[sdiy] Fully assignable sequencer

[Dump Static]

Using the PSIM as a quantizer, you can do this sort of thing.  Instead
of just turning the continuous voltage into a series of steps, I divide
the continuous voltage into 24 steps; so 5 volts might be step 12.  Then
I use the VLOOKUP function to find the 12th value in a list of my 24
chosen notes.  Those notes can be ascending 1/2 steps, or they can be
any notes in any order:
[ E1, E2, A2, B2, E3, G3, A3, B3, D4, D#4, E4, E1, E1, E1, E1, E3, E1,
E2, D3, E3, etc ]

Putting several E1's together gives you a large spot on the knob range
that is easy to hit when you're tweaking live.

Then of course a separate voltage input can choose between several
different note lists on the fly.

Very similar to the rotary idea, but you're not tied to 12 steps.  But
you don't have that nice "click" of the knob either...   of course if
things work out with my PSIM sequencer, the "step length" rotary knobs
could always be swapped with the "note sliders".   Hmmm...  need
morphing panel graphics  :)

Drew


>>> John Mahoney <jmahoney at gate.net> 07/11/07 2:53 PM >>>

>  1 x 16 rotary knobs for "step length" (1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 
> 1, etc) like the Roland System 700 has

I want that feature, too.

A sequencer idea that I'd like to implement also involves something 
rotary switches. Actually, I bought a bunch of old Clarostat 4-bit 
encoders for this purpose, similar to this:
http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/ProductDetail.asp?SKU=753-0115&SEARCH=&ID=&DESC=510E1A48F416PC&R=753%2D0115&sid=46941D80CFCE17F

An older idea that I had (and maybe I'll go back to this) was, for 
each step, to have a 12-way rotary switch for the note (like, A thru 
G#) plus a 3-way toggle switch for the octave.

Then I thought, "Screw the chromatic scale!" Instead of selecting 
from 1 of 12 chromatic pitches, why not select from a bank of pitches 
that are in key for your song? There would be a bank of independently 
tunable pitches, most likely 8 or 12 notes, perhaps 16 (works well 
with 4-bit encoders). The rotary selectors for each step would select 
from among the pitches in the pitch bank. Octave switches would be 
nice, and +/- half step switches might be neat.

With such a setup, you could change notes (the rotary switches) on 
the fly without the risk of selecting any out-of-key notes. (Yes, a 
quantizer that knows what key you are playing in could also achieve
this.)

I think this would be a fun way to operate a sequencer because it 
would encourage you to actually *play* the sequencer, juggling notes 
around on the fly.

Multiple output rows would select from the same pitch bank.

One other advantage of a "note bank" versus a quantizer is that the 
notes in the bank can be tuned to any scale. Pentatonic, microtonal, 
whatever. Cost is probably another advantage.

I've been meaning to post this for a long time! :-)
--
john


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