sequencer question

ok calculator · Post by **ok calculator** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:22 pm

what would be a nice sequencer with memory that can trigger "CV synths"
and the sequencer would be triggered with a drum-trigger from the bassdrum/snare drum of "real drums".

I hope you know what i want to ask.

thanks !

Okc

Post by **space6oy** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:27 pm

are you looking for it to keep time with a live drum kit?

ok calculator · Post by **ok calculator** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:31 pm

yes!!
for example :

Real drums -> drum trigger -> mobius - > Moog Prodigy

Post by **space6oy** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 9:53 pm

that's very interesting, but i dunno about that...
i've never used midi triggers on drums, but i think they're usually just used to send a note signal to an assigned sample.

it'd be more like using a microphone to something with a BPM counter that transmits it via midi, though that's complicated too because there's hardly anything out there that does beat counting and sends a start/stop signal...plus the beat counters i've tried on DJ mixers usually kind of suck. tap tempos work better.

sorry i'm not really help, i'm just very curious about what you're trying to do. it'd be awesome to figure out a way to have a sequencer keep time to a live drummer...

Dane_Xoth · Post by **Dane_Xoth** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 7:29 am

Could you mod the live drummer to respond to a click track?

Anyone ever taken one apart?....can't imagine they'd be too complicated on the inside.

The Akai ME35T is an AudioTrigger-To-Midi converter...Also the Roland Octapads and the Alesis Control pad have external Trigger inputs, for converting to MIDI. But these three don't have any sort of Sync Clock......

The Alesis Performance Pad (which i've just discovered now) has a built in drum machine, so i would imagine it can be a Master Clock.

So....

Click Track on Performance Pad to H/P >Drummer>Input Triggers on Perfomance Pad > Perf Pad onboard Clock as master> MIDI to Mobius slave Clock> CV out > Synths

I don't have any experience with any of this gear above( just the AKAI and Roland stuff), so this is just a theory.

Dane_Xoth · Post by **Dane_Xoth** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:14 am

OR

MOBIUS> Synth >Mixer > Aux send > Amp > H/P /Monitor> Drummer

Does the drummer NEED to trigger the synth?

ok calculator · Post by **ok calculator** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:10 am

the thing is we play lots of shows, and it Sh*t holes and bad venunes, you dont get monitors

or you get bad ones, so i was thinking about someting like this:

Can this be done with Mobius or MFB step?

Dane_Xoth · Post by **Dane_Xoth** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:15 pm

That sounded horrific!

I don't think you need a drum trigger if the mobius is triggering the synth.
AFAIK the Mobius doesn't accept trigger input.

Get a happy drum machine that can send Master clock and output a click to headphones.

Slave the Mobius. Drummer follows click from d/m.

It would help to know more aboot you too. Where are you? what kind of music. Are there creative limitations imposed on the band (intentional or circumstancial: ie.,You mentioned crappy venues or the band i was in refused to have a live drummer.)

D[X]

ok calculator · Post by **ok calculator** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:24 pm

the music we play is some kind of psychedelic/space rock and we wanna add some kind of TANGERINE DREAM bass sequences in some of the parts.

We play "lots" of shows so every venue cant be good (monitoring wise)
so you cant always relay on monitors on the venue,
And also our synths are plugged in amps not the PA.

and since some of the parts in the songs are improvised playing on "click" is not possible.

So im searching for a solution where the "real" drummer can be the CLOCK of the sequences:)

I dont know much about sequencers/sequences, so i wanna figured out something.. or at least if its possible

thanks alot

hollandturbine · Post by **hollandturbine** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 12:41 pm

The problem is that tap tempo works by dividing four even beats, so triggering from a kick drum is going to give you problems.

Any sequencer that is triggered from the drum kit, will have to be programed around the drum pattern, each pulse will move the sequence one step with rests also programed in all the right places.

You might want to use some kind of audio trickery to get what you want. (noise gate and side chain)

esqoner · Post by **esqoner** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:07 pm

Dane_Xoth wrote:Could you mod the live drummer to respond to a click track?

Anyone ever taken one apart?....can't imagine they'd be too complicated on the inside.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

hey...wait...oh yeah...i don't just play drums.

i can still be complicated on the insides

Post by **space6oy** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:13 pm

ok calculator wrote:the thing is we play lots of shows, and it Sh*t holes and bad venunes, you dont get monitors or you get bad ones, so i was thinking about someting like this:

Can this be done with Mobius or MFB step?

that does sound like s**t, but it's definitely interesting...even if it's just random signals instead of an actual sequence keeping time, it's interesting...

also that's a very skinny kick drum.

if you don't find a way to make the drums run the sequencer, i agree, get the drummer some headphones and try to keep time to the sequence.

i just pictured something hilarious though...just go metal and rig up otherwise unnecessary dual kick drums, have each one play a different note and settle with a two note sequence!

Dane_Xoth · Post by **Dane_Xoth** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 11:20 pm

space6oy wrote:
ok calculator wrote:the thing is we play lots of shows, and it Sh*t holes and bad venunes, you dont get monitors or you get bad ones, so i was thinking about someting like this:

Can this be done with Mobius or MFB step?
that does sound like s**t, but it's definitely interesting...even if it's just random signals instead of an actual sequence keeping time, it's interesting...

also that's a very skinny kick drum.

if you don't find a way to make the drums run the sequencer, i agree, get the drummer some headphones and try to keep time to the sequence.

i just pictured something hilarious though...just go metal and rig up otherwise unnecessary dual kick drums, have each one play a different note and settle with a two note sequence!

One Note per trigger...Multiple triggers = more complex

Akira Jimbo

Post by **space6oy** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:36 am

Dane_Xoth wrote:One Note per trigger...Multiple triggers = more complex

Akira Jimbo

yeah...obviously i meant having a separate trigger on each kick...hence them playing two different notes. you wouldn't be hitting them both at once or anything...

also that video (especially the hostess) IS very cheesy and amusing.

Post by **gmeredith** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 2:45 am

Back in the '80's there was a 1 rack unit sync box made just for this purpose called the Kahler Human Clock, which had a mic/line input for the human device (microphone from kick drum/hihat etc) and a MIDI out clock signal to sync with any MIDI sequencer. Here is a bit about it from the guy who designed the software:

http://elists.resynthesize.com/synth-di ... 12/753187/

You see them on ebay going for $30 or so every now and then. See if you can find an on-line manual for it and see if it's what you're after first.

Cheers, Graham