In our latest video tutorial on YouTube, we show you how to use Patterning 2, a drum machine app made by Olympia Noise Co.
Patterning 2 is a powerful and impressive drum machine app. It’s circular interface is fairly unique as well as user friendly and in this tutorial, we show you how to use it.
In our example, we loaded up Patterning 2 on our iPad but you can recreate this tutorial on an iPhone or Android device. Over the years, music-making apps have come a long way and captured our attention more and more and Patterning 2 is one of the best we’ve come across. Earlier this year we covered The Best iOS Synths where there is also a plethora of choice, most of it free.
Patterning 2 is $19.99. It’s available on the app store.
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FEATURES INCLUDE:
- Unique circular sequencer with independent settings for each loop in each pattern. Create poly-metric and poly-rhythmic beats like never before.
- Variable loop lengths from 1 to 512 steps.
- Step durations from a thirty-second note up to a whole note, with dotted notes and triplets along the way.
- Next generation ratcheting with unique “ratchet decay” setting for creating textural rolls and fast subdivisions of the beat.
- Quantized pattern launching. Launch a pattern on the next down beat, nearest 32nd note, 16 measures in the future or anywhere in between.
- Get wild with loop modes : Forwards, Reverse, Urn (random without repeating), and two Pendulum modes.
- Auto-Rotate feature spins the loop after each rotation to create evolving rhythms.
- Change a loop’s starting point with the new loop rotate feature. Nudge loops slightly off the grid or rotate by subdivisions of a step.
- Updated Divide mode allows you to explore exotic polyrhythms like 7 against 11, 35 against 36, or even 3 against 4. New in version 2 is the ability to change the measure length of divide mode.
- Attach tempo changes to patterns to change up the pace. Slide gradually to the new tempo or jump immediately to it.
- 64 bits of sample velocity sensitivity. (That’s a lot of sensitivity!)
- Draw and erase tools.
- Special “Pen Echo” mode for quick entry of repeating patterns
AUDIO & ABLETON LIVE EXPORT
- Easily export multitrack or stereo audio files from Patterning.
- Export directly to an Ableton Live Set with individual tracks for audio and MIDI. Includes a free copy of Ableton Live Lite! Get the download link from the Export window.
DRUM KITS & SAMPLES
- Dynamically swap drum kits, changing samples and settings when a Pattern changes.
- Download 100s of free factory and user generated drum kits with Cloud Kits. New kits are being added all the time!
- Organize samples into folders.
- Create your own kits and export them to share with other Patterning users via Cloud Kits.
- Easy import your own samples with Dropbox, Audioshare, Files, or iTunes File Sharing.
INSTRUMENTS
- Randomization of instrument parameters.
- Quantized Coarse Tuning for easy melodic compositions. Works with randomization for randomly generated melodies.
- Sample start and end times.
- Sample gain.
- Attack, hold, decay envelope for shaping the amplitude of your sounds.
- Coarse and fine tuning.
- 2 choke groups.
- Multimode filter with variable resonance and cutoff frequency.
- Delay and reverb sends.
- Panning
- Mute / Solo
- Track Volume
AUTOMATION
- Automation layers for animating track parameters : coarse and fine tuning, effects sends, panning, filter frequency and resonance, probability, and envelope settings.
- Automate Parameter Randomization Amount
- Ratchet Count and Ratchet Decay automation
- Automate MIDI CCs. MIDI Gate Length, MIDI Pitch Bend, and MIDI Note Transpose
- Automation Record toggles on when recording is enable
- Record automation using MIDI controllers.
RECORDING & MIDI INPUT
- Record Pads allow you for recording patterns.
- Overdub while recording to add parts one at a time.
- Assign a MIDI controller to pads to play Patterning with using an external controller or to record.
- Metronome
- Quickly clear patterns or loops.
- Use MIDI Learn to control Patterning with external MIDI devices. Customizable MIDI mapping to parameter ranges.
SONG MODE
- Fill the timeline with patterns to create songs
- Seamlessly toggle timeline on and off during playback
- Loop mode for endless pattern sequences
- Double tap to jump to a block in the timeline
- Time signature and snap settings for maximum flexibility
- Multiple selection in timeline for quick duplication and editing
FX
- Digital Delay with feedback filter
- Tempo sync & free delay time modes.
- 3 band EQ.
- Unique distortion unit.
- Reverb.
MIDI
- Instrument MIDI settings allows maximum flexibility for ports, channels, and pitch.
- MIDI Note Quantization for easy melodic sequencing.
- MIDI Note / MIDI Note Transpose automation.
- MIDI Pitch Bend Automation.
- Create MIDI CC automation lanes.
- MIDI Note Length automation. Lengths longer than 100% are tied to successive notes to make longer MIDI notes.
- Rock solid MIDI clock sync receive and send.
- Audio/MIDI/Both setting to configure instrument output.
- MIDI Settings are now accessible on the main PATTERN screen.
- Import MIDI settings for quick MIDI mapping templates.
INTER-APP AUDIO
- Master or individual track outputs for processing in IAA host apps like AUM and Audiobus.
- Inter-App Audio clock sync and transport via the main IAA port.
ABLETON LINK
- Use Ableton Link to sync Patterning to other devices or apps wirelessly. It’s like magic!
- Link Start/Stop Support
- Link Quantum Setting for configuring start/stop timing