Zoom RhythmTrak RT-323 Operation Manual page 10

Hands-on Lessons
The RT-323 allows you to line up patterns in a desired order to create an entire backing sequence
(song). This section contains several lessons that will show you how you can use the
preprogrammed patterns to create your original songs.
What Is a Song?
A song in the RT-323 basically is a playing sequence of patterns (backing of several measures
comprising the three tracks drum A, drum B, and bass). To create a song, you sequentially enter
information about pattern switching from the beginning. The maximum number of measures in a
song is 999.
A song contains not only pattern information. You can also enter the following information.
• Number of drum kit/bass program used for each track
• Tempo information
• Bass track pitch shift (transpose)
• Track volume
This information can also be altered during a song. This lets you for example transpose the bass
track pitch according to the chord progression, continuously alter the tempo, perform fade-out at
the end of a song, etc. There are no limits to your creative potential.
Lesson 1 Creating a Song [Step Input]
In this lesson, we will create a simple song by using step input. This mode allows you to enter
pattern information while the RT-323 is stopped.
G Select an empty song
To create a new song, select an empty song where no pattern is input.
Press the [SONG] key.
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The indication "SONG" appears in the top part of the
display, and the unit switches to the song mode for creating
and playing songs.
Use the [L]/[M] keys or the [VALUE] dial to select
an empty song.
2
The number and name of the currently selected song appear
in the bottom part of the display. When an empty song is
selected, the song name field shows "EMPTY".
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G Enter pattern information
For step input, you start from the beginning of an empty song. In this example, we will repeat a 2-
measure pattern four times.
Press the [G REC] key.
The [G REC] lights up, and step input starts. The display
1
shows the current measure and beat, indicating the current
position. Because there is yet no pattern information in the
empty song, the display also shows "End".
Use the [INSERT] key to bring up the indication
"INSERT?" on the display.
With each push of the [INSERT] key, the display cycles
2
through "INSERT?" ➝ "DELETE?" ➝ "original
indication".
When "INSERT?" is shown, a new pattern can be inserted
at the current position.
Use the [VALUE] dial to select the pattern.
Let's select the pattern number "116" here. The duration of
3
116 is 2 measures, and the bass track plays an E Major
chord.
Press the [ENTER] key.
The pattern "116" is entered at the current location.
4
or
Song number
To erase an existing song to make it empty, see page 68.
To check the entered pattern, you can play the pattern
with the [ ]/[I] keys.
Beat
Measure
Pattern Pattern
number duration
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