Alesis PerformancePad Pro Reference Manual

DRUM MACHINE

REFERENCE MANUAL

INTRODUCTION

WELCOME TO THE PerformancePad Pro MULTI-PAD INSTRUMENT

The PerformancePad Pro includes high-fidelity drum, percussion and bass sounds, and is easy to operate. You can easily switch among the different instrument layers in real-time. As you strike the 8 pads (each of which can be assigned to any of the available sounds), the PerformancePad Pro's onboard sequencer records exactly when you triggered the sounds and the dynamics of your playing. You can play back your sequences and edit them in various ways.

Data can be saved so that it is retained in memory even if the power is turned off. If the memory fills up with drum Patterns and Songs, this data can be saved permanently to MIDI System Exclusive storage devices.

The PerformancePad Pro also includes a library of Preset Patterns prepared by professional drummers and musicians for those who want to start creating Songs in the fastest and easiest way possible.

GROUND RULES

The PerformancePad Pro consists of two main elements:

 The drum sounds themselves, recorded in high-resolution multi-sample stereo format. For

 An internal sequencer to control and trigger the sounds.

additional realism, many sounds use advanced "dynamic articulation" techniques so that these sounds, when hit loudly, have a different timbre than when they're hit softly.

The Pattern/Song Recording Method

When recording with a drum machine, it's often easier to divide a song into shorter individual Patterns and work on these rather than record an entire song. A typical Pattern might be 8,16, or 32 beats long, and correspond to a verse, chorus, bridge, instrumental, intro, etc. While recording these Patterns, the PerformancePad Pro will be in Pattern Mode. The PerformancePad Pro holds 100 Preset (i.e., can't be edited) Patterns and 100 userprogrammable Patterns, each of which can be from 1 to 128 beats long.

After perfecting these Patterns, Song Mode offers two ways to create a song:

 Program a list of Patterns, in the order in which they are to be played.

 Select Patterns in real time, and the PerformancePad Pro will remember your

performance.

The PerformancePad Pro stores up to 100 User-programmable Songs.

Breaking a song into Patterns saves time since elements of a song often repeat.

Example: The second verse might have the same drum pattern as the first verse. Rather than record the same Pattern twice, simply record one Pattern, then list it twice when assembling a Song. This also saves memory (thus leaving room for more Patterns and Songs) since listing a Song step takes up much less memory than recording a Pattern.

Tip: To hear a demo song, hold [PATTERN / SONG] and press [PLAY].

The Two Types of Patterns

What's a Voice?

The PerformancePad Pro introduces exciting new Song construction techniques. The PerformancePad Pro excels at live performance—something usually not associated with drum machines. The key to using these advanced features is to understand the different types of available Patterns.

 Preset Patterns provide a variety of rock, jazz, pop, and other rhythms programmed by

professional drummers.

 User Patterns are Patterns you can program, edit, and save. The PRESET/USER

button selects between these two master banks of Presets. It is important to note that the only way to modify a Preset Pattern is to copy it to a User Pattern, where it can be edited.

The Four Types of Sub-Patterns

There are 100 of each type of Pattern, numbered 00-99. However, each numbered Pattern actually contains four different "Sub-Patterns":

 A pair of independent Main Patterns (A and B, selected by their respective buttons).

 A pair of associated Fill Patterns (A Fill and B Fill, selected by pressing the FILL button

when either A or B is selected). The Fills primarily provide transitional Patterns between Main Patterns, which makes for more realistic drum parts. The associated Fill Patterns share the same length, Drum Set, and name as their Main Patterns (e.g., if A is 16 beats, A Fill is 16 beats). Otherwise, they are independent.

The reason for pairing the two different A and B Patterns together is simply so that you can switch back and forth between them rapidly in live performance or while improvising. Note that a Pattern’s A, B and FILL Sub-Patterns have equal lengths and use the same Drum Set (collection of drum, percussion and bass sounds, as well as effects parameters).

Note that even though there are "only" 100 Patterns, the A and B variations double that to 200 Patterns, and the Fills double that again to 400 Patterns. Added to the Preset Patterns, 800 total Patterns are available.

How "Looping" Simplifies Recording

To simplify recording, a Pattern will "loop" over and over again.

Example: Suppose you want to record an 8-beat pattern. While recording, the pattern will record through all 8 beats, then immediately jump back to the beginning and continue recording through all 8 beats again. The PerformancePad Pro will remain in record mode, and continue to loop, until you press STOP or switch over to Pattern Play mode. You will hear any previously-played parts as you record new parts. You can also erase drum hits while the pattern is looping to correct for errors.

Each of the 8 large pads triggers a voice. A voice is a sound-generating element with several variable parameters: sound assignment, tuning, volume, output assignment (the voice's audio output can go to either one of two sets of stereo outputs, and furthermore, to anywhere within the stereo field of the chosen set of outputs), MIDI note number, etc.

Each pad is velocity-sensitive: the harder you hit the pad, the louder the sound assigned to the pad will play. Thanks to the dynamic articulation techniques mentioned earlier, the timbre will often change as well, just like the way that "real" drum, percussion and bass instruments produce sound when played with different amounts of force.

There are eight levels of pad volume resolution, from soft to loud.

CONNECTION DIAGRAM

SPEAKERS

MP3 PLAYER

HEADPHONES

POWER

EXTERNAL SOUND MODULE

As you hook up the PerformancePad Pro, the volume control on your power amp and the PerformancePad Pro should be all the way down, and power to both units should be off.

FOOTSWITCHES

1. Plug 1/4" TS cables from the MAIN OUTPUTS to an amplifier, mixer, or speaker system. For mono sound, you can connect only one output.

2. Alternatively, you can connect a pair of 1/4" TRS headphones to the PHONES OUTPUT to practice quietly.

3. Connect a MIDI device, such as a sampler or sound module, to the MIDI OUT of the PerformancePad Pro.

4. If you have 1/4" TS footswitches, connect them to the Hi-Hat and Kick inputs.

5. Plug the included power adapter (12V DC 500mA) into the adapter jack and the adapter into a power source.

6. Press the POWER switch to turn on the unit.

7. Tap the pads to hear sounds. You can switch among the three different sound categories for the pads by pressing the corresponding button (DRUMS, PERC, BASS).

8. Adjust the volume control on the rear panel to a suitable listening level.

TOP PANEL PHYSICAL LAYOUT

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GENERAL CONTROLS

1. LCD – The display helps you keep track of system parameters and settings as you use the PerformancePad Pro.

2. PADS – The 8 pads are used to trigger sounds on the PerformancePad Pro. The pads can address 3 different types of sounds: drums, percussion and bass. To select which sounds are controlled by the pads, press one of the three Pad Play buttons (DRUM, PERC, BASS). In addition, the pads can be used to trigger entire Patterns while in Pattern Play Mode.

3. PAD PLAY BUTTONS – These 3 buttons select which sounds are triggered when you hit the pads. Press the corresponding button to control the following sounds with the pads:

BASS – Selects the Bass sounds associated with the current Drum Set. In addition, you can hold down this button and use the INC / DEC buttons or the VALUE dial to transpose the bass sounds up or down an octave.

DRUMS – Selects the Drum sounds associated with the current Drum Set. PERC – Selects the Percussion sounds associated with the current Drum Set.

4. TAP TEMPO – You can use this button to tap in a tempo. The PerformancePad Pro will average the time between successive taps and will derive a tempo. You can also change the tempo by holding down the TAP TEMPO button and using the VALUE dial or the INC / DEC buttons.

5. TEMPO LED – This LED will blink at a rate equal to the tempo displayed on the screen’s bottom right corner.

6. REC LED – This LED will light when the PerformancePad Pro is recording. It will blink when you are required to confirm or cancel an action.

7. A & B – Each Pattern consists of two Main sub-patterns – A & B. You can select each of the two sub-patterns by pressing its corresponding button. These sub-patterns allow you to program variation in your Patterns (i.e. sub-pattern A is the verse, sub-pattern B is the chorus).

8. FILL – Each Pattern also includes two Fills associated with each of the two sub-patterns. The Fills are used to transition from one sub-pattern to another (i.e. transition from verse to chorus).

9. ERASE – This button allows you to erase Patterns or Songs. Hold this button down and the screen will prompt you to verify that you want to erase the selected element. To erase the part, press the REC button while the ERASE button is being held down. In addition, ERASE allows you to erase specific events in real-time as you record your patterns. Simply hold down the ERASE button as the Pattern plays and press the pad corresponding to the sound you wish to erase. Any events assigned to the pad will be erased from the moment the pad is pressed until either the pad or the ERASE button is released.

10. SAVE / COPY – This button accesses various save / copy / append functions.

11. MUTE – This button allows you to mute a selected instrument layer. Hold down the button and press the DRUM, PERC or BASS to mute the corresponding instrument layer. To un-mute the layer, press the corresponding button again while MUTE is being held down.

NAVIGATION BUTTONS

12. INC / DEC – These buttons are used to increment and decrement through values and settings on the PerformancePad Pro.

13. VALUE DIAL – This dial can also be used to increment and decrement values and settings.

14. NUMBER BUTTONS – Alternatively, you may use the number buttons to input values directly.

15. PAGE UP / DOWN – These two buttons are used to go between pages of options when browsing menus and settings.

MODE BUTTONS

16. PATTERN / SONG – This button toggles between the two different modes on the PerformancePad Pro. In Pattern Mode, you can play, record and edit individual patterns. Patterns are short (i.e. 8beat, 16-beat, etc) rhythm sequences which are assembled together to create Songs. A Song is a sequence of Patterns. In Song Mode, you can perform or program your Patterns to create a Song. The currently-selected mode will be indicated on the display.

17. PRESET / USER – This button toggles between Preset and User Patterns. The selected mode will be indicated in the upper right corner of the display.

Preset Patterns provide a variety of rock, jazz, pop and other rhythms programmed by professional drummers and cannot be overwritten or edited (the only way a Preset Pattern can be edited is to copy it to a User Pattern).

User Patterns are Patterns you can program, edit and save as you wish.

18. STEP EDIT – Pressing this button enters Step Edit Mode for Pattern or Song editing, depending on which of the two modes is selected. This mode allows you to “step” through your Pattern or Song sequence to correct any mistakes. The display will indicate STEP EDIT while in Step Edit Mode, and the current step will be displayed on the top line. To move through the steps of the sequence, use the PAGE UP / DOWN buttons.

19. PTN PLAY – This button enables Pattern Play Mode. In this mode, you can play pre-selected Patterns in a sequence, using the pads to trigger the Patterns in real-time. See “Playing Patterns With the Pads” section.

SETUP BUTTONS

20. SYSTEM SETUP – Pressing this button calls up various system settings and preferences, such as MIDI options, note assignments, clocking. The display will indicate SYSTEM and SETUP when you are in System Setup. You can move between the different pages of settings with the PAGE UP / DOWN buttons and change the settings on the selected page with the VALUE dial or the INC / DEC buttons. To save your settings so they are recalled the next time you boot up the PerformancePad Pro, press the SAVE button while in this menu and then press REC to confirm the save. To exit System Setup, press the SYSTEM SETUP button again.

21. RECORD SETUP – Pressing this button calls up various recording settings, such as Quantization, Swing, Pattern Length, Time Signature, etc. The display will indicate RECORD and SETUP while you are in Record Setup Mode. You can move between the different pages of settings with the PAGE UP / DOWN buttons and change the settings on the selected page with the VALUE dial or the INC / DEC buttons. To exit Record Setup, press the Record Setup button again.

22. DRUM SET – This button calls up the Drum Set Mode options, where you can select different drum/percussion sounds, bass sounds, change individual pad sounds and modify parameters such as Volume, Tuning, Panning, etc. The display will indicate DRUM SET while you are in Drum Set Mode. You can use the PAGE UP / DOWN buttons to move between the different pages of settings and you can use the VALUE dial or INC / DEC buttons to change the settings on the selected page. When you modify or customize a Drum Set, you will need to make sure that you save it (press the SAVE button, then press REC to confirm) in order to be able to access it later. To exit Drum Set Mode, press the Drum Set button again.

23. EFFECTS – This button calls up the Effects menu, where you can select the effects which are stored and recalled with every Drum Set. These effects include Reverb, EQ / Compression and feature ready-to-use presets. To move between the different pages in the Effects Menu, use the PAGE UP / DOWN buttons. You can use the VALUE dial or INC / DEC buttons to enable and disable the selected effect or to change the displayed settings.

TRANSPORT CONTROL BUTTONS

24. PLAY – If the PerformancePad Pro is stopped, pressing PLAY will play the sequence from the current position. If the PerformancePad Pro is playing, pressing PLAY will pause the sequence. You can continue playing the sequence from the position where it was paused by pressing PLAY again. In addition, you may use the PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN buttons while the unit is playing to advance to the next Pattern (if one is pending), or start playing from the beginning of the current Pattern (and cancel any pending Pattern), respectively.

25. STOP – Press this button to stop the current sequence and go back to the start of the Pattern or Song. Quickly pressing STOP twice sends a MIDI Panic message to the internal voices of the PerformancePad Pro and to external devices connected via MIDI. A Panic message effectively stops all sounds which may be playing. This is useful in situations where a certain sound may be stuck and will not turn off.

26. REC – Press and hold this button before pressing PLAY to initiate recording. The REC button also functions as an ENTER command, when prompted for action by the display (for example, when erasing songs).

REAR PANEL PHYSICAL LAYOUT

1. DC IN – The supplied power adapter should be connected to a live outlet to power the unit.

2. ON/OFF SWITCH – This switch turns the unit on and off.

3. VOLUME – This knob controls the overall volume of the PerformancePad Pro.

4. ¼” TS RIGHT / LEFT OUTPUTS – These ¼” connections will output the audio from the

5. PHONES – Connect headphones to this output for quiet practicing.

6. MIDI OUT – Use a five-pin MIDI cable to connect the MIDI OUT of the PerformancePad Pro

7. STEREO IN – You can connect an external audio device (MP3 player, computer, etc.) to

8. KICK / HI-HAT FOOTSWITCH INPUTS – You can connect a 1/4" TS footswitches (sold

PerformancePad Pro. Connect these outputs to an amplifier or a speaker system. For mono sound, you can connect only one output.

to the MIDI IN of an external MIDI device.

this input using a 1/8" stereo cable.

separately) to these inputs to trigger the kick or hi-hat sounds on the PerformancePad Pro.

DISPLAY LAYOUT

The LCD is divided into several "windows." Each window contains information that helps you monitor the PerformancePad Pro's status, and/or indicates what type of data should be entered.

1. Name, "dialog" box, real time Song/Pattern readout, beat counter. - This is the most commonly-used area of the display. It shows Pattern and Song names, the beat counter if a Pattern or Song is playing, and the Pattern (including A/B/Fill/Preset or User designators) that is currently playing in Song mode. When acting as a "dialog box," it lists parameters and the value to be edited (e.g., MIDI channel and the channel number).

2. Pattern/Song readout (also Drum Set edit and drum pad readout) - This shows the selected Song or Pattern number; with Patterns, the A/B/Fill/Preset or User designators are also shown. In operations that require selecting a drum pad, this window displays the drum pad number.

3. Drumset Edited indicator - If you have edited a Drum Set to which a particular Pattern was assigned, the display also shows DRUMSET EDITED. This is a reminder that you need to save your changes if you would like to be able to recall them at a later time.

4. Page number and tempo display - When stopped or running, this shows the current tempo. For functions that have multiple "pages" of parameters (Record Setup, System Setup, etc), this portion of the display shows the currently selected page number.

5. Pattern Play indicator - This segment is lit when in Pattern Play Mode.

6. Bass and Octave Transposition indicators – BASS indicates that the pads are controlling bass sounds, while the OCTAVE indicators (+1/-1) let you know whether the sounds are transposed up or down an octave (no indicator will be present when there is no transposition).

7. Swing - Shows the current swing rhythm, expressed as a percentage (or OFF if swing is off).

8. Drums / Percussion indicator – These indicators let you know which Pad Play Mode is currently selected (i.e. which sounds the pads are controlling, or which instrument layer you are currently editing).

9. Quantize - Shows the current quantization setting in standard music notation (or OFF if quantization is off).

10. Selected function - Shows which function is currently selected: Drum Set, System Setup, Record Setup, etc.

Throughout the text, button names are shown in UPPER CASE and words that appear on the display are shown in BOLD. When referring to a numbered step in a set of steps, the step number will be in parenthesis— for example, step (4)—to prevent confusion with Song steps or step edit mode.

BASICS

HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PerformancePad Pro

 The Cursor

When the PerformancePad Pro wants you to enter a number in the "Dialog" box, the display will show the previously-entered number (or the default number), and the first digit will have a small underline called the cursor. If the cursor is not present, the number is there for reference only. You are expected to enter something only if the cursor is present.

 The INC / DEC Buttons

The two small buttons with the up arrow and down arrow symbols (next to the number keys) are called the INC / DEC buttons respectively.

Pressing the INC button once increases the value of the entire number indicated by the cursor (not just a single digit) by one. Pressing the DEC button once decreases the value of the entire number indicated by the cursor (not just a single digit) by one.

Example: If the display shows 00 and you want to enter 01, tap the INC button once.

These buttons, as well as the PAGE buttons, also have a "scroll" feature. If you press and hold a button, after a short pause the display will either increment or decrement at a rapid rate.

 The VALUE dial

In addition to the INC / DEC buttons, you may also use the large VALUE dial to quickly increment and decrement through values and settings. Turn the dial clockwise to increment through the available values, or turn the dial counter-clockwise to decrement.

 The NUMBER buttons

The number buttons (0-9) can also be used to directly input values into the PerformancePad Pro. Please note that when using the number buttons it is important to enter leading zeros, if necessary. If a value to be edited is a two-digit number, you must enter a two-digit number. If the number is a three-digit number, you must enter a three-digit number. If necessary, enter a leading 0 (i.e., a zero at the beginning of the number) to fill out the required number of digits.

 Automatic Revert

 Buttons that Toggle

Example: The beat length is a three-digit number. To enter a beat length of 16, enter 016.

This feature may confuse you at first, but save you from potential problems as you become more familiar with the machine. If all the required digits of a number aren't entered within two seconds, the display will revert back to the previous number, with the cursor under the first digit of the previous number. This is handy because if you start to enter a new number, but then change your mind halfway through, you don't have to key in (or remember) the original number again—just wait two seconds, and the display will revert to the original setting.

Some buttons (SYSTEM SETUP, RECORD SETUP, PATTERN/SONG, PRESET/USER, EFFECTS) "toggle" between two states. Each button press sets the switch to its alternate state.

Example: Press the PATTERN/SONG button once to change from Pattern to Song; press again to change from Song to Pattern.

Example: Press RECORD SETUP to call up the Record Setup menu; press RECORD SETUP again to exit the Record Setup menu.

10 STEPS TO INSTANT GRATIFICATION (SETUP AND CHECKOUT)

1. Connect the Main outputs (either left or right for a mono monitoring system, or both for stereo) to a musical instrument amplifier, PA, or plug headphones into the headphone output on the back of the PerformancePad Pro. The amp and PerformancePad Pro volume control (on back) should be all the way down (counter-clockwise).

2. Leave the MIDI OUT jack (rear panel) disconnected for now.

3. Plug the PerformancePad Pro's AC adapter into the wall. The smaller plug inserts in the 12V DC Power jack on the back.

4. Turn on the rear panel ON/OFF switch, and then turn on the amplifier.

5. The LCD will illuminate. The upper right of the display should say PATTERN and not SONG; if it shows SONG, press the PATTERN/SONG button so the display shows PATTERN.

6. Start hitting the pads. Adjust the volume control for a comfortable listening level, and check out the sounds.

7. Try pressing one of the Pad Play Mode buttons (DRUMS, PERC, BASS) to access the different instrument layers and play the pads.

8. To hear the built-in demo, hold down the PATTERN/SONG button and press PLAY. To stop the demo, press STOP. If you want to play along with the demo, feel free to bash away on the pads.

9. To hear a Preset Pattern, stop the PerformancePad Pro and press the PRESET / USER button to select Preset Patterns (the display should show PRESET). Then, press PLAY to hear the Preset Pattern.

10. Try the following:

 While in Preset Patterns, enter a two-digit

number between 00-99 using the number keys, then press PLAY.

 Press the INC button to select the next higher-numbered Preset Pattern. It will play at the

end of the current Pattern.

 Press the DEC button to select the next lower-numbered Preset Pattern.  Press the B button to select the B variation of the selected Pattern.  Press the A button to select the A variation of the selected Pattern.  Press FILL briefly while a Main (A or B) Pattern is playing. Note how the Main Pattern

switches from either A to B or B to A after the Fill has played.

 Press FILL and hold it down until after the Fill has played. If the FILL button is held down

past the next downbeat, the Fill's associated Main Pattern (A or B) continues to play rather than switch from A to B or B to A.

 Hold down TAP TEMPO and use the VALUE dial (or INC / DEC buttons) to change the

tempo.

THE INSTRUMENT LAYERS

The PerformancePad Pro allows you to play three different kinds of sounds with the pads. These sounds are available in three different Play Modes or Banks. These are DRUM, PERC and BASS and are accessible by pressing the corresponding button on the top panel.

PLAYBACK / RECORD BASICS

 Using the Transport Controls

 Preset and User Patterns

 Playing Patterns

 Selecting the Next Pattern to be Played

DRUM – This Pad Play mode allows you to play up to twelve Drum sounds with the pads

PERC – This Pad Play mode allows you to play up to twelve Percussion sounds with the

pads.

BASS – This Pad Play mode allows you to play up to 3 Octaves of a key-mapped bass sample(s) on the pads. To transpose the bass sounds, press and hold the BASS button and then use the INC / DEC buttons or VALUE dial to transpose up or down an octave.

To stop playback and go back to the beginning of the current Pattern or Song, press the STOP button.

Press PLAY to play the Pattern or Song from the current location. Press PLAY again while a Pattern or Song is playing to pause it. Press PLAY to continue playing the Pattern or Song from the location where it was paused.

There are two types of Patterns in the PerformancePad Pro.

 Preset Patterns provide a variety of styles, and other rhythms that feature drums,

percussion and an accompanying bassline. Note that the only way to modify a Preset Pattern is to copy it to a User Pattern, where it can be edited.

 User Patterns are Patterns you can program, edit, and save.

The PRESET / USER button selects between these two banks of Patterns.

1. To play Patterns, the PerformancePad Pro needs to be in Pattern Mode. To do this press the PATTERN / SONG button, which toggles between the two modes. The display will show PATTERN in the upper right corner when the PerformancePad Pro is in Pattern Mode.

2. Select a Pattern you wish to play with the INC / DEC buttons or the VALUE dial.

3. To play the selected Pattern, press the PLAY button.

While a Pattern is playing, you can select to go to another pattern in several ways:

1. Use the INC / DEC buttons or VALUE dial to select the next Pattern. The newlyselected Pattern will play back as soon as the current Pattern plays through its entire length. The display shows the Pattern to be played next.

2. Enter the two-digit Pattern number with the number buttons. If an A Pattern is currently playing, the new Pattern number will play the A variation. If a B Pattern is currently playing, the new Pattern number will play the B variation. You can also enter a two-digit Pattern number followed by A or B or PRESET / USER to call up an A or B or Preset or User Pattern, regardless of the Pattern that is currently playing.

 Selecting Individual Patterns

 Changing Pattern Tempo

 Selecting Fill Patterns

1. Make sure the PerformancePad Pro is in Pattern Mode.

2. Enter a two-digit Pattern number (remember to enter a leading 0 if necessary).

3. Press the A button to select the A Main Pattern, or B to select the B Main Pattern. To select a Fill Pattern, first select the desired Main Pattern (A or B) then press the Fill Button.

4. Press PRESET/USER to select either a Preset or User Pattern.

5. When a Main Pattern reaches its end, it will loop back to the beginning and continue playing from that point unless you select a new Pattern, selected a Fill Pattern initially, or stop the Pattern.

If you select a User Pattern that contains no data, the display says EMPTY PATTERN. If you select a User Pattern that contains data but has not yet been named, the display says NO

NAME.

Notes

 If you change your mind or select the wrong Pattern, you can select a new Pattern

number at any time before the next Pattern begins.

 If you press STOP before the next Pattern begins playing, the PerformancePad Pro will

stop and remain on the currently selected Pattern.

 To immediately jump to the next Pattern in the sequence, press the PAGE UP button.  To immediately return and begin playing from the start of the current Pattern, press

PAGE DOWN.

The tempo range extends from 30 to 300 beats per minute. Tempo can be changed while the PerformancePad Pro is stopped or running. There are two ways to set tempo.

1. Before playing a Pattern, tap the TAP TEMPO button several times at the desired tempo. The PerformancePad Pro will average the time between taps and derive a tempo; the display will update the tempo with each tap.

2. Hold down the TAP TEMPO button and turn the VALUE dial to select a new tempo. Alternatively, you can use the INC / DEC buttons while holding down TAP TEMPO to increase or decrease by 1 BPM, or hold down to scroll through the tempo values.

Note that you can customize how the PerformancePad Pro deals with tempo. In the System Setup pages (page 9), you can specify whether the PerformancePad Pro will follow the tempo associated with each Pattern or whether the unit will follow a global tempo setting, ignoring any tempo data associated with the Patterns.

Fill Patterns are the key to creating expressive drum parts. However, Fill is a sophisticated feature that requires some explanation.

 Fills are always the same length, and use the same Drum Set, as the associated Main

Pattern. This lets you "drop in" a Fill at any time. As soon as you press the FILL button, the Fill takes over from the Main Pattern and starts playing until the end of the Fill.

 Fills are transitional Patterns.

Example: Suppose an 8-beat A Main Pattern is playing and you press the FILL button on beat 4. The A Fill Pattern will play the last 4 beats and then automatically transition into the B Main Pattern.

 Conversely, if B Main is playing and you press Fill, after B Fill has played, the

PerformancePad Pro will transition to the A Main Pattern. You can select the Fill at any time while the Main Pattern is playing. However, Fills do not have to be transitional Patterns. If you press the FILL button before the Fill has finished playing and hold it down until after the Fill has played (i.e., past the downbeat of the next Pattern), the PerformancePad Pro will return to the original Main Pattern.

 Fills cannot start on the downbeat since a Fill, by definition, starts at some point into

the Main Pattern. However, anything you record on the Fill downbeat will play on the first downbeat following the Fill (i.e., the downbeat of the next Pattern). To show why this is a useful feature, consider that when coming out of a fill, you'll often want to hit something like a cymbal crash on the downbeat of the next Pattern yet not have that crash repeat every time the Pattern plays. This way of handling Fills lets the downbeat cymbal crash be part of the Fill instead of the Main Pattern.

 The MUTE Button

The MUTE button can be used to mute the different instrument layers while the PerformancePad Pro is playing.

To Mute Parts:

1. Play a Pattern.

2. Press and hold the MUTE button

3. Press one of the Instrument buttons (DRUM, PERC or BASS.) That particular instrument sound will be muted.

4. To un-mute the instrument layer, press the corresponding button (DRUM, PERC, BASS) while holding down MUTE.

 Playing Songs

1. To play a Song, press the PATTERN / SONG button until SONG is displayed in the upper corner of the screen.

2. Select the Song you want to play with the INC / DEC buttons or the VALUE dial.

3. After you select the Song press the PLAY button.

4. To stop playback, press the STOP button.

Example: Suppose an 8-beat A Main Pattern is playing and you press the FILL button on beat 4 but hold it down past beat 8. The A Fill Pattern will play the last 4 beats, then the PerformancePad Pro will return to the A Main Pattern.

Background This way of handling Patterns explains the logic behind having A, B, and Fill Patterns. In typical pop tunes, A would be the verse and B the chorus. A Fill provides the Fill that transitions from verse to chorus, and B Fill provides the Fill that transitions from chorus to verse. Thus, one of the numbered Patterns may be all you need to put together a tune. This structure makes it possible to put together songs in minutes using the Preset Patterns. It also makes it easy to play drum parts live. For example, if there's a solo happening over the A Main Pattern, you can keep the Pattern repeating until the solo is about to end, at which point you select the Fill that leads out of the A Main Pattern.

+ 30 hidden pages