hold SETTINGS (Switch 1) while also pressing the desired ending step in the Step Select Bar. To select a length longer than the number of displayed steps, you must use the Page Select buttons to view higher steps within the sequence.
Hold the note for more than 1/2 second and it will blink, indicating that it is selected for editing.
Another way to select a note is to press its step in the Step Select Bar. If more than one note exists at the selected step, press the step button in the Step Select Bar again to rotate through the notes at that step or no selection.
Once selected, the note's Velocity, Duration, Pitch Bend and Y-axis values will appear in the lower right area of the playing surface, explained below.
If you wish to deselect the selected note (for example to use the Page Select buttons on LinnStrument 128), press anywhere on the unlit area in the middle of the screen. On LinnStrument, there is a single unlit column. On LinnStrument 128, there are 2 unlit columns.
While playing, hold Switch 2 (Sequencer Play) while pressing a step in the Step Select Bar. Play will instantly jump to the new position.
If both sequence tracks are in use but you'd like to play only the viewed sequence track, hold SEQUENCER SETTINGS (Switch 2) while pressing SEQUENCE PLAY (Switch 2).
The Sequencer uses the Arpeggiator's tempo. It can be changed in Global Settings > Arpeggitor columns > Tap Tempo.
Simply send LinnStrument MIDI clock with Song Position Pointer and it will play in perfect sync.
To transpose a sequence's playback, use the Octave/Transpose button/screen. However, if the View Mode is set to DRUMS, the sequence playback will not be affected, because transposing note numbers that play specific drums would otherwise cause the sequence to play different drums.
Press SETTINGS (Switch 1) to adjust a variety of settings related to the sequencer. The screen below will appear. Press one of the 4 buttons at the bottom of the screen to select a setting.
LinnStrument has 16 "Projects", each of which holds all sequence data and settings for both splits. The 4x4 matrix in this screen represents these 16 projects.
Hold a Project button for more than 1/2 second to save all current sequencer data over the contents of the Project button.
Briefly press a button to replace all current sequencer data with the contents of the button's project.
The last saved or loaded project button will change to light blue to remind you which one you last saved to or loaded from.
The LinnStrument Updater app can be used to save any of the 16 projects as a file to your computer.
If View is set to "Drums" in the Sequencer screen, each of the 7 rows has an assigned note number corresponding to a specific drum. The default note numbers are given in the description of the Drums View above. This Settings screen permits you to change the note number for each of the 14 rows. There are 2 setting screens: 1) the note numbers for rows 1-7 and 2) the note numbers for rows 8-14.
This setting permits you to change the colors used in the sequencer screen's Step Select Bar.
