# Arm / Launch

In Cagire, changes to playback happen in two steps. First you **arm**: you mark what you want to happen. Then you **launch**: you apply all armed changes at once. Nothing changes until you launch. It is simpler than it sounds.

Say you want patterns `04` and `05` to start playing together. You arm both (`p` on each), then launch (`c`). Both start at the same time. Want to stop them later? Arm them again, launch again. That's it.

This two-step process exists for good reasons:

- **Multiple changes at once**: queue several patterns to start/stop, launch them together.
- **Clean timing**: all changes land on beat or bar boundaries, never mid-step.
- **Safe preparation**: set up the next section while the current one keeps playing.

## Arm changes, then launch

Arming is an essential feature to understand to be effective when doing live performances:

1. Open the **Patterns** view (`F2` or `Ctrl+Up` from sequencer)
2. Navigate to a pattern you wish to change/play
3. Press `p` to arm it. The pending change is going to be displayed:
   - `+` (armed to play)
   - `-` (armed to stop)
   - `m` (armed to mute)
   - `s` (armed to solo)
   - etc.
4. Repeat for other patterns you want to change
5. Press `c` to launch all changes
6. Or press `Esc` to cancel

You can also arm mute/solo changes:

- Press `m` to arm a mute toggle
- Press `x` to arm a solo toggle
- Press `Shift+m` to clear all mutes
- Press `Shift+x` to clear all solos

A pattern might not start immediately depending on the sync mode you have chosen.
It might wait for the next beat/bar boundary.

## Status Indicators

| Indicator | Meaning |
|-----------|---------|
| `>` | Currently playing |
| `+` | Armed to play |
| `-` | Armed to stop |
| `M` | Muted |
| `S` | Soloed |

A pattern can show combined indicators, e.g. `>` (playing) and `-` (armed to stop), or `>M` (playing and muted).

Armed patterns blink to make pending changes impossible to miss.

## Quantization

Launched changes don't execute immediately. They wait for a quantization boundary:

| Setting | Behavior |
|---------|----------|
| Immediate | Next sequencer tick |
| Beat | Next beat |
| 1 Bar | Next bar (default) |
| 2/4/8 Bars | Next 2, 4, or 8-bar boundary |

Edit quantization in pattern properties (press `e` on a pattern).

## Sync Mode

When a pattern starts, its playback position depends on sync mode:

- **Reset**: Always start at step 0
- **Phase-Lock**: Start at the current beat-aligned position (stays in sync with other patterns)