I have been working on a way to chain multiple sequencers together so that when seq1 finishes seq2 starts and so forth until the last sequencer at which time it starts over. i am interested in seeing what anyone else could do with this problem.
1) It should be able to use 2 of more sequencers (hopefully more than 2)
2) It should use a minimum amount of modules to achieve this.
3) It should be relatively easy to extend it.
This version uses the great modules from Martin Lueders (thank you very much!) especially the counter which looks to be made for this purpose. Anyone have any other ideas on this? Post them and lets go
I tried using a minimal set of modules (excluding the audio ones).
I ended up with 2 minimal setups.
See the attached picture.
One uses 2 distinct sequencers going into an 8to1 sequential switch driven by an LFO.
The other one uses 3 rows of a single sequencer, again, going into an 8to1 sequential switch driven by an LFO.
There’s a VCO, just to test if it works. And a Mixer to check out the different rows.
But, being a VC Mixer, it could be sequenced as well… :)
Very easy.
Attachment Cascaded-Sequencers.png
No, it’s not very easy at all. Your solution has several major problems.
1) The sequencers are not clocked together so the timing could easily go off. There is no mechanism to see that the sequencers are in sync with each other.
2) The lfo doing the switching is not synced to anything so getting the switching right would require some extra work. Howdto you change the tempo of the piece using your solution? You can’t without some extra effort. Also using a non-synced lfo you have no guarantee that the first seq is complete before the second one starts.
3) You are not handling the gates at all. I should not have assumed that people would understand the the sequencer includes the gates.
I also should not have assumed that people would realize that the synchronization between everything needs to be precise and will hold together.
You second solution has nothing to do with the stated problem.
Thanks for the effort but you need to think this through a little more.
Well… both solutions worked well for me.
The second one being an “evolution” of the first one, where the 3 rows are sequenced one after the other – therefore having 3 virtual sequencers in a chain packed in only one physical sequencer.
True, they aren’t synched at all, and heavily rely on your work of tuning the LFO, but…
… it’s enough, for a “quickie”, after all.
I kept focused on the “minimum number of modules” part.
Tomorrow, I’ll take the challenge a bit more seriusly (I’m tired, this evening).
Taking inspiration by physical sequencers.
OK, this is what I came out with, in the end.
2 versions, as usual, both working (one uses a single sequencer, so it’s very convenient in real life).
—
The last gate out of each sequencer makes the sequential switch progress in its own sequence.
The sequencers are absolutely in sync, being clocked by the same LFO.
The upper version needs an OR gate to sum the gate pulses (it fires when one or both are high).
—
Ultimately, I swapped the LFO and the VCO for a Multiple (so, saving 1 in the module count – which is great, when buying physical modules!).
Or you could use stackable cables (the VCO-1 doesn’t allow for multiple inputs on the 1V/Oct).
Minimal, practical, working. And… EASY!
Attachment Cascaded-Sequencers-02.png
The “optimized” version
Attachment Cascaded-Sequencers-03.png
I’ll be happy to provide the vcv file, if needed.
But, well, it’s such a trivial patch!
And it will work on real devices as well.
I would like a more complete example, I patched together your 3rd example but I can’t get ti to do what the post says it can do, Can you post a vcv file that shows these cascading sequences in action ? Thanks