PRACQ MELODIC STEP SEQUENCER Manuale utente
PRACQ
REFERENCE
MANUAL
Rev18
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 2
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1. About this Manual ................................. 4
1.2. General Information ............................... 6
1.3. Concepts of PRACQ.................................9
2. Main Mode
2.1. About Main Mode..................................12
2.2. Basic Operation ...................................13
2.3. Keyboard-related features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2.4. Tracks ............................................19
2.5. Number of Steps...................................21
3. The Other Modes
3.1. Property Mode....................................24
3.2. Command Mode...................................28
3.3. Scale Mode........................................32
4. Details of Sequence Data
4.1. Step Property.....................................39
4.2. Long Note ........................................40
4.3. Step Status........................................41
4.4. Step Length.......................................46
4.5. Paste Filter .......................................49
5. Advanced Functions
5.1. Func Pads.........................................51
5.2. Snapshot .........................................53
6. Optional Settings
6.1. External Keyboard.................................56
6.2. General Controller.................................57
6.3. Sync with an external sequencer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 3
1. Introduction
1.1. About this Manual
1.2. General Information
1.3. Concepts of PRACQ
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 4
1.1. About this Manual
Welcome to PRACQ! Thank you for your interest.
PRACQ has two manuals:
- PRACQ GETTING STARTED MANUAL (Setup guide and basic tutorials)
- PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL (This document)
At first, read the GETTING STARTED MANUAL to set up PRACQ and feel what it is like. Then proceed
to this manual to get in-depth information.
The manuals will be revised with software updates. The latest software and manuals are available at
www.pracq.com for free. For the convenience of the manual maintenance, the corresponding
software version is not shown in the manual.
Pad operation
Most of this manual mentions methods of Pad operation.
A particular Pad is basically shown with a letter and digits on
the Pad layout. Examples are shown on the right. It is put in
square brackets like [S1] or [K28] in sentences. In addition,
digits part may be omitted like [S] or [K]. For example, [S]
means any one of [S1] to [S32].
Two Finger Operation, the characteristic of PRACQ, is shown
as follows.
Pad layout example
1. First, press [A]
and hold it down.
HOLD
DOWN
AB
2. Then, press [B].
AB
[A] + [B]
NOTE: Pad layout depends on the
Mode, so a certain Pad may work
dierently at another Mode.
Red, Amber, Green and O(Unlit)
The Pads will respond when pressed or released. Strength to press (velocity) doesn't matter.
Pad appearance can be one of the four states shown below. It makes no distinction of brightness.
It means the following operation.
T1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T7
T8
S1
S2
S3
S4
S5
S6
S7
S8
PL
S9
S10
S11
S12
S13
S14
S15
S16
SF
S17
S18
S19
S20
S21
S22
S23
S24
LP
S25
S26
S27
S28
S29
S30
S31
S32
MD
K22
K23
K24
K25
K26
K27
K28
M1
F1
K15
K16
K17
K18
K19
K20
K21
M2
F2
K8
K9
K10
K11
K12
K13
K14
M3
F3
K1
K2
K3
K4
K5
K6
K7
M4
F4
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 5
Character Display on the Pads
PRACQ will inform you about the status somehow without a LCD.
For example, display on the left shows two characters “BY.” It is put in angle
brackets like <BY> in sentences.
Confusing examples are listed below.
Zero Oh <5> <S><2> <Z><U> <V><M> <W><H>
<2> <3> <5> <8> <100> <120>
Small size numerals
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 6
(4) SYNC (MIDI CLOCK)
See chapter ”6.3. Sync with an external sequencer” for details.
(5) Status bar : Auxiliary information about operation will be shown here.
(6) PREFERENCES : See the next section.
(7) EXIT : Press this button to close PRACQ program.
Settings
Setting items are classified into the following:
- Program window
MIDI settings for your controller and a instrument. See GETTING STARTED MANUAL for details.
- Preferences
Click “Preferences” button to open a Preferences dialog. Each tab in this dialog is referred to as
“Preferences -> (Tab name)” in this document.
NOTE: Basically, setting changes on Preferences dialog are valid immediately. Both "OK" and
"Cancel" buttons are for closing the dialog.
- Song/Track Properties at Property Mode
Made by Pad operation. See chapter “3.1. Property Mode” for details.
Most settings are saved to a configuration file “Pracq.ini” for next use when the program is about to
exited. To reset all settings, exit the program then delete “Pracq.ini” located the same folder where
the executable file ”Pracq.exe” is.
1.2. General Information
Program Window
A program window is almost a thing for MIDI settings.
(1)
(2)
(5)
(3)
(4)
(6) (7)
(1) CONTROLLER
See GETTING STARTED MANUAL for details.
(2) INSTRUMENT
See GETTING STARTED MANUAL for details.
“PANIC !” button will stop all sounds from the
INSTRUMENT device compulsory.
(3) EXTERNAL KEYBOARD
See chapter ”6.1. External Keyboard” for
details.
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 7
Contents of Pracq.app (Control + Click, then select “Show Package Contents”)
(1) PRACQ program folder
(2) Exported MIDI file (You can change the folder for exported MIDI files.)
(3) Executable file for Windows
(4) Configuration file
(5) If this file exists, PRACQ will run on “Wine Optimized Mode.”
Wineskin files (1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)
For Mac Users
PRACQ is originally made for Windows, and it is converted into “Pracq.app” by “Wineskin.” (Wineskin
enables a Windows program to run on Mac.)
Pracq.app contains various files inside itself, so the file size is extra large.
A configuration file Pracq.ini is located the following place, the inside of Pracq.app.
You had better change the folder for exported MIDI files. (See section “MIDI File Export” in chapter
“2.2. Basic Operation” for details.)
Pracq.app
macOS 10.15 Catalina
Pracq.app is NOT compatible with macOS 10.15 Catalina due to Wineskin limitation.
Generally, paid software like the following, too, is used to run Windows program on Mac.
- CrossOver Mac (www.codeweavers.com)
- Parallels Desktop for Mac (www.parallels.com)
Both seem to be compatible with Catalina, though PRACQ is not tested for that yet.
CrossOver doesn’t require additional Windows license, whereas Parallels Desktop requires one.
It seems that CrossOver is easier, cheaper, and functionally enough for PRACQ.
How to use PRACQ with CrossOver
1. Install CrossOver.
2. Download PRACQ software for Windows (Pracq_V***.zip) and open it (”PRACQ” folder).
3. Launch “TextEdit” app and save an empty text file as “wine.rtf” in this folder.
(This makes PRACQ optimized for “Wine” based environment like Wineskin and CrossOver.)
4. Launch Pracq.exe. (If you are required to create a new “bottle”, follow that.)
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 8
For Windows 10 Users
If PRACQ program window is blurry, try the following setting. (You may need to update your
Windows 10 first. This information is subject to change.)
Pracq.exe Properties -> Compatibility -> Settings -> Change high DPI settings -> High DPI scaling
override -> Override high DPI scaling behavior. Scaling performed by: System (Enhanced)
For Novation Launchpad X, MiniMK3 Users
- First, update to the latest firmware with “Novation Components.”
- Launchpad X and MiniMK3 have two “IN”s and two “OUT”s. Select the second ones each.
For AKAI Professional APC mini Users
The lowermost eight circle pads work as the uppermost ones on a Launchpad.
It seems that the lowermost eight circle pads can be lit only in Red, and the rightmost ones only in
Green. Therefore please judge the situation by being lit or not, not colors.
Contacts
Web: http://www.pracq.com
Mail: info@pracq.com (Bug reports are big welcome!)
In addition, if you use Mac...
- Follow the steps below to switch to Programmer mode.
1. Press and hold “Session” pad to enter the setting menu.
2. Press a bottom right corner pad.
3. Press “Session” pad again to exit the setting menu.
Windows Mac
“Session”
Live mode (default)
Programmer mode
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 9
1.3. Concepts of PRACQ
Main Mode
Steps
Keyboard
Steps
Commands
Command Mode
Keyboard
Chromatic
Circle
Properties
Steps
(It depends)
Modes
PRACQ has several modes that have their individual Pad layout.
Main Mode may often be used, but you can switch modes if necessary.
Edit Steps with
Commands
Scale Mode
Edit Keyboard Scale
with Chromatic Circle
Property Mode
Edit Steps with
Properties
(and set up the
Sequencer)
Edit Steps with Keyboard
(Step Recording)
[MD]
[M1]
[M2]
[MD]
[MD]
[M1] + [MD]
[MD]
[M2] + [MD]
[MD]
Switch
Modes
[MD] is lit in Amber during other than Main Mode.
[MD]
PRACQ REFERENCE MANUAL Rev18 10
Sequence Data
PRACQ treats sequence data with the following hierarchy.
Each hierarchy (Step, Track, and Song) has its own Properties (Data items).
Step (1-32) A place to put a Note
1 2 3 ...
32
Track (1-4) A group of Steps
1
Each Track is played
back individually.
Song A group of Tracks (The whole Sequence data)
Step 1 2 3 32
Track 1
Track 2
Step 1 2 3 32
32
Track 4
Step 1 2 3
( 128)
97 ...
128
Step 97 98 99 128
( 128)
9899
Block
By switching Blocks, you can use up to 128 Steps.
See the chapter “2.5. Number of Steps” for details.
...
...
4
32
4
321
Indice
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