Re: MBSEQ V3 talk

[Rio]

no no, i'm sure that occurs only and ever on C-6 note, tested it with different input devices...

[TK.]

So far I remember, C-6 is the remote key (see also http://www.ucapps.de/midibox_seq/mbseq_remote_functions.pdf)

You can define another key in your setup_*.asm file (search for DEFAULT_MIDI_REMOTE_KEY) if required, or you can disable it by assigning it to Note 0x00

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Rio]

oki  ;)

[dcer10]

Hiya TK,

Havent made any comment on the sequencer since the last build as Ive been so caught up using it! Im keen to help beta test the release canidate, do you have any test prodcedures or is it basically to do everything we can and see what breaks and how? Are there particular problem areas you have in mind to test more?

Before no more features are added, I would like to suggest that getting the copy/paste/clear functions working so that when copied that all settings not just note and cc events are copied ie every menu item that has changed for that track, and when pasted that all those variables are pasted too, and that when a pattern is cleared that all settings are cleared as well as notes and cc events. Also I think that a memory format feature is required for easy reuse of memory without time consuming changing the code or manually changing all the settings back to normal yourself. In my view these changes would make a much more complete sequencing tool.

All the best,

John

[TK.]

Ok, I've added the two last features - now it's design freeze, next feature request won't be taken into account for v3.0

do you have any test prodcedures or is it basically to do everything we can and see what breaks and how?

Exactly - your old patterns should still run like before, but it also makes sense to tweak on the parameters during live playing and to check, if the sequencer behaves like expected.

Are there particular problem areas you have in mind to test more?

All the event modes are not tested good enough, especially drum mode. I mostly use Note/Vel/Len, Chord2/Vel/Len and CC/CC/CC by myself.

All event modes have to be tested with different track modes (Normal, Transpose, Arpeggiator), Scales, Directions, Progression Parameters, Trigger assignments, MIDI output ports and channels, Track Lengths, Loop points, Track chains, Groove modes, Random (Humanize) modes, Morphings, Clock divider settings, and all what I forgot to mention here (which is normaly the stuff which won't work, maybe I overlooked a certain dependency ;-))

I'm also not sure if the Song mode changes are really working reliable, and all the new stuff which has been quickly built into the firmware on John's requests...

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[dcer10]

Thanks TK for taking the requests on board, I think it will make for a better sequencer in the long term! I will do my best to test as many combinations of features as I can. I'm not going to be near my seq from the 11th to 20th so don't take any silence in that time as everything is tested or that i'm not doing it :) Ill test some before and some after those dates. Im not really familiar with the drum modes and chord modes (as much as I could be). I will need to do some reading on their usage before testing them. I'm especially interested in testing out the song modes more too!

Thanks again!!!!!!

John

[stryd_one]

Ok, I've added the two last features

Thanks TK!!

[dcer10]

I'm pleased to say that I have been thrashing the new build and so far have not found any problems at all. This is not the results of my testing, just a comment :) I would like to use/test the loopback feature more but im having trouble using it. I have tried this:

1) Set track 1 to arp mode and add desired step values

2) Set track 2 to loopback mode and recorded some key changes (track 2 is loopback ch 1)

3) Play back sequence, key changes to arp not working

What am I missing here? I can add more detail if req, just thought to keep it simple.

PS, the new memory format pages and other extras are fantastic TK! The copy and paste modes work as expected in all situations so far, the port mutes have worked perfect (recording the midi in logic using a multi port i/o is now a breeze!)

Ill post more detail about testing as soon as I can.

Thanks,

John

[Rio]

i don't know, whether it is solved in the new build, but in Build69, there was an graphical bug in record mode.. if i record notes and rotate the Rotary Encoder for Steps at this time... the visuals of the "record screen" are drawn into the "step sequencer" screen. It's only a visual bug.

But we have to check this out in new version..

Greets Rio.

[TK.]

1) Set track 1 to arp mode and add desired step values

2) Set track 2 to loopback mode and recorded some key changes (track 2 is loopback ch 1)

3) Play back sequence, key changes to arp not working

What am I missing here? I can add more detail if req, just thought to keep it simple.

In general please note, that live record mode currently only supports monophonic notes - so in fact only Event Mode #1 (Note/Vel/Len). Recording polyphonic notes or CC is planned for future versions (as it will require a lot of work).

The usecase you are mentioning here is working like expected (I just have checked this again).

You have to consider, that

a) like mentioned above, only a single note is recorded, and this is the base node passed to the arpeggiator

b) a loopback track should have a higher priority, so that on a step change a new note is played, before the next track plays a note based on this input.

Example: transposed track#1, loopback track#2

[tt]

1: C-3 C-3 C-3 C-4 C-3 C-3 C-3 C-4

2: C-3 --- G-3 --- C-3 --- F-3 ---

[/tt]

The sequencer will play:

[tt]

C-3 C-3 C-3 G-4 G-3 C-3 C-3 F-4

[/tt]

which is wrong, because the transponation is one step too late

When the loopback track is located at Track 1, it will work like intended:

[tt]

1: C-3 --- G-3 --- C-3 --- F-3 ---

2: C-3 C-3 C-3 C-4 C-3 C-3 C-3 C-4

[/tt]

Output:

[tt]

C-3 C-3 G-3 G-4 C-3 C-3 F-3 F-4

[/tt]

For an arpeggiator loopback, event mode #4 (Note/Note/Note) with a high clock divider value (e.g. 96ppqn/64 = 1 measure per step) is the better choice.

In this event mode live recording is not working!

there was an graphical bug in record mode..

I would say it's an imperfection, and not a bug.

It's related to the way, how the LCD screen handler overlays the current menu page when the track view is temporary displayed. I'm aware that this sometimes doesn't work without artefacts in the screen, but a solution is not so easy to realize here (clearing the whole LCD screen on page changes costs a lot of time - this is a LCD hardware issue, it inserts busy cycles), and I think that the impact on the usability is low.

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[Rio]

the copy or paste function has changed :'( .... i'm not sure, but i think the activate Notes (LEDs) will not changed anymore.

[stryd_one]

Hi all,

I want to apologize for the delays in completing the scale tables. I have been very overworked lately, and I tried to do it on an airliner this weekend (my only spare time in weeks) but had some dramas (why don't they have internet WLAN in airliners!?!).

I promise that I am doing my best to complete this but of course paying the rent takes first priority ;) It shouldn't be much longer I hope!

My apologies

stryd

[TK.]

Rio: I will check this and release a new version if required

Stryd: ok, I'm a young guy, I can wait ;)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[ringmod45]

Hi Thorsten,

Great work being done here, Kudos!!

You said there will be no new add-on features, but I would like to recommend one for later.

Would it be possible to register new start and end points for a 16 step phrase?

Example,you are playing a 16 step pattern,  you hit a step start loop key or end of loop key , now you can shrink or re-size the length of the phrase from 2 to 16 step by toggling to do micro sequences within the 16 step pattern.

Is there a possibility to rachet more triggers per step a la Tangerine Dream, so you do multiple beats per 16th step, ie 2, 3, 4 or more triggers?

Thanks in advance .

Regards,

RM

[TK.]

Hi RM,

Would it be possible to register new start and end points for a 16 step phrase?

Example,you are playing a 16 step pattern,  you hit a step start loop key or end of loop key , now you can shrink or re-size the length of the phrase from 2 to 16 step by toggling to do micro sequences within the 16 step pattern.

This is already possible in the Length menu. :)

You can even control the loop and end point via CC, and it can be controlled from another track (internal loopback) for very organic sequences.

Is there a possibility to rachet more triggers per step a la Tangerine Dream, so you do multiple beats per 16th step, ie 2, 3, 4 or more triggers?

Yes, this was already possible with MBSID V2, a step can trigger an event up to 4 times with a delay of 1..31 microticks between each trigger. This can be defined for each step seperately in the length layer

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[ultra]

is it possible to do what's in this thread?

http://www.midibox.org/forum/index.php?topic=8603.0

drew

[TK.]

No - for me the existing randomization possibilities are sufficient

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[TK.]

Hi Rio,

the copy or paste function has changed :'( .... i'm not sure, but i think the activate Notes (LEDs) will not changed anymore.

it took some time to find out, how to reproduce this, because you missed to mention, that this only happens when the paste target position is not the first step (or in other words: when a part of the pattern is copied to another position)

Next bug, please!

Gruss,

        Thorsten.

[TK.]

is it possible to do what's in this thread?

I read your thread again, just to be sure, but I haven't found anything, which isn't already possible with MBSEQ V3, or did I miss something? ;)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[ultra]

perhaps it is!  i have to admit that i haven't read enough of the specs on what v3 will do and i should probably do that.  i just assumed that those specific things weren't implemented into the software.  perhaps they aren't but there's even better randomization options.  if not, i will live.  i'm just glad you see the advantage to having randomization options built into the seq.

at any rate, if i don't find it exactly as i want it to be, perhaps it will be my motivation to learn assembly language.  i know it's going to be something i'll learn at school, but i think it's a couple years down the road.  having a good reason (seq) to learn it is definitely something to get me going on it.

i can't tell you if you missed something :).  simply stated, the randomization allows you to randomize the current screen (note, cc, velocity, gate) based on minimum and maximum value parameters you give it.  also, each step is evaluated based on a set probability and turned on or off accordingly.  if you wanted a pattern with more notes, just turn up the probability.

i'm hoping within the next couple weeks i'll finally have my seq going and i can't wait to try it.  i only have v2 software loaded right now because i think i'm going to wait for v3 to be finalized.

drew

[TK.]

MBSEQ V3 provides four different approaches.

1) static randomisation within the utility menu:

Just press the button below "Rand" and a new random pattern with random notes/velocity/length/gates will be generated

Press and hold the random button and turn one of the rotary encoders to increase/descrease the randomness (+/- x)

2) "humanisation":

Adds non-static randomness to Note/Velocity/Length, the intensity (+/- x) can be selected as well

3 and 4): random Gate and Value for specific steps:

Part of the trigger layers - allows you to trigger the gate and/or to play the Note/Velocity/Length value randomly on steps where this function is activated

Min/Max values are nothing else than defining the "mid" value within the layer, and adding the selected "intensity" (+/- x) to this value

Different Note Scales are provided for "harmonic randomness"

When I'm speaking about Notes, I mean MIDI events - it could also be a CC or it could be a chord of up to 4 notes.

And don't forget: there is a loopback port which allows you to control any sequencer parameter randomly - so, not only the step events, but every parameter which is listed in the CC implementation table

Just think about random morphs between two patterns, random progression parameters (jump back and forth), random clock dividers...

So, of course, there is always something which somebody has seen in another sequencer, and what he would like to see in MBSEQ V3 as well, as requesting features - and especially asking "is it possible..." is so easy.

But from my oppinion, nobody should do this before he has tested the already existing features - there are a lot of things to explore :)

Best Regards, Thorsten.

[ultra]

yeah the randomization as you explained it is absolutely perfect.  and the idea of a centerpoint rather than min/max is something that didn't occur to me.

this is awesome beyond words...

;D

drew

[Rio]

@tk: sorry ;D - i'll check the newer version out...

(no newer bug til now found out  ;))

[dcer10]

Ultra, are you sure you are not me posting in my sleep like in some kind of freaky Phillip K Dick novel??

Sorry to repeat some info here, but I had to say something as there's a common wavelength here...

I too found this project mainly seeking a hardware replacement for SEQ303 myself, I was a heavy user of it, and still am when im in the mood! What version are you using as it sounds like a few features may have been released in later versions?? I have V2 only, it was the last update made that I saw before it vanished. In any case, the V3 Midibox sequencer can easily replicate everything found on SEQ303 and more except that the step based cc's are more limited in the V3 Midibox sequencer compared to SEQ303 as SEQ303 could have Note, velocity, and 3 assignable CC's with a value per step, and another 1 with a common value as well as a common gate and glide. However, in the V3 Midibox seq its as easy as making another track active on the same port and channel, setting it to have 3 cc's only and there you go, more cc's per step than SEQ303 (Ive used up to 15 tracks on the V3 Midibox seq as 3 cc's each + 1 track with note, vel gate to run just one midi channel!).

When you hit random on the midibox seq it will give random values on any layer, as well as notes, as well as linking the loopback as TK said... The "gang" feature on SEQ303 can be used on the V3 Midibox seq (the all button) too (or not used) but the behaviour when a note or cc hits the top of the range is different. The main difference is the Midibox sequencer will also add random rest steps and random gates per step (if wanted) too. In general, the Midibox sequencer leaves SEQ303 for dead as it is more feature rich, let alone the fact that you can touch it :) The only thing from SEQ303 you will not find on the Midibox sequencer is how you can record every change you make into a midi file in real time on SEQ303, but if you plug in logic or cubase onto the end of the chain you get that too! As much as I love SEQ303, the Midibox sequencer has out grown it, a lot.

On a totally different note, after much thrashing I have not found any new bugs other than the ones already mentioned, but, I would love it if someone could take the time (not matter how simple they think it is to do already) to explain a step by step example usage of drum mode, and of the loopback channel please (for internal controls) as I have had little luck with either and am quickly drawn to other easier to use features as I don't get what I want instantly! Last time I tried to use the loopback channel n(to control an ARP's key changes) by recording in real time the note changes I wanted, it didnt work (I dont mean its a bug, user error for sure!!). After TK said that realtime rec didnt work in this mode (if I understood correctly) I tried to manually enter the changes and still got nowhere. I know im missing something really simple! :)

All the best,

John

[ultra]

thanks for the comparison.  i'm not sure which is the last version of seq-303 i was using, but i'm sure it was the same one.  i can't seem to find my copy anymore.  i'm finishing the button and encoder layouts for my seq over the next few days, and then it's just a matter of getting a panel cut and finding a way to paint it.  i'm excited :).  also, v-synth xt arrives today!!

drew