There are three versions of the patch – one entirely self-contained in the Zoia (featured in the video), one that sequences external CV or midi synths, and one hybrid that sequences one external “melody” synth and layers it with the onboard synth.
Note: the external version does not have a synth voice, which frees up a lot of CPU time. I took advantage of this headroom to add two more steps to the rotator and a different fixed interval.
What is a Chord Rotator?
Jazz saxophonist Michael Brecker programmed his Oberheim Xpander to select tuned oscillators in sequence. The rotator takes a note input, adds a fixed parallel interval, and adds a third rotating interval. The rotating interval is not quantized; instead, it is just a sequence of intervals transposed from the input note.
For example, if the fixed interval is set to 7 semitones up, and the rating sequence is +3, +5, +4, +2 (a minor third, a perfect fourth, a major third, and a major second), and you play four Cs in a row, you get:
CEbG, CFG, CEG, CDG
If you play C, D, E, and F in order, you get:
CEbG, DGA, EG#B, FGC
The effect is of chaotic, unpredictable “accompaniment,” but with structure.
The three versions of the patch are available on patchstorage.
Hi, very cool sounds. Can this chord rotator be used with any external synths? I don’t have a zoya. I play EWI4000s and want to be able to use a chord rotator to an external synth in combination with the EWI sound.
Graham
Glad you like the sounds, Graham. The ZOIA chord rotator is the only one I’ve created. There are three versions of the patch, two of which utilize an external synth, but the chord rotation logic is all done on the ZOIA. – BD