It is the web editor on app.electra.one that forces users to use 6x6 grid. The editor uses the grid because it establishes a strong relationship between on-screen controls and physical knobs.
The hardware controller is not limited to the grid, it supports placement of controls by defining their x, y position and width, height. Also, any control can be linked to any knob, more knobs, or none of them.
I’d say, if you wanted to experiment, generate a preset with a few pads. Export the JSON and play around with the bounds object in the preset. Note, it is all fully documented at docs.electra,.one.
You can upload your own presets to E1 using the Sandbox tool.
just made a quick test:
This is the preset source:
{
   "version":2,
   "name":"My Preset",
   "projectId":"ury8UbVL4PrzDL3q6eLq",
   "pages":[
      {
         "id":1,
         "name":"Page 1"
      }
   ],
   "groups":[
      
   ],
   "devices":[
      {
         "id":1,
         "name":"Generic MIDI",
         "port":1,
         "channel":1
      }
   ],
   "overlays":[
      
   ],
   "controls":[
      {
         "id":1,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"ffffff",
         "bounds":[
            20,
            28,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":1,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":1,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":2,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"ffffff",
         "bounds":[
            96,
            28,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":2,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":2,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":3,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"ffffff",
         "bounds":[
            172,
            28,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":3,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":3,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":4,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"ffffff",
         "bounds":[
            248,
            28,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":4,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":4,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":5,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F49500",
         "bounds":[
            20,
            118,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":7,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":5,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":6,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F49500",
         "bounds":[
            96,
            118,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":8,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":6,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":7,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F49500",
         "bounds":[
            172,
            118,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":9,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":7,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":8,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F49500",
         "bounds":[
            248,
            118,
            56,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":1,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":10,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":8,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":9,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"529DEC",
         "bounds":[
            20,
            208,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":1,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":9,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":10,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"529DEC",
         "bounds":[
            187,
            208,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":2,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":10,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":11,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"529DEC",
         "bounds":[
            354,
            208,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":3,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":11,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":12,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"529DEC",
         "bounds":[
            521,
            208,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":4,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":12,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":13,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F45C51",
         "bounds":[
            20,
            298,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":7,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":13,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":14,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F45C51",
         "bounds":[
            187,
            298,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":8,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":14,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":15,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F45C51",
         "bounds":[
            354,
            298,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":9,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":15,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      },
      {
         "id":16,
         "type":"pad",
         "mode":"toggle",
         "visible":true,
         "name":"",
         "color":"F45C51",
         "bounds":[
            521,
            298,
            146,
            56
         ],
         "pageId":1,
         "controlSetId":2,
         "inputs":[
            {
               "potId":10,
               "valueId":"value"
            }
         ],
         "values":[
            {
               "message":{
                  "type":"cc7",
                  "offValue":0,
                  "onValue":127,
                  "parameterNumber":16,
                  "deviceId":1
               },
               "id":"value"
            }
         ]
      }
   ]
}
so, it is all good. Unfortunately, when you import such preset to the web editor, it will enforce the 6x6. Which will break the positioning. But not much work is left on getting this restriction out of the editor.
Of course, I have my ideas about the sequencer preset,. My thinking on that is:
Use the upper four rows of controls for the grid of pads, say 4 x 16 and the bottom part for 12 controls that would be used to manage the sequencer and edit the pads (notes, messages, etc). That way these 12 controls would be permanently assigned to the 12 knobs. Touch on pads would be used to select active pads that would be subject to modification. Just an idea 