@oid Im just jumping in here quick to say it indeed looks like we are on the same page. I think you should go ahead just as you describe. As long as the basic functions are retained (so I can update my original performance to be stable) I wont mind a zillion of new functions to explore. That will lead to new ideas, could not be better.

Let me know if you want the original pd patch for the performance. Or bits and pieces. It is a mess though.

"the output of [r chs-$0] is a two element list, channel number and a one or a zero?"
-yes exactly

"What is the right outlet of your once? bang when reset or something else?"
-It bangs the first time a channel is active, in order to be able to, for example, send the initial settings, start pitch etc. This way I can be "monophonic"

"are they how you are implementing groups? this screen shot is one group with two synths?"
-no, actually the group handling never have been that much developed. Its more that I see that it can be useful.