User Manual

9
Hold Modes
The Tensor has three hold modes for recording and manipulating loops, up to 9.4 seconds in mono or
4.7 seconds in stero. You can switch between modes while playing. The momentary/latch (M/L) switch
determines how the hold function responds. You can jump straight from bypass into hold mode.
Recording and playback
Press the hold button to start recording a loop:
M (momentary): press HOLD to start recording, release to stop recording and play back loop.
L (latching): press HOLD once to start recording, press again to stop recording and play back loop.
Momentary mode is useful for short loops/stutters, or o-beat loops. Latch mode is useful for longer
loops, and behaves like a traditional looper or tap tempo.
The left LED will be red during loop recording. It is green during loop playback, but blinks red at the
beginning of the loop.
Press the HOLD footswitch again to replace, overdub, or update the loop.
Press the ON footswitch to stop loop playback. The Tensor will record to live play or bypass, whichever
was active when you entered hold mode.
Hold/Record (REC) Mode
The loop is replaced each time you start recording. The loop is recorded in “real time” (as you play), and
played back based on the control settings.
Hold/Overdub (OVR) Mode
Recording the first loop sets the loop length. After recording the initial loop, pressing the HOLD
footswitch will turn on overdub mode (LED will turn red). Live audio is added to whatever is currently
looping (sound on sound), based on the control settings. For example, if you overdub while playing back
a loop at +1 octave, the new sound is recorded at 2x “tape speed”. If you turn the PITCH knob back to
12:00 (unison), the first pass will return to normal speed and the second will be shifted down one octave.
This works with all of the controls, so you can:
Get longer, low-fidelity loops by overdubbing with the speed control set near 12:00.
Overdub with time compression or expansion.
Randomization will scatter small fragments of sound randomly throughout the buer.
Some limitations:
Some settings will result in noise and low fidelity artifacts, especially with time stretching and com-
pression.
Recording a sustained note on the first loop can cause a click, if the Tensor is not able to find a good
loop point.
Overdub with the HOLD switch set to M (momentary) will punch in the overdubbed sound, which can turn
sustained sounds into rhythmic bursts similar to a transformer scratch. You can record a silent loop
initially to set the loop length.