Squarp Pyramid [compilation topic]

The Lounge Other Gear
#497

I see, thanks for the detailed explanation!

Hermod seems a better fit for my brain right now haha.

I think if each track can be the length of a song, we could have full songs from MIDI files created in a DAW. from bar 1 to 16 nothing then from bar 17 to 24 something, then nothing for 16 bars, etc. like a linear view in a DAW (not sure one would want to use it like that but this could be useful to create backing tracks with live analog synths to fool around while it plays)

Tbh I watched Loopop video and was so confused by it, it stopped me buying.
But I got the Hermod at the price of an euclidian module so I thought I couldn’t go wrong and I was right :wink:

I will look into the Pyramid flow a bit more

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#498

Yeah. Honestly one of its greatest strengths is it can work almost any way you want. And, for all of that, it isn’t insanely complicated. Just modestly complicated :slight_smile:

You can absolutely have 10 tracks, 384 bars each that just play an entire song like you suggest. Then you can ignore SEQ all together.

But you can also have 5 tracks of incommensurate lengths that loop polyrhythmically. Or each of your drums on their own track. Or all of them together on one. Or all of them together with patterns that hold all their fills and variations. Or each of these and MIDI effects and CC tracks and euclidian patterns, all together in a single song.

But like you say. it gets confusing to dive into all of it at once (like the Loopop video). And the Pyramid doesn’t do much to stop you from shooting yourself in the foot. So figure out a handful of deal-breaker scenarios that it absolutely must support, make sure it can handle those — then forget about them and focus on just one thing for, like, a month at a time :slight_smile:

4 Likes
#499

yeah with great power comes great responsibility I guess haha.
MIDI FX are really fun so importing MIDI files and applying some of them could already be a fun experiment.
there’s a mk2 second hand looking at me right now. time for some more research haha

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#500

Great explanation! You should write manuals! :wink:

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#501

Just out of curiosity, does someone here have a Pyramid and a Cirklon? It would be interesting to know what are some of the most important/useful things that one can do that the other cannot.

#502

If you want to know the differences between a Pyramid and a Cirklon, you can at least find some discussion of the differences between a Cirklon and a Pyramid here:

and there’s plenty more discussion in various topics that you can read if you search the forum.

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#503

im going to print this and laminate and post it next to the SP. Thank you.

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#504

Thank you!

#505

I just got a Pyramid. Really though? AFAICT it is not possible to play back from multiple tracks at once except from the very top. Editing things on multiple 384 bar tracks so that they fit together nicely would be a nightmare.

#506

The OP was talking about importing midi files from a DAW where they (presumably) already fit together. But generally I agree. In most cases, supporting 384 bar tracks is an example of the Pyramid letting you shoot yourself in the foot. :slight_smile:

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#507

I don’t think you would shoot yourself in the foot with the use case I gave(live synth backing track for when you play another instrument or just want to manipulate the sound live). Of course this would be very static structurally wise but well, that’s what backing tracks are for.

my use case would be that:

I’ve pattern chained the MIDI sequence on the DN to control the SubH. it would’ve been so much easier to create a MIDI file in my DAW, import it into Pyramid and voila! I trust a dedicated hardware machine more than my computer when playing live :slight_smile:

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#508

Anyone with a unit who can tell me if you can set the encoders to toggle between CC values using the 2nd button and pressing the encoder?

#509

No that is not possible unfortunately, but it is very easy to reassign them, unlike a lot of other gear if you record knob movement then reassign it, your original parameter is not replaced with the new parameter, so you can do multiple passes with 5 knobs at a time, remap etc. and everything that was recorded is intact.

By contrast on the Roland MC-707 remapping a knob also replaces the recorded automation with the new mapped parameter.

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#510

Would be easier to pop a Note to CC MIDI effect on there, do the button pushing via the Pads or external keyboard, then Consolidate the Track

#511

All right, too bad. Here I was hoping I could perhaps replace my EC4 as well.

Thanks for the suggestion. I’ll have to check more into this when my unit arrives.

#512

This is my current GAS want. The featire/cost trade-off is excellent. Size it great. Anyone have any need to use warranty/support? Good experience?

#513

Yes, I had a trackpad issue on the first one I had (bought 2nd hand) they fixed it quick, and were very helpful.

More recently I had a encoder fail outside of warranty, so I asked them for the part number, so I could fix it, they responded within a few hours.

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#514

I bought 2 Mk.3 pyramids and both had an encoder issue…the main encoder and I was so frustrated as I had to ship it to them. But, they do fix them and get them back as quick as they can. They had a batch of Mk.3’s that had bad encoders, and I guess I got lucky and bought two of them! So, I look for Mk.2 used ones now.

#515

What alternatives are there to the Pyramid currently? I recently bought one but have issues with bugs that are show stoppers for me, and I can not wait until a potential firmware fix…
Not interested in the Hapax atm because it will be bug filled as well for a long time.

Is Deluge the only modern alternative that is as close to the Pyramid as possible in functionality?

#516

What are your “must have” features?
After using one a few years now I think I’d be better off with a Polyend Seq, because I don’t use most features of the Pyramid.