Transport Controls

The transport bar at the top of the window controls playback, recording, tempo, timing, and synchronization. All transport actions are available via keyboard shortcuts and the Lua API.

Playback

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Command	Description
Space	transport:toggle-play	Toggle play / stop
Return	transport:play	Play from current position
0	transport:stop	Stop playback
Enter	transport:to-start	Return playhead to start
,	transport:back	Move back one bar
.	transport:forward	Move forward one bar
Home	transport:go-home	Go to bar 1 and scroll timeline
End	transport:go-end	Go to project end and scroll timeline

Lua Examples

-- Toggle play/stop
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-play")

-- Play from current position
pl.cmd("transport:play")

-- Stop playback
pl.cmd("transport:stop")

-- Return to start
pl.cmd("transport:to-start")

-- Seek to sample position
pl.cmd("transport:seek", { position = 48000 })

-- Navigate by bar
pl.cmd("transport:forward")  -- next bar
pl.cmd("transport:back")     -- previous bar

-- Jump to start/end
pl.cmd("transport:go-home")
pl.cmd("transport:go-end")

Transport Properties

Property	Type	Default	Description
is_playing	bool	false	Current playback state
tempo	f64	120.0	Tempo in BPM (20–999)
time_sig_num	u8	4	Time signature numerator (beats per bar)
time_sig_den	u8	4	Time signature denominator (beat value)
cycle_enabled	bool	false	Cycle (loop) mode on/off
cycle_start	i64	0	Cycle start position in ticks
cycle_end	i64	15360	Cycle end position in ticks (default: 4 bars at 4/4)
metronome_enabled	bool	false	Metronome click during playback
metronome_recording_enabled	bool	true	Metronome click during recording
metronome_volume	f32	0.7	Metronome volume (0.0–1.0)
count_in_enabled	bool	false	Count-in before recording
count_in_bars	u8	1	Count-in length in bars (1, 2, or 4)
noise_enabled	bool	false	White noise test signal
record_armed	bool	false	Recording armed
automation_armed	bool	false	Automation recording armed
mtc_enabled	bool	false	MIDI Time Code output enabled
mc_enabled	bool	false	MIDI Clock output enabled

Reading Properties

-- Check playback state
local playing = plinken.get("transport", "is_playing")
local tempo = plinken.get("transport", "tempo")
local cycle = plinken.get("transport", "cycle_enabled")

Recording

Press R to arm recording. When armed, pressing play will record input to the armed tracks.

Shortcut	Command	Description
R	transport:toggle-record	Toggle record armed state
—	transport:toggle-record-auto	Toggle automation record armed

Plinken supports three recording types:

• Audio recording — Records audio input to WAV files
• MIDI recording — Records MIDI note and CC input
• Automation recording — Captures parameter changes as CC events

-- Arm recording
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-record")

-- Arm automation recording
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-record-auto")

Tempo

The default tempo is 120 BPM. Click the tempo display in the transport bar to change it. Valid range is 20–999 BPM. Tempo changes affect the grid, metronome, MIDI playback, and MIDI Clock output.

-- Set tempo to 140 BPM
plinken.set("transport", "tempo", 140.0)

Time Signature

Default is 4/4. The numerator sets beats per bar, the denominator sets the beat value.

-- Set to 3/4 time
plinken.set("transport", "time_sig_num", 3)
plinken.set("transport", "time_sig_den", 4)

Metronome

Toggle the metronome with K. The metronome provides an audible click on each beat.

Shortcut	Command	Description
K	transport:toggle-metronome	Toggle metronome on/off

Metronome Settings

Setting	Default	Description
Playback click	Off	Metronome during normal playback
Recording click	On	Metronome during recording
Volume	70%	Click volume (0–100%)
Count-in	Off	Play count-in bars before recording starts
Count-in bars	1	Number of count-in bars (1, 2, or 4)

Lua Examples

-- Toggle metronome
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-metronome")

-- Set metronome with specific settings
pl.cmd("transport:set-metronome", {
  enabled = true,
  volume = 0.5
})

-- Enable count-in
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-countin")

-- Set count-in to 2 bars
pl.cmd("transport:set-countin", { bars = 2 })

-- Enable count-in explicitly
pl.cmd("transport:set-countin-enabled", { enabled = true })

Cycle Mode

Toggle cycle (loop) mode with Shift+C. When enabled, playback loops between the cycle start and end points.

Shortcut	Command	Description
⇧C	transport:toggle-cycle	Toggle cycle mode
—	transport:set-cycle-start	Set cycle start position (ticks)
—	transport:set-cycle-end	Set cycle end position (ticks)

The default cycle region is 4 bars (15,360 ticks at 4/4 time).

-- Toggle cycle mode
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-cycle")

-- Set cycle region to bars 5–8
pl.cmd("transport:set-cycle-start", { tick = 15360 })  -- Bar 5
pl.cmd("transport:set-cycle-end", { tick = 30720 })    -- End of bar 8

-- Read cycle state
local enabled = plinken.get("transport", "cycle_enabled")
local start = plinken.get("transport", "cycle_start")
local end_pos = plinken.get("transport", "cycle_end")

Test Signals

The transport provides built-in test signals for monitoring and calibration.

Command	Description
transport:toggle-noise	Toggle white noise at −20 dB
transport:set-noise	Enable/disable noise with optional volume
transport:set-tone	Enable/disable test tone with optional volume/frequency

-- Toggle white noise test signal
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-noise")

-- Set specific noise level
pl.cmd("transport:set-noise", { enabled = true, volume = 0.1 })

-- Play a test tone
pl.cmd("transport:set-tone", {
  enabled = true,
  volume = 0.3,
  frequency = 1000  -- 1 kHz
})

MIDI Sync

Plinken can send MIDI synchronization signals to external hardware and software.

Shortcut	Command	Description
—	transport:toggle-mtc	Toggle MIDI Time Code output
—	transport:toggle-mc	Toggle MIDI Clock output

MIDI Time Code (MTC)

Sends SMPTE timecode for positional sync. External devices can lock to Plinken’s timeline position.

MIDI Clock (MC)

Sends tempo-based clock pulses (24 ppqn) for beat sync. External sequencers and arpeggiators can follow Plinken’s tempo.

-- Enable MTC output
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-mtc")

-- Enable MIDI Clock output
pl.cmd("transport:toggle-mc")

-- Check sync state
local mtc = plinken.get("transport", "mtc_enabled")
local mc = plinken.get("transport", "mc_enabled")

Complete Command Reference

Command	Shortcut	Description
transport:play	Return	Start playback
transport:stop	0	Stop playback
transport:toggle-play	Space	Toggle play/stop
transport:to-start	Enter	Return to start
transport:seek	—	Seek to sample position
transport:back	,	Move back one bar
transport:forward	.	Move forward one bar
transport:go-home	Home	Go to bar 1
transport:go-end	End	Go to project end
transport:toggle-record	R	Toggle record armed
transport:toggle-record-auto	—	Toggle automation record
transport:toggle-cycle	⇧C	Toggle cycle mode
transport:set-cycle-start	—	Set cycle start (ticks)
transport:set-cycle-end	—	Set cycle end (ticks)
transport:toggle-metronome	K	Toggle metronome
transport:set-metronome	—	Set metronome state/volume
transport:toggle-countin	—	Toggle count-in
transport:set-countin	—	Set count-in bars (1/2/4)
transport:set-countin-enabled	—	Enable/disable count-in
transport:toggle-noise	—	Toggle white noise
transport:set-noise	—	Set noise state/volume
transport:set-tone	—	Set test tone state/volume/freq
transport:toggle-mtc	—	Toggle MTC output
transport:toggle-mc	—	Toggle MIDI Clock output

See Also

• Timeline — Arranging tracks and regions
• Audio — Audio recording and engine settings
• MIDI — MIDI recording and playback
• Settings > Metronome — Detailed metronome configuration
• Settings > Sync — MIDI sync device configuration