Hi guys Im new to VCV.
I have a patch running multiple sequencers and when i press reset they run out of sync. If I press reset a few times they will sync up but sometimes they fall out of sync. I am using one clock module (clkd) to drive all the sequencers and have connected reset out on clkd to reset in on my sequencers and then press the reset button on clocked manually.
It doesnt seem to be any one particular sequencer that is falling out of sync with the rest, all seem to fall out. I am using 8x8 and 8x16 gate sequencers from count modula, seq 3 (vcv) and Chord key from impromtu
I see this a lot in my extensive sequencing patches but I have not been able to tell where the problems lies. I quite often have to send a reset multiple times to get everything in sync. I also have a reset button that connects to CLOCKED and distribute the Reset out of CLOCKED to all module which have a reset input.
I suspect a subtle issue having to do with clock gates and reset and how modules handle either clock resets and/or their own resets if they have one. There are some settings in CLOCKED that you might want to experiment with, in particular, the “On Start” options.
I will be interested in hearing the results of your tests.
Hi, and welcome to the frustrating world of syncing up sequencers. .
The best is to experiment with each one to see what works. I think the count modula ones work like a trigger buffer, only resetting on the next clock after the reset is sent. Where as the VCV / bogaudio ones are immediate I think. The impromptu sequencers work well with clocked (obviously).
Alot has got to do with the cable delay time between the clock and the reset trigger, one of them has to come first.
If I have a relatively simple sequence, I like to send a reset trigger periodically (say every 4 bars), rather than a once off reset, to keep things in check.
Seems we are having the same issue k-chaffin.
I tried the master reset module from count Modulas which seems to have been designed to resolve this issue but it didnt solve my problem.
I worked around this by using my sequencer that was running att 16ths to drive my other sequencers (running att 8ths and 1/4 ) Would be great to find a better soluton though (2 sequencer tracks “wasted”)
//Brian
Thinking about this, you are probably right. When I send a master reset to one CLOCKED and have CLOCKED fan out the reset to all other modules, including other instances of CLOCKED, I am introducing some cable delays.
I modified some of my patches to have the master reset go directly to each CLOCKED. I will report back as to whether this seems to have improved my sync issues.
I have found that the following settings in Impromptu’s clocked module produce the most consistent results.
Turn off outputs held high on stopped clock
On stop do internal reset
On run send reset pulse
I haven’t used all the sequencers in VCV rack but all of the Impromptu, Bidoo, Encore and ZouMai Count Module Gate sequencers all seem to work flawlessly with less than 0.1mS jitter.
I don’t use the run output at all. Make sure to to connect clocked reset output to all of your sequencers.
If this doesn’t help I have found that the pwm clock from DocB works pretty well.
It appears that my sequencers being out of sync and taking a reset or multiple resets to re-sync is due to my use of the Count Modula sequential switches and step sequencers. These do not set the step back to step one upon reset until the next clock high phase comes along. During the wait, no steps are active. This is most apparent with very slow clocks where the time between clock pulses is several seconds.
I still think that a variety of sequencers have subtle problems with reset and clock.
I’ll try to find a work around, but there may be none in this case. I have made Count Modula (Adam) aware of this issue and he has confirmed that it is by design.
For Impromptu sequencers, make sure you have run connected as well as reset.
In Clocked’s right click menu, I tend to turn off “Outputs high on reset when not running” - although apparently this needs to be on to work properly in some scenarios.
I also set the 'On Stop" setting to on for both “Do internal reset” and “Send reset pulse”.
Here is my test patch if anyone wants to play with it. The thing to watch for is whether the sequential switch is set to step 1 upon reset (coming from CLOCKED upon the reset button).
But as I understand it, Run is quite important if you want things to sync properly when using Clocked, particularly with sequential switches. iirc that setting of “Outputs high on reset when not running” (it being on) was added specifically to deal with the sequential switches issue you refer to.
I think it’s like:
If you reset, and the gate stays high, then when the next clock pulse is received a SS will start with step 1.
But if you reset, and the gate is low, then when the next clock pulse is received a SS will go to step 2.
Could be wrong though and can’t test it right now.
Sorry about that. I guess I thought that it was to me, due to the timing.
So, are you saying that before issuing a reset, the clock and sequencers should be toggled to STOPPED? This isn’t the first time we have had this conversation I’m a bit slow.
If anyone tries this patch out, please tell me why the sequential switch will not step when the CLOCKED RUN output is connected to the switch RUN input.
Sorry - forget everything I said about Run with the CM Switch - it expects a constant Run high gate whereas Clocked sends a trigger. It does not step at all when run is connected! Serves me right for trying to do this from memory…
However there is a difference in behaviour when you start and stop the clock depending on the “Outputs high on reset when not running” setting.
There also seems to be a difference in behaviour when you keep the clock running and just hit reset.
Here’s a patch - if you hit reset a few times you will see sometimes the two 8>1s’s are in sync, and sometimes they are not.
The clocked on the left has “Outputs high on reset when not running” off, and the one on the right has it on.
Here’s another test where I eliminated the 1 sample delay on the 2nd Clocked by triggering both their Run and Resets externally at the same time (rather than having one Clocked controlled by the other). Now I get the same behaviour on both 8>1s when resetting. They are still sometimes out of sync when stopping and starting run though - and this time it’s the one on the left that is sometimes one step ahead!
Adam (Count Modula) solved my problem. He offers the MASTER RESET module which specifically handles clocks and resets feeding his sequencers and switches. It seems to have gotten rid of my sync problem
Master Reset was developed because I noticed that some clock sources, when reset during their high phase, would restart their phase but the outputs would remain high so the associated leading edge would be missing. Master Reset addresses this by briefly pulling the outputs low upon initiation of the reset thereby forcing a leading edge. The downside is the small delay caused by the duration of the pull down which is much less than a standard trigger length.
It is interesting that the CM Master Reset module fixed my CM sequencers and sequential switch reset to 1st step issue. I’m going to upload my test patch that shows my setup here: This test patch is only useful for testing the CM SWITCH 8-1 reset behavior. With this patch, the 8-1 ~immediately goes to step 1 upon reset. You will notice that there is a slight audible glitch upon reset that I’m still trying to understand. but it is not related to the 8-1 but rather an artifact of the FM-OP gate being driven by the CLOCKED. I get the same behavior if I use the CLOCKED clock rather than the MASTER RESET clock. It may be unavoidable when resetting a clock in general.
Brian, I hope these posts have been helpful to you and your sync problems. Hopefully they will help you out. I think that these posts do show that syncing multiple sequencers after reset requires some degree of experimentation for every different sequencer.
.
//Brian
