Using Bass Patches on 16 level mode when you don't know what the note of the sound is

MarkySoliloquy

New member
Hello,
I have a set of bass patches and was wondering if their was a way to figure out what the note they were in order to be able to more accurately play them in 16 level tune mode on pads. So let's say the note is C when im in 16 level mode in what I work with the regular note would be at semitone 0 and I know that at semitone1 the note would go up a half step or is it a whole step? in any event I'm thinking it would be C#. So with that being said I need some help with this y'all.

or should I just fool around with them as they are because trying to figure their note would be too much work?
 
If the note your bass patch is initally playing is C, then in the 16 levels function, each pad or "level" is a semitone up from C. So what the 16 level function is actually doing is giving you a chromatic scale (12 semitones) plus 4 more semitones. Now, before I (or some uninformed clown here) tells you to "just fool around with it", you first need to understand what it is you are fooling around with.
So, if our chromatic scale starts from C, we can then create numerous scales from that to fool around with.
If each pad is a semitone, to create a C Major scale, the formula would be:
C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
Whole tone-whole tone-semitone-whole tone-whole tone-whole tone-semitone
or (moving left to right from the top in the sixteen pad configuration)
Pad1-Pad3-Pad5-Pad6-Pad8-Pad10-Pad12-Pad13

Its should sound something like this:


To "fool around" with this, there are SOOOO many things you can do, but the simplest is to find little melodic phrases and play them over the pads. Building basslines this way is stupid simple.
If you don't know what the actual pitch of the patch you're using is, try using your ears to find the pitch if you have a keyboard nearby.

Now, I know some fuccboy will come in here all like "you makin' it too complicated, you overthinkin it". To them I will say, its only complicated to people who don't know-and if you knew better, you'd do better. The 16 levels function was put there for a reason, why not learn what it does to get better results faster? Because the only other option is to stay ignorant and ignorance doesn't solve anyone's problem.
 
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I'm not sure why this question is, I mean the midi notes can be set to anything, unless you want to keep the default pad layout :/
Overdubbing is also something that is dead simple too. But that's just my opinion on melodies.

Now learning more than that, that is complex stuff. but the more you learn, it seems like it gets simpler along the way.
Breaking stuff down into simple stuff then building and building more simple stuff on top each other.

Theory is just another way to identify the same thing but it is highly recommended to learn...that shit.
 
If the note your bass patch is initally playing is C, then in the 16 levels function, each pad or "level" is a semitone up from C. So what the 16 level function is actually doing is giving you a chromatic scale (12 semitones) plus 4 more semitones. Now, before I (or some uninformed clown here) tells you to "just fool around with it", you first need to understand what it is you are fooling around with.
So, if our chromatic scale starts from C, we can then create numerous scales from that to fool around with.
If each pad is a semitone, to create a C Major scale, the formula would be:
C-D-E-F-G-A-B-C
Whole tone-whole tone-semitone-whole tone-whole tone-whole tone-semitone
or (moving left to right from the top in the sixteen pad configuration)
Pad1-Pad3-Pad5-Pad6-Pad8-Pad10-Pad12-Pad13

Its should sound something like this:


To "fool around" with this, there are SOOOO many things you can do, but the simplest is to find little melodic phrases and play them over the pads. Building basslines this way is stupid simple.
If you don't know what the actual pitch of the patch you're using is, try using your ears to find the pitch if you have a keyboard nearby.

Now, I know some fuccboy will come in here all like "you makin' it too complicated, you overthinkin it". To them I will say, its only complicated to people who don't know-and if you knew better, you'd do better. The 16 levels function was put there for a reason, why not learn what it does to get better results faster? Because the only other option is to stay ignorant and ignorance doesn't solve anyone's problem.

I respect your passionate reply and totally agree with your perspective. Also thank you, I'll try to find the pitch of the bass patch by using a keyboard...wish me luck lol.

Also I see what you saying about how I could create an easy C major scale out of it but the only thing is the program I'm using is set up a little different. I'm sure the pitches I have available can be used in a scale but ...here is what's available

IMG_0424.PNG
(Click pic to make it bigger so you can see)

A little bit more limited as far as the ranges but I just wanted to learn a little bit more before I got into making beat on a maschine, as well as how to figure out the note of the bass patches which your answer was that it can be found on a keyboard. For some strange reason many of them that I have are not labeled.

I'm not sure why this question is, I mean the midi notes can be set to anything, unless you want to keep the default pad layout :/
Overdubbing is also something that is dead simple too. But that's just my opinion on melodies.

Now learning more than that, that is complex stuff. but the more you learn, it seems like it gets simpler along the way.
Breaking stuff down into simple stuff then building and building more simple stuff on top each other.

Theory is just another way to identify the same thing but it is highly recommended to learn...that shit.

Well with my situation I can not change the stupid layout and basically I'm stuck with it.

Also yeah I want to learn theory for sure man, in order to improve.
 
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I respect your passionate reply and totally agree with your perspective. Also thank you, I'll try to find the pitch of the bass patch by using a keyboard...wish me luck lol.

Also I see what you saying about how I could create an easy C major scale out of it but the only thing is the program I'm using is set up a little different. I'm sure the pitches I have available can be used in a scale but ...here is what's available

View attachment 44328
(Click pic to make it bigger so you can see)

A little bit more limited as far as the ranges but I just wanted to learn a little bit more before I got into making beat on a maschine, as well as how to figure out the note of the bass patches which your answer was that it can be found on a keyboard. For some strange reason many of them that I have are not labeled.



Well with my situation I can not change the stupid layout and basically I'm stuck with it.

Also yeah I want to learn theory for sure man, in order to improve.
Sorry, I assumed you were using an MPC-my bad, BUT, there is still hope.
Here is the note arrangement based on the semitones.
You see in that box in the top left of your picture that says "E"? Looks like the program you are using is already detecting the root note for you (though finding pitches using a keyboard for reference isn't that hard, really. But whatever, in this case you don't need to.)
Thank you for the screenshot. I see what its doing. The layout is going from the bottom left (E1) to the upper right (E16)
The is easy-The layout (A chromatic scale starting from E).
EFF#/GbG
CC#/DbDD#/Eb
G#/AbAA#/BbB
EFF#/GbG

You got a few scale options at your disposal, Mainly E, F, F#/Gb, G and G#/Ab in one octave.
Now go make me some ill basslines.
 
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What kind of midi controller you got if you have no note changer? I use a padkon/mpd18.

It's not a touch screen, it's an ipad app. I could use controllers but only to trigger what's on the screen primarily and even if it could control other thing it won't be able to control pitch.
Sorry, I assumed you were using an MPC-my bad, BUT, there is still hope.
Here is the note arrangement based on the semitones.
You see in that box in the top left of your picture that says "E"? Looks like the program you are using is already detecting the root note for you (though finding pitches using a keyboard for reference isn't that hard, really. But whatever, in this case you don't need to.)
Thank you for the screenshot. I see what its doing. The layout is going from the bottom left (E1) to the upper right (E16)
The is easy-The layout (A chromatic scale starting from E).
EFF#/GbG
CC#/DbDD#/Eb
G#/AbAA#/BbB
EFF#/GbG

You got a few scale options at your disposal, Mainly E, F, F#/Gb, G and G#/Ab in one octave.
Now go make me some ill basslines.

LOL fam I wish it was an E but that E is indicating the sample I brought into 16 levels is on pad E and not the note but i'll figure it out using a keyboard when I have time and feel like fiddling with it again. Thanks for your help man.
 
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