Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer

• 13. The Sequencer

  • The MicroFreak sequencer records and plays up to four notes at once in paraphonic mode. It captures pitch, velocity, and note duration, along with movements of up to four controls in modulation tracks.
  • It holds two patterns, A and B, which you can alternate during playback. Set their shared length from 4 to 64 steps in Utility > Preset > Seq Length. The same length applies to both patterns and their modulation tracks.
  • The Arpeggio and Sequencer Section
    • 
  • Hold Shift and press Arp | Seq to activate the sequencer.
  • The Shift Button
    • 
  • Record one step at a time to adjust each step's notes, velocity, and modulation, or record in real time. When routed through the modulation matrix, sequence steps can also provide pitch and velocity as modulation sources.
  • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use

    • 13.1. Using the Sequencer

      • The icon strip changes function with Arp | Seq. In arpeggiator mode, its icons control Hold, Order, Random, and Pattern. After Shift + Seq activates the sequencer, they control Tie/Rest, pattern A, pattern B, Record/Stop, and Play/Stop.
      • The Sequencer Controls
        • 
      • The Sequencer Controls: Stop and Start
        • 
      • The Tie/Rest Icon
        • 
      • Tie/Rest: During step recording, extend a note across steps or enter silence.
      • A and B: Select the pattern.
      • Record (O): Start step recording while playback is stopped. During playback, press Record to start real-time recording.
      • Play (>): Start or stop playback; also ends step recording.

      • Note/Info During playback, the MicroFreak sends MIDI and analog clock signals. Starting or stopping playback also sends MIDI start or stop messages to external sequencers.
        

      • A preset can contain monophonic or paraphonic patterns. In paraphonic mode, the sequencer can play up to four voices; with Paraphony off, it plays only the lowest note of each step.
      • Keyboard notes take priority over sequence notes. If you hold two keys in four-voice paraphonic mode, two voices remain for the sequence, which plays its lowest two notes. Incoming MIDI notes have the same priority as keyboard notes; sequence notes have the lowest priority.

      • Note/Info The pitch CV output sends the lowest note in a sequence step. During keyboard playing, it sends the most recently played note.
        

      • MIDI sends all notes in a played chord, including velocity and aftertouch, even when the chord has more than four notes.
      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/01 Select & Play

        • 13.1.1. Selecting and Playing a Sequence Pattern

          • A new preset has empty patterns. A factory or saved preset may contain data in A or B. Press A or B to load that pattern; the display shows “Sequence X Loaded.”
          • During playback, press A or B to switch patterns. Both patterns have the same length within a preset and play one at a time. Recorded patterns are saved with their preset.
          • To discard recent changes and reload the last saved version of a pattern, hold Shift and press its A or B icon.
          • To erase a pattern, hold its A or B icon and press Hold. Both buttons blink until the erase finishes.

          • Note/Info You can erase or reload A while B plays, and the reverse.
            

          • Once a pattern contains notes, pressing a keyboard key starts the currently selected pattern; you need not press Play first.
          • A pattern can hold both notes and modulation data.
      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/02 Keyboard

        • 13.1.2. The Sequencer and the Keyboard

          • In monophonic mode, holding a keyboard key pauses a playing sequence. The sequence resumes when you release the key. In paraphonic mode, it continues alongside your playing.
          • The sequencer can play Unison voices or trigger chords in Chord Mode. Voice priority is keyboard notes, then incoming MIDI notes, then sequencer notes.
      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/03 Record

        • 13.1.3. Recording a Sequence

          • A pattern stores its length, notes and velocity for each step, ties and rests, and up to four recorded modulation parameters. A and B share their length.

          • Note/Info Gate length is stored in the sequence. Set a global gate length for each preset in Utility; identical sequences in different presets can then have different gate lengths.
            

          • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/03 Record/01 Step Time

            • 13.1.3.1. Step-Time Recording a Sequence

              • Stop playback and press Record. Hold one or more notes for the current step. You can change the notes while holding keys; the first four notes held before all keys are released are stored. Releasing all keys advances to the next step.

              • Note/Info Recording new information in a step overwrites its previous contents.
                

              • Press Tie/Rest without holding notes to insert a silent step and advance.
              • To sustain a note or chord across steps, hold it and press Tie/Rest for each additional step. Releasing the keys advances again.
              • The display shows the current step and its recorded notes. After the final step, the MicroFreak enters Play mode automatically.
              • In step recording, an incoming MIDI Start/Play message switches the sequencer to real-time recording.
          • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/03 Record/02 Edit

            • 13.1.3.2. Editing a Sequence

              • Select A or B, stop playback, and press Record. Turn Rate/Swing to move through the steps. The MicroFreak plays each step's notes and recorded modulation as you reach it, looping to the beginning after the final step.
              • At the desired step, hold new notes to replace the stored notes. Press Hold to replace the step with a rest.

              • Note/Info Step recording also accepts notes and velocity from a keyboard connected to MIDI In.
                

              • Note/Info In step mode, Shift + Rate/Swing changes the sequence length while you work.
                

          • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/03 Record/03 Real Time

            • 13.1.3.3. Real-Time Recording a Sequence

              • Start playback, then press Record. A blinking Record icon means the sequencer is waiting for notes or knob movements.
              • During note recording, each pass through the loop replaces notes played at the corresponding steps in the previous pass. Modulation recording runs for one cycle and then stops recording.
              • Playing a note replaces the recorded note at that point. Pressing Hold while recording replaces notes or modulation events at that point with silence; you can fill the gap on the next pass.
              • A DAW can play notes into a MicroFreak set to real-time recording. You can later add knob movement to the modulation tracks.
              • Tip: A longer sequence provides finer recording resolution. Set its length in Utility > Preset > Seq Length; a slower recording rate can make note and modulation placement easier.

              • Note/Info You can start in step recording and press Play to record the remainder in real time. The sequencer cannot switch back to step recording during that take.
                

          • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/03 Record/04 Copy

            • 13.1.3.4. Copying a Sequence

              • Hold the source pattern's A or B icon, then press the destination pattern's icon. To copy A to B, hold A and press B; to copy B to A, hold B and press A. Check the display for confirmation.
              • Copying a pattern lets you keep its melody while recording different modulation movements in the other pattern, then alternate between the two during performance.
          • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/01 Use/03 Record/05 Arp

            • 13.1.3.5. Using the Arpeggiator to Create Sequences

              • Create an arpeggio and transfer it to a sequence to retain its Spice & Dice variations. Standard sequence recording disables Spice & Dice, so transferring an arpeggio is the way to include those effects in a sequence. See Microfreak/UG/12 Arpeggiator for the transfer procedure.
  • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/02 Mod Tracks

    • 13.2. The Modulation Tracks

      • Each pattern has four modulation tracks. The note sequence records pitch and velocity; each modulation track records the position of one control at each step. A track can hold as many values as the sequence has steps, up to 64.
      • In step recording, record the notes first, then capture control positions at the desired steps. Notes and modulation can also be recorded together by holding notes while turning controls.

      • Note/Info Step recording cannot capture or edit pressure, so pressure data is not saved with the preset when recording in this mode.
        

      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/02 Mod Tracks/01 Step Time

        • 13.2.1. Step-Time Recording of Modulation

          • Select a pattern, stop playback, and press Record. Turn Rate/Swing to select the step where modulation should begin.
          • Turn a control to audition its value. The display shows the step, modulation slot, parameter, and amount. Release the control to store that position with the step. Move to another step with Rate/Swing and set the next value. Repeat across the pattern.

          • Note/Info Touching a control assigns it to the first free modulation track. A fifth control produces a “Memory full” message.
            

          • You can fill one control's track across all steps before assigning another control, or set up to four controls at each step before moving on.
          • The Rate Knob
            • 
          • Turning Rate/Swing through the steps plays their stored notes and modulation, so you can hear and edit each value. Turn its assigned control to replace a stored position. Oct | Mod cycles through active modulation tracks.

          • Controls available for modulation tracks

            • Oscillator: Type, Wave, Timbre, and Shape. With sample selection enabled, Type controls sample selection.
            • Filter: Cutoff and Resonance.
            • Envelope: Attack, Decay, Sustain, and Filter Amount.
            • LFO: Rate.
            • Cycling Envelope: Rise, Fall, Hold, and Amount sent to the Matrix.
            • Matrix: Modulation amount of a matrix point.
            • Glide: Glide amount.

          • Note/Info Shift + knob parameters, control buttons, and icon buttons cannot be assigned to modulation tracks.
            

          • To clear a track, press Oct | Mod until its light blinks, then hold Oct | Mod and press Hold. Press Hold repeatedly while holding Oct | Mod to clear further tracks.
      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/02 Mod Tracks/02 Real Time

        • 13.2.2. Real-Time Recording of Modulation

          • Start Play and Record, then move a control. Recording begins at the first step that captures a movement, continues for one full loop, and stops just before that step on the next pass. Record turns off automatically.
          • To erase the selected modulation track, hold Oct | Mod and press Hold. Keep Oct | Mod held and press Hold again to erase each following track.

          • Note/Info The sequencer can record control movements from external controllers. External devices such as a DAW can record the MicroFreak's control movements.
            

      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/02 Mod Tracks/03 Smoothing

        • 13.2.3. Smoothing

          • Smoothing, or slew, makes changes between stored modulation values gradual, much as Glide smooths changes in pitch. Set each track separately in Utility > Preset > Seq (X) smooth, where X is the modulation track number from 1 to 4.
          • A new track recorded step by step has smoothing off by default. A new track recorded in real time has smoothing on by default. Overwriting an existing track keeps its smoothing setting.
  • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/03 Fun

    • 13.3. Fun with Sequences

      • Rests and ties can give a sequence more varied rhythm. For example, a 32-step sequence with rests and ties played at double speed can be more varied than 16 filled steps at normal speed.
      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/03 Fun/01 Hidden Feature

        • 13.3.1. A Hidden Feature

          • Patterns A and B share the effects of their modulation tracks when you switch between them. Suppose A changes oscillator type on steps one and four. If you switch to B after step four, B starts with the oscillator type last set by A; switching before step four leaves B with the type set on step one.

          • Note/Info To make more patterns that use the same sound, copy a preset and record new patterns in the copy. Switching presets gives access to the patterns and modulation tracks in each.
            

          • Note/Info The following ideas can also be used with the arpeggiator. The Matrix can both route and mix signals when shaping sequences and arpeggios.
            

      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/03 Fun/02 Mix Pitches

        • 13.3.2. First Experiment: Mixing Pitches

          • The sequencer controls oscillator pitch directly. Route the LFO to pitch through the Matrix as well, and the two signals add together. A slow rectangular LFO makes the sequence jump between pitch levels. Change the Matrix amount to control the size and direction of the shift.
          • Variation: Also route the LFO to filter cutoff. With enough modulation to close the filter, some parts of the sequence fall silent. Try different LFO waveforms and amounts to change the rhythm of those gaps.
          • A random LFO waveform can transpose a running sequence at unpredictable times. Change LFO speed to change when transpositions occur; increase the Matrix amount for wider jumps or use a negative amount to invert the modulation.
      • Microfreak/UG/13 Sequencer/03 Fun/03 Hoketus

        • 13.3.3. Second Experiment: Hoketus

          • Hoketus keeps one pitch while changing timbre, articulation, and rhythm. On the MicroFreak, use modulation tracks to change parameters while the sequence repeats that pitch.
          • Create a 16-step sequence with the same pitch at every step. Add rests and ties for rhythm, then press Record while playback is stopped. Turn a control to capture its position, use Rate/Swing to move to the next step, and repeat. Up to four controls can change across the pattern.
          • Variation: To imitate a monochord, use one or two modulation tracks to introduce nearby pitches around the repeated central pitch.