A beginner's guide to the components of a modular synthesizer

7 - 8 STEP KEYBOARD SEQUENCER :

A sequencer allows to send a CV signal of different values ​​on each step to a VCO CV IN for example (but not only), to have a different note at each step.

Without an external clock you can still use the keyboard manually to send CV, but for it to scroll by itself from step to step you will need an external clock.

INDICATOR LED : allows to view the scrolling sequence

PITCH POT (1) : 8 pitch potentiometers (all the line), one for each step, to adjust the strength of the signal sent on the corresponding CV OUT for each step

PITCH POT (2) : the same thing like the PITCH POT (1) but for the second line

GATE OUT : each step can send a gate signal to another module

MANUAL KEYBOARD : you can play with it during a sequence , but also without clock in, when you press one of these buttons, the corresponding voltages are output on the CV OUT.

MANUAL STEP : without external clock you can move forward or backward step by step manually with this switch (to adjust the tune for each step before starting a sequence for example )

CLOCK IN (B) : clock in Backward, with an external clock in this jack the sequence goes backward

CLOCK IN (F) : clock in Forward, with an external clock in this jack the sequence goes forward

RESET INPUT : to restart the sequence at the start with an external trigger

RESET SWITCH : to restart manually the sequence at the start

KEYBOARD GATE OUT : send a gate signal to another module with the keyboard button

CV OUT (1) : it’s the OUTPUT CV for line 1

CV OUT (2) : it’s the OUTPUT CV for line 2

Example of simple patch with this module, a VCO and a LFO :

  • LFO OUTPUT (square wave) to trigger the sequencer (in CLOCK IN Forward), CV OUT (1) of sequencer in CV IN of the VCO : and play with all the PITCH POT (1) to change the tune of each step.

  • You can also take a GATE OUT of one step to trigger a VCA, ADSR, VCF …
    Or also the CV OUT (2) to tune another VCO to make some 2 notes “chords”

  • Also you can connect the GATE OUT of one step to the RESET IN to make a shorter sequence

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