Controls
Layout Overview
Section titled “Layout Overview”Playing Notes
Section titled “Playing Notes”The 8×8 grid is your keyboard:
- Velocity sensitive - Play soft or hard, with 4 velocity curves
- Aftertouch - Press harder after the initial hit for expression (channel or poly)
- Isomorphic - Same shapes = same chords in any key
How the Grid Works
Section titled “How the Grid Works”- Horizontal = Move through the scale (8 notes per row)
- Vertical = Jump by the current interval (default: perfect 4th)
This means a major chord is always the same finger shape, regardless of what key you’re in.
Scale Lock
Section titled “Scale Lock”Tap to toggle scale lock mode.
| Mode | Out-of-scale pads |
|---|---|
| Unlocked | Play chromatic notes (dimly lit) |
| Locked | Silent - only in-scale notes respond |
When locked, you literally can’t play a wrong note. Great for live performance or learning.
The Quantise button stays lit when scale lock is active.
Octave
Section titled “Octave”| Button | Action |
|---|---|
| (91) | Octave up |
| (92) | Octave down |
| Both pressed together | Reset to default (octave 5) |
The range is 0 to 10, with a default of 5 (middle C area).
Visual feedback: The right column LEDs (scene buttons 19-89) show the current octave:
- All 8 LEDs lit = Default octave (5)
- LEDs turning off from bottom = Higher octave (e.g., octave 7 = bottom 2 LEDs off)
- LEDs turning off from top = Lower octave (e.g., octave 3 = top 2 LEDs off)
This mirrors the transpose indicator on the bottom row, but vertically - making it intuitive to see both at a glance.
Session buttons 1-4 (indices 95-98) give you instant access to saved configurations:
| Button | Page |
|---|---|
| 1 (95) | Page 1 |
| 2 (96) | Page 2 |
| 3 (97) | Page 3 |
| 4 (98) | Page 4 |
Tap to switch. The active page is lit orange.
Copy Between Pages
Section titled “Copy Between Pages”Hold a page button, then tap another to copy all settings.
Row Interval
Section titled “Row Interval”Hold + Session button to select the row interval:
| Button | Interval | Semitones |
|---|---|---|
| + 1 | Minor 3rd | 3 |
| + 2 | Major 3rd | 4 |
| + 3 | Perfect 4th | 5 - default |
| + 4 | Perfect 5th | 7 |
Root Note Selection
Section titled “Root Note Selection”Hold to see the circle of fifths:
Tap any note to set it as root. Adjacent notes are musically related (a fifth apart).
Release Circle to return to play mode.
Scale Type Selection
Section titled “Scale Type Selection”Hold to see available scales on the grid:
10 scales available, each with a unique color. The current scale is bright, others are dim.
Tap to select. Release Double to return to play mode.
Setup Mode
Section titled “Setup Mode”Press and release the Setup button to enter Setup Mode. The Setup LED turns white.
Setup Mode lets you configure per-page settings without constantly writing to flash memory. Settings are only saved when you exit Setup Mode, reducing flash wear.
Setup Mode Grid Layout
Section titled “Setup Mode Grid Layout”- Rows 1-2: MIDI Channels (1-8 bottom, 9-16 above)
- Row 3: Velocity curves (Linear, Soft, Hard, Fixed)
- Row 4: Aftertouch mode (Channel, Polyphonic)
Cyan = active/selected, Dim = available option
MIDI Channels (Rows 1-2)
Section titled “MIDI Channels (Rows 1-2)”Tap to toggle - multiple channels can be enabled simultaneously. Notes will be sent to all active channels.
| Row | Channels |
|---|---|
| Row 1 (pads 11-18) | Channels 1-8 |
| Row 2 (pads 21-28) | Channels 9-16 |
This allows you to control multiple synths with a single note press.
Velocity Curves (Row 3)
Section titled “Velocity Curves (Row 3)”| Pad | Curve | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | Linear | Direct 1:1 response |
| 32 | Soft | Easier high velocities |
| 33 | Hard | Requires more force |
| 34 | Fixed | Constant velocity (100) |
Aftertouch Mode (Row 4)
Section titled “Aftertouch Mode (Row 4)”| Pad | Mode | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Channel | Single pressure value for all notes |
| 42 | Polyphonic | Individual pressure per note |
Page Selection in Setup Mode
Section titled “Page Selection in Setup Mode”Session buttons 1-4 still work in Setup Mode to switch between pages. Each page has its own settings.
Root and Scale Selection in Setup Mode
Section titled “Root and Scale Selection in Setup Mode”Circle (root selection) and Double (scale selection) buttons also work in Setup Mode. The difference:
- In Setup Mode: Root/scale changes are saved when you exit Setup Mode
- Outside Setup Mode: Root/scale changes are session-only (not persisted)
This lets you experiment with different keys during a performance without accidentally overwriting your saved configuration.
Exiting Setup Mode
Section titled “Exiting Setup Mode”Press the Setup button again to exit. Settings are saved to flash only at this point.
Scale Transposition
Section titled “Scale Transposition”Transpose shifts your entire grid up or down by scale degrees (not semitones). This keeps you in key while moving the pattern higher or lower.
Controls:
- (Right arrow) - Transpose up one scale degree
- (Left arrow) - Transpose down one scale degree
- Both arrows pressed together - Reset to neutral (0)
The full range is -7 to +7 scale degrees (one full octave in either direction). For larger shifts, use the octave buttons.
Visual feedback: The bottom row LEDs (1-8) show the current transposition:
- All 8 LEDs lit = Neutral (no transposition)
- LEDs turning off from left = Positive transposition (e.g., +2 = LEDs 1-2 off, 3-8 lit)
- LEDs turning off from right = Negative transposition (e.g., -2 = LEDs 7-8 off, 1-6 lit)
Example: In C Major, transposing +2 degrees moves your root from C to E (two scale steps up). The same finger positions now play an E-based pattern, but still within C Major.
MIDI Output
Section titled “MIDI Output”PolyBoard sends MIDI on:
- USB - Connect to your DAW
- DIN MIDI Out - Connect to hardware synths
Both work simultaneously. Each page can use multiple MIDI channels - notes are sent to all enabled channels. Configure channels in Setup Mode.