4ms Shuffling Clock Multiplier & Expander

Some patch ideas featuring the 4ms Shuffling Clock Multiplier and Breakout box.

For an overview of the concept and functions of the SCM, see this post.

This first example makes use of the SCM's tap function. Given two gates, it will 'remember' the tempo until it receives new marching orders. The most obvious clock source is an LFO, but this feature means you could also feed it with a gate signal from your keyboard:


fingered

2 VCOs, left gated by keyboard, right by manually-clocked SCM. The shorter the intervals between played notes, the faster the trills.

Here's a variation on the above using a tail-chasing Wogglebug to generate gate and pitch information. I used the x1 output of the SCM to trigger Maths and fed its envelope to the level VC of a Cwejman CTG-VC to fade out the echos. This works better in the slower sections i.e. the beginning of the clip. An option would have been to VC Maths' fall time with the pitch CV e.g. higher notes = faster echos = faster fade. If you don't have a Cwejman envelope, you could use a second VCA to add similar dynamic control of your your envelope.


echo

Because the SCM 'reads' the interval between two pulses, large timing changes from fast to slow will display an amount of lag as the SCM catches up with the new tempo. This is possibly the only failing of the module but, given the difficulties in implementing clock multiplication (the SCM can't 'predict' the new tempo before it has happened!), two taps are more than acceptable and this lag can also have its musical uses as a 'ghost' beat.


lag
LFO as clock, speed manually changed.

The most obvious use for the SCM is as a drum trigger/ sequencer driver, but this last recording is an example of the SCM in an auxiliary role, helping to time the changes of a quantizer to generate sync'd glissando.


gliss
Main VCO left, clock reference right. At six seconds a slewed sequence is patched to the VCO. At about 18 seconds the sequence is re-patched to an A-156 quantizer. The quantizer responds to changes in voltage, so the steps are not in sync with the main clock. Patching an output from the SCM to the A-156's trigger input (27 seconds) resolves this and, with some rotation and slip, allows for swung or odd time glissando.

The SCM and breakout box have undergone some changes since I tested the prototype. The main differences are the addition of a x1 output, or mult of the clock source, and the loss of some of the 'straight' gate streams. I found the former to be useful on the RCD and, because the SCM generates pulses even without an input, it can function as a main clock source in a patch. The lack of some of the 'un-swung' outputs means you'll have to rotate the SCM if you want to make use of the phasing effects I demonstrated in my original post. The Breakout box has also undergone some changes, now offering a global x4 multiplier and mute function. As I previously noted, if you have an SCM, you really need the expander. Not only does it offer access to the swing & skip parameters, but it brings the SCM to life as a playable instrument. The breakout box should be available soon, so plan for one in your rack!

4MS RCD update & SCM preview

An overview of the updated 4MS Rotating Clock Divider and a taste of the company's next product, the Shuffling Clock Multiplier.



I liked the RCD when I first tried it, but missed the ability to output gates and, more importantly, wished it could count on the downbeat. This latest update delivers both features and makes the Rotating Clock Divider perfect.

Here are some short examples:



Downbeat counting. /1, /2 & /4 outputs drive three envelopes, Pressure Points rotates.



Similar to the above, but with gates rather than triggers.

This third recording demonstrates an interesting side effect of the way the RCD generates its gates in upbeat mode: the /1, or mult of the source clock, is inverted, resulting in a funky offbeat. The first half of the clip is upbeat the way we know and love it from the A-160 (source plus /4), the second half is the RCD. If you want a 'normal' upbeat division to play against your source, take the mult directly from your clock rather than the RCD.



Upbeat + Gate. A-160 then RCD.

I've been very lucky to have had the beta versions of the Shuffling Clock Multiplier and SCM Breakout for testing. In the past week, I've had so much fun twisting rhythms that I'm sad to have to send them back. The final feature-set and layout will likely change, so I won't go into any great detail. Suffice it to say, that rotating, shuffled clock multiplications are an even bigger hoot than divisions.

The SCM takes an incoming clock and multiplies it. These multiplications are available at separate outputs and, like the RCD, these can be rotated. The x4, x6 & x8 clocks have twin outputs, and these can be played off against each other for swing and drop-out effects. Lastly, you can also modulate the pulse width of the resulting gates.

Here are some examples of the key functions:



Left = x4, right = S(x4). Slippage altered first, then shuffle, then both. These functions are related: one determines the amount of swing, the other which beats are swung.



Same as above. Skip selects which beats are 'dropped'.

For more details on the SCM see the 4MS website and Youtube demos.

The breakout module is key as it gives you manual and CV access to these functions and, as you can tell from this final recording, makes the SCM a very playable instrument:

4ms SCM jam by navs

Two VCOs, SCM, quantizer, analogue shift register and a couple envelopes and VCAs. Sequence sent to VCO1 (left) and multed to the ASR which is clocked by the S(x4) output. The shifted clock and pitch information is sent to VCO2 (right). Manual tweaks of the clock, SCM, ASR output and quantizer scale.

Thanks to Dann of 4MS for the updated RCD - I can't wait to get my hands on the final SCM!

Sport Modulator - Staircase to Heaven?

An overview and demo of the Toppobrillo Sport Modulator, a dual lag + hold/ sample + hold CV processor and generator which takes its cues from a classic Serge design.



The Sport Modulator features two identical but related sections, both of which are capable of smooth & stepped functions, low and audio-frequency oscillation and pulse streams. For more information and patch tips, see the product page and the SSG Wizardry section of the Serge Fans site.

Here's a basic run-though to get started:



LFO sine > SM in. SM out > VCO. Manual modulation of slew rate. Then pulse from same LFO to 4ms SCM, x8 out > SM T/H in. Lag + Hold mode first, then S+H. Hi hat provided as timing reference.

Here's the SM processing some white noise:



Bottom section cycles, end out provides T/H trigger for top section. Manual tweaks.

And here it is processing itself:



Both sections cycling, top > bottom S/H in, comparator out > bottom CV in, bottom end out > top CV in, bottom out > VCA.

And lastly, a variation on an Allen Strange S&H patch:



2 VCOs. One receives all notes, the second gets timed 'grabs': the main sequence is 8 notes long. Taking a shorter or uneven division from a clock divider causes the S&H to grab a different note on each pass. After about 40 seconds you can hear the difference between S&H + T&H modes: the latter lets the note stream pass while the gate is high and then holds the last note when it goes low. The second part of the recording, after 1 minute, uses the SCM to generate triggers at a faster rate than the main clock, opening the doors to staircase madness.

I have to admit, I spent the first five minutes staring at the Sport Modulator not knowing what I was supposed to patch where. The SSG tips were a great help, although there are some differences between the two. Firstly, as mentioned, both sections of the SM are capable of both smooth and stepped functions making it more flexible than its ancestor. However, the SM's cycle function is not gate-able so, while the cycle button provides convenience, some patch possibilities may have been sacrificed.

The build quality and layout are great and the circuit does indeed hold for quite a while without noticeable droop. Cross-modulating two cycling sections can generate chaotic repetitive patterns, with the comparator output documenting the two oscillators' struggle. An LED for the comparator output and 'attenuverters' for the CV ins would have been useful, but their absence in no way spoils the fun. Like the Wogglebug, which covers some of the same ground, the Sport Modulator is greater than the sum of its parts and the musical results are unique.

Patch Tips #23 - PEG Burst Generator

How to patch the 4ms PEG for use as a synced burst generator.



I love the burst output of the Wogglebug but sometimes want the pulse streams to be in time and on command. The PEG makes this easy:



Patch your master clock to the Ping input on one PEG channel. Send your gate - or 'on' command - to the QNT input. I used the T-Gate output of Pressure Points in the example.

Using the QNT input means the PEG will only fire when told to, thus avoiding the need for extra AND logic. It also means it will repeat/ loop its envelopes at a rate set by the div/ mult.

Keep the curve linear and set the skew clockwise for an instantaneous attack time. The EOR now becomes your timing pulse, which you can use to trigger another envelope.

With the basic patch set, use the EOF to trigger a random generator like the Wogglebug. Patch its stepped output to the PEG's div/mult CV to get random but in sync bursts.

If you have an SCM and Expander, you can try a similar patch using the mute and rotate inputs.