Scaler starts first pattern with playback timings of third pattern

Scaler 2 Support
1

I have three patterns (Intro Pt1., Intro Pt2. and Main).

If I stop my set anywhere in Intro Pt1 or Pt2 and restart it, everything plays back fine.

If I stop my set anywhere in the Main pattern and restart playback from the beginning, the first chord of Intro Pt1 (duration X4, repeat 1) plays with the same values (duration X4, repeat x2) as the first chord of the Main pattern.

I have run through many scenarios and the results are always the same.
The Scalers are synced and except for voicings and performance settings they appear the same to me.

This is most likely user error, but I just cannot see where that error might be. The key switches appear proper and placed in the correct positions. Since they play properly as long as I have not just stopped in the Main pattern I am sure they are ok.

If I render the set and the last position of the cursor in the DAW was in Main, it will render badly. And, of course, if I render the set and the last position of the cursor was in any position other than in the Main patter, it will render just fine.

I am sure I am doing something incorrect somewhere in the process.

I poked around in the topics and could not see something familiar.

If anyone has some advice for me, I would appreciate it.

2

Hi @kkatzer

Welcome to the forum. It maybe helpful if you can export the Scaler state and upload it to the forum. Then it should be possible to see what is happening.

3

Thanks,

But I get a message that, as a new user, I cannot upload attachments.

I checked the guidelines but I cannot see the protocols for uploads.

4

If you have Google Drive, or any number of free cloud services. You can post a link to any number of files on these.

These all have free services

5

Ok… this should be the WeTransfer link to a state export of one of the Scaler plugins:

6

This just got a bit odder (or maybe it is just another version of the same oddness).

So my patterns go “Intro Pt 1, Intro Pt 2, Main.”

I just noticed that sometimes when the set transitioned from “Intro Pt 2” to “Main” it plays the first chord of “Main” with the duration of the last chord of “Intro Pt 2” (a similar thing as the first part of this post).

Scaler switches to the correct pattern, it just has timing issues.

And, if I immediately position the cursor on the start of the “Main” pattern, everything plays fine.

The key switches all seem fine as the Scalers move between patterns as instructed.

Also, there are four Scalers. They all behave the same. They either all work or they all fail.

I am going to keep banging my head against this one and if I find the issue I will post it, but any ideas would be appreciated.

7

Here is a simple test to try if you are up to it.

I created a bare bones set with one track with one Scaler (there is a link for that Scaler state below) and used the Scaler internal sound source. The chords are just plopped in to have some sounds.

I put key switches as follows:

bar 1:   C1        The Intro Pt1  pattern.
bar 14:  D1       The Intro Pt 2 pattern.
bar 21:  E1        The Main 1 pattern.

Using the sequence below I can produce a failure every time.

  1. Play the start for a few seconds.
  2. Put the cursor on bar 20 and play for a couple seconds.
  3. Put the cursor at the start and play.
  4. The first chord of the first pattern now plays with the Duration/Repeats of the first bar of the pattern (Main 1) which starts at bar 20.

This is the WeTransfer link to the Scaler: WeTransfer - Send Large Files & Share Photos Online - Up to 2GB Free

That is about all I have. I can’t take it down any further.

I would appreciate it if someone would try that test and tell me what your results are.

Thanks

8

I seem to be writing this to myself, but here is an update.

If I link the patterns in PAD mode the set seems to playback in the proper order, but there are oddities in the chord sounding at a pattern change.

I thought the patterns were supposed to be unlinked when using embedded key switches. Is that so?

9

Sorry for not getting back to you sooner, but I’ve downloaded your state and I don’t seem to get this issue in either REaper or Live 11. What DAW are you using?

10

I see I made a mistake and said pattern 3 started at bar 21 but said that I put the cursor on bar 20.
Pattern 3 should start at bar 20, but I imagine you corrected for my discrepancy.

That the test works in your DAWs must mean something about my environment or that I have something corrupt somewhere because I can cause this failure to reliably repeat in both Live 11 and Live 12.

I have a number of sets using Scaler that all behave perfectly.

A very odd thing is that the test Scaler is very simple (one track and three patterns) and it was created independently in both 11 and 12. I don’t know what might be corrupt though. Live 11 has always been reliable.

Since I can recreate the issue in two different environments and both environments function independently of one another and there are no shared components and all other sets I have behave properly I am at a loss to explain this problem.

I don’t want to abandon my set. I have a lot of time invested in it and I like what I have.

I guess my next step is to find some replicable sequence of events that will give me positive playback and just deal with it. I put a ticket in with Scaler support but I imagine that they also will not be able to replicate the issue.

I appreciate you taking the time to analyze this.

One last question because my grey matter is getting a bit mushy.

When you run Scaler using key switches embedded in your DAW, the patterns are supposed to be unlinked in Pad mode, correct?

11

I am waiting on Scaler support for some answers.

I decided just to change all the first chords of my patterns to have the same duration/repeat and now it behaves. I just have some musical adjustments to do.

It is a sad solution, but at least I did not lose the set.

Thanks for your help.