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Order list

The order list is the song arrangement. Patterns hold the notes; the order decides which patterns play, and in what sequence. Playback walks the list from top to bottom.

Each slot shows a two-digit pattern id (00-99). The same id can appear more than once - those slots share the same pattern data. The pattern editor always shows the pattern for the currently selected order slot.

Where to find it

The order lives in the Order card on the left of the song view, beside the pattern editor(s).

Each slot can show:

What you seeMeaning
Pattern idTwo-digit number (00-99)
The selected slot
Left accent barLoop marker on that slot
Background colorOptional color you set for that slot

Pattern length and names are not shown here - length is edited in the pattern editor header.

Beside the list, buttons sit next to the selected slot:

ButtonWhat it does
Make UniqueGive this slot its own pattern copy
RemoveRemove this slot from the order
AddInsert a new empty pattern after the current slot
CloneDeep-copy the current pattern and insert it after

TIP

Think of patterns as reusable blocks, and the order as the playlist. Reuse a chorus by pointing several slots at the same id. When you need a variation, use Make Unique so edits do not change the other copies.

If the list is long, fade arrows ( / ) hint that more slots exist above or below.

Selecting a slot

  • Click a slot to select it.
  • Use Up/Down when the order list is focused (also works while rewriting a pattern id).
  • Use the mouse wheel while hovering the order list.

Selecting a slot loads that pattern in the editor and moves the cursor to row 0. You can also leave the top or bottom of the pattern editor to jump into the previous or next order entry when one exists.

TIP

One shared order drives the whole project. If you have several chip songs side by side, they all follow the same order index - handy for multi-chip arrangements.

Editing the order

Most order edits are done with the side buttons, the right-click menu, or by dragging. They are undoable with Mod+Z / Mod+Y when playback is stopped.

ActionHowBehavior
AddAdd button or context menu AddCreates a new empty pattern (next free id), inserts it after the chosen slot, and selects it
RemoveRemove button or context menu DeleteRemoves the slot from the order only. Pattern data stays in the project. You cannot remove the last remaining slot
CloneClone button or context menu CloneCopies the pattern to a new id, inserts after the current slot, and selects the clone
Make UniqueMake Unique button or menuKeeps the slot in place, but assigns a new id with a copy of the data so other slots still using the old id are left alone
RearrangeDrag a slotMove slots up or down. A dashed line shows the drop position. Colors and the loop marker move with the slot
Change pattern idClick the digits on a slotType 0-9 (up to two digits). Applies as you type; finishes after two digits, Enter, or clicking away. Escape cancels. Valid range is 00-99. If that id does not exist yet, Bitphase creates it

New empty patterns use the project's Default Pattern Length (usually 64, range 1-256). Change an individual pattern's length in the pattern editor header.

Shared ids vs Make Unique

If order slots 02 and 05 both say 01, editing pattern 01 changes both places in the song. Make Unique on one of those slots gives it a fresh id so you can edit that section independently.

Clone vs Make Unique

Clone adds a new slot with a copy. Make Unique keeps the current slot position and only breaks the shared link. Use Clone to insert a variation; use Make Unique when the arrangement is already right but the data should diverge.

Loop marker

The loop marker marks where playback returns after the last order slot. By default it is on the first slot (00 in the list sense - order index 0).

  • Right-click a slot → Set loop marker to loop from there.
  • Clear loop marker puts the loop back on the first slot (there is always a loop point - playback does not simply stop at the end).

A thin accent on the left of the slot shows where the loop is set.

Colors

Right-click a slot → Color... to tint that order position (not the pattern id itself). Clear color removes a custom tint.

Colors are a visual aid for structuring the song - for example mark intro, verse, and chorus slots so the list is easier to scan. They move with the slot when you drag.

Multi-chip projects

The project has one shared order. Each song (chip) keeps its own pattern data for those ids.

When you Add, Clone, Make Unique, or type a new id, Bitphase keeps every song in sync so the same order positions exist across chips. Adding a new song with File → New Song creates matching empty patterns for the ids already in the order.