gate seq driven by gate lenghts

Plugins & Modules
1

Hello, I’d like to build a gate sequencer driven by gate lengths rather than BPM or a fixed clock. I don’t want it to be tempo-synced.

I can get something similar using Sulamith GTSeq + Bogaudio EDGE: I trigger GTSeq, and EDGE generates a gate for each step. The end of each gate triggers the next one, so the sequence advances according to the gate lengths rather than a clock.

What I’d like to add is:

  • a RUN input, where the length of the incoming gate determines how long the sequence runs;
  • when the RUN gate ends, the sequence should stop automatically;
  • a RESET input to return the sequence to step 1.

So basically:

RUN gate HIGH → sequence runs → RUN gate ends → sequence stops.

The individual gates should remain consecutive, with each new gate starting when the previous one ends.

Is there an existing module or a simple patch that can do this?

2

Well, if gates are continuous and high, that’s one long gate. But if we count the whole period ( high &low) then it has a purpose. You could take a simple sequencer like ADDR and set the rate of a square wave lfo. Run it thru a switch and set the switch to 2 steps, you can affect Run with a trigger here, Bog has a simple 2 input switch .

3

You may be able to do some things with dant time lord, I have a video where I have used it … it is a little tricky. looks like there is a nots-things timeseq that i haven’t tried it all. you may have to get them with other modules..

If you have the version where you can load vst’s you can try amorph and seeing if a.i. can write it for you.. I am really cheap and the a.i. I am using isn’t very good so quality may matter but there is nothing lost when you just go strait to google and try it out. I have been able to get cross modular lfo triggers through amorph and a.i. and they are on my patreon with source code for free members.

4

@cubistguitar has identified a problem with your stated goal. I don’t think you want each gate to last the full stage time period, else you get a constant high voltage that never changes while the sequencer runs.

Assuming I understand what you are really looking for, I think my new Venom Envelope Factory (EF) coupled with a gate generator may be your best bet for achieving your goal.

Below is a patch with 15 timed gates, each with its own time control. I started with the Timed Step Sequencer preset and increased the stage count to 15 via the context menu. I chose to use my AD/ASR envelope generator as a precise gate generator. The rise gate output is the actual gate output that is used.

Timed gate sequencer.vcv (4.3 KB)

Screenshot 2026-08-31 225707
Screenshot 2026-08-31 2257071776×718 285 KB

Each EF stage is configured to produce a trigger at the Gate Trigs output. Those triggers activate the AD/ASR. Each EF stage is set to 0.2 sec, and the AD/ASR rise time is set to 0.1 sec, so the gate is 50% of the EF stage time. The EF stage Level controls are used to modulate the time for each stage.

The levels are output at the Env output, which feeds the EF V/Oct input. So each positive volt halves the time, and each negative volt doubles the time. The same EF Env output modifies the AD/ASR rise time with the attenuverter set to -100%, so it also acts V/Oct. In this way the 50% duty cycle is preserved for all timings.

You can adjust the relative time of all stages via the EF Off knob or CV input.

I configured the first stage to represent a 1/2 note. The next 2 stages are individually twice as fast, representing 2 1/4 notes. Then comes 4 1/8 notes, followed by 8 1/6 notes, and then the sequence repeats.

You can disable a stage gate by deactivating the stage trigger output using the small button below and left of each Gate label.

Press the EF Gate button to toggle the run state on and off. Or keep the button off and use your own gate CV at the Gate input to control the run state. The sequence always completes before the sequencer stops.

Press the EF Retrig button to reset to the beginning of the sequence at any time. Or use your own trigger CV at the Retrig input. The input is stackable, like all VCV inputs.

If this setup is not what you are looking for, I am sure there is some variation with Envelope Factory that will work for you.

5

I am not sure how to extend the time past what your controls would allow with regular modules without resorting to something like vibeplugin so that it could be recreated in hardware later. maybe send a trigger to a trigger that waits some length of time.

something like this module but maybe one to extremes and one like the manufactur would be cool rs 340 gate delay

6
7

I don’t understand your issue. Setting the Envelope Factory Slow mode to Glacial allows stage times of 2.78 hours to be dialed in, and with CV it can be extended to days.

The AD/ASR module in Glacial mode only allows gates to 48 minutes long. But it could be replaced by another Envelope Factory with only one stage, and then the patch stage lengths can be way longer than anything you are likely to ever need.

8

Here’s an example of converting a positive voltage to a duration using ‘VCV GATES’ and logic. If you want the sound to cut off abruptly when the input gate goes low, you would need to use an AND gate with this gate and the gate that goes to the sequencer.

VoltageToLength
VoltageToLength1405×595 281 KB

VoltageToLength.vcv (2.2 KB)

9

I did not realise it had a gate delay of 10 seconds thanks

10

The issue is probably my knowledge of it so hopefully this helps someone else out also..

11

This is exactly what I was thinking about, thanks!