This page is to describe the operation of the MB808 Sequencer application. It is a work in progress, comments are welcome and usually appreciated :)

The first thing to understand is that this application is not meant to be part of a modular system or even a standalone box, it’s origins are a simple adaptation of the MBSEQ v2.4 application to mimic to functionality of the original 808’s digital section. However, MBSEQ v2.4 is a very deep application and it would be a shame to ignore many of the features it has so the primary task is to create an interface using the available buttons and encoders that can access as many menu functions as possible, without making the whole thing obscure. In order to do that I’ll be using the function keys as “Page 2” buttons, each one activiting a seperate set of functions for the 16 General Purpose buttons dependant on which mode the user is in. Below are some simple tables showing Function button + GP button keypresses in each mode.

Theory of Operation

The MB808 application will essentially be unchanged from the SEQ v2.4 application. The changes that will be made reguard the interface, specifically the LCD screen and encoders will not be present. At this time I also think it is best to use TK's drummode for the operation of the sequencer. Although this prevents each step from having it's own flam value, what we gain is much more than what we loose. Firstly using drum mode gives us 12 instrument tracks + accent all in one pattern as opposed to re-working the handling of the pattern sets to allow the use of 12 complete tracks, this keeps things compatible with the base application and hopefully with the upcoming SEQv3 application :) Using drum mode also allows us to use the morph feature, but in a way that mimics the original 808. Each pattern can be linked to the same pattern in the lowercase bank switched between like with the "A+B" toggle switch on the original, my favorite feature. This will take a bit of trickery in code to keep things compatible, so it may not be implemented in the first version. The second big advantage I realized this morning while thinking about the Pro-1. It's sequencer was absolutely minimal, you just switched into edit mode and entered notes until the phrase was entered. No rests. The Pro-1 would then play it back, automatically looping it. I realized that with the extra tracks avaiable and using the arrpegiate mode along with the step edit mode the mb808 could also sequence basslines and trigger arrpegios! This is very cool!

Description of the interface

There are 35 elements to the MB808 interface. They are:

16 GP buttons
4 Function buttons (f1 - f4)
4 Mode buttons (Song, Pattern, Mute, Edit)
5 Transport controls (Play, Stop, Fwd, Rwd, Loop)
2 Control buttons (Select, Exit)
Instrument Encoder
Tempo encoder
Swing/Morph pot
Datawheel

Button	Loop	Fwd	Rwd	Stop	Play	Tap	Ins. Select	Datawheel
Pattern Play	Set loop points	Next MetaBank	Prev MetaBank	Stop	Play	Tap	Ins. Select
Pattern Edit	Set loop points	Next Bar	Prev Bar	Stop	Play	Audition	Ins Select	Meter
Song Play	latch loop	Next Pos.	Prev Pos	Stop	Play	Tap	Ins. Select
Song Edit	Jump point	Next MetaBank	Prev MetaBank	Stop	Play	Tap	Ins. Select