Electronic Music 411 - Software 303 Sequencer Emulation?

04/03/08 + Logo

Is there any software out there that is free/cheap that creates faithful acid sequences and outputs midi? The only thing close are some Reaktor ensembles I've found, but I don't own teh Reaktor.

If there isn't how would you suggest creating one in say Max/Msp? I can wrap my head around making a basic sequencer, but what is involved conceptually with slide circuit. I know that it has a fixed time regardless of note distance, but what math is needed to recreate it in Max?

Recent Blog: Evolver, the synth preferred by 9 out of 10 cowboys

04/03/08 + jarvis

if the slide is the same no matter what the note distance, all you need is a line object with a set time, then all you have to do is feed it the start & end note values

Recent blogs: Non-standard midi keyboard, janko

04/03/08 + cebec

click on the post's title link. seq-303 is THE standalone 303 style step sequencer. i love it. had great results with it and a midi/cv converter controlled analog monosynth

link

edited: Apr 03 2008 + Logo

Thanks. I've got a little test going with the line object and it works wonderfully. Now I would just need to figure out how to convert the floating point in between note data to the appropriate amount of pitch bend (sorry, I have a 9th grade understanding of math so bear with my stupidity)

Probably should of mentioned I'm using OS X, but seq 303 would be a great last resort to use in vmware.

Also is there any info about what the approximate time of the 303's slide is. I can do it by ear, but it would be much awesomer if it was spot on.

Recent blogs: My MIDIBox, Let Me Show You It., Sherman Filterbank 2 Demos, Evolver, the synth preferred by 9 out of 10 cowboys

04/03/08 + race4prize

my favourite is the audio realism bassline. its not free though

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04/03/08 + license

whoo techno toys rulz. I missed the thing about them giving all their stuff away for free, that is awesome.
Logo, by ear is cooler than spot-on IMHO. then it can be YOUR 303. besides that probably varies from unit to unit, them being analog and all.

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04/03/08 + zifcak

the slide time is actually not constant-time. that is a common myth. it's just a standard lag circuit patched to an exponential vco.
a lot of the character is in the synth voice itself, as affected by the sequencer. basically emulating the sequencer requires:
- gate time = 50% of the step time
- overlapping gates for the slides
- trigger for accent

as far as the synth (as relates to sequencing):
- fixed amp decay at 2s
- variable filter decay that modulates the cutoff first positively, but then falls below the set cutoff at the end of the decay
- fixed exponential slide
- accent envelope that affects amp and filter, and *i think* maybe the attack time increases with higher resonance. either that or filter mod depth increases. i'm sure someone else can correct me if i'm wrong.

04/03/08 + zifcak

Logo said: "

Also is there any info about what the approximate time of the 303's slide is. I can do it by ear, but it would be much awesomer if it was spot on."

check out the x0xb0x forums: link
lots of useful tech details about the 303 circuitry there; if it's not already in a post i'm sure someone can quickly answer based on the component values (probably just an RC constant).

04/03/08 + ignatius

just use this ;)

link

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04/03/08 + Logo

ignatius said: "just use this ;)
link"

Haha, I've been addicted since it was posted here.

Thanks for the wealth of info. I'm not that hung up on pure authenticity, I just want some acieedyish sequencing to drive my new hw set up (TX81Z > Future Retro XS > Sherman FB 2).

Any ideas on converting the slid floating point in between midi notes to pitch bend in Max? I'm dumb

Recent blogs: My MIDIBox, Let Me Show You It., Sherman Filterbank 2 Demos, Evolver, the synth preferred by 9 out of 10 cowboys

04/03/08 + jarvis

if you are using midi notes you would probably get zippering because there's only 127 notes of resolution. your best bet is to adjust the frequency of the oscillator directly. there's lots of space between notes if you look at it from that angle

Recent blogs: Non-standard midi keyboard, janko

04/03/08 + jarvis

NM i'm silly. there's 127 steps of resultion between notes w/ midi, but still far more between notes if you directly control the oscillators frequency. but if you are just making a midi sequencer then you'd obviously have to do it via midi

Recent blogs: Non-standard midi keyboard, janko

04/03/08 + jarvis

i also really liked seq303. the best and simplest step sequencer i've used. just wish they had it on mac

Recent blogs: Non-standard midi keyboard, janko

edited: Apr 03 2008 + Logo

I think I would set up the Max patch to sequence standard midi notes and use pitch bend (with higher resolution) for the slide. The problem I have is doing the math to convert note numbers to pitch bend data (i.e sliding from note #60 to 65 , taking the 60.1, 60.2, 60.3, etc that line spits out, and converting it to pitch bend). I'm guessing that's what sequencers like the Mobius do?

Recent blogs: My MIDIBox, Let Me Show You It., Sherman Filterbank 2 Demos, Evolver, the synth preferred by 9 out of 10 cowboys

04/03/08 + jarvis

well if you are sending pitch bend CCs, there's no note number, just a CC value.

Recent blogs: Non-standard midi keyboard, janko