How to generate a CV voltage from an external audio input for triggering Distributor?

[Sus4]

Hi gang -

The short version: How could I generate a useable gate/CV signal using the input from an audio track (like, for each pluck of a guitar string)? What is it about a CV signal generated by reason's devices that lets me easily trigger Distributor through its Gate In?

I've been trying to trigger the Distributor voice wheel using CV generated by an audio track, and there's clearly something I'm missing about the exact kind of voltage its gate input expects.

Right now I'm using the Audio To CV extension to generate a CV when I pluck a guitar string, then eventually send that CV to Distributor.

Without any processing, the Distributor wheel would freak out - all the lights going on, the voice pointer just jumping all over the place, skipping voices at random, or going backwards. No real surprise there, I figured, since the decay of the CV was long and inconsistent.

So I ran the audio through a delayed filter on Thor to clamp down on the signal shortly after it comes in, before it hits Audio To CV. The resulting curve is a short, sharp triangle... and the Distributor wheel progresses through the available voices in a mostly orderly fashion, but all the voice lights still light up each time, and every synth connected to it plays each time, regardless of where the indicator is pointing.

I know(?) it's not the length of the CV signal, because Matrix running at half note intervals results in a calm Distributor progression with only the expected voice playing with each new gate signal. Might the difference be that Matrix basically produces a square wave?

Very happy to get any insight, or other possible methods to try.

[Sus4]

No one at all?
I tried generating squared off CV pulses using one of Malstrom's envelopes and sending that as a CV to Distributor's gate input, but it still acts weird. The resulting CV looks exactly like what Matrix puts out... am I unaware of something basic about gate signals in Reason?

[chimp_spanner]

Hmmm. Maaaaybe you could use the gain reduction cv out of a compressor somehow? That’d act like a detector for the onset of the guitar note. Not sure how you could process that signal and turn it into a gate, though. I will experiment for you tomorrow!

[Loque]

What are you expecting the audio should do to a CV target?

You could try using MClass Compressors Gain Reduction out as a CV source, this holds the last state. Just connect your audio to it, funzt use the audio out, smooth your CV signal with Threshhold, Attack, Compression and Release.

[Sus4]

Thanks both for the reply; it's a good suggestion, but I've already tried using the gain reduction out of the MClass as a starting point, with the same weird behaviour on Distributor's part as a result.

What really confuses me is that even if I feed what definitely appears to me to be a 50% duty cycle pulse CV to Distributor's gate, it still freaks out. So maybe I don't quite understand what Matrix is doing when it generates a gate CV...

Basically all I'm trying to do though is rig up a way to simulate a "note on" signal to Distributor when I pluck a guitar string... this had seemed like the easiest way at first.

[chimp_spanner]

Perhaps the issue is that the gate input is expecting a single pulse and what it’s gettung is a continuous stream. I feel there’s gotta be a way...need a coffee first.

[sdst]

every synth connected to it plays each time, regardless of where the indicator is pointing

you turn off receive notes for each synth in the combinator

and turn on to Distributor

[Sus4]

Perhaps the issue is that the gate input is expecting a single pulse and what it’s gettung is a continuous stream. I feel there’s gotta be a way...need a coffee first.

Yeah, I'm wondering if the pulse put out by Matrix works because it alternates between very specific voltages, and Distributor doesn't know what to do with anything outside (or within) that range? Unfortunately it seems hard to get a "manually" generated CV to stay at specific levels to test this...

every synth connected to it plays each time, regardless of where the indicator is pointing

you turn off receive notes for each synth in the combinator

and turn on to Distributor

They aren't in a combi. The issue is that the roll-my-own gate I'm sending to Distributor is making it activate all voices at once on each signal, even if the wheel proceeds as expected.

[chimp_spanner]

Did you sort this in the end?

[Loque]

Perhaps the issue is that the gate input is expecting a single pulse and what it’s gettung is a continuous stream. I feel there’s gotta be a way...need a coffee first.

Yeah, I'm wondering if the pulse put out by Matrix works because it alternates between very specific voltages, and Distributor doesn't know what to do with anything outside (or within) that range? Unfortunately it seems hard to get a "manually" generated CV to stay at specific levels to test this...

every synth connected to it plays each time, regardless of where the indicator is pointing

you turn off receive notes for each synth in the combinator

and turn on to Distributor

They aren't in a combi. The issue is that the roll-my-own gate I'm sending to Distributor is making it activate all voices at once on each signal, even if the wheel proceeds as expected.

You could hatte trigger the Thor sequencer and use its note of curve or to control another device step by step on each gate. Btw, you are aware, tja Distributor has different trigger modes?