Curve (drum) Sequencer idea & design

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cocoazenith
Posts: 131
Joined: 31 May 2015

24 Apr 2021

I've searched and waited for a simple, curve based drum sequencer for Reason for a while now. Nothing!
So yesterday I thought about using the Synchronous CV outs to control the gate and velocity on a Redrum/Kong.

I find the Synchronous interface extremely suitable for drum sequencing, because besides the benefits of quick
results by drawing curves to alter gate and velocity I also like the fact that you can see the other lanes faded
in the background of the selected lane.

In other words I was very pleased with the results. But the problem is that Synchronous has a lot of extras in the
bottom of the interface that that are not suitable for simple drum sequencing and take up too much screen space.
And of course it only has 3 lanes which is not enough for making proper rhythms.

My job being a graphic designer I felt the urge to use the said RE's interface as a starting point and transform it
into a 6 lane curve sequencer suitable for drums. It has no option for modifying the pitch but that's not a priority
in drum sequencing.

I''ve also borrowed ideas from the Matrix sequencer and added buttons for Patterns, Banks and even small
checkboxes for chaining patterns in a consecutive manner. That way you can reach up to 320 steps per bank!

Needless to say I am excited about this idea and would love your input. And who knows maybe a developer might be
interested in doing a collaboration with me and making this rack extension a reality. Stylistically everything can be
changed. It really doesn't have to be a look like Synchronous.

P.S. I did not design the backside of the rack, but of course it will feature 6 curve CV outs.

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MannequinRaces
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24 Apr 2021

Have you tried Kompulsion?

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cocoazenith
Posts: 131
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24 Apr 2021

MannequinRaces wrote:
24 Apr 2021
Have you tried Kompulsion?
I now remember I checked its page a while ago but I never tried it yet because the interface was kind of off-putting.

The fact is, coming from a past of Reaktor (the massive ensemble) and Kontakt style sequencers, I was looking for something
less tall, easier on the eye and a bit simpler by definition. For example the velocity curves are too tall and too thin. The pitch/note area,
if any, should be curve based as well, not the classic piano roll table.

It's indeed impressive and it has huge array of functionality and it could serve as a great source of inspiration for adding certain details
to the idea in the original post.

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deeplink
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24 Apr 2021

I generally use sweeper as my go to envolope generator. Im used to the Europa and Grain-esque envolope interface and it does the job. Add bonus of Audio trigger input and LFO and filter.

Also with the volume mod knob, it's great sidechain (pumping) tool.
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cocoazenith
Posts: 131
Joined: 31 May 2015

11 Jun 2021

So i thoroughly checked Kompulsion and Propulsion.

The essential thing that they are missing is actually inputing the sequencer steps directly via velocity curves.
There is a workaround for this but it's a bit tedious.

1. You've have input the steps in the Gate grid, so virtually identical to the piano roll system

2. There's a workaround to this by actually enabling each of the 32 gate steps for each of the sequencer lanes
and then proceed to step 3.

3. However once you do that in order to get no sound on Velocity=0m you have to manually adjust VEL to LEVEL knob at maximum on each of the drum sounds you want to trigger

This way once you raise the Velocity curve a little "trigger" the sound.

I find all of this draining the flow and spontaneity of what should be beat creation.

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rcbuse
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11 Jun 2021

Shape might get you part of the way there... but there is only one 'curve'

https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... fo-editor/

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cocoazenith
Posts: 131
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11 Jun 2021

rcbuse wrote:
11 Jun 2021
Shape might get you part of the way there... but there is only one 'curve'

https://www.reasonstudios.com/shop/rack ... fo-editor/
Yup. I can already do that with one Matrix Sequencer. Actually I have two curves there even.

I guess I am only looking for a 6 x Matrix sequencer's gate lane. Which I am testing right now
and it works both as gate and as velocity curve when sequencing with it. Which is key.

So something in the vein of the sequencer sections of Reaktor's old Massive ensemble,
Splice's newly updated Beatmaker or UVI's Beatbox Anthology.

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selig
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11 Jun 2021

At first I was scratching my head looking for curves…initially thought you were suggesting a circular sequencer concept, but I guess I'm just hung up by the word "curve".

But now I get it, it's more of a quick way to draw events/velocities at once rather than the two-step process on most other drum sequencers which would indeed be handy. One advantage I can see right away is the ability to support different rates for each track and visually show the relationships all at once, like having 8th note triplets on one lane and straight 16ths on another.

Still a lot of missing essential features on your mockup, but I can definitely see the advantage of such a design and lots of potential for a useful device. IMO it may be more efficient as a Player device because you'd not have to wire it up manually each time, but it could still have a full compliment of CV I/O. I'd probably not use the word "curve" fwiw, since there are no actual curves involved…
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cocoazenith
Posts: 131
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11 Jun 2021

selig wrote:
11 Jun 2021
At first I was scratching my head looking for curves…initially thought you were suggesting a circular sequencer concept, but I guess I'm just hung up by the word "curve".

But now I get it, it's more of a quick way to draw events/velocities at once rather than the two-step process on most other drum sequencers which would indeed be handy. One advantage I can see right away is the ability to support different rates for each track and visually show the relationships all at once, like having 8th note triplets on one lane and straight 16ths on another.

Still a lot of missing essential features on your mockup, but I can definitely see the advantage of such a design and lots of potential for a useful device. IMO it may be more efficient as a Player device because you'd not have to wire it up manually each time, but it could still have a full compliment of CV I/O. I'd probably not use the word "curve" fwiw, since there are no actual curves involved…
Yeah, I actually started using this naming myself quite recently after seeing Matrix's upper section named like that...Curve...

Honestly I did not know how to call these....."velocity/gate intensity stripes"....before so the newly aquired vocabulary came in quite handy. But I get how it might be misleading.

As for the the device's functionality, yup, it's exactly for the reasons you listed. And indeed it should be a player device. My mock-up is a rough sketch of course. There are a number of other useful options I would include.

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ljekio
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11 Jun 2021

Something similar Ive seen at Reaktor.
I like this idea. And with rnd button on the corner, sure.

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selig
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11 Jun 2021

cocoazenith wrote:
11 Jun 2021
Yeah, I actually started using this naming myself quite recently after seeing Matrix's upper section named like that...Curve...

Honestly I did not know how to call these....."velocity/gate intensity stripes"....before so the newly aquired vocabulary came in quite handy. But I get how it might be misleading.

As for the the device's functionality, yup, it's exactly for the reasons you listed. And indeed it should be a player device. My mock-up is a rough sketch of course. There are a number of other useful options I would include.
I've never understood why they called it "curve" on the Matrix.
Although I gotta say I had a flood of seriously weird (in a good way) images pop into my head when I first read the title of your thread - what would an actual "curve sequencer" look like? ;)
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PhillipOrdonez
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11 Jun 2021

Something like the circle on pattern mutator, perhaps?

Bes
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17 Jun 2021

cocoazenith have you tried Euclidean Rhythms yet? or 8x Euclid the non-player variation can be combined with a Select CV Switch (also by Robotic Bean) to make a curve programmer
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Sterioevo
Posts: 407
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18 Jun 2021

It is pretty easy to build this with the matrix, synchronous and Thor - just have a gate every step (Matrix to Thor CV in 1), with CV1 Out scaled by CV2 In(synchronous to Thor cv in 2) .

An update to the old matrix would go a long way, even just the addition of some direction options. Did someone say chance?

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