The Sequencer
Iosefka contains a 32 step sequencer with an emphasis on live performance, allowing for precise input, or automatically generated Patterns.
A Pattern is the current arrangement of steps in the sequencer. Every Preset has its own pattern.
The sequencer has a range from 30 to 300 BPM (beats per minute) and operates at 24 PPQ (parts per quarternote) to match incoming MIDI clock ticks.
Sequencer Parameters
These are the Parameters available in the Sequencer View, specifically the Sequencer Layer.
| Parameter name | Function |
|---|---|
| Note | - Generator off: Controls the note that is set when Enabling a step - Generator on: Sets the base note of the generated sequence - Parameter lock: Changes the current selected step note |
| Octave | - Generator off: Controls the octave of the note set when Enabling a step - Generator on: Sets the base octave of the generated sequence - Parameter lock: Changes the current selected step octave |
| Scale | The musical mode generated by the Generator - ma - Major scale - mi - Minor scale |
| Length | - Normal operation: Controls the length of the next enabled step note - Parameter lock: Changes the current selected step length* |
| Velocity | - Normal operation: Controls the velocity of the next enabled step - Parameter lock: Changes the current selected step velocity |
| Transpose | Musically adjusts the notes played in the sequence by -12 to +12 semitones. Note: This is a bipolar value, but displays with negative and positive hex values, ranging from -C (meaning -12) to +C ( meaning +12) Note: Holding Shift key will snap this Parameter to -C, 0, or +C depending on Potentiometer position, intended for performance purposes |
| Direction | Sets the direction that the sequence plays from the first note to the last note as such: - fw - Forward, notes play from first note to last note, then repeat - bw - Backward, notes play from last note to first note, then repeat - p1 - Ping pong 1, notes play from first note to last note, then reverse direction, repeat - p2 - Ping pong 2, notes play from first note to last note, then reverse direction, repeat, but the first and last note play twice. With this setting, sequences play an even number of steps forward and backward. |
| Swing | Sets the rhythmic swing, dividing the 12 clock ticks between every two halfnotes: - 00 - No swing, each first and second quarternote have a 1:1 ratio of clock ticks - 01 - Light swing, each first and second quarternote have a 7:5 ratio of clock ticks - 02 - Medium swing, each first and second quarternote have a 2:1 ratio of clock ticks - 03 - Heavy swing, each first and second quarternote have a 3:1 ratio of clock ticks |
| Clock Div. | Multiplies or divides the number of ticks per quarternote, making the sequence slower or faster: - *8 - Sequence is 8 times slower - *4 - Sequence is 4 times slower - *2 - Sequence is 2 times slower - *d - Sequence is 1.5 times slower - /1 - Sequence is normal speed - /2 - Sequence is twice as fast |
| First Step | Selects the first step of the 32 steps played by the sequencer When a Pattern is automatically generated, the generated Pattern will start and this step and end at the Last Step Parameter Cannot exceed the step selected by the Last Step Parameter.* |
| Last Step | Selects the last step of the 32 steps played by the sequencer. When a Pattern is automatically generated, the generated Pattern will start and this step and end at the First Step Parameter Cannot precede the step selected by the First Step Parameter* |
| Probability | - Normal Operation: Each step, a random number between 00 and FF is generated. If the Probability value is greater than this random number, and this step is active, the step plays. Higher number = greater chance an active step is triggered - Parameter Lock: If the parameter locked Probability value is 00, the probability will be set to whatever the Normal Operation probability is set to. If the Parameter Locked Probability is "01" - FF, this will be the probability for that individual step. |
| G. Chance | When a Pattern is generated, a random number between 00 and FF is generated for each step. If the G. Chance value is greater than this number, a step is generated. Higher number = greater number of steps generated Ignored for steps with Probability Parameter Locked above a value of 00 |
| G. Length | The length of step notes in a generated Pattern. At 00, all notes are 1 step long. At 07, all notes are 4 steps long. Every value between 00 and 07 is a weighted preference between shorter step notes and longer step notes |
| G. Repeat | When the generator is on, the number of times a Pattern repeats before a new Pattern is generated. Note that this value is displayed as Hexadecimal |
| G. Octave | Similar to G. Length, this selects the octave range from the Octave parameter based on a weighted table |
*Values are displayed in Decimal from "01" through "32"
Programming Patterns
Step Data
Each of the 32 Steps in the sequencer contain their own configurable Parameters, as shown in the Parameter list above. These are:
- Note (including octave)
- Length
- Velocity
- Parameter Lock Destination
- Parameter Lock Value
- Active
- Enabled
Each time a step occurs, the step will behave based on the combination of all of these values. The values can either be set manually by changing the Parameters using the Potentiometers before and manually programming the step, or the values will be automatically set for all notes when a Pattern is automatically generated.
Step Play States
Every step can be in one of three Play States:
- Step On - This step will play (if it passes a Probability check)
- Step Mute - This step will not play, but contains Step Data
- Step Off - This step will not play, and there is no Step Data
Manual Programming
With the Seq Page active, a Pattern can be readily programmed into Iosefka's Sequencer.
Setting Step Play States with 1 - 8 Key Switches
The 1 - 8 Key switches set the Play State of each respective step according to the current Step Section. The action taken by said switches is as follows:
- If Step Off, pressing the Key switch will put the step into the Step On state. The step will adopt the Step Data determined by the Sequencer Parameters
- If Step On, pressing the Key switch will put the step into the Step Mute state. The Step Data is retained
- If Step Mute, pressing the Key switch will put the step into the Step On state
- If the Step On or Step Mute, pressing the Shift switch and the Key switch will put the step into the Step Off state, erasing Step Data
Step Sections
Eight steps can be programmed at a time using the 1 - 8 Key switches while on the Seq Page. To select which 8 steps can be programmed, you must toggle through the four Sections using the Section Up and Section Down Key switches. The white horizontal line above steps 1 - 16, and below steps 17 - 32, display which section of 8 steps is currently programmable.
With the white line in this position, the 1 - 8 Key switches program steps 1 - 8.
With the white line in this position, the 1 - 8 Key switches program steps 24 - 32.
Live Step Recording
Hold the Shift Switch and press the Play Switch to enter Step Record. A metronome will play and a record icon will appear on the OLED Display.
While Step Record is active, entering notes via the Key Switches, or notes entered via MIDI input will be recorded into the sequencer. Entered steps will replace existing Steps on the same Step number.
The Sequencer Direction will also be set to FORWARD when enabling Step Record. If the Sequencer Direction is set to any other direction, it must manually be set back to the original Direction after exiting Step Record. Like in normal operation, the sequencer will loop from the first step to the last step.
Press Play again to exit Step Record.
Note that delay effects will cease while Step Record is active, but will be enabled when exiting Step Record.
Generative Programming
When a Pattern is generated, it will erase and rewrite over all steps within the First Step and Last Step Parameters (Be mindful when using the generator as to not erase Patterns you want to keep!) The pattern is randomly generated, but within the bounds of the Sequencer Parameters relating to the Generator.
When generating a new pattern, the Step Probability and Parameter Locks are maintained for all generated Steps. Steps containing Step Probability above a value of 0 will be generated as Active Steps.
Running Generation
Running generation will occur as long as the Generator is 'On'. This is set using the Generator On/Off Key Switch, and is visually indicated by the "Gen" icon in the top-right of the OLED Display while in the Sequencer View.
The G. Repeat Parameter determines the number of times a Pattern plays before a new pattern is generated. The remaining number of repeats before a Pattern is Generated can be seen at the top left of the OLED Display when in the Sequencer View.
Oh no, the Generator created a killer pattern that I want to keep but it's going to be erased after this final repeat!!! Fret not. Turning the Generator off by pressing the Generator On/Off Key switch will prevent automatic rewriting of the pattern.
Immediate Generation
Pressing the Generate New Key switch will immediately generate a new pattern regardless of the state of the Generator, number of repeats remaining, etc.
Parameter Locking
Step Data can be adjusted for steps that are already set using Parameter Locking. Press and hold one or more of the 1 - 8 Key switches corresponding to the step in the desired Step Section. In the OLED Display, you will see several Parameters light up, indicating the Step Data Parameters that are Parameter Lock-able.
Parameter Locks of Synth Parameters
A single synthesizer parameter can be applied per-step. The previous step's Parameter Lock will be canceled by the one for the next step.
To set the synthesizer Parameter Lock parameter, use Layer Decoupling on the layer with the parameter you'd like to lock like so: - Layer Decouple to the layer with the parameter you will be locking - Press and hold a step, then change the parameter
Removing Parameter Locks
To remove the parameter lock for any step: While on the Sequencer Layer hold the 1 - 8 Key Switch that contains the parameter lock you want to erase, and turn any Potentiometer whose corresponding parameter isn't lit on the OLED Display. Specifically these are the following: Transpose, Direction, Swing, Clock Div, First Step, Last Step, G. Chance, G. Length, G. Repeat, and G. Octave.
Additional features
Section jumping
By holding the Shift switch and pressing the Section Up and Section Down Key switches, you are able to shift the first and last steps by the count of the overall pattern length. This allows you to play different sections as if they were different parts of a song.
For example, if your first step is step 1, and your last step is step 8 (making a pattern length of 8), by pressing the Shift switch and the Section Up Key switch, the first step becomes 9 and the last step becomes 16.
Section jumping is designed to maintain the relative note in the sequence, so your song doesn't 'break' if you section jump mid-pattern.
We are limited to the 32 steps of the sequencer, so we can only section jump in pattern lengths of 16 or less. I could describe how this works exhaustively, but just play around with this feature and you'll see what it can/can't do.
Pattern Rotation
By holding the Copy Switch and pressing the Section - or Section + Switches, you can rotate the steps in the pattern from the First Step to the Last Step.
If the First Step is Step 1, and the Last Step is Step 8 (for example), a Pattern Rotation using the Copy Switch and the Section + Switch will shift all Step Data forward by one Step, and replace the First Step with the Last Step. Vice Versa if pressing the Section - Switch. All other steps will not be rotated.
If the First Step is Step 1, the Last Step is Step 32, and the Switches mentioned above are pressed, the entire pattern will rotate in the respective direction.
Pattern Clear
Holding the Shift Switch and pressing the Gen New Switch will clear the entire pattern, erasing all steps and associated Probability and Parameter Lock data.
Step Copy
By holding the Key Switch for any step and pressing the Copy Switch, the Step Data will be copied to the Sequencer Parameters (excluding Probability and Parameter Lock data), so that the next written step will have the copied step's Note, Velocity, and Length.
Specifically, when you execute a step copy, you will see the data of the copied Step in the Sequencer Layer parameters. There's no clipboard or paste function.