DEMO VIDEOS SAMPLES SUPPORT OTHER MODULES

  The Accord Sequarallel
Eurorack Module
by SDS Digital
 

Audio Samples
 

 

Here are some samples of the Sequencer in Action. They won't win any Grammy's! ..as were done during development

TRAX Tracker Samples
TRAX NoteFX Repeat
Not to be confused with Chop/ratchet or echo, this is a random step repeat that pauses the progression of a tracker when a note with this FX applies is stepped into. There are several other NoteFX going on here, Remote CC Step controls, filter switching via NoteFx, MIDI MPE, odd length seq's, all into a GM MIDI Synth.
PianoTRAXs.mp3
This is unintentionally humanized piano sequences from TRAX sequences. The tempo is slow so you can hear some Echo-Arp-Sequences going on plainly and the way they overlap. I think Echo, now expanded to 8x,  is truly one of the better NoteFX in the TRAX sequencers.
Micro-Arps & Layers
I began by recording into a TRAX tracker, then applied some micro-arps to it. That's the nice thing about looping live, inspiration takes over. Most of the rest is from Layers I played in.
Micro-Arps are in the form of Chopped Notes within a step, or Echoed Notes from a step that continue up to 8 notes extra. Each of these 8 notes can be transposed +/- 48.
NewSoloDucking-NoteFX.mp3
TRAX SOLO DUCKING can briefly take SOLO control over everything playing, for just on step perhaps, but stops notes piling and offers interesting fills / breaks
Echos and notes on can continue through a solo duck.
TRAX NoteFX Solo Ducking
Another sample to demonstrate the solo ducking which allows a step in any tracker to solo over everything else. Now the note length (not step) can solo for a longer time.
Another TRAX sequence playing the fast cycle is left to run to demonstrate, then the TRAX sequence with solo ducking steps is un-muted so it solos breaking the fast sequence up into shorter bursts. There is a Layer with occasional percussion & another with piano / synth that also get solo'd over.
TRAX NoteFX on Prec. Loop+CVin
This sample hilites a drum loop with random NoteFX applied to hats.
The TRAX sequences with the piano & VCO's are being influenced with a SongFX Scale modification via a CV input to CC5 jack, and a Transpose modification via a CV input to CC6 jack.

These inputs are complex LFO and a RIT_M so have varying transpose / scale combinations. The fade and FX at the end are post recording.

  TRAX NoteFX Chop & Shifts
This sample, also available for syx download, was set up be placing a note in step 1, then a working chord into step 3. This was then copied (Fill=4) through the 16 steps. Using Skip=4 all single note steps were assigned NoteFX1 which had an echo of 12 ticks, random=4.
After this each lane was shifted up/down.

In the percussion TRAX 2, a rhythm was pulled from song 61 and NoteFX added to all drums (snares mostly) in lane 2 to chop by 2, with -1 curvature. Fine tune+43 so only probability notes (40%) played higher. This adds a lot of variation to the drums.

 

TRAX PLFX'ed and ARP'ed
Three TRAX trackers are running, one with a bass line, one with a simple chord progression that is getting transposed with Play List Block Transpose as it progresses through the play List, then a final TRAX tracker with percussion.

The chord TRAX is getting Arpeggiated by ORD:ARPEG to a VCO. This Arp has masks so only bursts a few notes and is upward, but Arp Latching is on. The reason it doesn't loop is because TRAX is sending a quiet single note after the chord which resets the latch. (Not at end though!)

 

TRAX Transpose Patch
Heres a simple Song with only 1 block per 4 TRAX that uses a simple transpose patch from Row 4 CV to demonstrate accumulative key changes.
Get it: DEMO14 SYX
TRAX 1: Chan 1 changing between 3 instruments: Saw Lead, Vibes, Musicbox. Also driving 2 VCO's with MIDI out source on row 1 & 2
TRAX 2: Chan 2 GM Fiddle and Korg synth, plus a VCO on row 3 to play the slower melody.
TRAX 3: No MIDI out (LINK on Chan 1) driving CV on Row 4 which is patched back to CC5 (input) jack.
TRAX 4: Drums with some NoteFX / Skips etc
CC5 is configured as Learn input to control Transpose. TRAX 3 is 4 notes slowly stepping to transpose with delays of 22 so the transposes happen before a bar change, otherwise the first note wouldn't be transposed yet! This could be resolved by putting the Transposer TRAX as TRAX 1 probably.

The interesting thing with this is once the transpose has changed, the next TRAX 3 note will also be transposed, so the notes are somewhat balanced to go into the minus territory countering the gains plus side. Because all of TRAX 3's "transpose notes" have a NoteFX skip note randomization, it never plays the same progression. Each note exponentially changes the possibilities, but are at set intervals from the last.
To control any runaway, Song Loop#1 has a PLFX on the first 96 bars, so totaling 192 bars before looping, that will reset the transpose to 0. This takes about 5 minutes

There are some other tweaks, like note ducking on TRAX 2 which changes the way the beginning sounds occasionally. The brass sounding VCOs on chan 1 randomly include a decent jab or short embellishment with short echo and randomization of the microarp (noteFX3) if the instrument is Saw Lead with the VCO's.
 

Song FX / MIDI Song Recordings
NameThatTune2.mp3
Here's a couple of downloaded MIDI Songs I chopped into Loops and applied different SongFX to (yay mirror!). Guess the tunes!
I threw in some short un-FX'ed bits to help but you must admit, unless you're very familiar without those it'd be hard to know!
Dev-Collage.mp3
This is is a whole bunch of little tunes I played around with while developing the Sequarallel in the fall. I made this recording to inspire myself while I did a re-write for a memory expansion! I knew it wouldn't be working for a while, guess I could of put another module together hehe.
 
Dj'ing Song FX.mp3
This is SongFX manipulating Loops created from a downloaded version of "Do ya think I'm Sexy" by Rod Stewart. These were all in the Play List I believe but I was playing with the blocks.
Galaxy Song 3 Ways
Monty's crew probably never heard the Galaxy Song this way before! I have 4 sets of Layers ducking in and out, some steps soloing, and some TRAX imports (7) being scaled by the Song's scales. Some of the beats were from my BeatStep Pro into Layers I think.
During dev. kept adding bits to test this & that! (So it's a bit saturated)
SongFX Scale
This is a simple methods of controlling other sequencers within the Sequarallel with Song Loop FX changes like transpose and scales.
In this example there's 4 different loops (classical music recorded with no clock), each with an FX subsequence and scales. The scale & transpose are controlling a TRAX tracker.
Layer Seq's + SongFX
This is a set of 3 Layer QB's working together under SongFX controls like transpose, scaling, re-triggering, and all quant'ed to 1/8 notes.
The 3 Layer Sequences are of varying lengths and some StepFX include Solo which also removes the drums (TRAX) during those steps.
I have run this "Song" for up to 15 minutes and it still played new combinations!
Help Me Rhonda w/SongFX & ARPEG
Here's SongFX making another song unrecognizable, but with an Arp (ORD:ARPEG) on one VCO, while the others react to re-triggering and the whole thing to 4 different SongFX bundles including the non-SongFX at the start which is the only place the song is recognizable.

The Sequarallel is feeding a vintage box; the Yamaha MU-128, along with a Korg microKorg on Channel 5. The VCO's are all our SDS_VCO's with no post FX. ..The sysEx is here

 

FLstudio Comp Original
This is the original recorded into the Sequarallel's Song Loop recorder that will be featured in an upcoming Video.

The sample to the right is the result of some tweaking each loop with songFX, too many mods to list here. The string-like synth's cut filter is set by one of Sequar's envelopes triggered by the notes ...as doing this in the original ruins the bandwidth for slow (1/8) quantization trying to spit out 200 CC changes all at once!

FLstudio Comp 4 Upcoming Vid21
This is a Song recording of the same sequence I'll be using in an upcoming video on Song Loop Recording. There's about 10 loops here with various SongFX applied and Layer 1 has a little hand-played MPE piece.

This is held by a conditional until SongLoop 6 and SongLoop 1 has a PLFX that arms it as well. It's a way to add to a pre-recorded song and have it play at a particular point in the song. It could also time-out in bars count but that took math so chose the easy route instead! That's what's so great about the Sequarallel!

MIDI Layers / Layer Step Sequencer
Layers Quant+Swing
Here's about 10 Layers playing all quantized to 1/8th and about 25% swing. SongLoop FX, even though no Song exists, can be applied. Song FX switches the scale, but many of the Layers are odd lengths, 3, 5, 7, 8, 16 & 24 bars. This took me less than 5 minutes to Layer with a MIDI keyboard and another minute to add the FX!
BeatStep and some hand Layers
Pulled out the Beat Step Pro, it's been a while! This is a bit of what was on it. I simply recorded it in as a Song, changing loops from one to another, than broke it up into loops in the Sequarallel. After that I played in some Layers on the pads, and selected a couple of drum loops to just record in (they overlap!) To finish off, made a couple of TRAX percussive cut-ins with some randomization.
Layer Bend FX
Recording Layers with other than MIDI notes is possible. MIDI CC's, AT, or pitch bend messages can also be a Layer.  Because of Layer Step FX, the recording can be applied to other MIDI Channels during a Step Sequence.
Here's an example of a subtle pitch bend being applied to lead synth, then drums, noticeable with the snare.
Quantized Layer Bend
Recorded Pitch Bends on a MIDI Layer that has time quantizing turned on will result in the bend being quantized as well.
This, while probably unplanned to an unsuspecting newbie, can offer some cool glissando-like bends. This can be nicely compounded with glide on the synth!
But, to avoid this, simply confine any motion-MIDI to a Layer button with it's quantizing off.
2 Layers, 1 TRAX
I hand played in a couple of Layers and put percussion into a TRAX tracker. Very simple I know, but then offset the cycles of the 2 Layer Sequencers, some steps with some Song Loops (dummies) to change the transpose and scale.
One of the Layer steps solos the single layer step which I must admit is like-able!
This is the progression from my song "Hey,Hey"
2 Layers, 1 TRAX
This is some SongFX mods on a short recording of our other Accord series module, the Melisma. It was not aligned as the record was started while the Melisma played and no modular clock so the Melisma was providing the clock from it's ACLK.
Time Quantizing was applied to some loops while others not, and the SongFX subsequencer is re-triggering notes to different offsets.
Non-Sync'ed Layers Recorded
This
rather long sample is of 6 Layers playing (modified by 2 SongFX progressing)
The first 4 Layers were recorded from my Pedal-7 sequencer, but while varying the modular clock. The Layer QB is set to quant at 1/8ths so the SongFX note re-triggering makes sense. 
This method seems to beg for more experimentation!
Layers Odd Lengths in Seq
There are 3 Layer QB's (one percussive) playing their sequences but all are different lengths so they tend to overlap in different places.
In the Layer Sequences are "empty" steps of varied lengths so after a while it may be possible for there to be a few bars of silence. It happens after playing for quite a while!
Layers Odd Lengths in Seq 2
This longer recording is the same project as the previous recording but with many more Layers added. Some Layers can have Pitch Bends on a certain channel (out of sync loops!) while others modify cut / rez and levels making for a very interesting de-tuned sequence.
As mentioned in the original recording's description, the possibility of silence can and does happen (save some mod. percussion!)
Layers From MIDI & CV-> Swing
Recorded Layers from various sources are quantized to 1/4, 1/8, 1/16 in 3 different Layer buttons. For the first minute there is a 18% swing applied. All Layers follow Swing always, regardless of quant except 1/4 of course!
After a minute the swing is removed.
The refrain is a Layer Step soloing that also has the cowbell, and the transpositions are PLFX on some blocks in the Play List. Included is a Yamaha V-drum synth, 3 VCO's, and the trusty micro-korg on channel 5 as usual!
Layers "Appended"
While recording a Layer of set size with the [APPEND] option turned on will expand the size of the loop if playing is continued past the loop point (within 3/4 of a measure). While one could simply set the Loop size to double the previous, Append offers a "hands-free" method to do this, thus not interfering with a creative flow.

This is one of my favorite things to do with the Sequarallel, just loops and build on to it.
Then, at some point, expand the loops into a song in the Layer Step Sequencer Editor.

Layers: A Song in 5 minutes
I recorded in a few layers of loops and applied the CV Mode [ORD:ARPEG] to the top 3 Gate/CV rows for 3 VCO's to delicately arp along.
( The VCO's have heavy reverb effect)
There's a wee bit of arranging in the Layer Step Sequencer Editor.

From the time I started to the time I recorded this was about 5 minutes! I began playing around with the Limit & Mirror Modifiers in the Layer Quick-box, which is the bulk of this sample
...then some SongFX swing changes

Layers PLFX'ed
Some simple piano playing and percussion recorded on another Layer QB comes alive once some PLFX (PlayList FX) are added to control mirroring and Layer StepFX transposing and changing MIDI channel. SOngFX has some swing added to my already swingy style of playing.

The VCO's can be heard running ORD:ARPEG modes and one of those is sending notes back to the MIDI synth as well. This way a fairly simple little keying on the piano turns into a much denser passage!

Layers New Probability
In the Layer Loop Step Sequencer Step-FX you'll find the new Probability setting. This setting is random and works well to thin out heavier Layer combinations.
Used sparingly, it removes the odd note, but used a lot (like less than 20%) notes can be sparse but still fit to accompany another Layer QB or TRAX sequences playing.

I have noticed it can be interesting when CV Mode Order Arpeg is active. The Arp continually changes around but keeps going in it's rhythm!

Layered Drums + SongFX Tweaks
This barrage of drum solo's is interestingly simple. I recorded 3 drum Layers from FL Studio during a clocking test, then manipulated the way they play in Layer loop step sequencer, and added a fairly randomized TRAX sequence. There are two SongFX adding swing and drum re-triggering, but the sizes are going to cause overlaps at different points, thus a lovely complex series of rhythms.

The sysEx is Demo 15 if you want to play around with it!

CV MODEs / ORDERs / ARPEG / Gate / CV In / Out / Remotes
CVin Recorded to TRAX&Layers
I patched 3 CV sources into the CC5, CC6, and ClkOut jacks configured as single CV2Note (uses no gate, just voltage change)
2 from the Ornaments & Crime as a sequencer and 1 from a complex waveform LFO. The sequencer was not in sync, on a different clock as can be heard. SOngFX imposed various scales over the recordings, but also while playing so some jive, while others defeat!
CVin's and SongFX
A pair of CV'inputs are configured to play MIDI notes while the 3rd is selecting scales in SongFX#5, which is first up once the play button was hit.
Several tracks are playing at once, 2 TRAX sequences, Up to 10 Layers, and a dummy Song Loop sequence is acting as key-changer and scaler. Swing also changes. 4 VCO's two MIDI synths, minimal FX. This is without any PLFX or Automation as really, it's not needed!
CVin's Scaled & Recorded
Recording CV inputs is always interesting as they can be made to use the scales presently active in a Song Loop FX bundle.
Once played back, even to the same series of scales, but at a different alignment or Song Loop  Scale, swing & transposition, plus other FX like re-triggering, the recording really takes on a life of it's own.
In this epic-ish sample such is the case. As with the sample above, an LFO is selecting 8 scales in the first few bars, Maj, min, Maj7, min7, C+G, C+F,C+E & C+Ab diads
Live Arping-no Quantization
The newest and 5th Chord Order Mode to get notes to the Gate/CV jacks following Stack, Range, Cycle, and Random is Arpeggiator. The full-featured Arp's can be configured on each of the 4 rows independently.
This sample is manually playing on 2 channels, one split to 3 Arps, of various clocks and masks, then starting the sequencer with some plucky piano and hand-played sloppy percussion to which I must re-align my playing to once it started... This is non-quantized Arp so can start at any time. In quantized mode it falls into the "beat" accurately.
Mixed Arping-KeyBoard Assist
The CV Arp is patched to a pair of VCO's but is also sending to the MIDI synth on unique channels. I was adding to the Arp's with the keyboard, as well as soloing some parts.

It was all quite easy and fluid. I tend to leave quantization off on the Arp's when feeding Sequarallel sequences in. Quantized sequences like the TRAX tracker may miss the quantization point and lag by whatever the Arp clock is set to. This could also be desired though!

CVin's Remote Controlling Arp
The CV Inputs are configured as Remote parameter modifiers (Learn) from a sequencer (to Arp Step Time) and a pair of LFO's to TRAX Mirror & Scales which give the huge note range but still scale quantized.
So the Arp range is about 1/8 to 1/32 steps from the CV sequencer making notes "pile up" on the 7th & 8th beat. The sudden tempo change is one of the 4 TRAX sequences playing at double time.
After about 1 minute I stop the TRAX Sequence playing and just take over on the keyboard, with the Arp changes keeping me in time.
CV Remote: TRAX Echo Repeats
CV Learn function is selected for the Clock Out jack configured to be an input. The learned parameter is TRAX 1A's NoteFX #1 Echo Repeat (0-8)
There is a chord of 3 notes on Step 1 and Step 9 each having 2 notes with NoteFX #1 applied. The echo repeats are changing because the CV input is on an LFO. Some do 8 while others only the original. Each echo step is a different note in the micro-arp, which causes a dual note progression through the resulting scale!
This sample is from upcoming Video.
3 CV Remotes: 3 TRAX Param's
CV Learn's are set for all 3 jacks (CC5,6,&CKo) to control Note FX Echo repeats like the sample to the left, TRAX Mirror, and TRAX Note Limiting (both sides). There is also 2 other TRAX Letters (consecutively playing) ratcheted notes, and triggered Envelope Rate shifting a Reflex LiveLoop Karplus patched to two of the VCO's.
At first none of the CV in's are patched, then one by one I plug them in. The Mirror input is an offset sequencer at the same clock as the one to the Sequarallel. TRAX Reset input also patched.
This sample is also from upcoming Video.
3 CV Remotes: 3 TRAX Drums
CV Learn's are set for all 3 jacks (CC5,6,&CKo) but this time to change Notes, actually drums, in a TRAX tracker sequence.
At about 1:30 I un-mute a Layer QB loop that is a recording of the TRAX! I had to turn off channel 10 on Merge LINK<>MIDI's and LINK out to stop feedback, than patched the MIDI out to LINK in!

Afterwards I Mirrored the new Layer track at 39 to produce some inverted drum patterns, then quantized to 1/16th's to keep it tight. The double-time kicks are an inverted hat I believe :)

  Random Scaled CVin + Vocals
Using CV inputs to create MIDI Notes can be somewhat lame as the voltages need to be correct etc. but with Scale and Transpose coming from a set of SongFX it becomes inspiring!

So much for me I had to snatch some lyrics out of mid-air and 1-off this thing into Reaper!

OK I'll admit I played 5 or 6 notes and bent some stuff into a Layer, but this demonstrates how easy it is to come up with something useful without the complexity (or forethought)

 
Play List / Envelopes / Other
VCOsTuned.mp3
Here's some stubborn VCO's tuned to perfection with the Sequar's Auto-Tune. 2 VCO's are SDS_VCO, one a Hz/volt, and one more an actual 555 timer osc. on a wish board.
Play List Conditionals
This is a demonstration (& stress test) of Play List Conditional Blocks. These blocks can stop a group from playing until either the set bars pass, or, if before that time 1 or 2 block conditions are  true, at which point play can continue or jump to somewhere else in the Play List. It's a very fun tool if you like experimenting with generative music. If I had kept recording!
Envelope FX on 4 VCO's
I patched VCO PWM's and a ring-follower from a Disting MK4 VCO into my old non 1V/oct VCO and it's VCA is controlled also by an envelope directly (the shimmering sound). 2 of the CV's have some glide and some of the Layers are pitch-bending.
There's a lot more going on of course but triggering the internal envelopes with various sources is  so very useful!
  Envelope FX Over MIDI
Notes & External triggers are setting off a couple of parametrically drawn envelopes to modify the cut filter & pitch bend of a GM Synth and a Korg.
Envelopes can run without playing anything if externally triggered, or just free-run like LFO.

Shoving this much MIDI down the line is fairly dense, but the Sequarallel will manage the update rates of anything it can control, based on how much is already happening. This is pretty seamless for most CC/PW/Mod apps.

 

 

Thanks for listening to the Accord Sequarallel !

 

--Last Update December 17th 2022--


SDS DIGITAL 2019