Gate sequencer with multichannel offset/start positions and polyphonic output

Hi, so I’m trying to set up a 16 step gate sequence with a button interface (something like Count Modular 8x16) and be able to have different versions of that sequence starting at different points in the pattern.

I can do this for CV using the setup on the top row: Bogaudio Polycon 16 to define offsets for each channel, Addr-Seq with expander to define a CV sequence and its polyphonic output into VCV Split to separate the sequences. Each channel can be the same sequence but with a different offset, determined by the Polycon16.

I want to be able to do something similar for gate sequences. I could set the sequence into some delays (bottom row of above pic) to get a similar effect, but then there is a delay (unsuprisingly) before the offset gates arrive and I’m also not sure how to feed exact values for x beats or bars offset into the delays for a given tempo automatically. I’ve tried a few things but not managed to getting anything working. The Count Modular 8x16 accepts a polyphonic cv input for ADDR, but the gate and trigger outputs are not polyphonic, so I’m not sure how to do this.

Any ideas?

Just a quick idea:

You can make any cv polyphonic by using merge (or other merger modules) and connecting multiple outs of the sequence to it. The introduced delay could be cured by using a module like the AS Signal delay.

1 Like

You can also turn Bogaudio addr seq into a gate sequencer by doubling the clock speed and the amount of steps, and making every second step 0V.

2 Likes

Thanks Stephan. So, if I’m understanding you correctly, I think I’m already doing that. There’s a polyphonic input 8x16 ADDR input (the thicker cable). The issue is, the gate or trigger output contains no polyphonic data (thinner cable). If I take the gate output of the 8x16 and split then I’d be back to using a delay approach, rather than a rotate/offset/start pos approach, which I’d prefer.

The challenge I’m facing with the delay approach is link the delay time automatically with the tempo, so I can have it automatically set to x beats delay for a given tempo. I’ve tried a maths module to do 1/bpm = t (time for 1 beat), then multiply for the number of beats delay wanted, but it’s not so simple, due to the bpm output of clkd ranging from -2v for 30bpm to 1.322 for 300 bpm. Not sure how the mapping works, so unclear how to get a beat time from the bpm output…

Thanks Auret, I can see that, but I’m really looking for something a little easier to use, e.g. buttons for gates, rather than 2 knobs per gate signal.

Well you can use this, but it only has 4 playheads.

It’s nice because you can set the start position, length, etc of each playhead. It has a polyphonic gate output. And works with buttons.

For that I think you can feed the gates into a shift register like:

and use the outputs as play heads.

1 Like

A shift register is actually the perfect solution! I’m not sure about the OP, but it definitely works for me. Gate sequencer to shift register to merge to clock input of the addr sequencer. Nice!!

The only problem with this is 2 gates after one another stays high, creating one long gate. But throw a Bernoulli gate into the mix and things get interesting.

1 Like

Thanks for the ideas! NoteSeqFu is cool. I did some more experimenting and also discovered the shift register, thanks Dan. Attached is the patch I made with a bunch of working approaches, some using delays, others rotating a sequence without delays, in case it’s of any interest to others looking to do similar things. call_response_3.vcv (6.9 KB)

1 Like

You can use the setup you already have working for CV for gates/triggers too:

Gate on = 10v Gate off = 0v

I think that could work?