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intellijel designs The Metropolis Manual

Roland system 100m format sequencer
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Metropolis v1.0 MANUAL
The Metropolis is a unique and powerful Eurorack format musical sequencer inspired by the Ryk
M-185 (a Roland System 100m format sequencer.) but with many additional enhancements and func-
tions.
The Metropolis comprises eight "STAGES", each with its own assignable gate mode, pulse count and
pitch value. Each stage can also have a special slide or skip function activated too. The slide function-
ality is a constant time portamento very similar to the Roland TB303 (unlike most synths/sequencers
that use constant rate portamento) which produces a very musical and interesting result.
In addition to the base sequencer settings set with the sliders and switches there is a full menu of
controls and auxiliary modifiers that allows the user to control and manipulate the sequence in many
powerful ways including sequencer direction modes, pitch quantization and scale manipulators, clock
dividers, shuffle and much more.
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Summary of Contents for intellijel designs The Metropolis

  • Page 1 Metropolis v1.0 MANUAL The Metropolis is a unique and powerful Eurorack format musical sequencer inspired by the Ryk M-185 (a Roland System 100m format sequencer.) but with many additional enhancements and func- tions. The Metropolis comprises eight “STAGES”, each with its own assignable gate mode, pulse count and pitch value.

  • Page 2: Front Panel Elements

    FRONT PANEL ELEMENTS 1 - AUX A input jack Patch a -5V to +5V source here for modulating the sequencer parameter assigned to AUX A . 2 - GATE output jack The sequencer gate signal (0V for off, 5V for on) is produced here. Typically you would patch this to the gate input of an ADSR or AHD envelope generator.
  • Page 3 This input only works when external clock mode is active (selected in the INT/EXT menu) 8. CLK output jack When the Metropolis is in internal clock mode (INT CLK) the BPM based clock is generated here. In external clock mode (EXT CLK) the external clock is divided and produced at this output.
  • Page 4 FRONT PANEL ELEMENTS (continued...) 15. SLIDE/ SKIP buttons Each of these buttons has dual functionality: Single click will activate a pitch slide for the given stage. A solid green indicates slide is active. Double click will set that stage to be skipped by the sequence. A flashing green led indicates skip. 16.

  • Page 5: Menu Functions

    MENU FUNCTIONS TRANSPORT FUNCTIONS Toggles the start/stop of the sequence RESET Resets the sequence. The behavior depends on the CONFIG-> RESET mode. If RST n then reset occurs on the next clock pulse IF RST F then reset occurs if the CLK input is high at the same time as RST jack is high. PREV Stays on the current stage on the next clock pulse NEXT...
  • Page 6 INT/EXT The INT/EXT button allows you to select between three clock modes: C_INT mode uses the Metropolis’ internal clock. C_EXT mode advances the sequencer each time it receives a trigger on the CLK input. C_d24 is for syncing with dinsync compatible devices. In this mode Metropolis expects a 24 PPQ clock on the clock input, and only runs when the RESET input is high.
  • Page 7 NOTE: If you are using the SYNC pulse to trigger another CV sequencer that is then feeding the CV values back to the Metropolis AUX inputs then it is recommended to use SYNCL mode. This causes the slave sequencer to generate new CV values earlier so that the AUX ADC inputs read them in time before the sequence advances.
  • Page 8 MENU FUNCTIONS (continued...) SEQUENCE GENERATION FUNCTIONS MODE There are 10 possible direction modes for the sequencer. These determine how the sequencer ad- vances between stages. FRD - FORWARD MODE The sequencer advances to each new stage in the forward direction starting at stage 1. The last stage is set in the STAGES menu.
  • Page 9 MENU FUNCTIONS (continued...) BRN-F - FIXED BROWNIAN MODE Same as BRN mode except that the total length of the sequence is determined by the total pulse count set in the STAGES menu. STAGES Sets the length of the sequence in terms of number of STAGES or PULSES depending on the direc- tion MODE that is currently active.

  • Page 10: Firmware Upgrades

    Firmware can easily b upgraded using the Intellijel USB ISP and Firmware Updater App: http://www.intellijel.com/firmware-updates/ Alternatively it be upgraded by replacing the socketed IC on the back of the Metropolis with a new IC obtained from Intellijel Designs Inc. or an authorized retailer. Carefully pry out the old IC. Then make sure the divet on the chip matches the divet in the socket for correct polarity and press firmly into the socket.

  • Page 11: Warranty

    Intellijel implies and accepts no responsibility for harm to person or apparatus caused through opera- tion of this product. CREDITS Some features of the Metropolis were inspired by the work of RYK and his Roland System 100 format M-185 Sequencer. Design Consulting and Beta testing: Haven Siguenza...

  • Page 12: Appendix A - Scales

    APPENDIX A - SCALES SCALE DISPLAY INTERVAL SET Chromatic 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Major 0,2,4,5,7,9,11 Minor 0,2,3,5,7,8,10 Dorian 0,2,3,5,7,9,10 Mixolydian 0,2,4,5,7,9,10 Lydian 0,2,4,6,7,9,11 Phrygian 0,1,3,5,7,8,10 Locrian 0,1,3,4,7,8,10 Diminished 0,1,3,4,6,7,9,10 Whole-half 0,2,3,5,6,8,9,11 Whole Tone 0,2,4,6,8,10 Minor Blues 0,3,5,6,7,10...
  • Page 13 APPENDIX A - SCALES (continued...) SCALE DISPLAY INTERVAL SET Japanese / Iwato 0,1,5,6,10 Kumoi 0,2,3,7,9 Pelog 0,1,3,4,7,8 Spanish 0,1,3,4,5,6,8,10 Tritone (2 semitone ver- 0, 1, 4, 6, 7, 10 sion) Prometheus 0, 2, 4, 6, 9, 10 Augmented 0, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11 Enigmatic 0, 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11...

  • Page 14: Appendix B - Display Abbreviations & Examples

    APPENDIX B - DISPLAY ABBREVIATIONS & EXAMPLES Startup display Default active display showing currently active pitch and a sequence animation. When a pitch slider is moved the slider number and new pitch are displayed. e.g. slider 4, pitch = D3 BPM with external lock on Swing/Shuffle Clock External mode...
  • Page 15 APPENDIX B - DISPLAY ABBREVIATIONS & EXAMPLES (continued...) AUX DESTINATION - Gate Length AUX DESTINATION - Pitch Pre (Transpose) AUX DESTINATION - Octave Shift AUX DESTINATION - Pitch Post (Key shift) AUX DESTINATION - Root AUX DESTINATION - Stages AUX DESTINATION - Step Divisor Stages with value of 8 Pulses with value of 8 Step/Div with value of 3...

  • Page 16: Appendix C - Patch Examples

    EXAMPLE 1: BASIC PATCH In the EXAMPLE 1 patch the Metropolis is being used in its most common configuration to control the pitch and amplitude of a VCO. The PITCH output from the Metropolis is connected to the 1V/Oct in- put of the VCO.
  • Page 17 APPENDIX C - PATCH EXAMPLES (continued...) EXAMPLE 2: MODULATED SEQUENCE PATCH The patch in EXAMPLE 2 demonstrates a way to generate a sequence that is being modulated. Metropolis#1 can be in either EXT or INT CLK mode and is connected to a VCO, VCA and ENVE- LOPE generator similarly to EXAMPLE 1.

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