Toolbar
The bar directly below the window title bar is the Playtime toolbar. It provides quick access to essential performance controls, including play/stop, tempo adjustments, and more.
Tempo section
Provides tempo-related controls.
Tempo
Controls the project tempo. This is only possible as long as REAPER playback is stopped and no tempo marker exists in the project.
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Development status: To be improved
The ability to follow the REAPER tempo envelope might come in a future update. Tempo adjustment during REAPER playback is disabled because of potential timing issues. It might be possible to fix this, but it needs a new feature on REAPER side. Please note: Using REAPER’s own tempo control during project playback is not a workaround! It will potentially cause the mentioned timing issues. |
Tap tempo
Click here repeatedly in order to tap the tempo. This is especially useful when playback is stopped, in which case it lets you conduct a count-in.
Transport section
Provides the Playtime transport controls.
Those are different from the REAPER transport controls, as Playtime is capable of playing and recording while REAPER is stopped.
Smart record
This is a convenience button for recording clips without first having to choose a particular matrix slot.
If nothing is recording yet, this will start recording into the next free slot of the first column whose track is armed.
If there is an ongoing recording, it will be stopped.
If playback is stopped, this button is displayed with a pulse animation. This indicates that pressing the button will trigger a count-in recording (if metronome enabled) or tempo detection recording (if metronome disabled).
Right-clicking the button lets you change various settings related to recording clips.
Start/stop playback
Pressing this button start or stops Playtime playback.
Stopping playback automatically ignites all clips that have been playing. After stopping, you can use the same button to start playback again or use the tap button to count in with a completely new tempo.
Starting playback also triggers playback of all previously ignited clips in the matrix. If you want to permanently stop all ignited clips before playback, simply click the matrix stop button.
If you want to start REAPER playback together with Playtime, you have two options:
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Start playback within REAPER itself (which automatically starts Playtime playback)
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Switch user-interface/inspector/matrix.adoc#inspector-matrix-transport-sync to Full
Visual metronome
Shows the current position within the bar in beats. Can also be used for tempo tapping.
Matrix start timing
Decides when a clip actually starts playing after you have triggered its playback.
This setting applies to all clips in the matrix but it can be overridden at column and clip level.
See Clip start timing.
Matrix sequencer
The matrix sequencer lets you record play and stop interactions with the matrix and write them to the arrangement when satisfied.
See Matrix sequence.
Record matrix sequence
Starts recording a new matrix performance
This will always create a new sequence. Old sequences are retained, so you can press this anytime without worrying to overwrite old sequences.
Even though the button turns red right after clicking it, you don’t need to rush with your performance. After recording, Playtime will automatically remove silence at the beginning of the sequence.
Write to arrangement
Writes the currently active matrix sequence to REAPER’s tracks
If the Playtime column tracks already contain items, pressing this button will show the Arrangement writing mode dialog.
Show/hide MIDI triggers
Shows or hides MIDI triggers assigned to cells.
The purpose of this feature is to quickly create simple mappings of MIDI keys/pads/buttons to cells. If you want to use full-featured grid controllers, such as the Launchpad, see Controllers.
The MIDI triggers configured here are specific to this particular Instance, not global.
