Methods! Stuff I heard...

Here's some cool things/updates being done with the Reflex LiveLoop
You may also check through the ever growing thread at Muff Wiggler Here
BTW: These are in reverse chronological order, top is newest

Echo in a Sequence   While a clocked Echo can be started remotely anywhere in a MIDI Sequence to echo the present sounds feeding into the Reflex, the echo size is limited by the ClockDiv setting (also settable in MIDI). This means it can be 1/4 of a "beat" up to bar long. There may be a time you want to create an irregular echo, or a very long one. A looping section of infinite echo also applies.
  The easy way to echo is just as you would from the panel. Send a note A1 (#21) to start Record, then another to set echo size.
To end an echo / infinite echo in progress just send the note on for > 1 second (2 beats at 120BPM).

It should be noted that at this time (Dec 2016) the Rate can't be swung down to create a Karplus echo (2 very close taps on REC button) via MIDI as the initial Record will set the Rate to default center position. If you have the timing perfect you can shift the Rate down between the first record note and the second, at which point Karplus echo can be created. I am trying to resolve this.

If you wish to attempt it anyway, setting a ST/End PlayFX on the "just recorded" Karplus echo in reverse is very cool!

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Auto-Musik II   With the MIDI interface on the new Flash-8 expansion board, a whole lot of sequence-able control becomes an easy way to do some pretty amazing stuff on the Reflex. Recording a sound with a DAW that is specifically started and stopped in a MIDI sequence is basically impossible without interaction by the user, i.e. it can't be automated at all as far as I've seen. Using the Reflex this can be accomplished easily.
For example, the newly dubbed "Auto-Musik II" (Auto-Musik I   -was just recording during an SGS sequence). I did it in FL Studio and the zipped loops/.flp is on the flash-8 page if you have FL Studio, or Reaper.

This example uses the Record/Play notes aka DJ Mode. I'll reference to FL Studio, but will work anywhere.
1) Take a bunch of drum samples (percussion only) and lay them out as 10 steps, 1 or 2 beats apart in a pattern, say 4 bars long
2) Add a MIDI Out pattern and set to MIDI Channel (Slot) # 2 for DJ mode
3) Set Record notes (black notes from C#6 to Bb7) to line up with different drums or hats, combos  etc. in Piano-Roll
   *Note that these notes must be as long as you want the sample to be! Usually that's right up to the next one.
4) Put this pattern in first part or song/playlist but after the first bar (Critical functions, like REC are blocked 200mS after Play)
5) Allow the pattern to run once with your drums, then stop. There will now be 10 samples notes on the white keys (C6 +)
6) Select another Pattern and play around with the White key samples (be careful not to hit a Black key!)
7) Once you've become familiar with your drum samples, create a few loops with them and add them into the Playlist after
    the Recording pattern. These will be the cool grooves so make it at least 30 seconds long total before it loops ;)
8) Set the loop point at the start of the Record Pattern so it loops to there.
9) Turn blend over to the right so you can only hear the Reflex samples

Mix some canned music with the output from FL Studio (however you usually do that) and hit MIDI Play.
Each time your sequence loops, a new set of Samples will be recorded with your drums + incoming music/voices etc. then it is played in a cool and groovy way! Each time it comes around the sound really changes and is always entertaining.

To further the "automation" experience, add CC control automation to only allow Blend Input Levels to be heard during Record notes, then fades out to hear only samples. The .zip file has this feature.
This can also be done with recording, then creating Slices from that, then playing them on Channel Slot # 3. All Samples created in this example are kept until the total length is > 3 minutes or there are more than 400 samples (Slices) so can be readily accessed via Channel 3 even though they were "ran over" by new Rec/Play notes on each Loop in you DAW.

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G-Move on X-Y!   A week back, BrandonLogic (on muffs) posted a short video on X-Y controlling PlayFX, something I hadn't really considered, while in G-Move. The results were astounding! I was reminded of this now as pZoot (on muffs) has made an iOS MIDI control (through the Flash-8 Expansion board) with PlayFX coarse & fine MIDI control via X-Y pads in touchOSC! Thread Link

I have yet to try this still as I just don't have the hardware, although I do have a bamboo pad I could rig for this. Can't wait for video on this.
 

PlayFX on 1-Shot Slices   As a result of the new 1-Shot mode, there was a quick evolution of PlayFX to act accordingly when activated during 1-Shot Slice Play. The result has been a PlayFX "arm" for next Slice. This feature will keep things in sync when Slices are being played via a trigger/gate, but if the Slices are just being played by hand (using SLICE button) PlayFX will trigger each time the PLAY button is pressed. This is the best of both worlds as a playing Slice sequence may want the occasional PlayFX enacted, like reverse, or just shortening the length of some steps.

PlayFX can be used with a CV patched into it's End/Size jack to control the length of Slices in a sequence. This is especially wonderful with an LFO controlling the length of the Slices proportionately!

Slice 1-Shot Play   At the bequest of more than one RLL user, I saw the light and added a new way to Play Slices. Instead of just looping a Slice that has been selected, there is the option to create the Slices as 1-Shot Slices, meaning they only play once when triggered. Originally (V1.02G) only a Slice that has been triggered would play as a 1-Shot, but this was rather confusing and took some of the fun out of playing Slices (especially using the SLICE button!) So the definition of two types of Slices came into useful being:

  Any Slice created during an initial Record (before echoing, Playing) or during an R/P mode Play, will be considered "sequential" and will from then on Play as 1-Shot Slices as long as Slice LOOP is on. 1-Shot plays once then stops/exits to RP Sample. If the recording/Playing has been stopped, then the 1-Shot plays will end in silence.

  At first I thought of it as abruptly chopping off a sample, but most of the time a sample/recording being sliced will intentionally have gaps (such as drums or stabs etc) and to be truthful, even songs that have been sequentially sliced 1-Shot softly into silence thanks to the muting abilities of the Reflex sound pretty good! Now I wouldn't dream of ever going back.

  BTW, Slices created during an Echo or Layer record/Play are still Looping Slices, each looping at the Echo Size, or Layer Size. PlayFX created Slices (Slices made from PlayFX Loops) are also standard Looping Slices.
One more thing, if Slice LOOP is off, then Slices will Play through as before, no matter which type they are.
Isn't that simpler?

Stutter Mode!    Even though the Stutter feature was added to the original sampler I designed for a project in 2015 called "Show-In-A-Box" I had decided to leave it out of the production of the Reflex, that is until I found out how many people out there simply love quirky FX and unpredictable carryings-on!  It was fairly easy to implement but became a bit complex when programming to control it from with-in PlayFX as Stutter uses the PlayFX knobs to control Left and Right channel stutter.

What Stutter does is simply masks certain bits in the sample's addresses, causing it to skip and/or repeat small areas of the progression of the sample playing. At different sample Rates, therefore, Stutter will produce different results tonally.
As if this isn't loony enough, Stutter has a fine mode that appears to break down samples instantly into lower/distorted sample rates with aliasing and bizarre qualities that may only exist in a "broken sample machine".  All this and CV control over the Left and Right Channel Stutter/Fine Stutter makes this a fun and worthwhile addition to the RLL!

PlayFX Created Slices
- precision!
   With the pending release of V.1.01g and many updates, including 7 new permanent user options, comes some modifications to make PlayFX run more smoothly and more predictably. One of these updates is to make a slice from a very tight PlayFX loop.

   If you've played around with PlayFX, you may have tried to adjust the Start/End together and switched to Fine mode to create "notes" for Slices, only to be discouraged when the notes come up different when played as a Slice. This is no longer an issue as the Slice is precisely identical to the tiny loop from which is was created.
This also works the same way when modifying a Slice with PlayFX (except from G-Move of course)
 

Sample Sample Sample!    The somewhat omitted R/P Mode is coming to maturity in it's functional capacity. R/P (Record/Play) mode was originally to simply record a sample, then play it back by pressing the record button to record, then again to play. Unfortunately, this can be rather limiting, and seems to be a waste of a spot on the panel! R/P mode has been a fence sitting issue since the first sample of audio burst forth from the prototype Audio output jacks, so no video or coverage has been made for this mode at all.

  What if you could record a sample, then when playing it back overdub or punch-in to it with additional audio without there being any loop or limit/size restrictions like there is in Echo & Layer modes? What if you could append a sample already playing to a larger size?
  The new R/P mode can do this, up to 3 minutes @ full sample rate. ( Reducing the sample rate to the first LED on the LED Circle is about 24KHz and will yield 6 minutes without much loss of high end clarity. For a grungy 80's type sample sound you can squeeze 10 minutes to 30 minutes of sample time.)
  Because there's no time constraints, an uneven Trigger into Record from, say a sequencer's gate output, can yield some interesting results! For example, the 1st trigger starts record, then another 2 seconds later switches to play, and yet another happens after 1 second; the punch-in point will be half way through the play looping. The original sound will be fed back as usual, but a new sound mixed with it until another trigger switches it back to play. Depending on the sequence, the whole sample size may grow quickly, or fold in on itself. Throw in the EQ and some cool things start to evolve!
Soft leveling on the feedback will quickly smooth any sudden level changes if the feedback level is reduced.

  PlayFX can be used to "index" long samples, or play in reverse, without loosing place in the playing sample. It can also be used to speed up / slow down / loop and then be recorded as a replacement or append.
 

Karplus Tunnel Syndrome   Although the Reflex wasn't designed for such tight little delays such as exist in a Karplus Strong overlaying of sound, he does a pretty good job at it! Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-flLd1bN7O0
A really tight delay can be accomplished in Echo Mode by swinging the Rate all the way down, then double clicking the Record button as fast as you can! Once the Rate is brought back up to full speed (center) that space between taps is divided by 32, which is well within the delay time required. Careful adjustment of the Eq and Feedback controls offers some great resonances and overlapping. If you want faster, then use a clock input on the Rec trigger instead of your finger; although the top end is so tight it just becomes feedback ringing.
 
Self triggering Slices!

 

 

  After adding the Auto-Slicer modification to create a slice on every echo/delay cycle, and playing with the resulting slices (which makes them valid or they'll be erased in lieu of a "real" slice made by user) I came to realize the loop clock output could be patched back into the Slice Play input. This will trigger a new slice to play at the end of the last slice.
Adding a random signal to the Slice CV input, a new slice is selected each time, and stays in sync with the original echo length!

  This works very well if a set of notes is built upon from the start, but with the feedback turned down some to allow old notes to decay away. So as long as the original melody isn't drifted away from too much, it all fits together very well!
In this sample playFX was also brought in set in reverse, and some envelope on the EQ midrange band.
A piano was used to build in this sample, before the idea came to self feed the trigger.
 

Peak Slice Record Trigger   Peak Slicing is a very useful and quick way of making a lot of slices without having to manually key them in or sync a trigger input. Of course it creates a lot of slices, but can yield happy unexpected results that are pretty inspirational.
Slices can be made during playback, or live, during record. I found it inconvenient to hit the record and run to whatever is going to be played to get the sample in.

  That's why there's now a peak record trigger! Select Peak Mode, then press record. The Record LED will flash until a sound is heard, at which point it begins recording. This has no affect on any other step of operation, and you don't even have to use the slices, it's just a great way to start record remotely.
If you decide to cancel once armed, holding the button or footswitch for more than 1 second will reset it.
 

Slice Over-Dubbing   The thing with Slices is that once they are created, there they are. Sure the length and direction can be modified and saved, or they can all be played "under the influence" of a playFX, reversed etc., but how about overdubbing, punching in, or ersing a slice entirely?
  It can now be done as a constant record started and stopped at will. This means the slice itself will act as a delay if the feedback is up, or replace the slice area altogether. If using with echo length slices, whole series of slices can be edited (on purpose or by accident!) or modified as below first, then over-dubbed.

  This all sounds complicated but it's as easy as playing a slice, then tapping the Record button where/when you want to overdub or replace the Slice. Tap Record again to stop and leave the Slice play.
This being said, a fun thing to try is to create a bunch of fast slices, then try to mimic the slice with your voice or other sound and overdub it in 50% mix. Once finished a few, exit Slice Play and you'll hear your modifications to the original sample!
It's best to create the slices from a stable playing sample (one that's looped once) so Slicer knows that's the sample to slice at that point.
 

Slice Modification   Modifying a slice is as important in a sampler as modifying a slice of bread with some butter and jam! That's why the Reflex can do it! As of the time of this blog, two PlayFX modes can be used to modify a slice: Start/End and Position/Size.
G-Move works on a slice, but you can't save it as a single slice modification because it's constantly changing.
( If you really want to save a G-Move, it can always be recorded as a sample by tapping record while G-Move is running)

  To modify a Slice, select the Slice using Slice Sel (1-16) or that + a CV offset. Start playFX and do your modifications. When ready to to save, tap playFX button, then immediately tap the Record button. The PlayFX LED will go out and the slice you've just modified will be playing. Done!
There is a single undo for each slice, so if you want to re-modify a slice, the previous slice will be copied to playFX for modifying. After that, returning again will load the previous slice modification back (even if it's one you don't want)
 

New Layer Mode: Layer II   The old Layer Mode ( luckily before the release so no one had to experience it but yours truly) had to go. It created pressure on the performer in that the fist footswitch tap would start recording, the second would add a new layer, but recording. So if the performer forgot to add the second tap to switch to play, right away things are amiss!

  Layer II is much more intelligent and forgiving. The same rules apply, i.e. A layer must be at least 2 seconds long, and the 2nd tap defines the initial size of a Layer, but that's where similarities end.
So the 1st tap starts record, the 2nd tap sets the layer size (so should be at a down beat) and Layer switches to play.
If you want to record the next layer right away, just tap again within 1 second.
After that, say a second later, you want the recording to end at the next loop point, you can tap once anywhere up to the loop.

  The footswitch (or Record button) can be tapped anywhere between loops or at loop time following the simple rules:
Once for play next, or twice for record next.
I found this really easy to manage with very little practice, and the "late" double tap is really great as one tends to want to tap right at the loop point, rather than in between or just before.

  An extra, and much desired feature, is the Layer Back function. This allows you to "peel back" layers to reach the previous layer recorded, and continue all the way back to the very first layer. This can be accomplished by triple tapping, and this really should be done in between loops to avoid confusion.
  Finally, the whole thing can be stopped by holding the footswitch, or Record button, then releasing to stop. This means the entire Layer sequence can be controlled via a footswitch, hands free, which is perfect for playing guitar or keyboards!
 

Slice Groove Sequencer   Can the Reflex sequence slices based on what you tap / trigger / CV / select in? Yep!
This cool little feature has become a staple around the studio during the Reflex development. If I find a great sounding bunch of slices, I switch to Slice Sequencer, then tap in a groove while hand selecting slices on the rate knob. More fun is hooking a sequencer to the CV input, then manually tapping them in, or also hook the Slice Play trigger to the sequencer and add in little taps as well!

  The Slice Groove idea has existed since the beginning of the Reflex, and after having it actually working, the Reflex would be a far lesser machine without it.
Entering Slice Sequence requires that some slices already be at the ready, then holding down the slice button and tapping the Record button (while still holding Slice button). This way it couldn't possibly be entered by accident.
The Red LED above the Slice button comes on, indicating all ready to record. The first Tap on the Slice button is  the start of the recording. This will also engage the trigger input if there is one. Use the Rate knob to select slices as you go.
Once you draw the sequence to a close (Up to 200 "notes") tap the Record button to end record, at which point the sequence will play. Because the switch to play is instant, consider this tap the downbeat to the first slice you tapped in.

 As usual, the Slice CV acts as a divided range to access all slices. So if there's 50 slices, then the 0 - 5V will access 10 in every Volt. The Rate Knob as Slice Select acts as a slice# offset 1-16 (not a a voltage offset) so that the LED Circle can display easily how many slices a sequence CV might be offset etc.
  An added bit of coolness to this feature is to set the Record T/F/C trigger to Clock. Each time a slice starts (your taps) in the recorded sequence, a pulse is sent (like with all slice and PlayFX) which can be patched to an ADSR or other envelope to control an EQ band on the Reflex!
 

Rate Range   The Rate Range has always been meant to be 4 octaves, but there's been more squeezed out on each end making it a harsh 5 Octaves each way. This is really pretty ridiculous for range, but has it benifits. +5 Octaves can cue you up to any spot in memory in a second or 2, and -5 Octaves is good for setting the echo/delay to fly back up to 48KHz and get that Karplus Strong 'verb.

 Rate CV input has a full range attenuvertor to invert and attenuate -5V to +5V, and at each end will play samples as 1V/Oct.

  The Rate CV speed is approximately 150Hz, but may be more as the scan rate is many times that. It depends on what kind of resolution you are looking for, the swing, and the audio that's going in. The Sample Rate is completely variable from 1.5KHz up to 48KHz where it "holds". Lower sample rates give more time than the 174 seconds, and is almost not noticeable at half speed (just when the first LED in the circle illuminates) unless there's lots of highs like cymbals etc.

  So effectively, the time can be almost 6 minutes, which seems excessive, but isn't when you're in Layering mode with a long progression! Lower rates only become noticeable after 1.7 octaves (18KHz) down. By 2 octaves (12KHz), you must adjust down the high band on the EQ to get rid of the Nyquist ring...which may be desirable too...
 

MIDI from Sequarallel! Recently I have been experimenting with the Reflex via Flash-8 / MIDI from our newest module the Accord Sequarallel. As any of you with a Flash-8 expansion know MIDI controlling the Reflex's extended features via MIDI (i.e. a control surface or computer sequencer) is a lot of fun and can precisely control loops of samples, record and play them back at any time, and apply echo or granular FX. As the Sequarallel module can send MIDI from it's sequencers and recordings I just had to give it a go!

The first experiment was to simply record a pre-made sequence (the Flash-8 demo initially) and the sounds into the Reflex to test it out. It worked exactly as it did with the computer sequencer, yay! Next I used those samples and triggered them from the TRAX trackers in the Sequarallel and had a great time with it sending notes / pitch / G-Move and Slice data with various methods. This made the Reflex a sample player via MIDI to go along with the MIDI synth I had patched in also.

Unfortunately I didn't record these sessions but plan to once I decide to use it in a cohesive song attempt. Stay tuned!

SDS Digital

Fresh Nelly Musik