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Hardware Instruments => MatrixBrute => MatrixBrute - Feature requests => Topic started by: tiddex on December 12, 2019, 05:27:37 pm

Title: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: tiddex on December 12, 2019, 05:27:37 pm
Please make the gate knob an individual setting for each step instead of a global setting.
I traded in my MiniBrute 2S for the MatrixBrute and even more than the lack of envelope-triggering and -looping (which is practically added now with the LFO-editor) this feels like the biggest step down in functionality.
I am messing around a lot with gate lengths, especially when programming funky baselines, so I am begging you to add this. Right now I have to hook up the MB to a DAW to get that depth of editing.

How would the gate knob work in the different modes when gate lengths are individual?
In step-editing mode the gate knob would affect the individual gate length. The length should be displayed next to the mod-knob or in the sequencer display ranging from 0 to 100% / tie.
How to use the gate knob then when not in step editing mode?
Here is my suggestion:
Otherwise the knob could work in two different ways, changeable via the settings:

1. Catching individual gate lengths / threshold mode.
When turned right, the gate knob would start at the setting of the shortest single step. This is displayed at the mod-knob or the sequencer display. Turning it further it would increase the gate length of this step and all steps whose gate length is surpassed. When turning it left it would start at the maximum gate length. The knob would work like a maximum or minimum sthrshold for gate lengths. When all gates are catched, the knob works in the same way like it does now.

Example                         turning right                                                           turning left
knob:       default            +5%          +10%        +15%        +20%       +25%          -5%        -10%       -15%       -20%       -25%
Gate1:        15%               20%            25%         30%          35%        40%           15%        15%         15%        15%       10%
Gate2:        25%               25%            25%         30%          35%        40%           25%        25%         20%        15%       10%
Gate3:        35%               35%            35%         35%          35%        40%           30%        25%         20%        15%       10%

2. Changing all step lengths by the same amount
Thus keeping the distances in absolute percentage between them. When pushed against 0% or 100% / tie the relative distance shortens. After all steps are pushed against 0% / tie, the knob works in the same way like it does now. The dsiplay shows the minimum or maximum gate length when the knob is turned.

Example                         turning right                                                                               turning left
knob:       default            +5%          +30%        +70%           +80%                +90%                  -5%         -10%       -15%       -20%
Gate1:        15%               20%            45%         85%            95%                100% / tie           10%         5%          0%          0%
Gate2:        25%               30%            55%         95%            100% / tie       100% / tie           20%        15%          0%         0%
Gate3:        35%               40%            65%         100% /tie   100%  / tie      100% / tie           30%         25%        10%         0%

In case it should be a memory issue to save gate lengths in a preset, give us at least the possibility to route the mod-track to the gate-length knob. We could at least choose to sacrifice the mod-track for gate-control.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: DrJustice on December 12, 2019, 11:00:51 pm
While not an actual gate control, an alternative is to use the MOD track to control the rate of an LFO with Retrig = Sngl, using a down slope saw or a square, then assign that LFO @+99 to the VCA or one of the filter outputs for Duo Split bliss. You could also control envelope segment times, but if you can spare an LFO it can be used an audio gate envelope with different duration for each step.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: tiddex on December 13, 2019, 06:28:26 pm
Thanks a lot for your tipp. I appreciate that.
I had figured that solution myself, still I think it is a quite obvious feature to have a dedicated knob.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: TheAndyMac on December 20, 2019, 10:18:48 am
Thinking of buying a MatrixBrute - and surprised that this is not there already, but at least a workaround seems sort of possible.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: yeskeys on January 25, 2020, 04:38:10 am
We need to be able to assign the Gate knob to the Matrix! 
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: endreola on January 26, 2020, 05:02:12 am
We need to be able to assign the Gate knob to the Matrix!

And it would be great to control Gate via MIDI CC.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: joeman on January 30, 2020, 12:41:32 am
Yes MIDI control over everything on the panel is definitely a must. (eg, swing and gate etc, and all buttons etc)
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: STM on February 01, 2020, 12:45:48 am
Yes MIDI control over everything on the panel is definitely a must. (eg, swing and gate etc, and all buttons etc)

Yes, please!
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: endreola on February 01, 2020, 11:54:07 am
I took the liberty and created a Support ticket for this EHR.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: Processaurus on February 01, 2020, 10:43:39 pm
Being able to have gate time per step is key to groove. People get really into micro timing but personally gate time gets the organic feel to a sequence more so. Would love a gate time per step, but if that were too strange to reconcile with the usability of the front panel, just being able to make the gate knob a mod destination would allow you to use the mod lane, or a synced custom shape lfo to do your groove patterns.

It would sound really cool to be able to modulate the gate time along with a timbre change. Modular synthesists get into playing/modulating the step sequencer as more than just a static pattern of repeating notes.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: VAU on February 04, 2020, 09:58:51 pm
requested Feb 2017 here:

https://forum.arturia.com/index.php?topic=90177.0
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: endreola on February 05, 2020, 05:44:45 am
In following up with the ticket, Edouard responded with:

"This is something I wanted to add to the 2.0 update, but this is maybe something too heavy. (memory wise).  I will keep it in mind for a future update if possible, if a value per step is not possible, I will try to add the capacity to modulate the gate length knob."

Modulating the gate length may not be on top of everyone's list but it may help reduce the SEQ sounding "mechanical" and add some movement to the patch.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: standingwave on February 05, 2020, 01:33:48 pm
 Modulating the gate time would be ideal in my opinion. It would definitely make the sequencer much more interesting to use as a composition tool.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: guyaguy on February 05, 2020, 10:32:23 pm
While not an actual gate control, an alternative is to use the MOD track to control the rate of an LFO with Retrig = Sngl, using a down slope saw or a square, then assign that LFO @+99 to the VCA or one of the filter outputs for Duo Split bliss. You could also control envelope segment times, but if you can spare an LFO it can be used an audio gate envelope with different duration for each step.
Just curious...What advantage do you find in using the LFO over varying the EG's Sustain or Decay per step?
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: Processaurus on February 05, 2020, 10:48:13 pm
While not an actual gate control, an alternative is to use the MOD track to control the rate of an LFO with Retrig = Sngl, using a down slope saw or a square, then assign that LFO @+99 to the VCA or one of the filter outputs for Duo Split bliss. You could also control envelope segment times, but if you can spare an LFO it can be used an audio gate envelope with different duration for each step.
Just curious...What advantage do you find in using the LFO over varying the EG's Sustain or Decay per step?

For doing short percussive type decay sounds, there wouldn’t be much difference modulating the decay/release on the EG and a sawtooth LFO set as a one shot. The real emulation of a simple gate time would be using the square lfo, as a one shot, that would be modulating the “on” time of the faux envelope that the lfo is making. However, there is no decay possible, so it would be a choppy envelope sound.

If you use the custom LFO shape, you could do a smooth release ramp, but it wouldn’t quite be the same as a sustain stage on an envelope- the length of the release would be tied to the length of the sustain, because the whole LFO is just a little sequence playing out, and you would scale the length of the faux envelope by modulating the lfo time control.

Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: Processaurus on February 05, 2020, 10:59:52 pm
Idea, if you don’t want to squander the mod lane on gate time, you could use (squander) the velocity lane, and use the velocity source in the mod matrix to change envelope release time, or the time of the LFO (set as a one shot to change vca or filter).
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: DrJustice on February 05, 2020, 11:58:44 pm
Yes you can, but the velocity lane, or rather the Accent lane, only has two values. Those are unaccented and accented with velocities 64 and 127 when you use the Play button, or actual key-velocity and 127 when you play the sequencer with the keyboard. While that can be used to good effect, it will not give individual gate length per step.
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: guyaguy on February 06, 2020, 03:03:44 am
While not an actual gate control, an alternative is to use the MOD track to control the rate of an LFO with Retrig = Sngl, using a down slope saw or a square, then assign that LFO @+99 to the VCA or one of the filter outputs for Duo Split bliss. You could also control envelope segment times, but if you can spare an LFO it can be used an audio gate envelope with different duration for each step.
Just curious...What advantage do you find in using the LFO over varying the EG's Sustain or Decay per step?

For doing short percussive type decay sounds, there wouldn’t be much difference modulating the decay/release on the EG and a sawtooth LFO set as a one shot. The real emulation of a simple gate time would be using the square lfo, as a one shot, that would be modulating the “on” time of the faux envelope that the lfo is making. However, there is no decay possible, so it would be a choppy envelope sound.

If you use the custom LFO shape, you could do a smooth release ramp, but it wouldn’t quite be the same as a sustain stage on an envelope- the length of the release would be tied to the length of the sustain, because the whole LFO is just a little sequence playing out, and you would scale the length of the faux envelope by modulating the lfo time control.

Right I’m not seeing an advantage of using a one shot LFO rather than modulating the EG Sustain in the Seq Mod lane.

Not trying to argue the point—just trying to see if there’s something I’m missing!
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: DrJustice on February 06, 2020, 04:28:46 pm
Yes, of course you can also modulate the amp env sustain (the env must have reached the sustain segment forthat to have an effect). One advantage of modulating the VCA is that you do then also get to have a 'release' portion, or a non abrupt cutoff,  if using a downwards ramp LFO. There are no rules, and the more we explore, the better  :)
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: Processaurus on February 06, 2020, 11:21:11 pm
While not an actual gate control, an alternative is to use the MOD track to control the rate of an LFO with Retrig = Sngl, using a down slope saw or a square, then assign that LFO @+99 to the VCA or one of the filter outputs for Duo Split bliss. You could also control envelope segment times, but if you can spare an LFO it can be used an audio gate envelope with different duration for each step.
Just curious...What advantage do you find in using the LFO over varying the EG's Sustain or Decay per step?

For doing short percussive type decay sounds, there wouldn’t be much difference modulating the decay/release on the EG and a sawtooth LFO set as a one shot. The real emulation of a simple gate time would be using the square lfo, as a one shot, that would be modulating the “on” time of the faux envelope that the lfo is making. However, there is no decay possible, so it would be a choppy envelope sound.

If you use the custom LFO shape, you could do a smooth release ramp, but it wouldn’t quite be the same as a sustain stage on an envelope- the length of the release would be tied to the length of the sustain, because the whole LFO is just a little sequence playing out, and you would scale the length of the faux envelope by modulating the lfo time control.

Right I’m not seeing an advantage of using a one shot LFO rather than modulating the EG Sustain in the Seq Mod lane.

Not trying to argue the point—just trying to see if there’s something I’m missing!

Only advantage I could see is using the square lfo one shot as a simple on/off envelope with fast attack, full sustain, fast release envelope, like an organ, that you can vary the gate time that the envelope is on (simulating different lengths of time the note is held down), with the step sequencer.

The other methods would be good for changing the fade out length of each note (which could be great), but aren’t the same feel as holding a note for longer or shorter amounts of time in a sequence.

Yes you can, but the velocity lane, or rather the Accent lane, only has two values. Those are unaccented and accented with velocities 64 and 127 when you use the Play button, or actual key-velocity and 127 when you play the sequencer with the keyboard. While that can be used to good effect, it will not give individual gate length per step.

Yes, quite right, but I think even 2 gate lengths could be more interesting sounding than one. Of course, varying velocity helps the expressiveness of the sequence, so, if going for a more organic feel, there is a good chance you’d want to use velocity. An imperfect solution...
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: VAU on February 07, 2020, 12:19:37 am
In following up with the ticket, Edouard responded with:

"This is something I wanted to add to the 2.0 update, but this is maybe something too heavy. (memory wise).  I will keep it in mind for a future update if possible, if a value per step is not possible, I will try to add the capacity to modulate the gate length knob."




Other members stated in another thread, it would be very easy to expand the synth's memory. Why is this not offered then?
why is there no hardware  upgrade, which also would allow exciting firmware improvements?
Title: Re: Sequencer: individual gate length per step
Post by: guyaguy on February 07, 2020, 12:39:09 am

Only advantage I could see is using the square lfo one shot as a simple on/off envelope with fast attack, full sustain, fast release envelope, like an organ, that you can vary the gate time that the envelope is on (simulating different lengths of time the note is held down), with the step sequencer.

The other methods would be good for changing the fade out length of each note (which could be great), but aren’t the same feel as holding a note for longer or shorter amounts of time in a sequence.
Yes, of course you can also modulate the amp env sustain (the env must have reached the sustain segment forthat to have an effect). One advantage of modulating the VCA is that you do then also get to have a 'release' portion, or a non abrupt cutoff,  if using a downwards ramp LFO. There are no rules, and the more we explore, the better  :)
Ah I get it. I think we were just thinking of different initial EG settings. I had in mind one with a Decay stage, no Sustain, a bit of Release if desired. Then the Seq Mod would define the amount of Sustain added per step. It works essentially as a Gate length modulation in all of the patches I've used it in, but you're right that it does require reaching the Sustain stage. I'll play around more with the LFO method and see what I come up with!