Controlling the speed of the sequencer

[khidr]

Controlling the speed of the sequencer is the key to many unique sounds. It can't be done by assigning the sequencer rate knob to the modulation row. At least not with this/my firmware revision.
So you'll have to you the work around of controlling songtempo from your Daw. In the soundcloud example below I 've set midi sync on the MatrixBrute to external
In Ableton (are there other Daws  ?) you record your sequence in arrangement view and scroll all the way down to the master track. Open the parameter view of the master track by clicking on the triangle and select song tempo as the parameter you want to control.
There are now two ways to control the sequencer speed: by clicking on the red line you create amplitude points that you can interconnect/move up and down to vary the tempo from 60 to 200 beats per second.
If you press "b' you can draw horizontal lines in the grid, thus linking the tempo to the rithm/beats of your track. Using CMD-1, CMD-2 and CMD-3 (on the MAC) you can change te resolution of your changes. This is only a first experiment. I think you could spend weeks exploring these options

See: https://soundcloud.com/khidr/sequencer-speed-experiment

[Bruno@arturia]

Hi,
nice trick!
you can modulate the sequencer rate without a DAW too, it' s definitely a hack but it does the job:
 you'll need a 3.5mm jack
 in the mod matrix, output one of the LFOs to a CV output
 connect this CV output to the Sync input jack
 in MIDI Control Center set "MIDI clock source" to "Sync"
 enable MidiSync on the front panel (sequencer section)

now lfo rate controls sequencer rate

you can then assign LFO rate to column 13-16 and modulate it with other sources....


 

[khidr]

Hi Bruno,

Great trick. I'm definitely going to try that. When working seated before the Matrixbrute, you tend to forget about the CV connections at the back. When you standing in front the machine and look down on it, you can read the textlabels of the out- en inputs on the back. They correspond/align with textlabels of the matrix. My compliments for the designers who thought of creating this alignment. It make plugging  patch cables much easier.
Khidr

[khidr]

Hi,
nice trick!
you can modulate the sequencer rate without a DAW too, it' s definitely a hack but it does the job:
 you'll need a 3.5mm jack
 in the mod matrix, output one of the LFOs to a CV output
 connect this CV output to the Sync input jack
 in MIDI Control Center set "MIDI clock source" to "Sync"
 enable MidiSync on the front panel (sequencer section)

now lfo rate controls sequencer rate

you can then assign LFO rate to column 13-16 and modulate it with other sources....

Hi Bruno,

I gave your suggestions a try, but so far i haven't been able to control the speed of the sequencer using the external sync input. I did manage to control other things using the external in and outputs, for example i can modulate the pulse width of osc 1 or control the pitch of osc 1 using the modwheel or LFO amount externally. But when I patch this control voltage to sync input nothing happens...

 I double checked everything: the external cable using a ohm meter (ok) , the midi sync is on. Sequence is running but there is no variation in sequence speed. It's quite a mystery

Gert

Update: for a second I thought I found the solution....there's the midi clock source param in the midi control center. It seemed logical to assume that setting that parameter to "sync" would solve the problem, but alas.... it did not.

[Bruno@arturia]

Sorry I forgot to write that the LFO should be a square wave, indeed the idea is to use the LFO as a fake sync pulse generator.
I think 24 lfo periods will increase the sequencer position by a 1/4 note.

 

• set LFO Rate around center position, wavefrom: square, trigger: Off, and Sync: off
• in the mod matrix, output the LFO to a CV output, set modulation amount to max
• connect this CV output to the Sync input jack
• in MIDI Control Center set "MIDI clock source" to "Sync"
• enable MidiSync on the front panel (sequencer section)

let me know if you made it

[khidr]

Sorry I forgot to write that the LFO should be a square wave, indeed the idea is to use the LFO as a fake sync pulse generator.
I think 24 lfo periods will increase the sequencer position by a 1/4 note.

 

• set LFO Rate around center position, wavefrom: square, trigger: Off, and Sync: off

• in the mod matrix, output the LFO to a CV output, set modulation amount to max
• connect this CV output to the Sync input jack
• in MIDI Control Center set "MIDI clock source" to "Sync"
• enable MidiSync on the front panel (sequencer section)

let me know if you made it

I followed all you instructions to the letter, but without succes. I'm not willing to give up yet as being able to control the speed is rather essential for my style of music making.

[BobTheDog]

I just tried this and it does work but is buggy, which may be the problem you are seeing.

If you set the LFO to full before starting the sequencer then it works and you can adjust the LFO to change the speed.

Once the LFO drops under a certain speed though the sequencer will not continue playing even when you increase the LFO speed.

[Bruno@arturia]

Yes as I said it's more a hack that a feature... The problem is that the sync input has been design to lock only on rate higher than 30bpm. With slower sync pulses rate the sequence assums that the clock stopped. So it stops too. You need to increase lfo speed and restart the sequencer to have it back on track.
When modulating lfo rate from the matrix just make sure your amount is set properly and it should stay locked

[BobTheDog]

Hi Bruno,

Thanks for the info.

Andy

[sirWombat]

Hi all,

Sorry to resurrect so old thread, but I have additional info on the subject. It is probable that there have been updates since this discussion that make this hack work better, in any case at least for me it works now rather flawlessly.

Thanks khidr and Bruno for the idea and information.

Here are my settings.

MIDI Control Center settings:
MIDI clock source: Sync
Sync Clock In/Out Settings: 1step (Clock)

MOD Matrix:
LFO1 -> LFO 2 Rate (User destination)  @+30
LFO2 -> VCO2 PW  @+99

CV Panel:
VCO2 PW Out -> Sync In

LFO1:
Triangle wave
Rate at 10 o'clock (22)

LFO2:
Square wave
Seq-Sync off
Retrig off
Rate at 1 o'clock (64)

Sequencer:
MIDI Sync On