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Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-09 by <chipaudette@yahoo.com>

Hi All,


I'm a big fan of Arpeggiators.  Unfortunately, on these old pre-MIDI Korgs, you can't easily keep the arpeggiator in-sync with MIDI devices such as drum machines.  So, to address this problem, I built a MIDI-to-Trigger converter using an Arduino.

If you're interested, you can check out the link below where I show how I put it together.  There's also a demo video of me using it with the arpeggiator in my Mono/Poly.  My next post will have a demo with both the Polysix and the Mono/Poly at the same time.  Two arps!

http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2014/02/arpeggiator-fun-my-midi-to-trigger.html

Chip

RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-11 by <chipaudette@yahoo.com>

Hi Again!  Here's the follow-up to my previous message on my MIDI-to-Trigger converter..


In this new demo, I've got my Polysix and Mono/Poly arpeggiators (plus drums and what not from the Kaossilator) all sync'd together and playing joyfully at the same time...I love arpeggiators!


http://synthhacker.blogspot.com/2014/02/arpeggiator-fun-dual-arps-and-midi-sync.html


Share with me your own arpeggiator joy!


Chip


RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-12 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Much fun. I am going to try some arp link from the Alesis Micron in a short while. Will need to get the Polysix MIDIfied for interfacing or else build that MIDI-to-trigger interface.


Yash

Re: [PolySix] RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-12 by Chromatest J. Pantsmaker

I've just used a midi drum machine that had a trigger output to do this.  It works the charm!  What's good with that is that it allows me to program triggers wherever I want, so the arp doesn't have to hit on a steady 1/4 or 1/8 note, but wherever I program it.


On Wed, Feb 12, 2014 at 1:58 AM, <josh.nursing@gmail.com> wrote:


Much fun. I am going to try some arp link from the Alesis Micron in a short while. Will need to get the Polysix MIDIfied for interfacing or else build that MIDI-to-trigger interface.


Yash




RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-13 by <chipaudette@yahoo.com>

Hi Chromatest J.

Yes, using a drum machine with trigger out is definitely sweet.  For anyone who isn't familiar, I've got a video demonstrating this process, too:


The only downside with the trigger out of drum machines is that the polarity of the pulse is often wrong.  My 707, for example, uses a V-trig (ie, an upward going pulse) whereas my arpeggiator trigger on my Polysix and Mono/Poly expect an S-trig (ie, a downward going pulse).  

At best, this makes the synths trigger a little behind the beat.  At worst, the synth won't Arp at all.

If you hack a V-trig to S-trig adapter (which is just one transistor), you fix this problem and the drum machine trigger rules!

Chip

Re: [PolySix] RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-13 by Alex Prescott

Doesn't work well for me at all.. Whether triggering via a drum machine and V to S trig converter, or via the midi synced kiwi board the timing is just sloppy.

On Feb 13, 2014, at 4:00 AM, <chipaudette@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

Hi Chromatest J.


Yes, using a drum machine with trigger out is definitely sweet.  For anyone who isn't familiar, I've got a video demonstrating this process, too:


The only downside with the trigger out of drum machines is that the polarity of the pulse is often wrong.  My 707, for example, uses a V-trig (ie, an upward going pulse) whereas my arpeggiator trigger on my Polysix and Mono/Poly expect an S-trig (ie, a downward going pulse).  

At best, this makes the synths trigger a little behind the beat.  At worst, the synth won't Arp at all.

If you hack a V-trig to S-trig adapter (which is just one transistor), you fix this problem and the drum machine trigger rules!

Chip

Re: [PolySix] RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-14 by Chromatest J. Pantsmaker

THe sound of your timing could be dependent on your patch.  If something has a longer attack, it might sound off...

Just throwing that out there.  Mine has never sounded "sloppy".


On Thu, Feb 13, 2014 at 2:24 PM, Alex Prescott <boom2496@yahoo.com> wrote:


Doesn't work well for me at all.. Whether triggering via a drum machine and V to S trig converter, or via the midi synced kiwi board the timing is just sloppy.

On Feb 13, 2014, at 4:00 AM, <chipaudette@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

Hi Chromatest J.


Yes, using a drum machine with trigger out is definitely sweet.  For anyone who isn't familiar, I've got a video demonstrating this process, too:


The only downside with the trigger out of drum machines is that the polarity of the pulse is often wrong.  My 707, for example, uses a V-trig (ie, an upward going pulse) whereas my arpeggiator trigger on my Polysix and Mono/Poly expect an S-trig (ie, a downward going pulse).  

At best, this makes the synths trigger a little behind the beat.  At worst, the synth won't Arp at all.

If you hack a V-trig to S-trig adapter (which is just one transistor), ! you fix this problem and the drum machine trigger rules!

Chip




RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-17 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Hacked a PCB board from a ConcertMate 980. No schematics to be found online. Found that it's a Casio rebrand, found the corresponding Casio schematics. Initially, I wanted to salvage the MIDI DIN ports, but I then had the idea of actually hacking the PCB itself as it already has the opto-isolator, the resistors and circuitry. Connected that to an Arduino Uno which was staying idle for a while and coded CV output with a higher-resolution than base MIDI. This goes in the VCF fcM Input jack, and also coded MIDI input parsing, as well as a trigger for the Arp so I can both trigger the Arp as well as control the VCF Cutoff externally with the Atmel micro-controller. Made two custom cables as well as a custom switch arrangement for the Arduino because the upload procedure fails badly when the hacked MIDI interface is connected.

Thought I would use the Alesis Micron for main sequencing, but using the Kurzweil instead was easier. So here's my MIDI-to-Arp Sync triggering, no commercial shield used at all:


Main Drum sequence & MIDI Clock: Kurzweil K2500XS
Backing sequence (pan right): Alesis Micron synced to MIDI clock.
Analog sequence: Korg Polysix using the Arp trigger only (all controls are done on the keyboard and knobs).

I only trigger on each note for now but it would be better to have the Arp trigger occur at subdivisions within each note duration.

On my Polysix, when I click the Arp button with the Arp trigger cable connected, a sustained note always sounds. When the trigger is deactivated by the uC, the note is there again. Is that normal?

Much fun,

Yash

RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-18 by <chipaudette@yahoo.com>

Nice work...and great sounds!

>> On my Polysix, when I click the Arp button with the Arp trigger cable
>> connected, a sustained note always sounds. When the trigger is 
>> deactivated by the uC, the note is there again. Is that normal?

For the CV that you send to the Arp Trigger jack, is it normally-low that pulses high for each note, or is it normally-high that pulses low for each note.  If you're getting that sustain behavior, you might try coding it to be the other way.

(I'd check my Polysix, but it's buried behind another project at the moment.  In a couple days I ought to be able to check.)

Nice work, and keep sharing!

Chip

Re: [PolySix] RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-18 by Chris Logue Smart

A while back I had to make a choice between my Juno 60 and my P6. Although I think I made the right one, something I miss is that on the J60 you could push the Release up on the envelope when using the arp and it would expand virtually any patch, give it a sort of sustain/reverb effect. On the P6 it's really quite rare to be able to do that and it usually does nothing at all. Anyone have any idea why? 

Chris

Sent from my handheld device -  please forgive me for mistakes and brevity.  

On Feb 18, 2014, at 12:33 PM, <chipaudette@yahoo.com> wrote:

 

Nice work...and great sounds!


>> On my Polysix, when I click the Arp button with the Arp trigger cable
>> connected, a sustained note always sounds. When the trigger is 
>> deactivated by the uC, the note is there again. Is that normal?

For the CV that you send to the Arp Trigger jack, is it normally-low that pulses high for each note, or is it normally-high that pulses low for each note.  If you're getting that sustain behavior, you might try coding it to be the other way.

(I'd check my Polysix, but it's buried behind another project at the moment.  In a couple days I ought to be able to check.)

Nice work, and keep sharing!

Chip

RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-19 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Thanks Chip,

I know the Polysix expects a Hi-Lo transition. I was using some weird trigger routines before with a couple of digitalWrites, so I'm not even sure I am using the Arduino correctly do to that.

Chris, it should work in Poly mode. Works for me. Unison is another story: your synth basically becomes mono, so every Arp trigger will trigger the attack and of course, since it's mono, will eat the release.

Enjoy,

Yash

Re: [PolySix] RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-19 by Chris Logue Smart

Yash, 

Thanks! This makes sense, of course. The main draw of the P6 (among many) over the Juno is of course the ability to turn into a 6-osc mono synth. Duh. 

Sweet

C

Sent from my handheld device -  please forgive me for mistakes and brevity.  

On Feb 19, 2014, at 4:37 AM, <josh.nursing@gmail.com> wrote:

 

Thanks Chip,


I know the Polysix expects a Hi-Lo transition. I was using some weird trigger routines before with a couple of digitalWrites, so I'm not even sure I am using the Arduino correctly do to that.

Chris, it should work in Poly mode. Works for me. Unison is another story: your synth basically becomes mono, so every Arp trigger will trigger the attack and of course, since it's mono, will eat the release.

Enjoy,

Yash

RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-19 by <filthfunk@yahoo.com>

Oh but you can, by selecting the ARPEGGIO MODE to UP, ARPEGGIO RANGE to 1 and holding KEY TRANSPOSE while turning on, your Juno-60 will be put in Unison mode.

Milan

RE: Clocking he Arpeggiator from MIDI

2014-02-23 by <josh.nursing@gmail.com>

Removed the NoteOff de-trigger and replaced it with only triggering/detriggering on Clock and Start. Also coded the Arp pulse to user-settable resolution like Chip did.

Ditched the (literally) hacked PCB for MIDI I/O and instead been using Hairless MIDI<->Serial Bridge: 

This allows me to not have to use a physical switch to make my uploads possible, but instead I just click on a checkbox in Hairless to do that.

On Mac OS X, it is a bit flaky when you click to re-enable the Hairless bridge. It sometimes won't be able to re-create the objects used for communication. The solution is to exit and restart Hairless each time. Works for me although a slight annoyance.

And so we've got 115000 or above Serial() communications between the Mac and the Arduino. This also means that I'm not limited to MIDI-2-CV with the Arduino to the Polysix. I could use another piece of software and send that to the USB port if I'm not mistaken.

Additionally, I rewrote everything to use the MIDI library v4.0, re-structured the code to use callbacks and the 16-bit timer in a faster than usual PWM mode, so that MIDI reads are faster/tighter.

Moreover, I decreased the timing of pulses down to nano-second levels with a faster digital write.

Very pleased with the results I had yesterday after testing with the Polysix Arp driven by the Arduino and sync'ed to the MIDI clock of the Kurzweil. Super tight timing, great bass Polysix Arp, JX-8P pad with Kurzweil K2500XS drums, very musical, very electro/80's, and definitely basis for composing new music. Expect a Soundcloud link too soon.

Yash