Hydrasynth from ASM - Tips, Tricks and Queries

The Lounge Other Gear
#15

I was all set to send you this:
Are you trying to run the Arpeggiator, with Local set to OFF? If so you can’t use the keys or keypads to set the notes for the arpeggiator – it has to come remotely. I assume you already know this.

So from your DAW just send it a nested Note_On – Note_Off series to set a sequence like this:
Note_On, C4, VELa
Note_On, C5, VELx, Note_Off, C5, Note_On, G4, VELy, Note_Off, G4
Note_Off C4

I assume also you know you don’t have to run with Local OFF to communicate with a DAW, just kill the MIDI loopback at your DAW.

Interestingly though with Local OFF the HSK keyboard can still be used to set the Chords. Also if you’ve already set and started an Arp Sequence with Local ON, you can then set Local OFF and the Arp sequence continues to run, after a brief hiccup, and the keyboard then only works to change the Chord. I posted this earlier.

I want to also point out for everyone, and remind myself – that Key and Scale are applied at the Voice layer and therefore are not applied to the transmitted MIDI, be it chords or notes. The Hydrasynth does send the NRPN data to designate the Key and Scale, so those could be read, lets say by a Max app in Live and applied.

#16

I use the Hydra with Local set to off so I can use the it as a controller for other synths and VSTs without triggering the internal sound at the same time, and only triggers the hydra engine when I select the Hydra’s track (loopback).

The Arp only working with local set to on is fine if you just want to record the Hydra arp notes for the Hydra itself, but if you want to trigger another synth or VST with the Arp from the Hydra, it’s a royal pain. I basically have to mute the Hydra audio.

Not a big deal, just seems odd that it will only transmit with local set to on, when most use cases it would be better if it worked with local off.

1 Like
#17

I have the HS desktop. The arpeggiator won’t play more than a couple of notes of a chord over MIDI from my Alesis v49 controller kbd. If I play, say, an 8 note chord, only one or two of the notes will sound.

I’m using an ancient MacBook Pro running Logic 8. It has an Intel processor so won’t run any recent OSX. Which could be the root of this snag.

Manually playing notes without the arp works fine. The arp also works fine from the front panel pads. And the arp sometimes latches, even when latch is off. Not had any hanging notes when playing manually.

ASM haven’t replied to a support request via their feedback form. Any thoughts?

Thanks All.

#18

Forgot to mention that sequencing chords in Logic and arpeggiating them has the same effect i.e. still only a couple of the notes sound.

#19

Well probably not much i can add to this. It’s not a Hydrasynth thing – i’ve used this in the past and in order for me to think about your issue i recreated it again on my HSK. It works.

So in the tips category – Just do the trouble shooting basics. Simplify, isolate, substitute, and try different things. Get creative in your attack. Has it worked for you in the past and stopped working, or is this the first time you’ve tried? I’m sure you know all this anyways but talking it through may help. Oh and top tip, read the manual again.

Interesting symptom that you can play regular notes via MIDI, but that the arpeggiator isn’t engaging. That eliminates a whole portion of investigation. I was first thinking connections, or MIDI channels, but that would mean no notes at all. Obviously your Arpeggiator ON button is lit, you don’t mention it, but it must be. You say: “If I play, say, an 8 note chord, only one or two of the notes will sound.” Does that mean it arpeggiates with one or two notes? Did you check the Arp Length? Look in Arp Edit (Press Shift Arp ON, it’s on page one). You probably want Length set to Default, but try other numbered settings, and see what happens.

ADDED: How is Tap Trig set on page 2 of Arp Edit? I had forgotten about this feature.

Story: In setting up to test this to help you, i plugged my trusty steed in directly via MIDI DIN. It wouldn’t work, so i thought – “Hey wait, this works i’ve done it before, what’s going on?” So i backed off, confirmed my connections, and when that didn’t work i plugged “Old Paint” back into my computer MIDI interface. Then i got remembering, i haven’t seen the LEDs on the MIDI interface work from this keyboard recently. So i went and got another horse from the stable, and plugged that into the HSK, and it works fine of course. I’ll troubleshoot the non-working keyboard later.

#20

Arpeggiator Length Variations
My last post brought me an idea.

The arp parameter Length (how many notes of the arpeggiator sequence that are played) is a destination of the Mod-Matrix and a parameter modifiable in the Macros. It makes a very interesting variation on the arpeggiator, if you put a long sequence in, paying attention to order and being aware of the use of repeats – AND THEN – varying the Length parameter. This is most effective for the Arpeggiator Mode settings of Up, Down, Up/Down, Up & Down, and Order.

Another variant of this though could be to set a short Length and create a large sequence mainly of a few notes, two or three let’s say, repeated many times in the sequence, perhaps mostly one note. Pay attention to the first few notes in the sequence. Then switch the Mode between Random and Order (or the others) to go between a a random sequence of just those few notes, or maybe predominantly one note, and a sequence that’s repeating and flowing. Alternate these two in a rhythmical pattern.

Extra points if you apply Scale and Key to any of this.

5 Likes
#21

Sounds like you have a midi loopback. If I have arp transmit set to on, and have the track set to listen/record in the DAW the arp loops back and causes a mess.

1 Like
#22

I tried putting the arp transmit onto a different MIDI channel from the input, but no difference :frowning: Still only a couple of notes sounding. And still no response from ASM.

Thanks for the suggestion.

#23

Thanks for all these suggestions! The arp length issue is an interesting one, but I don’t think it can apply here, because the arp behaves normally when I use the front panel pads instead of the keyboard. I also plugged up my Pro2 to the MIDI In and tried the arp and it worked fine. It’s just my DAW that it doesn’t like! The antiquity of the Mac and OS may be the issue??

1 Like
#24

Just a heads up that arp transmit only seems to work when local control is set to on (which kind of defeats the purpose)

1 Like
#25

Here is an incredibly good HSD tutorial done by “seenfromspace”. Thank you. Hope you don’t mind me posting it here – i really love this patch and your explanation of it is super.

For those reading this post, if you’ve never played with a Hydrasynth, this will turn a light on in your mind of some of the things it is capable of. If you have worked on a HS, and in particular dug pretty deeply into Mod-Matrix you’ll find this a fountain of useful ideas.

This patch is the one used in a video i posted earlier back over on the main Hydrasynth thread.

Have you been able to work out your arpeggiator issue?

5 Likes
#26

@seenfromspace. With me the Arp would freeze the entire Hydrasynth desktop when I set Clock to Midi In!

One of the reasons I returned it. :neutral_face:

#27

Sounds like a midi loopback loop. It would have constantly spiraled until it overloaded with data and crashed.

1 Like
#28

Nope. No external midi was even connected to it. Just changing Clock Sync from internal to Midi In and Arp no longer works. It would just freeze the whole synth completely the moment you Arm it.

Unless you mean a bug in firmware that causes an internal midi loop that freezes the whole unit. Possible I guess.

#29

That specifically is not in the manual. I picked it up from watching videos with Glen Darcey. So take a look at this one, i’ve queued it to the right place:

I got the expression “additive arpeggiation” from one of the videos with Glen Darcey.

Would someone who owns the HSD, please verify for me that this is how it works on the HSD. The manual says that outside the extra physical controls on the HSK front panel, that the Arpeggiator is the same with both the HSK and the HSD. I want to confirm that the “additive arpeggiation” feature works on the HSD as well.

I’ve never played with an HSD, though i am extremely tempted to put one together with my HSK.

EDITED: Change a word to clarify what i wrote in the second to last paragraph.

1 Like
#30

Confirmed on desktop. It works if you have one finger always holding a note - so you can’t add further notes in real-time after you’ve removed fingers.

1 Like
#31

Good ! Glad to hear it. I get a little nervous when i assume that something works on the HSD, just because it works on my HSK. There are just enough differences to trip me up.

As Glen points out in the video once you have entered an arpeggiator ‘sequence’, you can then vary its expression using the Arpeggiator Length parameter. As i note in the post above by carefully entering an arpeggiator sequence and then varying the Length and Mode, which are both destinations for the Mod-Matrix, you can make some interesting variations in the pattern.

Note to ASM: You need to document “additive arpeggiation” in the manual.

#32

How to use Tap Trig – the "One Button Samba"
The “Tap Trig” Mode

There is an alternate use for the “Tap Tempo” button. It can be set up to control the playing of notes in the arpeggiator sequence, instead of having the arpeggiator played from the clock. Then that one button, “Tap Tempo” can be used to control the timing of the start of the next note, with the note being held for as long as you hold the button down. In addition the Arp controls – Mode (Up, Down, Order, Random, etc) and Octave both control the notes played with the “Tap Tempo” button. Even when the Arp Mode is set to Chord or Phrase this works, which is a little unusual, and you can also choose different Phrases (a choice of 64) to play as well. The Arpeggiator Length parameter also works so this allows variations to be created.

Also when in Tap Trig mode, the output CV signal labeled “GATE” is controlled with that same one button. You can also do things with the output CV signal “CLOCK” using the PPS option for clock rate – see the manual for more detail.

To get started first set the Tap Trig Parameter (Arp - page 2 #1) to ON. Then turn the Arpeggiator ON and turn Latch on as well. Then use the Keyboard or Pads to enter an arpeggiator sequence, and remember you can use “additive arpegiation” with this if you want as well.

Here’s an example of “Tap Trig” mode being used in a performance by Dominic Au. Here he is using two Hydrasynths, playing one with his left hand and one with his right. Note the additional control he uses during this performance.

A cool trick on the HSK is to turn on the Theremin. Then you can then “play” a complex interplay with your two fingers doing separate rhythms. (Remember Thermin mode reserves one voice for the Ribbon.) I like to use the Arp Phrase mode, played with the “Tap Tempo” with my left index, and the Theremin Ribbon with my right index. This works beause if you try to use the keyboard to play notes it will destroy the arpeggiator pattern you have entered, but the ribbon doesn’t. And remember you lift your hand from the ribbon and the note ends with Hold OFF. I often set the Expression pedal to control the Theremin volume.

Detail from the manual:
Tap Trig
When Tap Trig is enabled the arpeggiator triggers a note every time [TAP TEMPO] is pressed. This lets you walk through the pattern one note or chord at a time, depending on the Mode and other settings.

Note that Tap Trig sends signals only to the Gate output. The Clock out still runs at the selected clock rate.

ADDED: The “Tap Tempo” button can also be set to be used with the Compressor in the Sidechain Parameter.

2 Likes
Hydrasynth from ASM
#33

Let’s hope tap trig becomes a mod destination in a future update - then we can control the arp via cv ins - a sad omission currently

2 Likes
#34

Housecliche (or anyone else reading) –

Do you know what ClkLock (Arp page #2 5) does? It’s missing from the manual, and i discovered it recently and was wondering. I’m about to sit down and experiment.

2 Likes