Hi all,
I just got a pocket operator (the Arcade PO-20) and so far it’s lots of fun! I’m learning how to play it and have a question. When I’m playing a pattern and use an effect and tweak it with the A knob, when I stop the effect the “drone” setting for the chord seems to get the current value from the knob, so the chord pattern becomes audible.
Is there a way I can either “clear” the current chords pattern, or make the drone only adjustable when I press the CH key? If not, is there any way I can avoid setting the drone up besides turning the knob all the way down before I stop the effect?
Thanks!
I don’t understand, what are you trying to tweak with the A knob?
it doesn’t adjust any of the fx.
I don't understand, what are you trying to tweak with the A knob?it doesn't adjust any of the fx.
Are you sure of that? The effects do sound different. Is it random? For instance, effect #16 doesn’t always sound the same
pretty much certain.
FX16 does a rising arpeggio until the end of the sequence. So if you hit it earlier in the sequence, you get more notes than if you just hit it on the last beat.
All of the other effects do just what you’d think they do. some tiny exceptions:
fx2 (solo chords+lead sounds) also includes the little burst of noise at the start of the #2 bass sound, but without the actual tone.
fx5 (lowpass filter) very slowly opens back up. (just noticed this today). Perhaps they added this so you could start a song with a long filter sweep, for example. (like to complement the fade-out feature).
↳note that fx7 (highpass) does not do a similar thing—it stays static.
fx16 has what appears to be a bug—normally, if you hit it early in the pattern, it will rise, and then cycle the highest few notes till the end of the sequence. But if you get the timing exactly right (or wrong…?), it will just continue going up (very rare)!
Thanks beefinator! That makes sense 
I’m still learning to use the PO and this really helps.
Cheers!
I LOVE FX16. Overuse it on every track in which my PO20 makes a guest appearance.
Oo, cool thing I just noticed:
That fx5 (lowpass filter) thing where it slowly opens back up—it’s actually demo’d in the PO-2x promo video…
notice throughout the video, after the arcade solo section, the arcade sounds are constantly going, just slowly fading back in.
And what do you know, if you look at the screen at the end, you can see the down-pointing arrow, the symbol for the fx5 effect.
just a fun subtle thing that you’d easily miss… : D