Return to 'original values'

I bet you're expecting this post to be all about good ol' fashioned baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie, aren't you? C'mon, admit it...

Sorry to disappoint :) but the real subject is: How to get a 307 pattern to revert to the state it was in before you started tweaking knobs, muting parts, etc.

At this point in my learning curve, there doesn't seem to be an easy way to do it with one pattern. (This is annoying for anyone who has spent time with the "compare" feature on the Korg EMX, but I'll try not to wax nostalgic.)

However, there is a workaround. Maybe it can't be done with ONE pattern, as I said...but it can easily be done with TWO. So if you have a pattern you like to tweak during live performance, read on.

The solution:

Save the pattern twice, to two different positions in memory (say, U.050 and U.051). While you're performing, tweak U.050 as much as you like, then when you're ready to go back to what you started with, switch to U.051 and you're there. (No-brainer: I recommend saving the pattern to adjacent locations in memory, so you can use the DEC-INC buttons to toggle between them).

This obviously takes up twice as much memory space as a single pattern, so it's probably best done sparingly if you need lots of patterns for your live set. But it works well for breaking down a pattern completely and restoring it on the fly.

If anyone has other/easier/better solutions, please comment below.

UPDATE: Since writing the above, I discovered the memo on page 30 of the manual, which says that you can also return to the pattern's original settings by switching to the another and then switching back, but BEFORE the pattern actually changes. This is good news (if well hidden), but I think the method I found has its benefit: In case the pattern you switch to is not suitable to follow the first one, you risk making the change right when it becomes impossible to switch back (i.e., the pattern button starts flashing). If you're on stage thinking about half a dozen things, this is a potential danger. If you *know* you plan to do lots of tweaking to certain patterns, saving two copies of these might still help you.