Quick Operating Guide

Use VU202 Fast.

This manual explains the VU202 iOS and Android workflow in plain language: project actions, transport, pad controls, trim, pattern mode, song mode, context menus, recording, settings and export.

The page is written for the iPhone and iPad app. It follows the actual screen layout, so you can keep the screenshot in view and move through the sections below.

Project Files

Files app: On My iPhone or iPad > VU202 > projects

Exports

Files app: On My iPhone or iPad > VU202 > exports

Song Status

Song editing exists, but the transport switch for song playback is not implemented yet.

Useful Gesture

Press REMAIN to change pad focus without playing sound or to open context menus with a hold gesture.

Main Screen

The main screen is where you load sounds, record pads, shape each pad, switch banks, open trim or pattern mode, and trigger samples. The controls below follow the layout shown in the screenshot.

Project Actions

NEW

Create a new project.

LOAD

Load a saved project from the Files app location: On My iPhone or iPad > VU202 > projects.

SAVE

Save the current project and choose its name.

EXPORT

Export the current pattern or song to WAV, or export WAV stems. Only pads with samples used in the current arrangement are exported.

Transport

STOP

Stop playback and return the transport to the beginning.

PLAY / PAUSE

Play the current pattern. When you pause and start again, playback resumes from the position where you stopped.

REC

Arm recording and write played pads into the current pattern.

PATTERN / SONG

Select whether transport should target patterns or song playback. Song playback from this switch is not implemented yet.

Pad Volume And Effects

Volume

Adjust the volume of the active pad. This is pad volume, not master volume.

Pitch

Change pitch with the control knob. Range: -12 to +12 semitones. Double-tap the control knob to reset pitch.

Reverb

Pad reverb amount. The center position is 0% wet. Double-tap the control knob to reset.

Delay

Enable delay for the active pad, then set the amount with the control knob.

Filter 1

Low-pass filter controlled by the control knob.

Filter 2

Band-pass filter controlled by the control knob.

Ring Mod

Classic ring modulation controlled by the control knob.

Pattern And Bank Area

BPM

Set BPM for all patterns. Double-tap the digits to change the value.

< >

Change the current pattern. The selected pattern number is shown in the button on the right.

Bank A B C D

Show the current bank. Each bank contains 8 pads for a total of 32 pads.

Active Pad Options

Hifi / Standard / Lofi / Lofi2

Change the sound quality for the active pad.

Mono / Stereo

Switch the active pad sample between stereo and mono. Mono sums left and right together.

Trigger / Gate

Trigger plays the whole sample. Gate plays only while the pad is held.

One Shot / Loop

One Shot plays once. Loop repeats the sample in a loop.

Normal / Reverse

Switch the active sample direction. Reverse can be used even while a sample is already playing.

DEL

Delete the active pad.

PATTERN

Open pattern grid mode.

TRIM

Open trim mode for the active sample.

SONG

Open song mode.

REMAIN

Press REMAIN, then press a pad to change focus without playing sound. Press REMAIN again to cancel.

A/B and C/D

Switch between pad banks. C and D are choke banks.

8 Pads

Play the 8 pads in the selected bank. Four banks of 8 pads give you 32 pads in total.

HOLD

Press HOLD, then press a pad with Gate mode to play it like Trigger.

SOURCE

Open the native browser to pick a sample or video for the active pad.

Trim Mode

Trim mode is for setting the part of the sample you want to use, previewing it, truncating it, and preparing the pad before chopping.

Set the sample start point.

Set the sample end point.

+ / -

Zoom in or out. Zoom centers on the last used start or end point. The default focus is the start point.

PLAY

Play the trimmed sample.

TRUN

Truncate the sample.

AT/DC

Enable attack and decay editing. Use the A and D points to shape the sample.

CHOP

Slice the full sample into 8 equal parts and place them across the current bank. Chop ignores the trim start and end points, so truncate first if needed.

Important: Chop removes other samples already stored in that bank and writes the 8 slices to those pads.

Tip: Pad properties such as quality, mono or stereo, and effects are copied to every slice, so set those first before chopping.

Pattern Mode

Pattern mode gives you a 4 by 16 step grid for the selected group of pads, with extra pages, swing, velocity and duplication tools.

4x16 Grid

The grid represents 4 pads at a time.

Up / Down Arrows

Move between A1 to A4, A5 to A8, and the equivalent rows in the other banks.

Change the number of steps: 16, 32, 48 or 64.

Change swing. Available values are 50, 55, 60, 65, 70 and 75.

Page 1/1

Change page when the pattern has more than 16 steps.

VEL

Change step velocity in 3 levels: 100%, 70% and 30%.

DUPL

Duplicate the current pattern into the first empty pattern slot.

Nudge: Press and hold a step to show the nudge bar, then drag left or right to move the step off the grid.

Song Mode

Song mode lets you arrange patterns into a chain. You choose patterns from the pool, place them into the 16-step song chain, and set repeats for each step.

Pattern Pool

Shows patterns that are already used in the project.

Song Chain

A 16-step chain where you place patterns from the pool.

P- / P+

Select the previous or next pattern for the selected song step.

R- / R+

Decrease or increase the repeat count of the selected step.

DEL

Delete the selected step. Empty steps in the middle are ignored.

Context Menus And Shortcuts

VU202 uses hold gestures for copying, recording, nudging and opening context menus for pads, banks and patterns.

Quick Holds

Copy Pad

Hold a pad for more than 2 seconds, then press another pad to copy it.

Record To Empty Pad

Hold an empty pad for more than 0.1 second to start recording from the microphone or a connected audio interface.

Open Menus With REMAIN

Press REMAIN, then hold a pad, A/B, C/D, or the PATTERN button to open the related context menu.

Pad Context Menu

Rename

Rename the sample on the selected pad.

Copy

Copy the pad to another pad. Bank cannot be changed here, but multi-paste is possible.

Resample

Save a new sample onto the same pad with all current effects applied, including bank and master effects.

Record

Start recording from the microphone or audio interface.

Mute

Mute the pad.

Solo

Solo the pad within the current bank.

Bank Context Menu

Mute

Mute the entire bank.

Solo

Solo the entire bank.

Pattern Context Menu

Rename

Rename the pattern. The name is shown in the pattern pool in song mode.

Duplicate

Duplicate the pattern to the first empty pattern slot.

Erase

Erase all steps and settings such as pages and swing.

Double

Expand the pattern length. For example, 16 steps becomes 32, then 32 becomes 64, while keeping steps, velocity and nudges.

Settings, Projects And Export

The settings menu controls recording input, zoom and performance behavior. Projects and exports are stored directly in the Files app, so they can be moved between devices.

Settings Menu

Input

Select the microphone or a connected audio interface. If iPhone or iPad does not see the device, VU202 will not see it either.

Zoom

Enable pinch zoom for the app. Use the gesture carefully in areas without buttons.

Low Power

Reduce refresh and repaint activity for older devices.

Banks

Choke mode works per bank. If a bank is set to choke, every pad in that bank will mute the others.

Project Section

Shows the project that is currently open and lets you save as that project or remove it.

File Locations

Projects

Saved in the Files app: On My iPhone or iPad > VU202 > projects. You can move projects between devices.

Export WAV

Export creates a WAV file in On My iPhone or iPad > VU202 > exports.

Export Stems

Export Stems also writes to the exports folder and creates a project-named folder containing separate WAV files for every pad used in any pattern. Choke banks are exported together as one track.