Do you think this would be a useful module? |
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[ 16 ] |
No |
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Couldn't care less |
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Total Votes : 16 |
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Rob
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 580 Location: The Hague/Netherlands/EC
G2 patch files: 109
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 6:34 am Post subject:
Clocked Increment/Decrement 'Stepper' module |
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I think I have an urgent need for a 'Stepper' module, which could probably reside in the LFO section. The idea is that this module has a value (blue) output and two yellow triggered Clk inputs named Inc and Dec (for increment and decrement).
When the Inc input receives a trigger, the blue output is incremented by a certain step value. And when the Dec input gets a trigger the output value is decremented by that step value.
There can be two modes, a 'wrap around' mode and a 'limit' mode.
In the limit mode the module can increment up to e.g. +64 and stay there on more Inc triggers, the decrement limit could be either -64 or 0, depending on a Unipolar/Bipolar button.
In wrap around mode the module would work like a 'modulo' function, when the value would exceed the upper limit of +64 it would subtract either 64 or 128, depending on the Uni/Bip. And when sinking under the lower limit it would add 64 or 128.
The step value should be an input. This is important as one would e.g. want to use this module to control a MUX switch or the CtrlSeq module, in which case a step of +4 would make that other module advance to the next position. But a step value of e.g. +1.5 would be useful to send the module output through a NoteQuant module to get arpeggios that skip notes in a scale, etc.
If this step input would be unconnected an optional control knob could set the step value or be +1 by default. I think I would actually prefer a +1 default value and no control, so a ConstantSwitch module could set the step. I would use that anyway, to be able to put a sensible name in the G2 display by naming the button on the ConstantSwitch module.
There should also be a Rst input and a blue Init value input. On a Rst trigger the output value should get the value on the Init input, so a CtrlSeq module can be preset to a certain position. Imho this Rst should act immediate and not be delayed until the next trigger on either the Inc or Dec input.
Of course the module should turn to red/orange when clocked by audio.
Perhaps the module could do with presettable limit values or limit inputs. But as scaling the output range could always be done with e.g. a mixer module at the output of the module, I would be already very satisfied with only a Uni/Bip setting. I think fixed limits is actually preferrable.
The module could not only be used to control Muxes and the CtrlSeq module, it can also be used to create modulation patterns like random walks, make random walk audio waveforms, etc. I imagine a one input/two output switch, where a clock goes into the one input and the two outputs would go to the Inc and Dec inputs. By controlling the switch with e.g. the RndClk, an EventSeq or whatever, one can imagine one would have a nice LFO module where the clock rate and step value combine to set the rate of the output waveform and the switch sets the direction.
But the module could also be used as a timer module, as when the module would be in wrap around mode and incremented by a steady clock, the step value would make the output go up nicely and some compare modules with some XOR gates could nicely produce gate signals for 'time frames'.
Imho it is important to have the Inc and Dec inputs and not alternatively a Clock and a Direction input. As when having the Inc and Dec inputs their pulses could come from two separate 'functions' or processes. Which is more flexible. Using a 'one in two out' switch would change the Inc and Dec inputs nicely into Clock and Direction inputs, but it would be harder to do it the other way around (change Clk and Dir into Inc and Dec).
One last output (or maybe two outputs) that would be very handy as well would be a yellow 'Overflow' output, which would give a pulse whenever the module wraps around. This output could e.g. pulse a second Inc/Dec module to make the second one increment or decrement. There could also be two separate overflow outputs for the upper and the lower limits. Though I think for me one output would do nicely.
I tried to patch this idea, but it uses a lot of modules and mem%.
Well, I hope you get the idea.
So, the module would have:
Inc triggered logic input
Dec triggered logic input
Step value input
Rst triggered logic input (immediate)
Init value input
Value output
Overflow logic state output
Optionally a Step control knob
Uni/Bip mode button
Wrap around/Limit button
/Rob |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 9:16 am Post subject:
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This is a great post. You've obviously thought this out. I'm a big fan of this up/down thing, as you know. You're right about the separate incr and decr inputs - much more flexible. Your concept of step amounts and limit points is outstanding.
This stepper module of yours beats an improved bin counter, IMHO, although the addition of a decrement input would really help that module. Similarly, a decr input to the shift registers would be very nice.
Bravo for this great post... |
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Rob
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 580 Location: The Hague/Netherlands/EC
G2 patch files: 109
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 11:32 am Post subject:
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Hé, save the emoticons for the developers, not me. |
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 2:07 pm Post subject:
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The developers are invisible. If one of them posted this message, I'd put down another row of emoticons. I suspect they "read the mail" here and maybe a few emoticons will get their attention. |
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Rob
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 580 Location: The Hague/Netherlands/EC
G2 patch files: 109
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 5:03 pm Post subject:
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There you go! Sequencers need a fwd/rev switch. The stepper module would make this much easier, and would make other appilcations possible too. |
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elektro80
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Joined: Mar 25, 2003 Posts: 21959 Location: Norway
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 5:35 pm Post subject:
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I agree with Howard. Look at all the great "old" analog sequencers. All those options are there for a reason. But this is something Clavia could add in an update ? Not? _________________ A Charity Pantomime in aid of Paranoid Schizophrenics descended into chaos yesterday when someone shouted, "He's behind you!"
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elektro80
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Joined: Mar 25, 2003 Posts: 21959 Location: Norway
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 5:42 pm Post subject:
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Custom counter arrays were popular too.. back in the "old" days. These could be used for subtraction and even for some of the weirder "ratcheting" sequencer stuff. It is kinda weird that Clavia has not added sensible old style modules, but perhaps they need to be told why and how this should be done. _________________ A Charity Pantomime in aid of Paranoid Schizophrenics descended into chaos yesterday when someone shouted, "He's behind you!"
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mosc
Site Admin
Joined: Jan 31, 2003 Posts: 18197 Location: Durham, NC
Audio files: 212
G2 patch files: 60
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Posted: Sun Aug 15, 2004 6:00 pm Post subject:
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Well, Rob's patch is essentially a sequencer with fwd/rev controlled by an emulation of the stepper module he's suggesting. The Clavia sequencers are pretty useful from one perspective, but very limited from another. The original Moog step sequencer had a "jump" input on every stage. None of the Clavia modules can do this.
Actually Rob, the stepper reset should have a control input associated with it so the reset could go to any value, not just zero. Right? |
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Rob
Joined: Mar 29, 2004 Posts: 580 Location: The Hague/Netherlands/EC
G2 patch files: 109
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Posted: Mon Aug 16, 2004 12:27 am Post subject:
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mosc wrote: | Actually Rob, the stepper reset should have a control input associated with it so the reset could go to any value, not just zero. Right? |
Yep, the input named Init is meant to do that. |
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