Wednesday, 6 May 2020

Florian Schneider of Kraftwerk, has Passed Away

Some very sad news.

One of the legends of Electronic music has passed away at the age of 73 due to cancer


I can't stress enough the importance of this man. Along with his group, Kraftwerk, they had a huge influence on the development of electronic music. Their use of synthesizers in the 1970's opened the door to electronic music for the masses.

I saw them back in 2003... Sydney Big Day Out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdH7MfT6wJU

Linn Drum - Cooper Midi

Midi implementation for a Linn 2 Drum


My LM 2 uses a JL Cooper midi PCB.


Im using a Pioneer Toraz Squid to sequence.
The default drum assignments are :

Side stick              36 C2
Snare 1                 37 C#2
Snare 2                  38       D 2
*Snare 3             39   D#2
*Bass 1               40  E2
*Bass 2                41      F2
*Crash                 42      F#2                                 
 Hi Hat 1             43    G2                           
Hi Hat 2              44 G#2
*Hi Hat Open      45  A2
 Hi Tom                46     A#2
Mid Tom               47    
  *Lo Tom             48   C3
Ride 1                   49
* Ride 2                50    D3
 Cabasa 1               51D#3
*Cabasa 2              52 E3
Tamb 1                   53
*Tamb 2                 54 F#3
Hi Conga                55 G3
Lo Conga               56 G#3
*Cowbell                57  A3
Claps                       58 A#3


Pioneer Squid - Midi Mapping a Roland TR 707

This post uses a Pioneer Squid.. it triggers the 707 with different notes to a DAW like Abelton.
If you are using the he Roland TR 707 as a MIDI module remember it uses the default midi channel 10.


Tr707 settings:
MIDI triggering will only work in TRACK PLAY mode.
The 707's sequencer must not be running.
The Tempo Mode should be set to MIDI.
You should also select a blank track or the patterns that are programmed in that track
will be forced to run whenever a START command is received from MIDI IN.

To choose another the midi channel on the 707 (other than channel 10)
Shift + Midi + step 1-16

These are the Roland factory settings, (but any of the key numbers 35 - 98 may be assigned to each instrument)
 Mapping note numbers to the actual keys can sometimes be confusing. ... sometimes different companies use different conventions. The notes below apply to the Pioneer Squid.

There are 16 drum sounds on the Roland TR 707 which match the 16 trigger pads on the Pioneer Squid.

These notes are good for a Squid
1. B-1    : Bass Drum 1     (35)* 
2. C-2    : Bass Drum 2       (36)*
3. D-2    : Snare Drum 1       (38)*
4. E-2    : Snare Drum 2       (40)*
5. F2    : Low Tom              (41,43)**
6. B2    : Mid Tom               (45,47) *
7. C-3,D3    : Hi Tom                   (48 , 50)**
8. C#2    : Rim Shot             (37)*
9. G#3    : Cowbell                (56)*
10. D#2    : Handclap               (39)*
11. F#3    : Tambourine           (54)*
12. F#2    : Hi Hat Closed 1      (42.44)*
13. G#2    : Hi Hat Closed 2       (42.44)*
14. A#2    : Hi Hat Open              (46)*
 15. C#3    : Crash Cymbal            (49)*
 16. D#3    : Ride Cymbal               (51)*

1. Start a new project (save & rename 707, etc)
2. Set the midi out channels.
     I've set up the squid to transmit the 16 pads to the drums.
     They are sending midi from midi out 1, channel 10.
3. In the trigger mode (of the squid) press one of the 16 pads and tweak the top
     right Pitch/CC knob until you hear the drum sound trigger.
4. Save project.
5. After you have entered the note values you can rename the tracks
    Shift + track
6. Press the main knob.
7. Save project
     Press Global + Save


Links
+ Pioneers Squid Tutorial Videos
+ Copy & Paste 
+ Projects


 Renaming projects in squid
* use the shift, main knob & back button ..
shift + main knob = space.
Shift + back = delete
arrow keys move forward & back

Ace Tone Rhythm Ace FR 20 - Drum machine

Some pics of the old Ace Tone (Roland) drum.
I think this dates from around 1966.
Its unusual, as its designed to sit on the floor, in a tall, standing upright position.


Ikutaro Kakehashi formed Ace Tone in 1955
He linked up with Hammond in 1964. He then founded Roland in 1972.

He produced lots of drum machines & organs.

There are 4 drum instruments,12 preset pattern buttons and 3 cancel buttons.


You can combine the patterns to make up to 200 variations.









+ Roland Drum Machine Timeline
+ Korg Drum Machine Timeline

Monday, 4 May 2020

Roland Tr 707 - Drum Mapping & Midi triggering

Like the Tr 909, the Roland 707 can be used like a drum module, if you wish to use an external sequencer or a keyboard.
Most of this info applies to the Roland 727 (apart from the MIDI note triggering data)


I've mapped the sounds to a keyboard
A DAW like Abelton will trigger it too


MIDI triggering will only work in TRACK PLAY mode.
The sequencer must not be running.
The Tempo Mode should be set to MIDI.
You should also select a blank track or the patterns that are programmed in that track
will be forced to run whenever a START command is received from MIDI IN.

To Choose the midi channel on the 707
Shift + Midi + step 1-16

These are the factory settings, (but any of the key numbers 35 - 98 may be assigned to each instrument)
 Mapping note numbers to the actual keys can sometimes be confusing. ... sometimes different companies use different conventions. Looks like Roland uses the C3 =60 convention.


      
If you are using a DAW like abelton, these are the correct notes to trigger your 707.
(you will need to pitch your notes up one octave if you are using a Pioneer Squid .
B-0    : Bass Drum 1     (35)* 
C-1    : Bass Drum 2       (36)*
D-1    : Snare Drum 1       (38)*
E-1    : Snare Drum 2       (40)*
G1,F1    : Low Tom              (41,43)**
A-1    : Mid Tom               (45,47) *
C-2,D2    : Hi Tom                   (48 , 50)**
C#1    : Rim Shot             (37)*
G#2    : Cowbell                (56)*
D#1    : Handclap               (39)*
F#2    : Tambourine           (54)*
F#1    : Hi Hat Closed 1      (42.44)*
G#1    : Hi Hat Closed 2       (42.44)*
A#1    : Hi Hat Open              (46)*
C#2    : Crash Cymbal            (49)*
D#2    : Ride Cymbal               (51)*


Let me know if there are any mistakes.

+ Roland Drum Machine Timeline

Roland Tr 707 Drum - Basic programming

The Roland TR-707 dates from 1984.
It's part of the venerable line of Drum machines bearing the TR (Transistor Rhythm) name.
These included the TR-808 from 1980 & the TR-909 from 1983.


+ Roland Drum Machine Timeline

It's a very underrated piece of kit, and you can still pick these up on ebay for around the $600AUD price.
It has lots of the sounds of the 909. I love it's matrix display & it is a great way to connect midi & din gear.

It even has individual outputs for each of its 15 drum tones.

It's been used by artists such as Aphex Twin, Laurent Garnier, Squarepusher, & Phil Collins.
It features memory backup using two 1.5v UM-3 batteries. Keep these in even when using AC  & always replace once a year, even if you rarely turn the machine on.

You can create 4 tracks (tunes) out of  up to 64 patterns

If you have recently bought one, congratulations.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Play V Write   &   Track V Pattern

There are two play modes & two write modes (Pattern & Track)
(This is common on many Roland drum machines, such as the 606 & 909).
You jump between the two with the shift button.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demo Mode

When you first turn the 707 on, it will go into Track Play Mode.
You won't be able to program any new patterns while here, but you can still hear the sounds by pressing any of the 16 step buttons.


 If you don't hear anything, make sure the volume for each of the tones is up.

When the machine was new, it was shipped with a demo program. It's probably deleted by now.


However you can restore it by pressing The TRACK mode button + Track Number button I while turning the machine on.
Now press start. You will hear the complete complete track which is made up of different patterns.
To hear the individual patterns, :
Press Pattern + one of the 1-16 step buttons.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Programming your 1st beats

So before you can program anything with the 707, you will need to do these things:

1. Choose the sync/tempo mode.
2. Choose the pattern bank
3.  Select Pattern Write
4. Clear old patterns.
5. Enter the notes.


1. Choose the sync/tempo mode.
         (The composer must be in Track Play Mode, without the composer running).
         Press Shift + Sync/Tempo button
         There are 4 options & you can cycle through them by pressing the tempo button
         while holding down sync.  (Din sync, tape, Midi, or Internal)
          
Choose internal, if no external midi, or din devices are connected.

2. Choose a pattern bank.
    I like to enter Pattern Play mode first.
    Press the pattern button.
    (I do this before jumping straight to pattern write as I like to review the stored patterns
      before I over write anything).
      You find a blank pattern memory slot by pressing banks I to IV & slots 1 - 16.

 3.  Select Pattern Write 
      Press  Shift + Step write

The display will cycle through step , tap write.
 I'll use step write mode in this example.


4. Clear old patterns.
    Press Clear & step (1-16)
    Each of the 16 steps in the 4 banks holds a pattern


5. Enter the notes.
     a. Start the sequencer (press START)
     b. Choose your sound to add.
          Press Instrument + Step (1-16).
     c. Enter the beats (while the sequencer is running).


+ Roland Drum Machine Timeline

Friday, 24 April 2020

Pioneer Squid & Erica Synths trigger module

 

The erica Midi to Trigger is a very cool module.
Simple controls ... just one program button.

I'm using it with my Pioneer Toraz Squid.
These settings are my personal ones, though you can use whatever midi notes & channels you wish.

 
 
 
 
My setup.
Each of the 8 drum tracks transmits data on Midi 1, Channel 1 .
(just mute tracks 9 - 16)
 
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
trig1 - c4
trig2 - d4
trig3 - e4
trig4 - f4
trig 5 - g4
trig 6 - a4
trig 7 - b4
trig 8 - c5

To program the module
1. Set up the Squid as above.
2. Press the Program button on the Erica module for 2 seconds
3. LED 1 will light up
4. on track 1 (Squid) press a trigger pad firmly.
5. LED 2 will light up
6. On track 2 (Squid) press a trigger pad firmly.
7. LED 3 should now light up.
8. Continue this until all the 8 triggers are programmed.
 
 























Monday, 20 April 2020

Combining two Korg SQ-10 sequencers

This is a really interesting way to generate tunes.
It uses the mathematical idea of Lowest Common Multiples (LCM).

The idea for this patch & video came from a fellow You Tuber, Mike Olson.
He posted a cool video showing how to use a single Korg SQ-1 to make a sequence longer than 16 notes.
https://youtu.be/JYTCQ1zrtvc

Mike demonstrated how by combining two 8 step sequencers, he could generate a miriad of patterns on the fly with final step lengths ranging between 1 & 56

I decided to replicate this patch using two old Korg SQ-10 sequencers.


They have a maximum sequence length of 12. However, by combining two, one can achieve a large range of step numbers ... between 1 & 132
The control voltage out of the two sequencers is added before it enters the synth (a Korg MS-20 in this case).

 And the MS-20's envelope is triggered every step on the sequence.




I've drawn up a new table (16 x 16).


Please excuse my very rough handwriting. The top horizontal row and the left vertical row are the sequencers. They are related to one another via the grid. Their intersection is the LCM.

The relationship between the two initial step lengths (sequence A + Sequence B) and the final  Sequence length uses the mathematical principle of Lowest Common Multiples.
The final sequence length is the LCM of the two initial step lengths (sequence A + Sequence B).

You should be able to replicate this with any two sequencers.
 ---------------------------------------
eg:
What is the LCM of 4 & 7?
      
Multiples of 4 are:
4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28, 32,36,40, 44, 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 68, 72..... etc
Multiples of 7 are:
7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63, 70, 77, etc
Common multiples of 4 and 7 are the numbers that are in both lists:
28, 56..... So, from this list of the first two common multiples of the numbers 4 and 7, their lowest common multiple is 28.
---------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully this wasn't too geeky and you've made it to the end of the post without falling asleep.
:-)
All this is a perfect demonstration of the close relationship between mathematics & music.
I think this is a cool way to discover new melodies.
It would be neat to see how the addition of two more sequencers  would add to this complexity.


Better Audio:


Monday, 13 April 2020

Korg MS 20 - Favourite Patches

These are some of my favorite Ms 20 patches.

Basic Bell 


MG ramp out ------> trig in




-------------------------
Basic Bass
iT'S  a variation on the bell patch, above.
So the knob settings are the same.

But the patch panel changes the sound.
The output of EG 1 ------> initial gain (VCA)
Mod wheel ------------> HP filter cutoff.


If you are using a SQ 10 to sequence,
Multiple Trigger ----> trigger in
CV C  -----------------> CV in
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bass patch 2
A closeup.
Requires no patch-cables






---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lead 1
No patch chords



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lead 2


Variation 2

--------------------------------------------------------
lead 3



---------------------------------
ARP (Sample & Hold 1)

MG -----> clock 1
Pink noise ---------->S & H input
S & H out ---------------> HP cutoff
variation 2
S & H out ---------------> total in

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ARP 2
No patch cables


Variation 2
The output of the MG ---------> Total in.
----------------------------------------