P-lock & external sequencer

evrdo · 2024-02-05T23:41:19.935Z

Hey there,

I love using my Digitone with an external sequencer (the Oxi One), but I find it a little frustrating because I use the Digitone automation a lot when I use its internal sequencer.

I was wondering, is there any way to p-lock parameters on external triggers? I can’t think of a solution.

Thanks a lot for your help!

comradecry · 2024-02-08T10:05:35.553Z

FUNC + Trig (in record mode) will give you a green trig. These green triggers dont trigger notes, but still can be p-locked.

if you send clock and transport to your DN from Oxi, you can send note data from Oxi and use green triggless trigs to play with parameters while empty DN sequencer is running alongside.

however, you might need to match step count in FUNC + Page to whatever Oxi is doing, to get repeatable results.

lukexu · 2024-02-14T14:30:29.041Z

It’s not working. Are you sure this is possible ? I am sending notes from OXI to DN. Marked some trig-less locks with sounds from the soundpool. The DN is still playing the standard sound. Even though I microtime it before or after just in case there is latency. How is your setup?

comradecry · 2024-02-14T17:59:39.284Z

no clue if a sound lock will work without triggering it internally, never tried.
ive only done it with parameters of the sound thats loaded into a track, hence p-lock.

maybe someone else can chime in, as i only experimented with midi, and use primarily internal sequencer.

lukexu · 2024-02-15T09:11:45.845Z

Sound lock i mean parameter locking the FM algorithm for example, i added a trigless note but its not working when i send the note via midi. How did you make it work ? Thanks !!!

comradecry · 2024-02-15T16:36:22.951Z

i just tested it again and it works. what i did:

plopped a green p-lock and chose a parameter thats going to make audible change
(on a default sound for example, locking algorythm wont change the sound)
made sure DN sequencer is running
sent some midi notes to it

results in sound being changed whenever DN sequencer playhead is going over green trigs.

lukexu:

Even though I microtime it before or after just in case there is latency

in theory this is not needed. All sounds that are played prior or during the duration of a green step will be changed, and will remain changed until their end.

on the other hand new notes that are played outside of the green step will be unchanged, even if p-locked sound is being held down.

troubleshooting:
make sure you are sending notes to a correct track where your p-locks are
make sure that your p-lock will affect the sound (i suggest max drive in the amp page for testing)
make sure DN sequencer is running when you send those notes

lukexu · 2024-02-16T00:22:54.898Z

Hey thank you for taking your time !!!

I only have red and yellow (trigless) p-lock and not green. Are you talking about trigless locks? What machine are you using for sequencing the DN and sending those notes ? Are you using MIDI or USB?

Thx !!

comradecry · 2024-02-16T02:00:39.350Z

No worries.

Color is miscommunication on my part, since to me they look more green than yellow, but its the same thing. So yes, i also have only red and yellow trigs.

For the test i just used step sequencer from keystep 37, since midi note messages are standardized, and it shouldn’t matter where they are coming from. (i also remember it working with Blackbox, but it really doesnt matter what you use)

Midi out from KS37 to midi in of DN, nothing else.

If you can hear notes on the DN that you trigger externally, you basically have the whole midi setup right.

To make things simpler, try using DN standalone, and get a trigless lock to work on some long sound.

Example with default/empty pattern:
set 1st trig as red, and set its length to value of 16 (so it covers all steps)
place a yellow lock of maximum DRIVE (amp page) at trig 10, and press play

you should hear default sine sound, then as it passes over trig 10 it should become distorted and stay like that till the end of the cycle, and then start from step 1 as default sine again.

if you get that working, remove the first red trig, and instead send external midi notes to that track while DNs sequencer is running. For testing i also suggest increasing release of the envelope.

Im convinced that it has to do with channels you are sending your midi notes to, so make sure that the track where you add those yellow p-locks is the same track you send midi notes to.
(since theres 2 different ways you can send, by default its midi channels 1,2,3,4 - which adress tracks individually, and auto channel 10, which is always sent to the highlighted track. So perhaps the sequencer line in Oxi is sending to track 3, while you are locking track 1. thats the only reason i can think of why it shouldnt work, besides inaudible p-lock parameter or internal sequencer thats not running/passing over yellow trig)

If you are running latest firmware on DN, you can see which track gets note messages by holding func - a track should blink when it receives notes. Or use a custom sound to make diffirentiating easier during testing.

I think this is as deep as im willing to go. If still doesnt work, retrace your steps, check the manual.

lukexu · 2024-02-16T12:00:04.455Z

Thank you so much for your details !!! I followed the same exact steps

I converted step 1 and 10 to trigless in my digitone. When I send a step 1 in my oxi to the digitone, 50% of the time I get the trigless and 50% misses that and just i hear the normal sound. I think it might be my syncronization between those and this is why is missing the p-lock…

lukexu · 2024-02-16T13:31:14.278Z

How are you giving clock from the OXI to the Digitone? I think this might be the problem why my p-locks are not working.

comradecry · 2024-02-16T18:29:21.362Z

I dont have or use OXI at the moment. But in general theres only 2 settings when it comes to clock.

set your sequencer to output clock and transport
set partner device to receive them

Hearing that you got it working 50% of the time is great news!
At this point it is because to sync inconsistency.

It happens more or less due to of laws of physics, and there will always be some clock drift and catch up.

lukexu:

When I send a step 1 in my oxi to the digitone, 50% of the time I get the trigless and 50% misses

Testing 1st trig for this is tricky, as it will most likely always skip on fresh start of both sequencers (but should return to normal after first loop). Because even if you nudge p-lock microtiming to the left, it cant activate itself on its own prior to you pressing play.

Solution for that is to microtime your first OXI note a bit to the right.

Other than that, if your p-lock on step 10 is consistent, you are pretty much done.
If not, microtime all p-locks one notch to the left.

My thoughts on this - if you want to use p-locks, theres no better sequencer than DNs internal one.
If you already program locks there, you might aswel drop notes in.
Im not sure if OXI can do it but if you can sequence program changes, probably better to use DNs sequencer lanes and just send program changes (to change patterns) on it.

For me this technique is useful only as a stepped LFO for long sounds.
For fast pieces i would always use internal sequencer.
But experimenting is key. So, hope that helps, and good luck

lukexu · 2024-02-18T14:23:18.047Z

Thank you very much again for all your effort in solving me this issue !! Yes you are right, probably the best is to just drop the p-lock notes directly on the DN and keep the patterns there synced with the OXI. Will update if i manage to make it work with trig-less notes ! Best Regards