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parameters

scanner-darkly edited this page Jul 13, 2020 · 5 revisions

diagram

orca's heart is an algorithmic sequence generator, not a typical sequencer, so instead of defining a sequence you control various algorithm parameters. while you can't directly define a sequence you can try and steer it a certain way. here is how different parameters and features affect a sequence:

length

determines a sequence length. longer sequences will have more variation, while shorter sequences can be great for 303 style sequencing. to make sequences sound less rigid you can try modulating length with mod matrixes.

algo x

this parameter will have the most effect on the sequence itself - it changes the order of how scale notes are selected. you have 2 rows available for editing this parameter, each row will have a slightly different effect. use this parameter to completely change a sequence.

algo y

this parameter changes how gates are generated and which notes are used for each output. it doesn't change the sequence itself (use algo x for that) but it can sound that way too. use it if you want to change the rhythmic feel of a sequence.

shift

this parameter "shifts" sequences within the selected scale. it's similar to transposition, but it uses only the selected scale notes. changing this parameter can be very musical, especially when you modulate it with mod matrixes.

space

increasing this parameter will introduce more gaps into the sequence - this is a good way to make a sequence more sparse. the effect can be a bit weird - but can also make for some interesting variations.

gate length

this should change the gate length for all of the voices simultaneously.

transpose

you can use transposition sequencer to create longer sequences.

mod matrixes

the main key for making more complex sequences is modulating various parameters with mod matrixes. the effects are hard to predict, and often adding even a single modulation can create interesting variations.

scales

switch between scales manually - or use mod matrixes to control that (5th column from the right). you can also transpose scales up or down by an octave (see scales) or use mod matrixes for that (4th column from the right).

volume and other i2c parameters

a great way to make a sequence more interesting is by controlling volume and other i2c parameters. volume is currently the only supported parameter and is available for all i2c devices (for er-301 you will need to set up SC.CV units to control VCAs or something similar). you can set them per individual voice and toggle or morph between 2 snapshots or randomize values on each step.

delays

to change the rhythmic groove or to spread voices that overlap too much use delays. this allows you to delay any voice from 1/8 to 8x of the clock interval. you can also apply swing.

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