Circuit Tracks hardware overview

32-pad playing grid – a 4 × 8 matrix of pads; internally illuminated with RGB LEDs. Depending on the view selected, the grid may be “split” into logical areas with different functions.

Master Filter – rotary control with a centre detent and RGB LED: controls filter frequency of the entire mix, like on an analogue synth. It is always active.

Macro controls 1 to 8 – eight multi-functional rotary encoders, with associated RGB LED. The availability and function of these controls varies with Circuit Track’s various views: however, the panel legends describe in general terms each encoder’s function as applied to the synth tracks for the default Patches. The movement of Macro controls in performance may be recorded and replayed.

Master Volume – controls the overall level of Circuit Tracks’ audio outputs.

Most of the remaining buttons select the 32-pad grid to display a specific View. Each View provides information and control of a particular aspect of a particular track, pattern or sound selection, timing adjustments, etc. Note also that several buttons have an additional ‘Shift’ function, indicated on (or above) the button by a legend in a smaller font.

Many buttons - including • Record - have both a momentary (long press) and a latching (short press) mode. A long press will temporarily display that button’s view, but only while the button is held down. When released the view will revert to whatever it was before the button was pressed. A short press on a button will switch the grid view to that programmed into the button. The Record button is a special case as it does not invoke an alternative grid display, but its momentary action allows rapid punch-in and punch-out of Record Mode.

Track buttons: Synth 1 and 2/MIDI 1 and 2 /Drum 1 to 4 – these eight buttons select different grid Views. Their operation varies slightly depending on other user actions.

Step buttons: Note, Velocity, Gate, and Probability – these switch the grid to further Views, and allow the parameters of each step of the pattern to be individually entered, deleted or modified, for the currently selected track. Note that Probability is the Shift function of the Pattern Settings button.

Pattern Settings – switches the grid to a View that allows adjustment of pattern length, playback rate and direction for the currently selected track.

Step Page (1-16/17-32) – selects whether the Pattern for the currently selected track is initially 16 or 32 steps in length. When a 32-step Pattern is selected, the colour of the button legend changes when the sequence is running to indicate which “half” of the sequence the grid is currently displaying. You can choose to have a 16- or 32-step Pattern on any track.

Scales – opens Scales View: allows the selection of one of sixteen different music scales for the synth keyboard, and lets you transpose the synth keyboard to a higher or lower key.

Patterns – opens Patterns View: lets you store multiple patterns for each synth, MIDI and drum track, and to join them together to make a pattern Chain.

Mixer – enables the Mixer View, where you can mute or adjust the level of each synth, drum, and audio input making up the sequence, and to pan each track across the stereo image.

FX – opens the FX View; lets you add reverb and delay effects to each synth, drum, and audio input individually.

● Record and ▶ Play – these two buttons start and stop the sequence (Play), and enter Record mode (Record). In Play mode, anything you play on the grid will be heard; in Record mode, anything you play will be heard and added to the sequence.

Preset – opens the Preset View for the currently selected track. Each synth track can use any of 128 Patches, each MIDI track can use any of eight MIDI templates, and each drum track can use any of 64 percussion samples. The synth and drum Presets are arranged in pages of 32.

▼ and ▲ - these two buttons have different actions (and colours) depending on the currently selected View. In Note View, they let you shift the pitch of the synth pads or the MIDI tracks up by one to five octaves, or down by one to six octaves when entering notes: the pitch range of each track is adjustable independently. In some other Views, they allow the selection of a second page, e.g., in Pattern View this lets you select from eight Patterns per track, although only four are displayed at a time.

Tempo and Swing – Tempo lets you set the BPM (tempo) of the sequence, using Macro control 1; Swing alters the timing between steps to change the ‘feel’ of a pattern, using Macro 2 for adjustment. In this mode, Macro 5 adjusts the level of Click track.

Clear – allows deletion of individual sequence steps, stored Macro control movements, Patterns or Projects.

Duplicate – operates like a copy-and-paste function for patterns and individual steps.

Save and Projects – let you save your current Project and open a previously-saved one.

Shift – several of the buttons have a “second function”, accessed by holding down the Shift button and pressing the button in question. To avoid holding the Shift button, you can enable ‘Sticky Shift’. When you press Shift, it acts as if it is held until it, you press it a second time. To enable Sticky Shift, enter Setup View and press Shift. Sticky Shift is on when the Shift button is bright green.

Outputs - L/Mono and R – Circuit Tracks’ main audio outputs on two ¼” TS jack sockets. Max. output level is -5.6dBu. With no plug in the R socket, the L/Mono socket carries a mono mix of L and R channels.

Sync – a 3.5 mm TRS jack socket supplying a clock signal of 5 V amplitude, at a rate proportional to the tempo clock: the actual ratio can be set in Setup View. The default rate is two pulses per quarter note.

(Headphones) – connect a pair of stereo headphones here. The main outputs remain active when a plug is inserted. The headphone amplifier can drive +5 dBu into a pair of 150 ohm stereo headphones.

MIDI In, Out and Thru – standard set of three MIDI connectors on 5-pin DIN sockets. Allows external equipment to be triggered by Circuit Tracks’ MIDI sequences, or external controllers to play Circuit Tracks’ synths and alter synth and FX parameters. Note that the MIDI Thru port may be configured in Advanced Setup View to act as a clone of the MIDI Out port; see Advanced setup view for details.

Inputs 1 and 2 – two external audio inputs: line level signals connected here can be mixed with the internally-generated sounds, and can be individually treated by the FX section. They can also be ducked by the drum tracks. The inputs are unbalanced on ¼” TS jack sockets.

– USB-C port. This is also the DC power input to the unit for external powering and battery charging. A Type C-to-Type A cable is supplied with the unit. Connect to computers to interface with Components. The port is MIDI class compliant; connect to other devices supporting MIDI via USB to transmit and receive MIDI data. Also used for firmware updates. NOTE – Circuit Tracks’ USB port does not carry audio.

microSD – plug a compatible microSD card in here to save or import Packs of Projects.

– “soft” on/off switch; to prevent inadvertent power up/down, a press of approx. one second is needed to turn the unit on or off. The button has an integral LED which lights green to indicate that the internal battery is charging.

Kensington MiniSaver – secure your Circuit Tracks to a suitable structure if desired.