So I've been getting into the 404 a good bit, and I just have a couple questions about making patterns...

1. I'm having a hard time erasing a pad from a pattern if I make a mistake. If I am correct, once the display reads ErS, you hold down the pad you want deleted at the appropriate moment, for the correct duration, right? I'm having trouble with this and I always end up just recording more of the same pad instead of deleting a mistake

2. I've noticed that the playback of samples within the pattern depends on if LOOP or GATE is selected. For example, I was making a pattern with a looped sample in certain parts. Then I went out of pattern mode, turned GATE on the sample instead, to make glitches/blips, went back into pattern mode to use the gated sample on parts, and while that worked, the parts with the same looped sample were now gated. Does my explanation make sense? What can be done about this, if anything?

Hopefully soon I can start helping other people out, instead of just mooching answers! Thanks!

When you record a pattern it is not recording audio so whatever setting (gate, loop) you currently have the sample set to is how it will play in the pattern. If you want to use one sample both gated and looped like you describe, you will have two of the same sample on different pads so one can be set to loop and the other to gate. Hope that helps.

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also, to delete pads from patterns: hit record, let pattern play, hold down the delete button, and hit the pad in question when you want it erased. it will then be taken out of the sequence.

helloitabot - that makes sense. thanks for that

fauna - so i don't just hold the pad down while that pad's pattern plays? i think that's where my problem was

thanks guys.

i've noticed the erase function can be inconsistent sometimes, but in the end it always works for me. I don't keep the erase button pressed, but just press it once then hold the appropriate pad - you need to press it before it comes on, to erase the start point, i don't think you need to keep it pressed afterward.

i think it's annoying you can't turn the erase function on during the count-in, you always have to let the whole sequence loop before you can erase the first hits.

Have to say I've always had trouble with this method of deleting mistakes. It's the worst thing about this method of recording for me.

Since Roland practically invented step editing with the TR series and that it's an important feature of quite a few products like the Mashinedrum , it strikes me as odd that Roland/Boss have abandoned it on their own products.
I've just got a Korg Electribe MX1 and I'm loving the sequencer on that. You can do both step and real-time editing.

I suppose you can slow the tempo right down to make it easier to hit the right delete point - but I'd find it easier to delete all of that pads hits and start again.
At least the 404 doesn't do pad velocity - the usual reason I have to edit a hit with velocity sensitive gear is that I haven't played the pads with consistent force.

Jim

you press DEL button (it then shows DEL on the lcd, not ERS or whatever), then hit the pad you want to remove from the seq. when you want it removed.

so if you want to remove the snare on the 4th beat of the bar, you press DEL then hit the snare pad on the 4th beat. hit DEL again to turn delete off.

i donno. maybe i'm not explaining it properly. there's pro'lly a youtube vid where someone shows you how to remove shiznit from a sequence. it is pretty intuitive...

hope it helps, bro.