Getting Oriented
Songs are the project files for the Deluge. Songs contain all the file references and settings to make the sounds (internally or externally) you want to play and perform. Only one song can be played or edited at a time so loading a new song will remove access to any previous song information. (Make sure you save your work before loading a song. The Deluge does not auto-save.)
If the song is the container for your audio project then clips are the primary things that you create, edit, and align to fill that container. Clips define the sounds that can be made through audio files (samples) and using the synth engines in the Deluge and can send commands via MIDI or CV (control voltage) to external sound devices. Clips also define the timing of those sounds and commands through sequencing.
Clips on the Deluge can be any length of beats and bars (including fractional beats). Multiple clips can play at the same time but only one clip per track or instrument can play. Layering clips and timing their launch and repeating is the primary method of arranging or performing a sound experience.
This diagram provides an overview of the various components of a Song.
stateDiagram-v2 Song --> SongSettings Song --> SongFX Song --> Track Song --> SongFile Track --> AudioTrack AudioTrack --> AudioClip AudioClip --> AudioClipFX AudioClip --> AudioClipAudioFile Track --> InstrumentTrack InstrumentTrack --> SynthTrack InstrumentTrack --> KitTrack InstrumentTrack --> MIDITrack InstrumentTrack --> CVTrack SynthTrack --> SynthClip SynthTrack --> SynthTrackPresetFile SynthClip --> SynthClipFX SynthClip --> SynthClipAudioFile KitTrack --> KitClip KitTrack --> KitTrackPresetFile KitClip --> KitClipFX KitClip --> Drum Drum --> SoundDrum SoundDrum --> SoundDrumFX SoundDrum --> SoundDrumAudioFile Drum --> MIDIDrum Drum --> GateDrum MIDITrack --> MIDIClip MIDITrack --> MIDITrackPresetFile MIDITrack --> MIDITrackDeviceDefinitionFile CVTrack --> CVClip SongSettings: Song settings SongFX: Song FX SongFile: Song file AudioTrack: Audio track AudioClip: Audio clip AudioClipFX: Audio clip FX AudioClipAudioFile: Audio clip audio file InstrumentTrack: Instrument track SynthTrack: Synth track SynthTrackPresetFile: Synth track preset file SynthClip: Synth clip SynthClipFX: Synth clip FX SynthClipAudioFile: Synth clip audio file KitTrack: Kit track KitTrackPresetFile: Kit track preset file KitClip: Kit clip KitClipFX: Kit clip FX SoundDrum: Sound drum SoundDrumFX: Sound drum FX SoundDrumAudioFile: Sound drum audio file MIDIDrum: MIDI drum GateDrum: Gate drum MIDITrack: MIDI track MIDITrackPresetFile: MIDI track preset file MIDITrackDeviceDefinitionFile: MIDI track device definition file MIDIClip: MIDI clip CVTrack: CV track CVClip: CV clip
Song Modes and Workflow
Like many Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) the Deluge provides two modes to manage clips in the song. The Session mode provides two clip launcher workflows that are oriented towards performance and experimentation. The Arranger mode provides a view that manages the tracks and execution of clips along a strict timeline which is a workflow more oriented towards creating a repeatable project.
stateDiagram-v2 Song --> SessionMode Song --> Tracks Tracks --> Clips Song --> ArrangerMode Clips --> SessionMode Clips --> ArrangerMode SessionMode: Session mode ArrangerMode: Arranger mode
A song can use both Session and Arranger modes and views to continue to refine a project and there’s interaction and sharing of information between the two, but only one mode can be played or performed at a time.
An example high level workflow for working with Songs on the Deluge:
stateDiagram-v2
Start --> NewSong: New song <br> [SHIFT] + [LOAD], [LOAD]
Start --> ExistingSong: Load song <br> [LOAD], turn (SELECT)
NewSong --> SessionMode
ExistingSong --> SessionMode
SessionMode --> RowView: Default
SessionMode --> GridView: Optional <br> Hold [SONG] + Turn (SELECT)
SessionMode --> SessionPerformanceView: Perform session <br> Press [KEYBOARD] to enter
RowView --> EditSong
GridView --> EditSong
SessionPerformanceView --> EditSong
EditSong --> EditClip: Select the clip to edit <br> Hold [PAD] or the row to edit or select a clip
EditClip --> ClipParameters: Edit clip parameters while in session mode <br> Hold clip [PAD] and adjust
EditClip --> ClipView: Edit clips <br> Press [CLIP] or [PAD]
ClipView --> EditSong: Continue building a song <br> Option to arrange <br> Press [SONG]
ClipView --> ClipAutomationView: Edit clip parameter automation <br> Press [CLIP] to enter
EditSong --> SongFX: Tweak the song FX in session mode <br> Enable [AFFECT ENTIRE]
EditSong --> ArrangerMode: Capture a full arrangement by recording from session Mode to arranger mode <br> Press [RECORD] + [SONG]
SongFX --> EditArrangement
ArrangerMode --> EditArrangement
EditArrangement --> ArrangerView: Edit arrangement <br> Press [SONG] to enter
ArrangerView --> ArrangerAutomationView: Edit arrangement parameter automation <br> Press [CLIP] to enter
ArrangerView --> ArrangerPerformanceView: Perform arrangement <br> Press [KEYBOARD] to enter
EditSong --> Save: Save project <br> [SAVE] to save the song.
EditSong --> AudioExport: Export Audio <br> Press [SAVE] + [RECORD]
Save --> End
NewSong: New song
ExistingSong: Existing song
SessionMode: Session mode
RowView: Session 'Row' view
GridView: Session 'Grid' view
SessionPerformanceView: Session 'Performance' view
EditSong: Edit song
EditClip: Edit clip
ClipParameters: Clip 'Affect Entire' controls
ClipView: Clip view
ClipAutomationView: Clip 'Automation' view
SongFX: Song FX
ArrangerMode: Arranger mode
EditArrangement: Edit arrangement
ArrangerView: Arranger view
ArrangerAutomationView: Arranger 'Automation' view
ArrangerPerformanceView: Arranger 'Performance' view
AudioExport: Audio export
Save: Save
Clip Types
There are five types of clips in the Deluge: three that generate sounds using the Deluge’s internal synth, sampling, and recording capabilities and two that send synchronized commands to external sound generators.
stateDiagram-v2 Song --> Track Track --> AudioTrack AudioTrack --> AudioClip Track --> SynthTrack SynthTrack --> SynthClip Track --> KitTrack KitTrack --> KitClip Track --> MIDITrack MIDITrack --> MIDIClip Track --> CVTrack CVTrack --> CVClip AudioTrack: Audio track AudioClip: Audio clip SynthTrack: Synth track SynthClip: Synth clip KitTrack: Kit track KitClip: Kit clip MIDITrack: MIDI track MIDIClip: MIDI clip CVTrack: CV track CVClip: CV clip
The two command clip types are MIDI and CV clips. These clips are used to define signals that send note and control voltage signals in addition to timing synchronization (i.e. clock) commands to sound notes on the external equipment. There’s also the ability to send non-note commands to the external gear to change parameters and edit the sound while performing.
The three sound generating clip types are Synth, Kit, and Audio clips. Synth clips focus on the sound synthesis engines within the Deluge to create melodic sounds. Kit clips coordinate multiple samples focused on rhythmic sounds and effects. Audio clips focus on playing sampled recorded sounds and resampled internally generated sounds.