multi point envelopes?

[popsicko]

If I get a sequencer and run it through a slew limiter (i think) is it possible to mimic multi point envelolpes similar to absynth?
If the sequencer has 3 rows of 16 I can use one for controlling the volume like an envelope and the second for controlling the amount of "Slewing" ie longer for some stages, nothing on others, and then use the third for pitch or filter cv.
In my mind this works perfectly!! Which is probably the only place it works.
Now I just need to find a sequencer with 3 rows of 16 and on of switches for each row, and separate divisions for each row and . . . . and . . . .
a Slew limiter with CV control of the amount of "slewing" it does.

I think I made up a word.
-b

[EdisonRex]

Slewing is a word already.

Basically, the short answer is "yes, you can." however you will have quantized envelopes unless you have a sequencer that can provide variable delay between events, and you need to reset the sequence with each gate or trigger.

[popsicko]

Yikes! I'd probably have to build a sequencer to find all that functionality in one unit. I guess it would not be exact but it would still be cool. Don't some envelopes allow you to chain them to another envelope. Meaning once it's finished it's cycle it then sends a signal to the next envelope to do it's magic and so on?

I better start researching sequencers. I know I'm gonna want one. . . . . or two.
Thanks,
-b

[EdisonRex]

Look at the Klee

Lots of sequencers can reset with a gate. That's not hard. It's the non-quantized intervals that's the problem. You could build something like that though.

[Adam-V]

[morbius]

Dotcom (synthesizers.com) has two sequencers that would probably do the trick... but- only 3 x 8's... not 3 x 16. The Q119 has a 'done' output, and can run in 3 x 8 or 1 x 24 mode. The Q960 (a clone of Moog's 960) has trigger-ins and outs for each stage (as does the Q962 sequential switch). It, by default, runs in 3 x 8 mode, but when patched to the 962 can run 1 x 8 , 2 x 8, or 3 x 8. I have patched two Q960's and two Q119's in series, where one starts and plays... then the next... then the next... then the next... and back to the start.

[davep]

To make this idea work properly you need to:

1. Control the length of each step

2. Control the rate of the slew proportionally with the length of each step (so shorter steps slew quickly and longer steps slew slower, resulting in a continuous glide from step to step. You don't want the glide to reach the step too soon, and you don't want it to glide too slow or the sequencer will move on to the next step before the glide reaches the destination note).

For #1, you need to control the rate of a square wave LFO that is being used to advance the sequence. So you use a sequencer that has multiple rows and use a spare row as a CV source for the LFO rate to control the length of each step.

For #2, you pass the sequencer's control output through a low pass filter set to a pretty low cutoff frequency. A lowpass filter will slew the transitions between the steps; the lower the cutoff, the slower the slewing. So now you use that same row that is controlling the LFO rate to ALSO control the filter cutoff and VIOLA! The slewing can be set to increase and decrease it's rate along with the length of each step (although it can take some tweaking to get it right).

There was a G2 thread about multi-stage envelopes and a few of us came up with some variations that used these methods. They work great!

Or, you could just buy an Encore Electronics Universal Event Generator, which is a handy little module that does step sequencing, eight-stage envelopes with either stepped or slewed transitions, complex LFO shapes, and more:

http://www.encoreelectronics.com/cont_ueg1.html

[cbm]

The Buchla Arbitrary Function Generators can do this.

http://www.buchla.com/200e/250e.html

[popsicko]

Is Encore still around? I've not heard anything from them in 5 years! It looks like the UEG is dead anyway. Bummer.
-b

[drapdap]