3, 4, 5... steps on Combinator knobs ?

[lychee]

Almost since the release of Friktion, I have been working on creating my strings ensemble patch as realistic as possible.
I'm nearing the end of my quest (at least I think so, given how perfectionist I am...), but I have something that intrigues me about the combinator knobs.

In fact I would like to make a knob controlling the number of instruments in the ensemble (x1, x2, x4, x8, x16) so a button with 5 steps.
But there are no buttons where you can determine steps in the combinator, everything is based on the classic midi increment (0 to 127), or a simple on/off switch.
So either I don't understand how the Combinator works, or there is a gap that the Reason developers should fill.

Of course all this does not prevent my patch from working, but I wanted to point out this oversight to hope for a future update with more diverse knobs in functionality.

[crimsonwarlock]

Although there are no knobs with actual steps, you can set up a knob with 5 zones (or whatever amount you want), that can switch things in the combinator, based on its position.

[w1pl0c]

good answer, thats cool Red Wizard

[Carly(Poohbear)]

It would be nice.

A workaround I have done in the past is to use Thors step seq. So every time I hit the button in the Combinator it advances the step seq (in step mode) and you have a new value to work with

[selig]

One small issue I've noted when using knobs to control stepped destinations has to do with assigning a knob to a stepped parameter, such as assigning a Combi knob to the RV7000 Algorithm selector (which has 10 possible settings).
The "issue" is in how the choices are mapped, specifically the last option only responding to a value of 127 instead of a range of values.
For example, the first algorithm is active between 0-14, and it follows:
2nd = 15-28
3rd = 29-42
-----skipping ahead-------
9th = 113-126
10th = 127!

You end up with a bit of uneven spacing at the top end of the travel to make it work on the panel art, but it's become one of the little quirks you either work around or curse (or both).

[selig]

It would be nice.

A workaround I have done in the past is to use Thors step seq. So every time I hit the button in the Combinator it advances the step seq (in step mode) and you have a new value to work with

What's your approach to this - you can't assign a button to Thor's Run button, and if you use Thor's button and the Mod Matrix you have to hit the button twice for each step advance.
What's the secret here ?
(Combinator needs momentary buttons!)

[crimsonwarlock]

One small issue I've noted when using knobs to control stepped destinations has to do with assigning a knob to a stepped parameter, such as assigning a Combi knob to the RV7000 Algorithm selector (which has 10 possible settings).
The "issue" is in how the choices are mapped, specifically the last option only responding to a value of 127 instead of a range of values.
For example, the first algorithm is active between 0-14, and it follows:
2nd = 15-28
3rd = 29-42
-----skipping ahead-------
9th = 113-126
10th = 127!

You end up with a bit of uneven spacing at the top end of the travel to make it work on the panel art, but it's become one of the little quirks you either work around or curse (or both).

You can get close to a better choice-division by offsetting the top-end of the source-range a small amount from the full range. Basically, half of the range-percentage of one step. So, in the case of ten steps like in your example, each step should map to 10% of the scale. Meaning that step 10 should hit at 90%-100%. Setting the source-range to 95% will get you in the ballpark.

[Carly(Poohbear)]

It would be nice.

A workaround I have done in the past is to use Thors step seq. So every time I hit the button in the Combinator it advances the step seq (in step mode) and you have a new value to work with

What's your approach to this - you can't assign a button to Thor's Run button, and if you use Thor's button and the Mod Matrix you have to hit the button twice for each step advance.
What's the secret here ?
(Combinator needs momentary buttons!)

Just recorded a video about it, just need to render it out.

Basically.
Combinator programmer, Switch 1, to Thor Button 1, set min and max to 1
Take the gate out (at the bottom) from Thor into CV1.
Program CV1 to point to Thor Button 1, set min and max to 0
in Thors matrix, Button 1, 100, S. Trig

NOTE: When you very first set it up, you might have to click the button 1 in Thor, don't know what bug that is, after hitting that once, it always works from the Combinator Switch..

Then have fun

[Carly(Poohbear)]

Here is a video of how you can use one button to many different values.

[selig]

What's your approach to this - you can't assign a button to Thor's Run button, and if you use Thor's button and the Mod Matrix you have to hit the button twice for each step advance.
What's the secret here ?
(Combinator needs momentary buttons!)

Just recorded a video about it, just need to render it out.

Basically.
Combinator programmer, Switch 1, to Thor Button 1, set min and max to 1
Take the gate out (at the bottom) from Thor into CV1.
Program CV1 to point to Thor Button 1, set min and max to 0
in Thors matrix, Button 1, 100, S. Trig

NOTE: When you very first set it up, you might have to click the button 1 in Thor, don't know what bug that is, after hitting that once, it always works from the Combinator Switch..

Then have fun

Brilliant!
Of course I knew I could count on you for a way around the limitations.
Reminds me a bit of the threshold switch I built in Thor using the combinator and button control.
A lot of weird and wonderful stuff can happen between Thor and a Combinator!

[Loque]

...
NOTE: When you very first set it up, you might have to click the button 1 in Thor, don't know what bug that is, after hitting that once, it always works from the Combinator Switch..

Then have fun

Great stuff. I hope i can remember everything next time i need something like this.

Regarding the "Bug", adding a short delay to the Sequencer-Gate-Out is enough to have a defined sequence of the signals. I used Lolth for testing, but there are probably other ways to delay a CV signal.

[Carly(Poohbear)]

...
NOTE: When you very first set it up, you might have to click the button 1 in Thor, don't know what bug that is, after hitting that once, it always works from the Combinator Switch..

Then have fun

Great stuff. I hope i can remember everything next time i need something like this.

Regarding the "Bug", adding a short delay to the Sequencer-Gate-Out is enough to have a defined sequence of the signals. I used Lolth for testing, but there are probably other ways to delay a CV signal.

Just for reference you are already getting a CV delay of your buffer size as you are looping back.

I worked out the bug is not really a bug, it's a pure logic gotcha, For the first time if the BUTTON 1 (in Thor) is ON, hitting the button in the combinator is doing nothing as it's telling it to turn on, it's already on, being on it won't fire off the RUN and hence never fires of the gate to set the zero volt to drop it (reset BUTTON 1), so by turning it off, it can now complete the whole cycle.

Side note: The funny thing is controls on a device that are also control by knobs\switches from a combinator are separate (loosely coupled), so you can change the control on the device and the combinator does not know about it, however with this setup you can hit BUTTON 1 and it will complete a full cycle and turns BUTTON 1 straight back off again.

[luckygreen]

Here is a video of how you can use one button to many different values.

Excellent! I came across your YT-guides a few months ago and find them really helpful and entertaining. So I take the opportunity to thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and creating these videos.

[Carly(Poohbear)]

Excellent! I came across your YT-guides a few months ago and find them really helpful and entertaining. So I take the opportunity to thank you very much for sharing your knowledge and creating these videos.

Thank you for saying so, I have an updated version of that video with a few more ideas to have fun with