Timeline signatures are good for swing, but rolls or real rythm are difficult.
These are my suggestions:
1. More than one line in one bassline, with different notelength
2.Binding of two knobs or sliders to one controll/Binding of two basslines in the patcher (all sliders are bound then)
3.Copy all automations+ have makros
4.Divide arrow: Divides a pattern intelligent. Like yet, when you choose another notelength, but only downwards and this way that it divides a half note in two tied quarter notes. It should sound the same. Into thirds: the middle note is randomly set(like one of the two neighbors) or after the swing.
Upwards:the program ask you which note you choose.
5.Brackets: brackets that you can set, where now the "time ruler" is (this thing, where you can see the beats and the subdivisions and can do nothing.)
With those you can choose how much notes are in there, although it stands for one normal note. These notes are not getting optically narrower, and have ties and gates, so that you can see all and can do everything. The timeline signatur, however, must be more clear to substitute the time ruler. Important is to see the main beats
Pros/Cons:
Now we have the problem of multiple instances to solve the problem. Makros are needed for live, so point3 is fast for Ross, but not so elegant. To bind knobs is confusing until they are not visible like makros. Bind contraptions result in a lot of property windows. The advantage of makros is, when automated, the other controls can be automated differently. If all is bound there is no exception.
More than one line in one bassline(1.) can be good for more than one note at the same time. But it is similar to a second bassline that is tied, only that is optical different. It must be confusing to have different notelenght in different layers.
My suggestion is to get closer to notes for instruments.
The division arrow doesn't help to get triplets next to quaters, but it helps to change your rythm, that you've made, a little bit. The brackets make all possible like notes for instruments except more than one note at the same time. Here would help more lines or instances.
If you have more lines you can spare the connections between controls, if you have more instances and makros you can do all, but it can be optically confusing.
Conclusion: Ross, you must look what is optically not confusing, but I think the makros, brackets are necessary and the devision helpful. The additional lines are an addition for more possibilities and should have the same notelength. To bind contraptions to a big or to have the same controls, then, make no sense to me