Hi. If I create a drum pattern loop or a drum song, is it any way that I can load it up in “Performance Mode” or another mode so that I can layer my sounds to play on top of it (ex. have the drum loop playing in the background while I have piano on the first fader, strings on the 2nd fader, and rhodes on the 3rd fader, and brass on the 4th fader)?

Here are a few quick facts:

You can create a PERFORMANCE with (4) PARTS maximum.  Not the (5) PARTS you describe.

You can create a SONG or PATTERN with up to (16) PARTS.  Any PARTS in this SONG or PATTERN MIXING that are set to the same MIDI Receive Channel can be played simultaneously.

The above described SONG or PATTERN MIXING does not allow you to control PARTS individually with the faders, as all PARTS on the single-sounding MIDI channel will be adjusted simultaneously.

In order to control the SONG or PATTERN MIXING PARTS individually at the faders...in real time...the MIXING will need to be associated with a MASTER location.  If your intention is to have (5) PARTS that can be played simultaneously...with real-time fader control over the gain of each part...then this is the technique you will need to employ.

Tell us more about what you would like to accomplish, and we can get more specific.

I would like to have a drum song playing while I am playing piano on fader 1, rhodes on fader 2, and strings on fader 3 so that I can layer the sounds together live (add strings to the piano by moving the fader up, take stings out by moving the fader down, while the drum song is still playing in the background). I know how to assign different voices to each fader, but I don’t know how to have different voices assigned to each fader while having my drum song playing in the background at the same time?

When you say “drum song”, are you referring quite literally to a linear song with a start and an end...as opposed to a repeating drum theme or loop?

I’m referring to a drum beat/loop that I create in pattern mode (and can just put in song mode as a long loop if need be so when I play it live it doesn’t end too soon because I will be playing piano, Rhodes, and strings on top of it). I usually just use pattern mode live with the drum track playing just looping but I only can play one voice at a time (ex. only piano or only rhodes and I cannot layer in pattern mode).

OK, the first thing to establish is how many PARTS you need to address.

Sometimes you refer to (4) total PARTS.

Sometimes you refer to (5) total PARTS.

Is (4) PARTS enough, or do you require (5) or more PARTS?

My drums are on more than 5 parts because i have each drum instrument on a different “part” or track. But I can consolidate them all into 1 part if need be.

It sounds to me like using SONG or PATTERN Mode, associated with a MASTER location, will be the way to go.

Using this approach, you can have up to 8 ZONES (PARTS)...on (8) differenet MIDI channels...in the MASTER activated, and can address each of those ZONES with a fader.

Take a look at This Thread, and see if it presents a way to attain your desired goal.

Thank you. I now have my drum track that I created in PATTERN mode loaded in MASTER mode. The only thing now is how do you save the mix? EX. In PATTERN mode I have drums on Track 1, bass guitar track 2, rhodes track 3, piano track 4, strings track 5, brass track 6. They all load on in MASTER mode, but it will not allow me to save it so that tracks 4, 5, and 6 will be at zero volume until I raise it with the fader. I turned tracks 4, 5, and 6 down in the pattern and saved it as well as turned it down in master mode, but when I exit master mode and go back to it the volumes are not at zero any more on tracks 4, 5, and 6. How do I save it so it will stay at zero volume until I turn it up in master mode with the faders? Every time I press SAVE in master mode it resets my volumes for tracks/faders 4, 5, and 6.

Are you using a Foot Controller (such as an FC7)?

EDIT: In general terms, you must Name and STORE your work in order to return to it.  Are you STORING your PATTERN?  Are you STORING your MASTER?

No, I’m using a FC3

See STORING in edited post above.

When you associate a PATTERN with a MASTER, that is precisely what it is...an association.  The MASTER refers back to the STORED PATTERN.

Yes. In PATTERN mode I go to the mixer and turn those tracks to zero and press STORE. then I exit mixing mode and press STORE so it can store the pattern. Then I load it into MASTER mode and it is perfect, but when I press STORE in master mode it resets those faders so it is not at zero volume anymore (it changes them to 100 volume).

I figured it out. In MASTER mode I had to go to EDIT and COMMON EDIT and change the PRESET volume for those ZONES/Parts to zero because the preset was set to 100 so every time I pressed STORE it would reset to 100.

Let’s go back to the original VOICE that became a PART.

At the VOICE level, try STORING the VOICE at “0” to a USER location.

Bring that USER VOICE into your PATTERN, but before you assign it, make sure “Parameter with VOICE” is checked on the screen. (refer to This Thread for particulars)

Does that fix the problem?

EDIT:  Never mind, looks like you have found a solution. Hope everything is working the way you want it to now!

Yes! Thank you for all of your assistance!