new cv/gate module demo version

mkultravulture · Post by **mkultravulture** » Fri Nov 14, 2014 7:18 pm

I've been working on a eurorack module for live looping of cv and gate signals for a bit now, and just recorded a video of the working demo version.

This module is a 4 track cv/gate recorder with a knob for generating cv/gate signals onboard. It samples 10 bit CV/gate signals, currently at 96hz, but this may be increased. It can be controlled by an external clock signal or using onboard tempo control. There is a record button for each track that can operate in multiple modes, hold and toggle.

The most recent design features one knob, and uses a button interface to elect that knobs function. engaging record can make the knob control a cv signal. Holding the tap button allows the knob to adjust tempo. Holding the length button allows the knob to adjust length. There is also a shift button, which allows the other parameter buttons to have alternate functions and adjust settings.

The version in this video is one i'm using for testing while finalizing the design/featureset. This video demonstrates its utility as a knob recorder. This is a pretty basic demo to start and I plan on recording more and uploading them here to show off more of its various features.

I'll be keeping recent information on my website as it becomes available.

oscillateur · Post by **oscillateur** » Fri Nov 14, 2014 8:29 pm

That looks really interesting...

A few questions :

- can it record external CVs ?
- can the tracks have different lengths (multiples of track 1 for example) ?

meatbeatz · Post by **meatbeatz** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 12:09 am

Looks great! Great to see some more options for CV/Gate recording in euro. If this can sync to clock then I'm down.

DivKid · Post by **DivKid** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 2:24 am

Looks good, certainly interested. What's the cut off for going up towards audio rate?

insula · Post by **insula** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 8:03 am

phosfiend · Post by **phosfiend** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 9:09 am

Looks quite musical!

djthopa · Post by **djthopa** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:02 am

Congrats!

Keep us updated!

As mentioned before, clock sync please!!

Herman · Post by **Herman** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:06 am

Looks really useful. Definitely be interesting to see how this progresses.

ddoyen · Post by **ddoyen** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:27 am

This looks great! Wondering if you've thought about a clock output for the tap tempo control?

oscillateur wrote:That looks really interesting...

A few questions :

- can it record external CVs ?
- can the tracks have different lengths (multiples of track 1 for example) ?

In the youtube info: "In this video the looper's record function is in 'hold' mode. cv data is grabbed from either the cv input or the knob while the button is being held, depending on the settings. In this video we are grabbing data from the knob"

mkultravulture · Post by **mkultravulture** » Sat Nov 15, 2014 10:34 pm

Regarding External Clocking:
Yes, external clocking is a very important feature to me. I was actually hoping to get some feedback on that. What frequency clock signals would you guys imagine triggering something like this at? I've been testing it with my Grids, which runs at 24PPQN, but can also imagine it taking standard midi clocks of 96PPQN (which is also the current sampling rate). What kind of clock signals would be the easiest to use?

Regarding Samplerate:
I don't plan to go audiorate with this design, because a good audio-rate sampler requires a very different interface. For this module i chose 96ppqn (not hz as i said before, its almost 200hz at 120bpm). This rate avoided audible stepping while turning the knob, and I can imagine up to doubling it if some more rigorous testing determines it necessary.

However, on a related note, I am working on a few audio-rate sampling projects in parallel to this one. I'll start putting up info on those as the time draws nearer

Regarding ext in and length:
absolutely, it will have these features. i'll put up some videos soon that demonstrate them.

Regarding Clock Out:
I considered this feature to be less important, as I'm imagining it being clocked by a master sequencer/clock module , but let me know if you think about it differently. I'm also working on a 'deluxe' version thats a little bigger and has more room for features, and i'll consider a clock out option on this

I'll upload a demo faceplate tomorrow when I'm home to make the featureset a bit clearer.

oscillateur · Post by **oscillateur** » Sun Nov 16, 2014 1:14 am

Ok, I'm even more interested in this now...

mkultravulture · Post by **mkultravulture** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 6:21 pm

Here's the current working faceplate so far. This should make the connections and featureset a bit clearer. There may be some changes in the final production run version of this module, though they would likely be minor.

Note that one button is currently unlabeled. I'm testing a few features on this last slot, and haven't yet determined which will be most useful. If anybody has an option that they'd really like to see let me know and I may test that as well.

Stay tuned for more info : b

oscillateur · Post by **oscillateur** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 8:57 pm

Is it 8 or 10 HP ?

It would be good to have a move that enables you to reset (i.e. restart from the beginning) one or more tracks, maybe using the CV IN but in a different mode. That could be an use for the ? button...

L.C.O. · Post by **L.C.O.** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 10:57 pm

very interesting!
strong feature set on a relatively small footprint! :-)

oscillateur · Post by **oscillateur** » Wed Nov 19, 2014 11:45 pm

Yeah, you should also put that on ModularGrid, people like me could then integrate it in their rack previsions

.

I'll probably have to remove something to my planned 7U to fit that one, but I guess it should be worth it.

Oh, and if you can do that in code, a simple quantizer option (on/off for each track) would be awesome too.

modernage · Post by **modernage** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 12:05 am

That looks pretty cool, and very space friendly.

For some reason I think it would hilarious if the module would randomly change features for the question mark knob based on the time of day, day of the week, lunar cycle, government holidays, etc. So each time you started it up there is a chance it would function differently than the last time you used it.

I just like the idea of there being a "?" knob. I'm sure there could be an implementation that would be less obnoxious than my idea.

insula · Post by **insula** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 3:56 am

i want it!!!

let see when is available

oscillateur · Post by **oscillateur** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:18 am

Sorry for spamming the thread, but one more request...

Something that would be very useful for a module like this one is a way to preview the knob value without recording on the track, while it's running. That way you can adjust the value to what you really want and then overdub/record.

Karl_Joseph · Post by **Karl_Joseph** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:20 am

I want one.

insula · Post by **insula** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:21 am

in my case i want to be able to record a melody from a keyboard (in this case cv +gate), will be a really handy option have a dual mode (looks like you have 4 optputs) that include the cv from the midi cv interface and the gate.

anyway looks greate

supergregg · Post by **supergregg** » Thu Nov 20, 2014 9:52 am

I'm very interested in this module. I have done many experiments with CV recording and currently the only solution that works for me is by using a DAW recording and outputting with an ES3 and ES6.

One feature I would really want is a way to activate recording with an external gate signal. Essentially, you would arm the active track with a button press and recording or overdubbing on that track would occur when a high gate is received.

I can imagine many applications for this. A CV/Gate keyboard would allow you to overdub new notes of a melody while leaving the rest intact. The 'sense' output from Planar would record moves only when the joystick is moved. The pressure from a ribbon would record gestures only when the ribbon is touched, etc.

I realize this would require an extra input jack so perhaps this may need to wait for the next fully featured version.

mkultravulture · Post by **mkultravulture** » Thu Dec 11, 2014 10:47 pm

Here's another demo vid of the module in action.

This one is more performance oriented and shows off some of the other features like length and direction selection.

More videos to come including external inputs and clock syncing

I am working on preparing the production board right now and expect the first run to be available at the end of winter.

oscillateur · Post by **oscillateur** » Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:40 pm

Nice !

How does the direction selection work ?

mkultravulture · Post by **mkultravulture** » Wed Dec 17, 2014 8:39 pm

oscillateur wrote:Nice !

How does the direction selection work ?

sorry, didn't see this before. The rev button toggles the direction when pressed.

Morpher · Post by **Morpher** » Fri Dec 26, 2014 7:06 pm

Awesome

MOD WIGGLER

MOD WIGGLER

new cv/gate module demo version

new cv/gate module demo version