Greetings,
I have bought the Squid only a few days ago, so there might be some functions that I haven't found yet.
Song Mode:
The most missing feature for me is for the production of Songs. I have read that request already a few times. I would love to have a song mode, or at least a chainlinking of patternsets that runs automatically. Best case would be with set repeat times, which pattern set runs how many repeats or bars. It is such a key essential feature for me, that I played with the idea of returning the Squid to the store.
Project Management:
Maybe I did not find such a feature yet, but if it is not there, I would love to have it. Project Settings. I would like to set a project before starting to produce. f.e. Set the pattern length to 4 bars for the complete project. At the moment I set each pattern to 4bars manually, which takes hundrets of clicking processes with both hands. Same struggle is with changing the scale mode.
Option for destructive recording:
After Improvising there always comes the step to record a pattern, with melody or what not. The not so perfect recordings are always there, but since the recording is not destructive, you cant run it on loop until you nail the timing and notes. Right now I use the delete pattern function when I had mistakes happen. Which leads back to the point above, I have to set the patternlength back to 4 bars and the scale mode to phrygian f.e.
I can see the reason for non destructive recording, because of the set length of the pattern. Maybe there could be a destructive recording that activates with the first pad you hit within the 4 bars (or whatever your length is set) and that automatically deactivates when the set bars are done. This way you wont record over the previous try, even if you dont play any pads.
Optional Chordmode Nameplates:
It is a good idea to have chosen the chordnames with certain moods they provide. That makes it very userfriendly for the not so educated producers. There is also those people that are well fluent in harmonic theory. And speaking for myself, I really miss an option to change the chordnames into the actual chords or at least something similar to MASCHINE. 1-3-5-7 for the septchords for example.
Those Changes would make the very good Squid into an excellent Unit, for me personally.
Hi Philipp, thank you so much for your thoughtful suggestions for improvement. All 4 of them are workflow enhancements for sure--some more mentioned than others, but I can see your point on all of them. I will be sending these to the engineering team. There is no guarantee, but I want you to know that we're paying attention as to which features are viewed by our customers as "must haves".
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Is the answer to destructive recording pressing undo after the take you don’t want?
@Mike, that is the way to do it right now...it works pretty good. The mode that Philipp is referring to specifically exists in some other sequencers, both hardware and software. Kind of like an "auto overwrite" or "overdub off" mode. It makes doing multiple takes really fast cause the sequencer keeps overwriting itself each time it loops and you can focus on your note input.
@Rhythm Droid
I always see you writing "...sending this to the engineering Team" or "This is on our List" and such...
Just for transparency reasons:
Can you share an official list of approved feature requests that your Dev-Team is working on?
Maybe with a priority ranking.