Variable gate length

[lazlokovacs]

I would like to be able to make the gate length shorter, but still be able to easily go back to the nomal gate length. Ideally I would like to use a pot where I have the normal gate length fully clock wise or counter clock wise and be able to make it shorter turning the pot the other way. Any ideas on how I would do that?

[antto]

the Gate signal is generated from the Sequencer, and thus you cannot make it "shorter" or "longer" afterwards via mods
or maybe you *can* with some clever analog voodoo
the right way to do it is either to modify the firmware, or shuffle the sync clock (which would only work when the x0x is in slave mode)

[mario1089]

It would be easy to change the gate length in the firmware, but it would not be a pot, but be changeable similar the way the swing is set, using some combination of buttons to press. It`s a very interesting, useful thing to do - and I already thought about putting it into my MarOS1.0 firmware. Let`s see if I find the time during this week.

[antto]

i should have mentioned..
i already did this thing in the first beta version of my soft synth, as part of it's sequencer
it was even more extreme, since there wasn't no dinsync clock there, i had fractional gate length
so i did it step-length per-step, meaning, all 16 notes of the pattern had a "step length" attribute which had 8 possible values (i could have made it even more dense)
well.. to be honest, it does NOT sound good on a 303
now in my current version i have a virtual dinsync clock (because now the sequencer works much more like the x0x sequencer) and i made the same sort of step length but a single attribute per pattern (not per-step, didn't want to waste more memory) and now it relies on the dinsync clock to work, just like the x0x would
aaaand once again, i feel stupid, why did i put that feature again? it is useless, it doesn't sound good

tell me if you want audio samples to hear it yourself..
what i mean is: if i want to make the 303 sound less 303 - i'd override the sequencer and use midiplay (to control it via midi notes with whatever note length i want) .. but i almost never have such a desire ;]

[mario1089]

Yes, I agree, a typical 303 kinda sequence sounds best with the gate length as set normally. But doubtlessly there are cases where shorter or longer notes may be one`s desire, and if its just for intro or the break or whatever or for something that`s not 303 like. I mean I`m programming sequences for decades, and it`s not that I found them always sound best when all noteOffs are on the 1/32 grid:) Some sequences feel well running almost gapless, don`t you think?

Using MIDI play is odd - for me the fun of it all starts with the internal sequencer.

[antto]

yes, it's all about the sequencer, that's why i almost never use midiplay mode
as you can see, i try hard to use this feature, coded it 2 times in 2 versions of my sequencer, and everytime it runs out it doesn't get used in practice.. it's not good, ruins the 303 sound
maybe the problem is in me - being to strict

[mario1089]

I would not be surprised if the feature ends up being never used by me neither:) We`ll see.

[lazlokovacs]

Off topic: (the above posters asked for it! Nevermind it if you understand that people have different taste)
?!?!
Isn't it pretty obvious that I'd like to do this for other purposes than have the x0x sounding exactly like a 303? And also, YOU might not like it, so? I might! I've read the exact same reasoning on this forum before. "It doesn't sound good to do that", "It doesn't sound like a 303 if you do that". Well, whatever, I really don't care what you think, everything is subjective.

Sorry, but I think it's a really lame attitude and totally off topic.


On Topic:
Thanks though for the answers, too bad it's a software issue since I really don't want to give up any functions of the sokkOS. What ever happened to the new micro-controller with more memory?

[antto]

i thought people buy the x0xb0x because it's the closest thing to the TB-303
and the x0xb0x was designed to be just that too

and i understand your point perfectly, as i already explained, i have been trying to "force" myself to like this type of variable-gate feature

the closest thing you can do is to check out for a VCA-release modification, i think there was some mod besides the VCA-on-forever

anyway.. the CPU modification project is.. dead i guess

you can fit this feature into sokkos i'd say
probably erase some feature, i don't remember exactly but stuff like Random Mode and maybe Track Mode would free up some space there

[mario1089]

I will release variable gate length very soon in MarOS1.02 anyway (Code looked already close to be ready, when I scrambled the bootloader).

Don`t know how much I will use it, we`ll see.. I`m doing something that makes the sequences very gapless for high gate times (smartly placing the Off some ms before the next ON, carefully watching the with swing), and I think that sounds like interesting and promising, while shorter gates may be a bit less interesting, as you can have something, well, similar with the VCA decay pot, that is easy to put it (which I have done).

The other thing is a pointless discussion for me. I like the standard 303 sequences and sound, but any option to have more variety to be used either temporarily in the song, or to do some other sort of sequences, are just welcome. I`d never do anything to it that`s not easily 100% bypassable/turn-off-able - but having options, that can`t be bad, right?

[mario1089]

I must the say the feature is awesome. For complex patterns with lots of slides, the remaining simple short notes turn into funky ghost notes, especially when combined with a little bit of swing.. With longer gates times, it all turns into some smeary wubbling. Hehe.

[rarara]

sounds good - when you expect it to be ready?

[mario1089]

I think today. Have to update the Doc, then we go.

[mario1089]

Variable gate length is released in MarOS1.2 - see top post of the related thread. Would be cooler to have it on pot, but as said, impossible. Have fun.