void checkInputs() {

  //encoder button
  if (!digitalRead(ENC_BTN_PIN) && !encBtnPushed) {
    encBtnPushed = true;
    encPressedTime = millis();
  } else if (digitalRead(ENC_BTN_PIN) && encBtnPushed) {
    encBtnPushed = false;
    encReleasedTime = millis();

    if (encReleasedTime - encPressedTime < 500) {  // press shorter than .5s is for entering the submenu
      if (!insideTab && displayScreen == 0) {
        insideTab = true;
      } else if (insideTab && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 2 && menuItem == 1 && displayScreen == 0) { //enter the pattern editor
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 0) {
          patternToEdit = seqA1;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 1) {
          patternToEdit = seqA2;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 2) {
          patternToEdit = seqA3;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 3) {
          patternToEdit = seqA4;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 4) {
          patternToEdit = seqA5;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 5) {
          patternToEdit = seqA6;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 6) {
          patternToEdit = seqA7;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 7) {
          patternToEdit = seqA8;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 8) {
          patternToEdit = seqB1;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 9) {
          patternToEdit = seqB2;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 10) {
          patternToEdit = seqB3;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 11) {
          patternToEdit = seqB4;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 12) {
          patternToEdit = seqB5;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 13) {
          patternToEdit = seqB6;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 14) {
          patternToEdit = seqB7;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern == 15) {
          patternToEdit = seqB8;
        }
        displayScreen = 1;
        isRecording = 0;
      } else if (displayScreen == 1 && !isRecording) {
        isPlaying = 1;
        isRecording = 1;
      } else if (displayScreen == 1 && isRecording) {
        isRecording = 0;
      } else if (displayScreen == 2 && menuItem == 0) {
        calibrateCVs();
      } else if (displayScreen == 2 && menuItem == 1) {
        rotateScreen = !rotateScreen;
        saveState();
        setup();
      } else if (displayScreen == 2 && menuItem == 2) {
        EEPROM.put(1023, memCode - 1);
        //delay(500);
        //setup();
      }
      updateScreen();
    } else if (encReleasedTime - encPressedTime < 2000) {  // longer press (<2s) is for navigating back. longer than 2s presses are ignored
      if (displayScreen != 0) {
        displayScreen = 0;
      } else if (insideTab == 1) {
        insideTab = 0;
        menuItem = 0;
        isRecording = 0;
      } 
      updateScreen();
    } else if (encReleasedTime - encPressedTime > 2000 && shiftBtnPushed) {  //2s+ combo with shift to open the settings
      displayScreen = 2;
      updateScreen();
    }
  }

  //encoder
  encoder.tick();
  int encPosition = encoder.getPosition();
  if (encPositionOld != encPosition) {
    int change = encPositionOld - encPosition;
    if (displayScreen == 0) {
      if (!insideTab && !shiftBtnPushed) { //Change tab
        displayTab = displayTab + change;
        if (displayTab > 100) { //to address "negative" numbers
          displayTab = 0;
        } else if (displayTab > 6) {
          displayTab = 6;
        }
      } else if (!insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab == 0 && masterClockMode == 0) { //Change BPM
        bpm = bpm + change;
        if (bpm > MAXBPM) {
          bpm = MAXBPM;
        } else if (bpm < MINBPM) {
          bpm = MINBPM;
        }
        saveState();
        calculateBPMTiming();
      } else if (!insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 0) { //Change Subdiv
        channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv = channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv - change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv > 100) { 
          channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv = 0;
        } if (channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv > (sizeof(subDivs) / sizeof(int)) - 1) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv = (sizeof(subDivs) / sizeof(int)) - 1;
        }
        if (!isPlaying) {
          calculateCycles();
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (!insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 1) { //Change Random
        channels[displayTab - 1].random = channels[displayTab - 1].random + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].random > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].random = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].random > 9) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].random = 9;
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (!insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 2) { //Change SEQ pattern
        channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern = channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern > 15) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].seqPattern = 15;
        }
        saveState();
      }
      else if (insideTab && !shiftBtnPushed) {
        menuItem = menuItem + change;
        if (menuItem > 100) { //for "negative" values 
          menuItem = 0;
        } else if (menuItem > lastMenuItem) { 
          menuItem = lastMenuItem;
        }
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab == 0 && menuItem == 0) { //Master Clock Mode
        masterClockMode = masterClockMode + change;
        if (masterClockMode > 100) {
          masterClockMode = 0;
        } else if (masterClockMode > 1) {
          masterClockMode = 1;
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab == 0 && menuItem == 1) { //Modulation channel
        bpmModulationChannel = bpmModulationChannel + change;
        if (bpmModulationChannel == 0 || bpmModulationChannel == 1) {
          bpmModulationRange = 1;
        } else if (bpmModulationChannel > 100) {
          bpmModulationRange = 0;
          bpmModulationChannel = 255;
        } else if (bpmModulationChannel > 1) {
          bpmModulationChannel = 1;
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab == 0 && menuItem == 2) { //Modulation range
        bpmModulationRange = bpmModulationRange + change;
        if (bpmModulationRange == 0) {
          bpmModulationRange = 1;
        } else if (bpmModulationRange > 100) {
          bpmModulationRange = 1;
        } else if (bpmModulationRange > 5) { //50bpm
          bpmModulationRange = 5;
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && menuItem == 0) { //Channel Mode
        channels[displayTab - 1].mode = channels[displayTab - 1].mode + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].mode > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].mode = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].mode > 2) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].mode = 2;
        }
        channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target = 0;
        channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target = 0;
        saveState();
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && menuItem == 1 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 0) { //Offset
        channels[displayTab - 1].offset = channels[displayTab - 1].offset + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].offset > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].offset = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].offset > channelPulsesPerCycle[displayTab-1]) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].offset = channelPulsesPerCycle[displayTab-1];
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && menuItem == 1 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 1) { //SUBDIV for RANDOM
        channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv = channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv - change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv > 200) { 
          channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv > (sizeof(subDivs) / sizeof(byte)) - 1) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].subDiv = (sizeof(subDivs) / sizeof(byte)) - 1;
        }
        if (!isPlaying) {
          calculateCycles();
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && menuItem == 2 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 0) { //CV1 for CLK
        channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target = channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target > 1) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target = 1;
        }
        saveState();
      }
      else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && menuItem == 3 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 0) { //CV2 for CLK
        channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target = channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target > 1) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target = 1;
        }
        saveState();
      } else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && menuItem == 2 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 1) { //CV1 for RND
        channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target = channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target > 2) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV1Target = 2;
        }
        saveState();
      }
      else if (insideTab && shiftBtnPushed && displayTab != 0 && menuItem == 3 && channels[displayTab - 1].mode == 1) { //CV2 for RND
        channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target = channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target + change;
        if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target > 100) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target = 0;
        } else if (channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target > 2) {
          channels[displayTab - 1].CV2Target = 2;
        }
        saveState();
      }
    } else if (displayScreen == 1 && !isRecording) {
      stepNumSelected = stepNumSelected + change;
      if (stepNumSelected > 100) {
        stepNumSelected = 15;
      } else if (stepNumSelected > 15) {
        stepNumSelected = 0;
      }
    } else if (displayScreen == 2 && !shiftBtnPushed) {
      menuItem = menuItem + change;
      if (menuItem > 100) { //for "negative" values 
        menuItem = 0;
      } else if (menuItem > lastMenuItem) { 
        menuItem = lastMenuItem;
      }
    }

    updateScreen();
    encPositionOld = encPosition;
  }

  //play button
  if (!digitalRead(START_STOP_BTN_PIN) && !playBtnPushed) {
    if (masterClockMode == 0) {
      calculateBPMTiming();
      resetClocks();
      isPlaying = !isPlaying;
    }
    playBtnPushed = true;
    updateScreen();  //to wake up the screen if turned off
  } else if (digitalRead(START_STOP_BTN_PIN) && playBtnPushed) {
    playBtnPushed = false;
  }

  //shift button
  if (!digitalRead(SHIFT_BTN_PIN) && !shiftBtnPushed) {
    shiftBtnPushed = true;
    shiftPressedTime = millis();
    if (isRecording) { //Live triggering
      digitalWrite(outsPins[displayTab - 1], HIGH);
    }
    if (displayScreen == 1 && !isRecording) {
      patternToEdit[stepNumSelected] = !patternToEdit[stepNumSelected];
    } else if (displayScreen == 1 && isRecording && !recordToNextStep) { //Recording
      patternToEdit[currentStep] = 1;
    } else if (displayScreen == 1 && isRecording && recordToNextStep && currentStep != 15) {
      patternToEdit[currentStep+1] = 1;
    } else if (displayScreen == 1 && isRecording && recordToNextStep && currentStep == 15) {
      patternToEdit[0] = 1;
    }
    saveState();
    updateScreen(); 
  } else if (digitalRead(SHIFT_BTN_PIN) && shiftBtnPushed) {
    shiftBtnPushed = false;
    shiftReleasedTime = millis();
    if (shiftReleasedTime - shiftPressedTime > 500 && shiftReleasedTime - shiftPressedTime < 2000 && isRecording) {
      for (byte i = 0; i < 16; i++) {
        patternToEdit[i] = 0;
      }
    } else if (shiftReleasedTime - shiftPressedTime > 2000 && encBtnPushed) {
      displayScreen = 2;
    }
    saveState();
    updateScreen(); 
  }

  //modulations map(randMod, 0, 1023, -5, +5)
  a1Input = map(analogRead(ANALOGUE_INPUT_1_PIN), 0 - CV1Calibration, 1023 - CV1Calibration, 0, 1023);
  a2Input = map(analogRead(ANALOGUE_INPUT_2_PIN), 0 - CV2Calibration, 1023 - CV2Calibration, 0, 1023);
}