nanoloop 2.

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user manual
Introduction
Nanoloop is a Stepsequencer which means that a pattern of 16 1/16
notes is played repeatedly while these notes can be edited in various
respects like volume, pitch etc. There are four channels, playing
simultaneously. Each channel's patterns can be saved to file slots in
flash memory and are then available for new combinations. Finally,
saved patterns can be arranged in a song structure.

Startup

Start nanoloop with START or SELECT to run it in color or b/w mode.

Do not try other buttons, some 3-key combinations are reserved for
special functions such as memory reformat.

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The Sequencer
The 16-step pattern is shown as a matrix of 4 x 4 squares with the
currently playing step marked in slightly darker color
.

The current channel is displayed in the upper left corner, the current edit
parameter in the upper right corner.

Within this matrix, the cursor can be moved around with the d-pad. Use
the keys to set notes:

B Set note
A Remove note / paste removed note if step is empty

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To edit a note, keep B pressed and press the d-pad up / down (▲/▼) or
left / right (◄/►). This changes the value of the current edit parameter,
indicated by little dots and squares changing their position.

On startup, the edit parameter is pitch and B + ▲/▼ changes pitch

semitone-wise while B + ◄/► changes the octave.

To select a different channel or parameter, call menu 1 with SELECT

Menu 1

In menu 1 you can select channel and edit parameter. Furthermore, all
notes in the sequencer can be edited simultaneously.

◄/► select parameter

▲/▼ select channel
B return to sequencer

A + ◄/►/▲/▼ edit all notes at once

R + ►/▲ randomize current parameter

SELECT switch to menu 2 (see page 8)

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Channels
There are three tonal channels and one for noise. The tonal channels
have two synthesis modes: filtered rectangular waves with variable
pulse width and FM synthesis with variable modulator frequency.
The noise channel has a pseudorandom and a filter mode.
Only one channel is visible at a time.

R monophonic synthesizer
L monophonic synthesizer
S polyphonic synthesizer
N noise

Edit Parameters

The following parameters are available for editing in the sequencer:

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 Volume / Envelope

B + ▲/▼ volume
B + ◄/► length
START set A-, A/D-mode
L+B set length to infinite

Pitch

B + ▲/▼ semitone
START set chord-mode

in normal mode:
B + ◄/► octave

in chord mode
B + ◄/► select note
B + R + ◄/► octave
B+L R,L: set retriggering of envelope
S: set detune mode

On channel R and L, chords are played as arpeggio. Chord notes in the

highest position are muted. S is polyphonic and plays actual chords.

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 pitch- / filter - envelope / -lfo

B + ▲/▼ amplitude
B + ◄/► length / frequency
START envelope- / lfo-mode

On channel R and L, this acts as pitch envelope / lfo, on channel S and

N it affects the filter cutoff (rect wave, noise) / modulation depth (fm).

synthesis

B + ▲/▼ filter cutoff / modulation depth

B + ◄/► pulse width / modulator frequency
START set low- / bandpass filter
B+L set filtered wave / FM synthesis
N: set pseudorandom / filtered noise

pan / delay

B + ▲/▼ delay
B + ◄/► pan position
START play original note plus delay or only delay

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Menu 2

Menu 2 provides links to sub-menus and some functions that affect the
entire channel. SELECT returns to Menu 1.

B call file menu

B call song editor

B+◄ ping-pong playback mode

START random playback mode
B+► normal playback mode

B + ◄/► shift pattern backwards / forwards

A + ◄/► shift pattern backwards / forwards, preserving delay
B + ▲/▼ pattern length
START copy pattern
A+B paste pattern

B + ◄/► global tempo in BPM

B + ▲/▼ set channel tempo to fraction of global tempo
A+B external sync
START internal sync

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File Menu

In the file menu, patterns can be saved to file slots in flash memory for
persistent storage in 128 banks. In each bank there is a row of 15 slots
for each channel (slot 0 is not writeable). SELECT returns to menu 1.

File Operation

◄/► select file slot

▲/▼ select channel

for current channel:

B+▼ save current pattern to selected slot

B+▲ load pattern from selected slot

for all channels at once:

A+▼ save current patterns to selected slots

A+▲ load patterns from selected slots

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 A+B+▼ delete file in selected slot
A+B+▲ load empty file to current channel

A+B+► solo / umute current channel

A+B+◄ mute current channel

START switch to upper menu

File slots have a darker background color when filled with data.

Tempo

The current bpm value is saved with each pattern and shown in the
lower right corner. It is not loaded with B + ▲ though to avoid unwanted
sudden tempo changes. Instead, tempo is only loaded with B + R +▲
(load pattern with tempo) and R+▲(load tempo only).

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Upper Menu

bank selection, copy & paste

B + ◄/► increase/decrease bank no. by 16

B + ▲/▼ increase/decrease bank no. by 1

A+B+▲ copy current bank to buffer

A+B+▼ overwrite current bank with buffer

It is possible to write the copied bank in the buffer to an other nanoloop

2.3 cart. Simply remove the cart (sounds will change), insert the other
one, select a bank and press A + B + ▼.

bank name (blank by default)

Next to the bank number, there is an 8-digit bank name

◄/► select digit

B + ▲/▼ set letter

The name is saved when changing bank or leaving the menu.

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data communication

A+B+▼ receive bank to buffer

SELECT cancel

After data were received successfully, they are in the copy buffer and
can be saved to the current bank with A+B.

A+B+▲ encode bank as audio pulses

SELECT cancel

After the bank was encoded, audio playback can be started with B.
START interrupts playback, it can be re-started from the beginning with
B again.

A+B+◄ receive software update

CAUTION:

The encoded audio is not music but very loud pulse noise. It is not
meant for listening but for (mis-) using audio media for data
storage. Please make sure the audio output is not connected to an
amplifier / speakers before playing the encoded data.

Please read the detailed instructions available on

www.nanoloop.com before using these functions.

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Song Editor

The current bank's saved patterns can be arranged to a song. The song
structure is organized in 15 pages, if you move the cursor to the far right
or left, the next / last page is displayed.

B + ▲/▼ select pattern

B + ◄/► copy current value to next/previous step
A+▲ load patterns on cursor position
R select current channel for tempo
START start / stop song playback

SELECT return to menu 2

When leaving the song editor, playback is stopped and the song is
saved. (the song is not saved when the device is turned off without
leaving the song editor)

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Additional Notes

Note Value Display

Notes can appear as bars and dots (default) or as letters. Press START
on the note icon in menu 1 to set pitch display to letter form.

Arpeggio for Melodies

The arpeggio plays exactly four notes per step, but if the channel tempo
is set to 1/4 speed, it will be one note per step. So arpeggio can be
used to play longer melodies (4 bars) within one pattern. If envelope-
retrigger is activated, the four notes are only played once instead of
being looped (default) which may be helpful when using arpeggio for
melodies.

Hex Numbers

Except for BPM, numbers are shown in hexadecimal format which

means that each digit has 16 values instead of 10. For values 10-15,
the letters A-F are used.

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Flash Memory

Writing to flash memory requires to erase data first in a separate step

which cannot be performed during audio playback. Nanoloop therefore
compresses data and reformats memory on each startup (during this
process, a triangle is displayed on the intro screen). When a loop or
song is saved in the file menu, the old file is not overwritten but the new
version is appended. During reformatting, memory is cleared and only
the newest version of each file is kept.

Thus only a limited number of file accesses may be performed until

nanoloop needs to restart and reformat memory. However, this number
is very large, it is possible to save a few thousand loops or to copy
about 100 banks before the limit is reached. If memory is almost full, the
number of remaining possible file accesses is displayed and when
these are used up, saving is disabled until nanoloop is restarted. After
restart, the limit is set back to about 10,000.
So under normal circumstances one would hardly reach that limit. If you
actually save more than 10,000 loops in one day it may be time to take
a break anyway..

The more banks are filled, the longer reformatting on startup will take.
With all slots in all banks used it takes about 20 seconds.

Data are always in a defined state, it is save to turn off the device
during reformatting, no data will be lost.

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Further information and a discussion forum can be found at the
nanoloop website:

www.nanoloop.com

For questions and comments please send an email to

[email protected]

Postal:

ume software
Bahrenfelder Str. 53
22765 Hamburg
Germany

(c) 1998-2008
Oliver Wittchow

Nintendo has not recommended, authorized, endorsed, approved of or

licensed Nanoloop.

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