Hi everyone! I’ve been mulling over what to do next. I have a pretty long list of feature requests, and I’ll still try to do as many of those as possible, but I also want to get enthralled by a new project!
It’s a bit similar to a Elektron style groovebox!!
It would have multiple synthesis engines. Each of the 16 tracks could use a different engine. The engines would be on the weird side, ranging from simple sample playback, to bytebeat playback, to a mysterious Satanonaut engine. I’m up for suggestions.
There will be a large LED style screen with engine-specific controls.
At the very moment you asked for 909-stlye knobs I knew it’s coming. It’s very ambitious.
My only whish to have some simple FM drums available in it. Anything would do but my all time favorite is an old (2004!) VST2 module: Freqatic v0.4 FM drums. Whenever I am enthusiastically speaking about it I’m getting bored looks: it’s just regular a FM drum. I never got even close to the sound. Layering it with samples it’s amazing. (Honestly speaking I was even trying to contact the developer some time ago but no luck.)
There is a VST called STIX that could be a nice example. And Waldorf’s Attack is one that I have always liked. Just a random feature that makes an instant usable kit would be amazing. That you can do with the Waldorf Attack, but the sounds created are just too far off any drum sound.
I’ll definitely try out some FM drums. I’ve also been able to make drum sounds using floatbeat, as well as embed samples as big-ass arrays, which I did in my old Equation Composer eurorack module. I’ll read up on “analog” drums as well. I’m all about drum kits!!
It’s tangentially related, but I’ve long wished for some defacto standard for working with stereo tracks on polyphonic cables. Instead of needing 32 outputs, 16 2-ch polyphony cables could do the same. It’s probably too big to chew for this project, as it would need some utility modules etc. but it’s been a “thing” for me for awhile. Everybody does it differently and I end up with a lot of modules to merge, split and add sample delays just to work synced in true stereo.
I have a question regarding both of your sequencers. Would it be possible to add MIDI control on the GATE triggers?
I would love to be able to use a MIDI controller like Beatstep Pro or an Akai APCmini to add and remove GATE triggers.
And in a perfect world even use MIDI Faders for setting the levels of the BARS.
Being able to use a controller on your Digital Sequencers would be a LIVE dream come true.
Imagine the workflow. Maybe every GATE trigger could have its own MIDI NOTE nr, so any controller could learn each step. In that way, the keys of a keyboard could even place triggers. Starting from C4 for example.
Keyboard Short Keys 1-8 can still stay in place to select for which sequence you want to add/remove GATES.
Is that even possible?
The best example of this workflow was the Studio 6+1 IVERSION module in rack V1.
The same control could apply to your new ELEKTRON style Drum Machine, to make the workflow more hands-on.
I love the idea of adding MIDI control. I did some searching and found very little in the way of documentation for implementing a midi driver for a module. (At least, that’s what I think I’m supposed to be looking for!) I’ll post soon to the development forums and see if someone can point me in the right direction.
Quick update on the front panel. I’m making slow headway on the code. I’m about to plunge into making the first “engine”. There’s a huge amount to do.
I removed the large LCD screen and replaced it with 8 assignable knobs. Each knob’s function might change depending on the selected track engine. (Reminiscent of the Nord Modular G2.) Again, these knobs are adjustable per-step.
Looks great. To really replicate the Elektron sequencing workflow you’d probably need to incorporate something like what’s used within 8Face’s code to permit parameter-locking on a per-step basis.
I like the idea, but how would you scroll down if there are too many engines to fit on the screen? Maybe a knob? But the knob positioning is tricky without throwing off the balance of the front panel elements. Here’s the best that I’ve come up with so far:
The lights above the LEDs show the playback position. Clicking on one of the lamps toggles the trigger value ON / OFF.
However, there needs to be a way of saying, “Hey, I’d like to edit this step’s parameters.” My first thought was to use shift+click to select the step for editing, but the drawback is: That strategy requires special secret knowledge! How would you know to use the shift key unless you read the documentation? (Which nobody should need to do.) I haven’t scoured the internet to see how other grooveboxes handle this yet. I’d love to hear your ideas!
Not sure how it’s fitting your design and general module concept but I see slider menus are underutilized in VCV. However it is a hardware compatible solution.
Edit: I pressed ‘f’ on DS and forgot about it. Case solved.
I wanted to use DS & DSXP as a rusty pseudo looping AR envelope generator. But DS and DSXP react to the same STEP input differently. What am I doing wrong?
I notice that your are right, of course, that the sliders can’t be midi mapped, since they are not param widgets. Slightly related, you can’t undo a slider move, although most widgets (like the standard knob) do support undo.
I would argue, that shift-clicking is the most natural “elektron-style”-behaviour. On a digitone for example you hold down the step and you are in the mode where you edit that step. As soon as you release the button, you are in global edit mode. Every other option like long-press or right click would need another click somewhere to exit the step-edit mode and I hate that. So a strong vote for Hold Shift, Click Step, Edit Parameters, Release Shift.
It’s very ambitious.
