Fripp States During Ad-hoc Recording

When you first launch the application, or when you stop sequencer playback, Fripp enters the Ad-hoc Recording state. If you begin an ad-hoc recording, Fripp will end it when you've been silent for some interval (called the MaxSilenceInterval). During Ad-hoc Recording, the length of the MaxSilenceInterval is the value of the MaxAdhocRecordingSilenceInterval setting, which defaults to 2 seconds, and is user-configurable.

The following diagram represents the various states that occur during Ad-hoc Recording.

As Ad-hoc Recording begins, Fripp creates a new sequence, and transitions immediately to the PendingFirstInput state. When Fripp receives its first MIDI input in this state, it sets the start time of the sequence to the exact time of that input, and records that input.

The type of input determines what happens next. If you started playing a note, for example, Fripp moves to the PendingInputCompletion state, waiting for the note's release. Fripp remains in that state, recording subsequent inputs into the current sequence, until no inputs await completion. When this happens, Fripp enters the PendingMoreInput state.

Upon entering the PendingMoreInput state, Fripp sets a Silence Timer that will go off after the MaxSilenceInterval. If you provide any MIDI input before the Silence Timer goes off, Fripp cancels the Silence Timer, records the input, and either re-enters the PendingInputCompletion state or the PendingMoreInput state (depending on your input, as before).

If the Silence Timer does go off, Fripp ends the sequence, saves it to history, and transitions to the Coordinating Recording State, passing along the "MaxSilenceElapsed" signal. As we've seen from the overview, the Coordinating Recording State handles that signal by setting Fripp immediately back into Ad-hoc Recording.

So what happens if you quit Fripp, or press the play button while you're holding a note down? Either of those signals the end of the ad-hoc sequence, and Fripp manufactures the end for you by simulating whatever MIDI signals it is waiting for, such as note-offs. It then transitions to the Coordinating Recording State, passing along either the SessionEnd or StartPlayback signal, as appropriate.

Next: Fripp States during Ad-hoc Overdubbing