KRISTAL can be set to automatically cycle or 'loop' round a section of an Arrangement.
This might be useful for rehearsing a part prior to recording an overdub, for example.
Cycle mode is activated by clicking the 
'CYCLE MODE' button.
Before activating Cycle mode, you must specify a section of the arrangement to cycle around, by setting the Left and Right 'locators'. This can be done by holding 'Ctrl' and clicking on the timeline ruler at the top of the KRISTAL Waver window. Left-clicking sets the position of the Left locator, right-clicking sets the position of the Right locator.
The 'L' and 'R' displays show the exact positions of the Left and Right locators, in either seconds, samples or bars and beats (see 'Time display' below for more information about the different time formats).
For reasons of sanity, KRISTAL will ignore Cycle mode when the Left and Right locators are set less than 1 second apart!
Pre-count can be activated by clicking the 
'PRE-CNT' button.
With Pre-count active, KRISTAL pauses for a 'count in' before starting to Play or Record.
You can set the length of the Pre-count by choosing the desired number of beats (1 to 10) from the pop-up menu (the default is '4').
Pre-count can be useful simply because it allows you a few moments to 'prepare yourself' before recording a take.
KRISTAL's Transport buttons are very like the controls you'd find on a conventional tape or hard-disk recorder.
From left to right:
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'Locate start' jumps the playback marker back to the start of the song. |
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Rewind' moves the playback marker backward in time. |
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'Stop' halts playback or recording. |
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'Play' starts the playback |
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'Record' begins recording (see Recording for more details). |
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'Forward' moves the playback marker forward in time. |
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'Locate end' jumps the playback marker forward to the end of the song. |
The Transport controls can also be accessed via keyboard shortcuts.
Above the Transport buttons is the Time display, which shows the current position of the playback marker, in the current time format.
You can change the current time format on the pop-up menu in the bottom right-hand corner of the Time display.
The available time formats are:
The time format chosen in the Transport Panel does not affect the time format used in the KRISTAL Waver window: both can be set independently.
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The Metronome can be activated by clicking the When active, it plays a simple 'click' on each beat to indicate the current tempo. |
The vertical slider on the far right allows you to adjust the metronome volume to a comfortable level.
Beneath the 'METRON.' button is the Tempo field, which by default shows '120 BPM' ('Beats Per Minute').
Double-clicking the Tempo field allows you to enter a new value.
Beneath the Tempo field is the Time Signature field, which by default shows '4/4'.
Double-clicking the Time Signature field allows you to enter a new value.
'4/4' means 'four beats to the measure' (sometimes called 'common time'). This is probably the setting you'll want to use most often. Other common time signatures include '2/4', '3/4' ('waltz time'), 5/4 and 7/8. (Many others are possible, but are unlikely to be required often.)
'METRON.' button.