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CYCLE INSTRUMENTS TETRACHORDS User Manual

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CYC L E I NSTRUME NTS
TETRACHORDS
USE R GU I DE

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  • Page 1 CYC L E I NSTRUME NTS TETRACHORDS USE R GU I DE...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Trig In response graph MIDI In response graph Shift Button Overview RGB Buttons Overview Keyboard Mode Path Knob Overview Description Scales Overview Display Root Note Tetrachords Note Patterns Rotary Encoder aka Mode Scale recipes TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 2...
  • Page 3 Arp / Chord Button Overview Chromatic Button Overview Two active notes Three active notes Four active notes Custom Path Overview Description MIDI Velocity Overview Arp velocity Chord velocity Random velocity MIDI Velocity Spread TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 3...
  • Page 4 Copying Arrow button switching RGB button switching CV switching CV Modulation Assigning Mods Disabling Mods Examples (i) Musical Mode (ii) Midi Out (iii) Rev 1 (iv) Vel Level (v) Next Pattern(Mod 6 Default) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 4...
  • Page 5 LED display settings Overview LED DISPLAY EDITOR Overview Editing Blue/White single colour LEDs Editing Generic Colour LEDs Editing TRACK Colour LEDs Appendices 1 - CONFIG.TXT Acknowledgements LINK Overview TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 5...

  • Page 6: Index

    Controls Index TODO TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 6...

  • Page 7: Important

    It requires a standard Eurorack power supply and takes 36hp of rack space. It requires an external source of MIDI notes or CV triggers. The Tetrachords on its own does not generate rhythms. It requires instruments to connect to. The Tetrachords outputs MIDI notes and 4 channels of CV but on its own does not generate sounds.

  • Page 8: Installation

    Installation TODO TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 8...

  • Page 9: Initialise Patch

    Initialise patch Pressing and holding the SONG button and then pressing the RESET button initialises the Tetrachords. What initialising the Tetrachords means is detailed in the Structure section of this guide. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 9...

  • Page 10: First Patch

    Tetrachords TRIG IN jack. Connect a MIDI sequencer via either the MIDI IN jack or the USB C connector. The Tetrachords will respond to any F notes received on MIDI channel 5. Activate notes by pressing any of the 8 RGB NOTE BUTTONS.
  • Page 11 • The ARP/CHORD button has a dramatic effect when connected to MIDI OUT but doesn’t do anything interesting (in this patch) when the Tetrachords is connected to CV OUT only. • The SPREAD knob doesn’t do anything when the AMOUNT knob is at 12 o’clock.

  • Page 12: Tracks

    Tracks Overview The Tetrachords features 4 polyphonic tracks with fixed CV inputs, assignable MIDI inputs and assignable CV and MIDI outputs. TRIG INS Assigned to tracks 1-4 CV OUTS respectively. Assigned by default to TRACK BUTTONS Select the active track.

  • Page 13: Inputs

    MIDI notes F, G, A & B, played in any octave, trigger tracks 1 - 4 respectively. See the MIDI IN section of this guide for a comprehensive run down of how the Tetrachords handles incoming MIDI. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 13...

  • Page 14: Outputs

    Tracks Outputs The Tetrachords sends note information via its CV or MIDI outputs. By default, tracks 1 - 4 send one- volt per octave CV signals to CV OUTs 1 - 4 respectively. MIDI output connections are made by USB or by the MIDI OUT jack.

  • Page 15: Input Response

    TODO does this belong here? Somehow indicate when a section is more informative than practical. When the Tetrachords receives a MIDI NOTE ON message or detects the rising edge of a CV GATE, up to three things happen. 1 or more MIDI NOTE ON messages are transmitted via any active MIDI OUTPUTS.

  • Page 16: Trig In Response Graph

    This symbol represents a Inputs are blue MIDI note on message This symbol represents a Outputs are black MIDI note off message. TRIG IN RESPONSE TRIG IN CV OUT PITCH CV OUT VELOCITY MIDI Time (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 16...

  • Page 17: Midi In Response Graph

    CV OUT PITCH CV OUT VELOCITY MIDI Time Note that the CV OUT pitch does not respond to a MIDI note off message or to the falling edge of a CV TRIG IN signal. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 17...

  • Page 18: Shift Button

    Shift Button Many of the Tetrachords controls have primary and secondary functions. Secondary functions are accessed using the SHIFT button. For example, pressing and holding the SHIFT button, then turning the PATH knob sets the amount of slew applied to the CV output.

  • Page 19: Rgb Buttons

    Pressing an RGB note button, results in a note being added to, or removed from, the current pattern. RGB note buttons are white when inactive. When active, they assume the colour associated with the current track. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 19...

  • Page 20: Keyboard Mode

    Keyboard Mode has been engaged. In Keyboard Mode, the RGB buttons can be triggered manually by pressing them. To exit Keyboard Mode, press the CUSTOM button again (with or without the SHIFT button). TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 20...

  • Page 21: Overview

    Pressing an RGB note button, results in a note being added to, or removed from, the current pattern. The order in which a pattern’s notes play is determined by the position of the PATH knob. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 21...

  • Page 22: Description

    There various path settings are described on the following pages. In the descriptions, note order refers to order in which the RGB note buttons are triggered. The buttons are referred to by number as illustrated below. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 22...

  • Page 23: Path Knob

    SETTING 4 1 - 3 - 2 - 4 5 - 7 - 6 - 8 SETTING 5 1 - 5 - 2 - 7 4 - 8 - 3 - 6 (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 23...
  • Page 24 1 - 7 1 - 8 This pattern adapts dynamically in response to which notes are active. SETTING 7 RANDOM A random combination of all active notes. Press the random button to shuffle the pattern. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 24...

  • Page 25: Overview

    Sets the root note of the Sets the pattern for scale scale. notes 1 to 4 BUTTON Sets the interval TETRACHORD 2 KNOB between Tetrachord 1 & Sets the pattern for scale Tetrachord 2 notes 5 to 8 TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 25...

  • Page 26: Display

    Notes active in the current scale are illuminated and notes outside the current scale are not. Here the LED ring displays a major scale, with notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 active. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 26...

  • Page 27: Root Note

    B and second name minor. The technical term for a scale’s first name is root note. To adjust the root note on the Tetrachords, press and, whilst still pressing, turn the ROTARY ENCODER. There are 12 root note options, visually represented by the 12 LEDs surrounding the ROTARY ENCODER.

  • Page 28: Tetrachords

    A musical scale can be divided into two, four note halves, called tetrachords. This idea inspired the layout of the Tetrachords with the centre of the module being divided into two sections. The TETRACHORD 1 section, for controlling scale notes 1 - 4...

  • Page 29: Note Patterns

    Their second name is derived from the characteristic pattern of intervals, aka musical distances, between each note. Three of the panel controls on the Tetrachords module define the pattern of intervals for a scale. The first half of the scale is set by the TETRACHORD 1 KNOB.
  • Page 30 Observe that in some of the above examples, note 1 follows note 7. This is a feature of musical scales, after their final note, they begin again on their first note (though one octave higher). (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 30...
  • Page 31 Note: The Tetrachord 1 Lydian setting has no effect when 5 5 4 is set to 4. The Tetrachord 2 Lydian setting has no effect when 5 5 4 is set to 5. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 31...

  • Page 32: Rotary Encoder Aka Mode

    If the Rotary Encoder is turned one step clock-wise, note 2 of the LED ring turns red, indicating that RGB button 1 now corresponds to scale note 2. Again, subsequent RGB buttons correspond to subsequent scale notes. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 32...
  • Page 33 As an example, the seven possible encoder settings for the natural minor scale are illustrated below. (Theoretical note: these settings correspond to what are known as the 7 modes of the natural minor scale.) (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 33...
  • Page 34 (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 34...
  • Page 35 Turning the encoder clock-wise after the 7th setting results in a return to the original setting, though with all notes shifted 1 octave higher. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 35...

  • Page 36: Scale Recipes

    Scales 6 - Scale recipes SCALE TETRACHORD 1 TETRACHORD 2 Major Natural Minor Harmonic Minor Half-Whole Diminished Blues (ish) Phrygian Dominant (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 36...
  • Page 37 SCALE TETRACHORD 1 TETRACHORD 2 Dorian Mode Phrygian mode Lydian Mode Myxolydian Mode Locrian Mode Whole Tone TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 37...
  • Page 38 Turning the rotary encoder, whilst the octave button is pressed, also changes the track octave setting. A clockwise turn increments the octave setting, an anti-clockwise setting decrements it. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 38...
  • Page 39 The AMOUNT knob has no effect at the 12 o’clock position. When turned clockwise, the AMOUNT knob shifts selected notes up by 1 to 3 octaves. When turned counter-clockwise, the AMOUNT knob shifts selected notes down by 1 to 3 octaves. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 39...
  • Page 40 Turning the AMOUNT knob counter- clockwise lowers notes by 1 to 3 octaves. In this setting, notes at the beginning of the SETTING 2 tetrachord will always be higher than those at the end. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 40...
  • Page 41 In this setting, the amount knob affects SETTING 3 only the 1st and 3rd notes of the tetrachord. In this setting, the amount knob affects SETTING 4 only the 2nd and 4th notes of the tetrachord. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 41...
  • Page 42 In this setting, the amount knob affects SETTING 5 only the middle notes of the tetrachord. In this section, the amount knob affects SETTING 6 only the outer notes of the tetrachord. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 42...

  • Page 43: Overview

    Similarly, pressing shift and turning the encoder counter-clockwise causes the highest active notes to be lowered one octave. Continuously turning the encoder counter- clockwise results in notes cascading downwards until they reach their lower limit TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 43...

  • Page 44: Inversion Knob

    DROP 3 Notes 3 and 4 are lowered by 1 octave. DROP 2 Notes 5 and 6 are lowered by 1 octave. DROP 1 Notes 7 and 8 are lowered by 1 octave. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 44...
  • Page 45 Notes 1 and 2 are raised by 1 octave. Notes 1, 2, 3 and 4 are raised by 1 octave. Notes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are raised by 1 octave. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 45...
  • Page 46 THEORETICAL DISCLAIMER (safe to ignore for everyone - possibly interesting to those familiar with inversions and associated terminology) The Tetrachords implementation of inversions does not align 100% with established practice. This is for pragmatic reasons, to make the INVERSION knob more useful and fun.

  • Page 47: Reverse Button

    Each tetrachord section features a reverse button, labelled REV. The reverse button reverses the order in which any active notes in the corresponding tetrachord are played. The blue LED above the button illuminates when reverse is engaged. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 47...

  • Page 48: Arp / Chord Button

    13 notes. The Tetrachords module can easily transmit 13 note chords via MIDI, however it is limited to a maximum of 4 simultaneous notes via CV.

  • Page 49: Overview

    The chromatic button affects a pattern differently depending on the how many notes are active in the corresponding tetrachord. The way this works is detailed on the following pages. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 49...

  • Page 50: Chromatic Button

    Scale notes 1 & 2 are now part of the current sequence. Press the chromatic button The 2 note i.e. the note between scale notes 1 & 2, is now part of the sequence also. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 50...

  • Page 51: Three Active Notes

    Scale notes 1, 2 & 5 are now part of the current sequence. Press the chromatic button The 2 note i.e. the note between scale notes 1 & 2, is now part of the sequence also. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 51...

  • Page 52: Four Active Notes

    The 2 note i.e. the note between scale notes 1 & 2, is now part of the sequence. The 4 note i.e. the note between scale notes 3 & 5, is now part of the sequence. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 52...

  • Page 53: Overview

    ROTARY ENCODER path is active. custom button is held. When the custom button is held, the encoder shifts the point at which notes will be added to or removed from the custom path. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 53...

  • Page 54: Description

    For example, pressing buttons 1, 1, 4, 3, 4, 1 generates the corresponding note order. 1 - 1 - 4 - 3 - 4 - 1 (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 54...

  • Page 55: Custom Path

    LED DISPLAY - CUSTOM PATH LENGTH When the custom button is pressed, the RGB LED ring and the FORWARD and BACK button LEDs indicate the length of the custom path sequence. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 55...
  • Page 56 Custom Path (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 56...

  • Page 57: Overview

    MIDI Velocity Overview The five knobs below, combined with the SHIFT button, manipulate the MIDI velocity values of sequenced notes. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 57...

  • Page 58: Midi Velocity

    Press SHIFT and turn the INVERSION / CHORD VEL knob. This sets the MIDI velocity for notes played when the ARP CHORD button is set to CHORD. CHORD VEL is set to 75 by default. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 58...

  • Page 59: Random Velocity

    This adds a random component to the MIDI velocity of notes in the current pattern. The VEL RANDOM setting effects all notes, regardless of the ARP CHORD button setting. VEL RANDOM is set to 15% by default. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 59...

  • Page 60: Midi Velocity Spread

    The VEL AMOUNT knob has no effect at the 12 o’clock position. When turned clockwise, the VEL AMOUNT knob increases the velocity of selected notes. When turned counter-clockwise, the VEL AMOUNT knob decreases the velocity of selected notes. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 60...
  • Page 61 (Buttons 1 - 4) (Buttons 5 - 8) In this setting, notes at the beginning of the SETTING 2 pattern will always be louder than those at the end. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 61...
  • Page 62 In this setting, the amount knob affects SETTING 3 only the odd notes of the pattern. In this setting, the amount knob affects SETTING 4 only the even notes of the pattern. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 62...
  • Page 63 In this setting, the amount knob affects SETTING 5 only the middle notes of the pattern. In this section, the amount knob affects SETTING 6 only the outer notes of the pattern. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 63...

  • Page 64: Cv Out

    CV GATE/VELOCITY OUT Buttons 5 to 8 assign CV OUT 1 to 4 to the selected track. The assigned outputs send a gate signal, scaled according to the MIDI velocity value of the current note. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 64...

  • Page 65: Polyphonic Example

    When TRACK 1 is playing and the ARP CHORD button is set to CHORD, the 4 CV OUTS can transmit up to 4 different notes/ voltages. The way it works depends on how many notes are active. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 65...
  • Page 66 When 3 notes are active, CV OUTS 1, 2 & 3 transmit the active notes/ voltages. CV OUT 4 duplicates note 1. RGB Button 1 note RGB Button 5 note RGB Button 7 note RGB Button 1 note (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 66...
  • Page 67 RGB Button 5 note E.g. when all notes are active, notes 5, 6, 7 & 8 are omitted. RGB Button 1 note RGB Button 2 note RGB Button 3 note RGB Button 4 note TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 67...

  • Page 68: Gate Out Example

    For details of how to manipulate note velocity, refer to MIDI Velocity section of this guide. For details of how the gate output responds to the CV input, refer to the Trig Input Response section of this guide. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 68...

  • Page 69: Slew

    CV notes. When turned fully clockwise, the transition between CV notes is as slow as possible, approximately 5.5 seconds. Note that the transition time is independent of the distance between sequenced notes. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 69...

  • Page 70: Current Track Lfo

    Sets the LFO depth for all CV OUTS assigned to the current track. Note: the controls described above can be used to synchronize the LFOS of all CV outputs assigned to a track. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 70...

  • Page 71: Edit All Cv Lfos

    KNOBS 5 to 8 Set the LFO amount for CV OUTS 1 to 4 respectively. The controls described above can be used to independently set the LFOS of all CV outputs assigned to a track. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 71...

  • Page 72: Tuning Mode

    Output 2v Select CV for Tuner/calibration CUSTOM calibration Start calibration input RGB BUTTONS LED RING Load/Select Tuner display/ calibration Calibration progress setting. indicator Pressing SHIFT + MOD / places the Tetrachords in TUNING MODE. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 72...

  • Page 73: Tuning

    CV controlled oscillators in tune with MIDI instruments and with each other. To use the tuner, first connect any of the Tetrachords CV OUTS to an oscillator’s v/octave input. Then connect an oscillator output to TRIG IN 4.
  • Page 74 MIDI note 60. The LED ring indicates the tuning of the oscillator connected to TRIG IN 4. The LED ring tuning display mimics common instrument tuners. See details on the following page. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 74...
  • Page 75 LED RING TUNER DISPLAY (less than 261.6Hz) Slightly low (slightly less than 261.6Hz) ‘In Tune’ 261.6Hz Slightly low (slightly greater than 261.6Hz) High (greater than 261.6Hz) (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 75...

  • Page 76: Troubleshooting Tuning

    Troubleshooting tuning The Tetrachords tuner works best with simple waveforms. Where possible use a square wave. Otherwise basic waveforms such as saw, triangle and sine waves can work well. The tuner may not work with more complex waveforms, though by all means try.

  • Page 77: Calibration

    Calibration The Tetrachords is capable of calibrating its CV OUTS to individual oscillators. This can significantly improve how in-tune oscillators will play when sequenced by the Tetrachords, especially for sequences with a wide pitch range. The calibration process currently takes between 3 to 5 minutes.

  • Page 78: Loading Calibrations

    This will be fixed but probably not until we get the next version of the hardware up and running. Pressing buttons 1 - 5 will load the corresponding saved calibration setting. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 78...

  • Page 79: Saving Calibrations

    CV OUT you wish to use for the calibration e.g. press TRACK 1 if calibrating CV OUT 1 Connect the selected CV OUT to an oscillator’s v/octave input. Connect the oscillator’s output to TRIG IN 4. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 79...
  • Page 80 Press one of RGB buttons 2 - 8 to select where the calibration is to be saved. The LED pill above the button will flash, indicating the slot where the calibration is to be saved. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 80...
  • Page 81 Calibration takes 3 to 5 minutes. The LED RING displays the progress of the calibration process. calibration complete calibration in progress When calibration is complete, the Tetrachords exits TUNING MODE and can be operated as normal. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 81...

  • Page 82: Musical Structures

    Musical Structures Concept A SONG is the highest-level Tetrachords structure. A SONG consists of 8 PROGRESSIONS, labelled PROG on the faceplate. Each PROGRESSION can contain up to 8 PATTERNS PATTERNS are called CHORDS in the prototype. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE...

  • Page 83: Songs

    NOTE - to see which SONG slot is currently selected, press and hold SONG/SAVE. The white LED pills will indicate the current SONG slot. INITIALISING A SONG Hold SONG then press the RESET to clear/initialise the current SONG and all PROGRESSIONS within it. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 83...

  • Page 84: Progressions

    Hold PROGRESSION then press the RIGHT button to copy the current PROGRESSION to the next PROGRESSION slot. Hold PROGRESSION then press the LEFT button to copy the current PROGRESSION to the previous PROGRESSION slot. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 84...
  • Page 85 INITIALISING PROGRESSIONS Hold PROGRESSION then press the RESET to initialise the current PROGRESSION and all PATTERNS within it. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 85...
  • Page 86 PATTERN to the next PATTERN slot. The LEFT and RIGHT buttons to navigate between active patterns. Sending a trigger to MOD 6 switches to the next active PATTERN. This is equivalent to pressing the RIGHT button. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 86...
  • Page 87 PATTERNS A bright white pill indicates the control PATTERN i.e. Bright red on the prototype. the PATTERN linked to the controls on the Tetrachords faceplate. Note: the CTRL text has been added to this guide for clarity.

  • Page 88: Copying

    This copies the current control PATTERN to the PATTERN corresponding to the RGB button and makes it the new control. Note that the PATTERN being copied to must be inactive, otherwise this process simply switches the control PATTERN without copying. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 88...

  • Page 89: Arrow Button Switching

    ... the first active PATTERN becomes the new control PATTERN. Conversely, if the first active PATTERN is the control PATTERN and the LEFT ARROW button is pressed..the last active PATTERN becomes the new control PATTERN. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 89...

  • Page 90: Rgb Button Switching

    PATTERN. For example: Start with the default case, where PATTERN 1 is both the control PATTERN and the only active PATTERN. Press and hold the PATTERN button, then press RGB button 6 (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 90...

  • Page 91: Cv Switching

    No copying has taken place. PATTERN SWITCHING METHOD 3 - CV By default, sending a trigger to MOD 6 makes the next active PATTERN the control PATTERN. This is equivalent to pressing the RIGHT ARROW button. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 91...
  • Page 92 Scale settings Octave settings Spread settings Inversion settings Arp/Chord settings Chromatic settings Reverse settings Active note settings i.e. which notes play Custom pattern settings MIDI CC settings MIDI velocity settings LFO settings (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 92...
  • Page 93 TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 93...

  • Page 94: Cv Modulation

    CV Modulation The 6 MOD inputs can be used to control any (almost) of the Tetrachords’ settings via CV. Modulations are set up via a four step process. Press and hold the MOD button. Choose and configure the modulation source.
  • Page 95 Choose what will be modulated. Select the mod target by using the control associated with that target. For example, whilst still pressing MOD, turn the Tetrachord 1 knob to select Tetrachord 1 as the mod target. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 95...
  • Page 96 Incoming CV can now set the TETRACHORD 1 value to LYDIAN, MIN, PHRYGIAN, DIM or HARMONIC but not MAJ. Note that pressing the RESET button at this point will disable the MOD. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 96...

  • Page 97: Disabling Mods

    Remove the cable from the physical MOD input. Removing the cable temporarily disables any modulations associated with that MOD input. The MOD settings aren’t deleted when the cable is removed. Modulation resumes if the cable is plugged back in. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 97...

  • Page 98: (I) Musical Mode

    Press RGB BUTTON 3 to select MOD 3 as the physical input Use RGB BUTTON 8 to select unipolar (0 to 5v) input. UNIPOLAR (0v to 5v) The AMOUNT 2 LED pulses right to indicate the unipolar setting. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 98...
  • Page 99 MODE value to modes 1, 2, 4 or 6. Note that the buttons act as a toggle. For example, pressing RGB BUTTON 5 again will make mode 5 accessible to CV modulation. Release the MOD button. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 99...

  • Page 100: (Ii) Midi Out

    Press and hold the MOD button. Press RGB BUTTON 5 to select MOD 5 as the physical input Use RGB BUTTON 8 to select trigger input. TRIGGER The AMOUNT 2 LED blinks to indicate the trigger setting. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 100...
  • Page 101 Second, navigating the setup is different because the are 16 possible values i.e. there are more values than RGB buttons. The RGB Incoming CV triggers will now CYCLE the MIDI OUT channel setting TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 101...
  • Page 102 Release the MOD button. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 102...

  • Page 103: (Iii) Rev

    Press RGB BUTTON 2 to select MOD 2 as the physical input Use RGB BUTTON 8 to select unipolar (0 to 5v) input. UNIPOLAR (0v to 5v) The AMOUNT 2 LED pulses right to indicate the unipolar setting. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 103...
  • Page 104 Press the REV 1 BUTTON At this point, RGB button 1 illuminates, indicating the incoming CV can set REV 1 on or off. Release the MOD button. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 104...

  • Page 105: (Iv) Vel Level

    Use RGB BUTTON 8 to select bipolar (-5v to 5v) input. BIPOLAR (-5v to 5v) The AMOUNT 2 LED oscillates to indicate the bipolar setting. Press and hold SHIFT then turn the AMOUNT/VEL AMOUNT knob (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 105...
  • Page 106 50% and highest 12.5% of values from CV control. Incoming CV can now set the MIDI velocity level to between 50% and 87.5% of the MIDI velocity range. Release the MOD button. TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 106...

  • Page 107: (V) Next Pattern(Mod 6 Default)

    Type of input: Next Pattern Targeted Settings: Next PATTERN modulation is enabled by default. When a CV trigger is received on MOD 6, the next PATTERN, if there is one, will play. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 107...
  • Page 108 TETRACHORDS to normal operation. Releasing SONG/SAVE button, loads the selected preset and puts the TETRACHORDS module in LED DISPLAY EDITOR MODE. To exit LED DISPLAY EDITOR MODE without making any changes, press the PATTERN button. This can be done at any time.

  • Page 109: Led Display Editor

    Tetrachords powers on. Double tap the the SONG/SAVE button to save the new LED settings and return to regular Tetrachords with the new LED settings loaded. REMEMBER: press the PATTERN button at any time to return to regular Tetrachords functionality without changing LED settings.

  • Page 110: Editing Blue/White Single Colour Leds

    Editing Blue/White single colour LEDs The PATH knob adjusts the brightness of the BLUE/WHITE LEDs including the brighter setting of the BLUE/WHITE LED pills. The INVERSION knob adjusts the dimmer setting of the BLUE/WHITE LED pills (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 110...

  • Page 111: Editing Generic Colour Leds

    Editing Generic Colour LEDs The Tetrachords module has two generic colour settings. To adjust these settings, first press the ARP/CHORD button, then edit them as follows... The colour of scale notes that are not the root note on the LED RING.
  • Page 112 The colour of the RGB buttons when not selected or playing. By default, the RGB buttons are off when not selected. The ARP button flashes, indicating the generic colour LEDs are being BLUE GREEN edited. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 112...

  • Page 113: Editing Track Colour Leds

    Editing TRACK Colour LEDs The Tetrachords module has four colour settings associated with each track. The colour of the TRACK button, CV OUT and scale root note LEDs. The secondary version of the scale root note LEDs, seen when editing the CUSTOM NOTE QUEUE.
  • Page 114 TRACK button, CV OUT and scale root note LEDs. GREEN BLUE The LEFT button LED flashes, indicating the TRACK button, CV OUT, and LED RING LEDs are being edited. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 114...
  • Page 115 By default, this is a dimmer version of the primary ROOT NOTE colour. The LEFT button LED BLUE GREEN flashes, indicating the TRACK button, CV OUT, and LED RING LEDs are being edited. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 115...
  • Page 116 RGB buttons when a note is activated. GREEN BLUE The RIGHT button LED GREEN BLUE flashes, indicating the RGB button colours are being The Tetrachord 2 knobs edit edited. the highlighted RGB button colours. (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 116...
  • Page 117 RGB editing quick quide Generic RGB button GREEN BLUE Generic LED RING Active RGB button GREEN BLUE Highlighted RGB button TRACK | CV OUT | ROOT NOTE GREEN BLUE Dim LED RING TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 117...

  • Page 118: Config.txt

    Appendix 1 - CONFIG.TXT TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 118...
  • Page 119 Acknowledgements TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 119...
  • Page 120 (cont.) TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 120...

  • Page 121: Link

    LINK A bright blue pill indicates the control PATTERN i.e. Bright red on the prototype. the PATTERN linked to the controls on the Tetrachords faceplate. Note: the CTRL text has been added to this guide for clarity. It does not appear on the faceplate.
  • Page 122 TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 122...
  • Page 123 TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 123...
  • Page 124 TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 124...
  • Page 125 CYC LE I NST RUME N TS ADDRESS 3/26 Venning St Everton Park QLD 4053 Australia CONTACT info@circleinstruments.com www.circleinstruments.com...
  • Page 126 TETRACHORDS | USER GUIDE PAGE | 126...

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