In the 606 manual it advises stopping the pattern running before changing
modes.  If you leave the pattern running however, you will will soon find out
why it's such a brilliant live drum machine.

When you're playing a pattern in pattern play mode, you can switch back to
pattern write mode, and change around the instruments - the pattern will
continue playing as you change the rhythm.  The most dramatic use of this is
when you change the high or low toms whilst they're triggering an external
synth.

If you have a sequence running in a CSQ-100 for example, you can trigger each
step of the sequence with the high or low tom trigger output from the 606.
When you move around the toms in the 606 pattern, the CSQ-100 sequence will
also change - a great effect for those subtle changes in acidlines or in
ambient music.

Another incredibly useful function is the ability to edit a chained sequence.
If you chain some patterns together in pattern play mode, then change back to
pattern write (while the sequence is still playing), you can edit all the
patterns in the chain while they're playing rather than having to do each one
individually.  This makes it much much easier to program long (16+ step) bars.
Also because changing modes doesn't interrupt the running of the 606, you can
change to pattern write whilst a chained sequence is running, add one extra
snare hit or something, then change back.

There's one documented feature in the 606 which is really cool - tapping a
sequence.  If you're in pattern play mode, whenever you press the tap button,
the sequence will *immediately* skip back to the first step.  If you've got a
good sense of rhythm, you can use this to do a jungle-style funky repeat on a
drum sequence.

An example of this is letting the sequence run to the end of step 6, pressing
tap, letting it run to the end of step 10, and pressing tap again to get it
back to "normal".  So if your jungle pattern is:
   1234567890123456
BD x-----x---x-----
SD ----x-------x---

And you tap it on steps 6, then 10, you'll end up with this:
   1234561234567890
BD x-----x-----x---
SD ----x-----x-----
        /\        /\
       tap!      tap!

A similar effect is shortening the pattern while it's playing.  Write a 16
step sequence, then put your 606 in pattern write mode.  Hold the function
button down and press selector 6 to cut your pattern down to only 6 steps.
This will make your pattern loop after 6 steps.  If you allow the 6 step
pattern to play 4 times, then change it up to an 8 step pattern, then after
the 8 step back up to 16 step you'll get a really good breakbeat-style
breakdown.

Using the same example pattern as above, you'd get this sequence:
   1234567890123456 123456 123456 123456 123456 12345678 1234567890123456
BD x-----x---x----- x----- x----- x----- x----- x-----x- x-----x---x-----
SD ----x-------x--- ----x- ----x- ----x- ----x- ----x--- ----x-------x---

Another neat trick is writing a track in track write mode, and specifying the
$ pattern as a breakdown or buildup pattern.  Then when in track play, you
can play the track out, and whenever you want a buildup you can tap it back to
the $ pattern, and keep tapping it until your buildup's finished on your other
synths, then let the $ pattern just run on back into the normal sequence.

You can also do this in pattern play by just clicking onto the buildup
pattern, but in track play it's easier because you don't need to change
patterns manually at the end of the buildup (which is usually just at the
point when you're trying to twist 3 knobs at once, so you don't really have
a free hand to change patterns =)

To avoid hitting the $ pattern when you don't want a buildup or breakdown,
you can start track play, then move back to pattern play so just the one
pattern is repeating, or a small chained sequence is repeating, then click
back to track play when you need to do the buildup.


These are only some of the wacky things you can do with the 606.  As far as i
know it's the only drum machine which stays playing when you change modes,
and that's where its strength lies - in live improvising.  It's about as
"live" as you can get without getting a real drummer in.  And for artists who
are into improvised live composing, there just isn't any replacement.


Alex Cavaye 1997