Sequencer options? (this stuff gets overwhelming!)

[Earthscum]

So, I have a funky sequencer design that works great, has a couple perks, etc...

What do I do with it?!? (that's actually halfway rhetorical, lol)

So, the plan is, so far, running the normal pot off each Seq, mixer/glide to out. This is probably  (hopefully) going to end up in a strange art form, part of a pedal, so most of the action will be happening inside the unit.

Ok, I plan on controlling a VCF and VCA, probably adding an envelope and ADSR. Beyond that, for Bass (and maybe guitar), what could y'all think of? Should I bother adding on-off-on (TrigPuls/OFF/Gate) to each Seq leg? Wouldn't be hard, and switches are cheap enough (considering the project).

I'm basically looking to make this self contained as much as possible, mot a panel modular synth type of thing. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. I know there's a ton of stuff on this on the web, but I don't have anything to play with in front of me (and all the synth modules in Reason can't emulate that). I've been cruising through electro-music's forums off and on, but just makes me ask more questions... ugh.

So, to wrap it up, the idea I have right now is (typical?) sequencer, mixer, glide, gate/trig switch, VCA, VCO, Env. and ADSR. (not, obviously, in that working order  ) I'm guessing I should probably consider adding some bus lines out, as well.

Oh yeah, I'm using an MV-52 (old one) to control this (unless I can talk MV into trading me out for an MV-52b, lol). I'll pop up a scem of the core sequencer I'll be using later, after I get off work. Clock out, too, perhaps? I really need to figure out what all to order, based on viable options. I really don't think I'll be hooking this up to anyone else's modular, so I don't need 3-bus switchable gates and all that... at least I don't think so.

Anyways, if you can make sense of any of that, what y'all think? I'm not really looking for circuits, I have that covered, I'm just looking for options, what I need and need to consider, that type of thing (all non-linearity aside).

[Earthscum]

Uses Octal D-type Flip Flip 74HC374. You can send (similar to a shift register sequencer) multiple "high" pulses. If a person wanted, you could add a "Hi-Low" section between every stage so you can enable anywhere you like in the sequence. The other neat thing is the "STALL", which pulls all the outputs to high-impedance and won't let the cycle continue until the OE pin is released from high position (this actually may require a 1M pulldown to OE... works without it, but that doesn't mean I'm doing things properly).

[Jordan A.]

I'm not exactly sure what you are asking, but a good basic starting patch could be ----

-Audio path-

VCO output to VCF input, VCF output to VCA input, VCA output to amp/mixer/whatever

-Control path-

Sequencer CV out to VCO 1v/oct in, sequencer CV out also to VCF FM in if desired

Sequencer gate out to envelope generator(s) gate in, envelope generator(s) out to VCF FM input and VCA CV input

-end-

If you are using the sequencer to control pedals for guitars/basses and stuff then I think it's easiest to just think of a sequencer as a "draw your own LFO" and use it as you would any LFO.

I still feel like I'm missing part of the question, hopefully this doesn't come off as too rudimentary or off base,

cheers, sounds like fun!

jordan

[Earthscum]

If you are using the sequencer to control pedals for guitars/basses and stuff then I think it's easiest to just think of a sequencer as a "draw your own LFO" and use it as you would any LFO.

I do believe that is majorly what I'm after, just looking at it from the synth-world, I'm seeing a spaghetti monster of options.

I still feel like I'm missing part of the question, hopefully this doesn't come off as too rudimentary or off base,

cheers, sounds like fun!

jordan

It should be fun... and you probably are missing part of the question because I'm not really sure how to ask, lol. Thanks a bunch!

So, VCF, VCA, which both take CV. I forgot I could drop in FM easy enough, probably without adding any additional knobs. FM could be the most fun to use this particular design with.

As is, it seems that I really only need (on the sequencer part) volumes off each seq, those run to a mixer/glide to put out a CV. I could run a second Logic Out CV (seems this is what is called "gate"?) to have 0/1 sequence (001010011...). Is this really all I would need? 8 switches, 8 pots, and mix/glide (CV1), and direct mix (CV2)?

What are all the other outs I see, pulse, etc? I assume you can use the pulses to clock or sync things up, but besides sending signal to an LED so my drummer can keep sync, would there be any reason for me to include something like that? I think that is more of what I'm looking for... what would be the most useful controls to include if I already have the OSC part handled (i.e. my Bass). Or maybe not, lol.

[Jordan A.]

I think you have it for the most part, it may be helpful to think of sequencers as having two distinct and unrelated output types-

-CV output, as set by the knobs or sliders for each step, this is the "draw your LFO" output.  Common uses for this are modulating the frequency of a VCO or VCF, this is how you program in a melody

-Gate/Trigger output, for firing envelopes which are then used to modulate the frequency of a VCF or amplitude of a VCA, this is how you tell it when to play a note and when to rest

The gate/trigger section is of less utility when using it with guitars/basses, since your fingers are already functioning as the "note on/off" controller, but you might find some cool things to do with it.

A "pulse" output is probably a logic output that goes high once per clock pulse, regardless of whether the gate switch for that step is on or off, functioning as a clock output for syncing other gear to the sequencer. (that's my guess without knowing exactly which circuit we are talking about)

With a synth style VCF, CV and FM are the same thing, a voltage here modulates the cutoff frequency of the filter.  This can be a steady DC voltage, a slowly changing DC voltage like the CV output of the sequencer or a slowly or rapidly changing AC voltage like an LFO or audio signal.

Synth type stuff can definitely turn into a spaghetti monster real fast, it's hard to trim down the function set when there are so many possibilities available, I think if you go down this road be prepared for a lot of experimentation before finding what works for you.

A good start is perhaps just replicating the function of a ZVEX seek wah or seek trem, all you need is a sequencer and VCF or VCA.

regards,

jordan

[Earthscum]

With a synth style VCF, CV and FM are the same thing, a voltage here modulates the cutoff frequency of the filter.  This can be a steady DC voltage, a slowly changing DC voltage like the CV output of the sequencer or a slowly or rapidly changing AC voltage like an LFO or audio signal.

Derp moment... I was thinking Ring Modulation (or, I guess it would be more fitting to call it Phase Modulation).

Thanks a bunch for the replies. I think I have an idea of what I'm going to do now... K.I.S.S. on this one, CV and GATE outputs, nothing more. The VCA and VCF should be simple enough... I'm not worried about hitting absolute linearity (although I'm gonna make the attempt). I'm running this seq section on regulated 5V, so I at least have a standard voltage set to work with, and will be using 12V supply for the rest of the circuits. I have a DOD FX-17 wah that puts out 5V CV, so I should be able to interface that, too. Damn, I see more spaghetti monster on the horizon... 

[artifus]

[Earthscum]

HA!!! I knew it! I'm afraid of that thing... 
(I can see his balls, and it bothers me... the monster, not the guy...)