System freeze when sequencing

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Lunar
Posts: 99
Joined: 13:38, 23 October 2014

System freeze when sequencing

Post by Lunar »

Every now and again, seemingly at random, the sequencer will freeze and all functions of the FA are unresponsive. There doesn't seem to be any way of replicating the problem, other than it will happen randomly when pressing stop on the sequencer after recording, not very often, but enough that it's starting to become a pain. The whole system just locks up. It's nothing to do with the pads or copying parts of a sequence, just pressing stop after recording does it.

Wondering if anyone else has had this problem, and if there is some sort of "panic" to un-freeze without powering off & re-starting - losing any unsaved work in the process - or is it just one of those things we have to live with. BTW, the FA has the latest system update.
PugFace
Posts: 124
Joined: 14:41, 17 December 2008
Location: UK

Re: System freeze when sequencing

Post by PugFace »

On the extremely rare occasion that my Fa06 has froze (twice in a year and half of a lot of use) i put it down to missing note off in midi. Which many synths dont like at all (my virus ti has a combi button press actually labelled as panic (lol... german sense of humour). Alas i dont think there is an equivalent in the Fa. All i did was power off and on again with lose of sequencer work. I will say though for me with using the sequencer extensively it is very robust.

I would check what midi notes are doing if you are using the sequencer. Especially in loop mode when you have recorded a part in linear style then set up a loop within that section but has midi note off that sits now outside the loop. The way to rectify this is to look at the length of the notes that sit at the end of looped section and see if they will finish within the loop. You need to see this in microscope. To avoid it in general is to make sure your playing technique does not let a key release run past the end of the loop.
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Lunar
Posts: 99
Joined: 13:38, 23 October 2014

Re: System freeze when sequencing

Post by Lunar »

Thanks for clearing that up, my main concern was that the FA was starting to become unstable. I've had my FA06 for 2 1/2 years and this is the first time it's given me any real problems. That said, I have only been using the sequencer on it for complete songs for the last few months, (since the DAW computer gave up the ghost), which is when this locking up started, and until the MPC-X comes my way it's currently my only sequencer for driving four external pieces of gear as well as its own sound engines. But it is a very capable sequencer.

It has never done this when playing staccato parts in a loop, because there is a quick note on/off, but recording using a loop after linear sequencing is exactly what caused it to freeze the last time. I think you're definitely on to something with the missing note off. Going to keep a closer eye on that in future.
PugFace
Posts: 124
Joined: 14:41, 17 December 2008
Location: UK

Re: System freeze when sequencing

Post by PugFace »

Cool. I extensively use the looping to make sequences in step mode and real for internal and external synths and it works really well in this way even with external gear so its just a technique thing. I have got used to the recording adding a measure at the end so loops go to the last but one measure. It is so much faster than a daw when making samples. One thing I have found after leaving ableton and cubase and the laptop I produce a lot faster. I used to be obsessed with leaving the midi tracks in just in case I wanted to go back and edit them and never did of course. So it goes to audio very quick now. And then mix the sample volume after to get the correct relationship. One thing I find is if something comes straight out my fingers I can record it immediately to a sample even if it does not work with the music at that time.
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