Kepler – polyrhythmic 8 channel sequencer
I will do a full video walkthrough, but here’s this for now: https://youtu.be/FQtC_CpOTRk
Kepler is an 8 channel (easily expandable) polyrhythmic and poly-phase sequencer. The sequencers run at different clock divisions on the same clock, and they can be set to different lengths as well. When set to poly mode, each sequencer runs with a voice per polyphonic note, and thus it’s phase in the sequence can be offset or modulated. All this amounts to easily achievable complex rhythmic patterns, playable on the fly.
Kepler can be loaded as a project in standalone Drambo, or as an auv3 instance to use only the midi. In standalone, each sequencer sits on its own track, and you can build out instruments or load auv3 instruments there. Loading Kepler as an auv3 midi instance in Drambo is ideal for using multiple channels of sequencers on one Drambo track.
On the main track is Kepler’s clock, labeled LFO. it can run in time with Drambos clock, or as a free running LFO acting as a unipolar saw wave. You can stop the clock by turning off the switch on the Run module. You can reset all sequencers by tapping the trig button on the Reset module. Run and Reset are also present on each individual track. These buttons can be plocked in the Drambo sequencer.
On tracks 1-8, there is a Kepler module. This contains the sequencer per channel.
Notes: enter notes for the sequence just by tapping them in on the Drambo sequence. The last entered note will play when polyphony is set to 1 on the MIDI To CV module, last two for 2 note polyphony, etc. you can simply enter notes on the keyboard and improvise, or lock them in by entering chords and notes into the Drambo step sequencer on each track. In this way you can still utilize the Drambo pattern sequencer to develop a structure for your composition.
MIDI to CV: this controls the polyphony of the sequencer. In default settings with more than one voice, Kepler will play a chord on each trigger from the sequencer.
Clock generator: determines the speed of the sequencer in relation to the clock. Clock speed can be modulated by voice number, where different voices will run at different speeds.
Pattern: contains the actual gate and velocity sequencer being clocked.
Spread: With more than one voice, the Spread value will offset voices 2-8 forward or backward in time. Spread LFO modulates the spread.
Arp: alternative to playing chords or spreading the sequencer, turning the Arp on will limit the sequence to playing only the first voice of the sequence, but cycling through each active note of polyphony. Rate and sync do not have any effect but all other controls do.
MIDI chance: Each track has a chance module, which applies a probability to each note being played by that sequencer.
Channel: if you are sending midi out of drambo standalone, or using Kepler as an auv3 instance, you can set the midi channel of the sequence.
On the Master track, there is a MIDI mixer. The channels can be muted and unmuted here, if sending midi out of Kepler.
Each track has its midi input mode set to Transpose from the master drambo sequencer. To transpose individual tracks from the main track drambo sequencer or keyboard, Connect the midi input for the track to the main tracks midi output.
