I’m learning how to use Groove Agent and I need help with a problem I’m observing. The project is looping 4 measures and a GA pattern is being triggered by a MIDI note so I can tinker with various parameters and settings while the pattern repeats.
After listening for a while, I noticed a crash cymbal on the downbeat of the third measure. It seemed odd so I began to investigate.
In Edit>>>Agent>>>MIDI, I eventually noticed that this pattern is 12 measures long, and it is being looped starting at measure 6. I confirmed that by watching the loop play back in Edit>>>Pattern.
After tinkering around, I found that I could get the loop to begin at measure 1 by deselecting Sync to Beat in the pad settings. Curious, I looked up “Sync to Beat” in the GA5 User Manual, where it says:
“If Sync to Beat is activated, triggering a pattern starts the pattern in sync with any other patterns that are playing…”
I am confused because there is no other pattern playing.
I kept on playing around with it and eventually I noticed something else. My loop in the project window begins at the 6th measure of the project (which is actually labelled measure 5, because in Project>>>Project Setup>>>Project Time Displays, I set the Display Measure Offset so that all my projects start at measure 0).
On a hunch, I dragged MIDI Event (with the trigger note) back one measure and selected Sync to Beat in the pad settings. Lo and behold, the pattern begins at its measure 5, corresponding to the fifth measure of the project.
I see this as a problem, because it seems like I will have to remember to change the Sync to Beat setting of many pads that I use in any given project. It seems like a major hassle.
Is there something I’m missing? Is this a bug? Can anyone please chime in on this?