POLYHARP PATCH DIALOG

Loading and saving PolyHarp patches is done via this dialog.

Loading patches

The large and colorful list on the right side is the total list of all the patches. If the name has a diamond (◆) on it, that's a read-only patch that comes with PolyHarp. You can change it and try to save it, but it will be renamed with the word "new" appended to it.

You can narrow down this list using search tags. When you touch the Search Tags area, a keyboard pops up with a list of all the tags it knows in a scrolling list on top of it. You can click on the tag, and then refine your query, if needed, with the keyboard. Tag syntax and usage is detailed here. . To clear out the tag query, just type a blank as the query string.

There's a big "Empty" shortcut button that just loads a good starting point patch for building a new PolyHarp.

Saving patches

The left side of this dialog is devoted to saving patches, and setting some of their characteristics.

You can type a name for the patch in the name area, or alter an existing name and save it as something new. You can also generate a name that pairs an adjective with a noun (in English), making for some interesting combinations!

Here are few other features about saving patches:

• The Save button will save this patch and close the dialog when touched.
• The Export button will save a patch on the clipboard, so you can mail it or otherwise archive it.
• The Import button will read in an Exported patch.

These exported patches also include all the custom chords that may have been used in the patch. They are simple JSON strings in case someone wants to make an external patch editor.
Import and Export will be expanded later to save these patches externally, or directly call up other text exporting options.

• The description field is next, put something descriptive in there.
• The rating field is on the side, keep it an integer (0-5)
• The tag field is next, tapping here pops open a keyboard with all the tags it knows that aren't automatically created. You can of course make up a new tag if you like.
• The date is below, it's read only, but useful when loading patches!
• The Base Key is underneath that, a bit redundant, but there again mostly for comparison. Beside setting the frequency that everything is based on, a base key is also used by the chord namer to chose which enharmonic name to use in the chord, that is, it will use C# in the key of A, Db in the key of Ab.

• The chord button name selector lets you use different naming conventions for the chord button labels.
  
  The buttons show examples of how the labels are formatted. They are as follows:

  • Simple: The chord interval is resolved in the current base key, then rounded to the closest standard named note. The chord is truncated to the part behind the last space (' ') if there are any. Thus, a chord like 5/4 just M in the key of D would look like F# M even though the chord is technically not an F#, and not a Major chord. But it's close enough, and fits on a key!
  • Full: This elaborated on the Simple format by adding the cents offset and octave to the standard note, and the full name of the chord, so 5/4 just M in the key of D would look like F#-13¢3 just M.
  • Ratio: This shows the ratio as a floating point number over the shortened chord name.
  • Hertz: This shows the resolved Hertz of the chord, over the shortened chord name.
  • Cents: This shows the interval in cents over the shortened chord name.
  • Spec: This shows the original interval spec over the shortened chord name. That way, if the interval is something like 1:4@3/2, you will see it that way!
  • Chord: This only shows the chord name! In some cases, the chords are built as a tuned version of a specific instrument, and so the fact that it's transposed is not important, and in fact a little confusing.
  • Label: You can actually put in your own custom name for a particular chord bar! If none is set, it'll use Simple.

• The Damp/Undamp switch sets how the PolyHarp uses its chord bars: Damp is the usual way: all strings are open unless damped by the "felts" on a chord bar. Pressing multiple chord bars results in the intersection of the playable strings of those bars. Undamp works the other way (like a piano), That is, all strings are normally damped, and chord bars allow strings to be played. Similarly, multiple chords form a union of playable strings. This is very powerful, especially if you desing PolyHarps with deliberately simple chords which are meant to be combined.

• And finally, the Skin controller, detailed here, which sets up colors for various elements of the PolyHarp.