I have a Koma Field Kit which can turn audio signals into gate out, so I might play around with that. Gosh I can’t wait to dig in
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I have to say (as a happy ClockStep: Multi owner) that’s it’s really good to see you so active here @jmkmusic - it’s one of the main reasons I bought your product. Great comms all round - thank you.
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I appreciate that, thanks!
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I didn’t know much about the Koma Field Kit, but it looks interesting!
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I’ll be sure to share my results.
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I look forward to it, knowing that also there is a period where a drummer is fascinated by the feature and puts a lot of attention on it when they first start playing. It’s like a fun new toy, where they want to see if they can break it. You’ll see. I’ve already watched that unfold.
It’s a necessary stage. They are feeling out the limits, and then deciding on what kind of Elasticity they prefer. And then they settle down and get back to playing the song.
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Received! However there is something loose internally. Is it safe to disassemble and investigate? And do you have instructions for disassembly?
Edit/ I was able to sort this out. It was a nut from the bottom of the button board
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Oh no. I was going to say, a nut that holds the UI board in place is all that it could be. Sorry about that, maybe I didn’t tighten it. Embarrassing, that’s the first time anyone has told me one of those nuts came off.
Hopefully it wasn’t too much of an effort. I’ve put so many of these together, I don’t find it very difficult, but it takes a bit of a special angle to get the main board in place.
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Just jammed with a drummer and we couldn’t get it to work.
And I don’t mean that Follow Beat wasn’t tracking accurately, I mean I couldn’t configure it correctly.
I think it has to do with the MIDI configuration on either CS:M or my Move, because on the audio threshold page it was registering the signal.
I was able to make it work by myself with a couple contact mics in a previous test, so if I can get that to work again, I’ll save it as a preset.
edit/ it may have been my input levels.
My contact mic test was using a mixer with a pre-amp. The jam today was just using a 2-2 interface with no pre-amp. So i’m guess i just need to finesse the input threshold.
I must’ve had Clock Mode set to Auto in my initial test, because I was getting the white light on the Stop button when audio was detected, but the Move was still syncing to CS:M
Today I manually set Clock Mode to Follow Beat (Audio) and there was no white light on the Stop button when audio was detected, so I thought it wasn’t working.
Is it expected that the Stop button will only flash white when Clock Mode is set to either Auto or Follow Beat (Midi)?
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Concerning the White Light that indicates Clock Mode, that will only illuminate when synced externally to a MIDI Clock source or Sample Accurate Audio Clock source. So, when “Follow Drums” is used, don’t expect any kind of change for that light.
That’s because Follow Drums doesn’t replace the internal clock. The internal clock is running and listening for Drum hit events. The other ones completely override the internal clock.
Also, “Auto” Clock Mode will not know if you are using “Follow Drums”. It can only differentiate between Internal clock, External MIDI Clock or External Audio (24 PPQN). When you have the “Follow Drums” mode set, for all intents and purposes, CS:M is working exactly like the Internal Clock mode does … except that it is also listening for drum hit events.
When you set the audio level coming in, be sure its not too quiet OR too loud. The last light on the audio calibration meter doesn’t have to light to set a good threshold.
Just let me know what else you need. If you are wondering whether Follow Drums is working at all, there’s a setting you can choose where CS:M will output a couple of CC#'s to allow you to record the BPM as it changes in real time. That’s really there to help you build a Tempo Map retroactively for a recorded performance, but it’s useful for debugging too.
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Thank you for clearing all that up.
I’ve since been able to make this work again and saved a preset, so next time with a real kit should be a breeze and I’ll just need to finesse the input volume.
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Hey, Happy Holidays everyone.
I’ve been working this holiday season on a set of new features and I’d love to get your feedback if you have any to share.
First a quick heads up: The next version makes a big move in terms of global settings. More hierarchical and organized, which will require a substantial documentation update. I’ve paused new video production because I want new videos to reflect these changes.
There are actually a few more feature enhancements … like a completely overhauled and simpler way of doing Audio Calibration. With the “Follow Beat (Audio)” feature, calibration becomes a super critical step. The prior version of calibration was more adequate for locking onto 24 PPQN audio pulses.
Anyway, on to the main addition.
It’s a set of UI controls that I’m collectively calling “Tempo Match”. These controls are all about managing clock rate dynamically between devices that do not share a mechanical sync.
It’s somewhat analogous to Beat Matching when a DJ manages 2 vinyl platters. Except here, you are managing any 2 sources that cannot sync together. One source is your “free-time” source with no sync ability. The other source is your gear that can follow MIDI Clock or CV sync.
The optional UI lives in the same place where you would usually have accessed the BPM keypad. On that UI are the following:
- The regular Tap Tempo Button.
- A downbeat Align Button.
- A pair of Tempo Nudge Buttons.
- A pair of Tempo Trim Buttons.
1. Tap Tempo
Fairly self-explanatory. It’s the same Tap Tempo button that already exists, just placed into this new UI layout. It’s for doing the broad strokes of Tempo input. You can also hold the button to access the BPM keypad for entering an explicit BPM.
2. Align Button
Next to Tap Tempo is the Align button. When pressed, this will register a new downbeat marker. The idea is that you press it on the downbeat of your “free-time” source.
The clock will then momentarily speed up or slow down so that the first downbeat of the clock will align with that marker and then resume its normal tempo. This course correction occurs over the length of 1 bar.
This is not a traditional “resync”. It doesn’t stop and restart any devices, it manipulates the clock and brings those devices gradually (or quickly) back to the “one”.
3. Tempo Nudge Buttons
Arranged horizontally, these 2 buttons are somewhat analogous to how a DJ manipulates vinyl platters with their hands.
When you press either button, there is an instant 0.1 BPM change, but when you release the button the normal tempo resumes. If you hold the button, the rate of change accelerates until you let go. The longer you hold a button, the more drastic the tempo change becomes.
The idea is that you Press (Hold) → Release → Assess → Press (Hold) Again.
4. Tempo Trim Buttons
Arranged vertically, these work similar to the Nudge Buttons, but the tempo change is permanent. When you release the button, the tempo stays at the new value.
One quick tap and you adjust the tempo 0.1 BPM. Hold and the rate of change increases. Again with the DJ analogy, this is like the speed or “pitch” slider on a vinyl deck.
Feedback? Suggestion?
These features are already in and being revised and tested. There’s more potential here I could get into later, but I wanted to share this direction and see how it resonates. Thanks.
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I was looking back over this thread and reread your message. In reference to my latest message about “Tempo Match” features, it’s cool that we are thinking in a very similar direction.
It’s kind of funny, because at first, I wasn’t thinking about the analogue to what DJ’s do. I had a different workflow and idea in mind that related to tempo matching. I actually coded it, but in practice, it didn’t work so well and I had to admit I was on the wrong track. That’s when I began researching the DJ workflow and came up with the controls I have now. And instantly, this workflow began having success in a way that my imagined workflow never did.
So, apart from the BPM display, if there’s any further detail you can think of, I’d be interested to hear it.
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