Numerology 2.1b3

[jim]

Lots o new goodies here (Keyboard module, Sequence 'step-trigger' mode, sequencer recording, transport locate, sequence groove timing), so be sure to read the release notes to get the full effect. There are still tweaks to make and bugs to fix, but I wanted to get this out to get some feedback on the new stuff...

http://www.five12.com/Numerology-2.1b3.dmg

Numerology 2.1b3 Release Notes:

Keyboard Module:

This new module (in the MIDI Gen module group) acts as a virtual MIDI keyboard. It has three working modes:
- Mono : play a note on mouse down, release it on mouse up.
- Mono+Hold : play a note on mouse down, hold it until another note chosen.
- Poly : play and hold all notes until cleared.

- You can set the MIDI channel, generated velocity and the base octave for the keyboard.
- A very handy trick is to set the keyboard to poly mode, and program different chords for each stack preset, then assign computer keys to the presets, so you can play a chord sequence from the keyboard. To handle muting, setup one more preset with no notes assigned.
- There's no MIDI input on the Keyboard yet, I'll be adding that soon...

Sequencer "Run Mode" Re-Org:

Each sequencer has a set of "run mode" settings (that used to be) hidden in the advanced settings panel. These settings have been moved to a dialog box that you can now open via an "Edit" button next to the mini-transport for each sequencer -- the little round button labeled "E". This makes these settings much easier to get to, as the are now accessed via a button next to the things they modify (the sequencer's transport activity). In addition, two status labels will appear below the mini-transport when appropriate. One of these is for the "playback mode" (formerly known as "run mode") of the sequence. The other is for the recording mode of the sequence.

NoteSequencer Recording:

The MonoNote, PolyNote and DrumSeq now all support pattern entry via MIDI notes. The MonoNote & PolyNote both support step entry and realtime recording (via the RecMode menu in the advanced settings panel), while the DrumSeq is best suited to realtime recording. There is a 'rec' button to enable/disable recording on the mini-transport for each module. I don't have any doc on this feature yet, but it is pretty easy to setup:
- Add one of the NoteSeqs to a stack
- Make sure the stack has a MIDI input of some sort
- Click the 'rec' button on the sequence
- If you need to switch modes, click the 'e' button to edit the record mode.
- Hit play, and go for it.

DrumSeq:

There are now individual 'clear' buttons for each track in the Drum Sequencer. They are to the right of each track and are labeled with an 'x'. This is very handy for clearing out DrumSeq tracks while recording.

Step Trigger Mode:

All sequencers now support a trigger mode called "CV Trig : Step". This allows you to move through a sequence step by step from some trigger source, such as the output of a GateSeq. This is a pretty advanced feature, so if you don't know what it is, wait until I have a demo ready...

NoteSequencer Groove Timing:

There is now a "groove" timing row for each note sequencer. This allows you to push or pull the timing for each step in a sequence. To have the step occur a bit early, set a value > 0. To have the step be a bit late, set a value < 0. The push/pull range is +/- 30% of the step length. There is one limitation: the first step played when the sequencer starts will always be directly 'on time'.

Preset Changes:

There is a new preference for each stack in the Stack Detail dialog called "Reset on Preset Change". You can double-click on the stack tab to see it, or use "Edit Stack Details" in the Stack menu. This preference is on by default for all new stacks and when on, will reset all sequencers to their "start step" when a preset is changed. This is an important detail to achieve accurate behavior in the timeline.

Timeline:

Several important changes that greatly improve the usability of the Timeline. Previously, when there was no 'preset block' on a track that was timeline enabled, the entire stack was muted. This caused problems with note decay and effects (delay, reverb). The new behavior
is to only mute individual modules, and only those modules whose primary output is MIDI, which includes all the NoteSequencers, and all the MIDI Gen modules. In addition, the timing of 'timeline mute' events has been improved. And, as mentioned above, the "Reset on Preset Change" preference greatly helps to make accurate preset changes. Several more workflow improvements and fixes are on the way...

Transport Loop:

Settings for this are currently on the Timeline panel. I'll move them up to the transport for the next release. It's pretty self-explanitory: set the start bar and end bar, then use the 'power' button to turn it on and off. Note that you can use "command-L" to do a direct locate.

CV In / CV Out

I've dropped the number of ports on these to 2 each, to better match up with ParamMod modules, and the number of CV busses.

Routing Panel

There are now buttons for disabling drawing of any of the four cable types (clock, audio, cv, midi)

Misc Fixes & Updates

- Fixed a bug that could cause problems when deleting stacks with AU modules.

- Fixed a bug that could cause CPU issues with the MIDI Switch.

- The row of sliders for "timing" in all NoteSequencers has been tweaked to make it possible to manualy set them to their halfway value (usually 0.5).

- Fixed a stuck note bug that could occur when changing presets

- Fixed a bug that could case UI layout problems with the rack when adding new stacks on PPC macs running 10.4.11.

[john brennan]

Hey Jimbo
Just downloaded the new beta . Just had a quick rip on it before I had to go to work . All seems to be working fine . Just one suggestion would it be possible to have individual mutes for each track in the drum sequencer I know I could just use single track drum sequencers but just thought it;d be handy particularly for live performance if you just wanted to say mute the kick drum and then bring the beat back as the kids say these days . Once again Jim a stellar effort on your half has made N2 even better . As they say over this side of the world its time for you to stand back light your pipe and admire your handy work

[jue]

Hello,

you are looking for individual mutes for each track in the drum sequencer?
Are the mute buttons below the Track name ( Track 1, Track 2.... ) on the left side not working for you?

Track 1 <-- Track name
A 1 <-- Track note
Mute <-- Track Mute ???????????

Checked this and it worked here.

best
jue

[ryanmca]

the record to sequencer feature is awesome jim, as well as everything else. i really dig this beta.

[sonomute]

for some reason i'm not so glad as i supposed to be...i was waiting for midi programming feature so much, but when i tried it...it is not feels comfortable or intuitive, it is almost the same as input notes manually, of course you will have all midi numbers and even velocities in sequencer, but no length and no pauses, and if u want to edit one particular step you need to go through all previous, if you have put note into wrong place(in live recording mode it is very easy to do) it is not possible to just move it to desired place...i'm spending more time fighting with interface then creating music for now...numerology very good for tweaking and modulating parameters, randomizing, generating stuff...but it still lacks very simple and very important thing for now in my opinion- easy and fast way to write down your musical idea...i wish i can start with simple recording of my sequence like i can in Live, just press record, play, press stop, quantize notes or move them manually, adjust their lengths and velocities and then...start to really develop it into composition!

For now if i want to move melody i hear in my head into sequencer and hear it just the same way from there, i need to really put a lot of afford, even with new feature...

It's amazing, how in the field where there are so many people working every day creating some nice stuff there is still no single powerful but intuitive tool...

[john brennan]

Cheers Jue dunno how I missd that one !!

[jim]

for some reason i'm not so glad as i supposed to be...i was waiting for midi programming feature so much, but when i tried it...it is not feels comfortable or intuitive, it is almost the same as input notes manually, of course you will have all midi numbers and even velocities in sequencer, but no length and no pauses, and if u want to edit one particular step you need to go through all previous, if you have put note into wrong place(in live recording mode it is very easy to do) it is not possible to just move it to desired place...

What you're really looking for is a MIDI piano roll -- there is nothing else that will operate the way you describe. There's a very good chance that I'll add such a module to Numerology, but it will be a while before that happens. The note sequencers in Numerology are very much step sequencers, which is a very different way of working. Note that I did not use the term "midi recording" when describing the new record features, that's because there is no MIDI recorded -- it is used to set sequencer steps, which record their values very differently. There are a few tweaks I'd like to make to the current recording feature, such as being able to sustain notes across steps in the PolyNote, but it will never work exactly like a piano roll.

Best,
Jim

[jue]

Hello,

today I had a lot of fun to play along a running MonoNote with realtime recording, for me its playing NoteSequencer realtime recording.
You could try so mutch for me new things with it.
Its a completely new sequencer experience how your sequence changes while you play and everything is floating around.
Just a few new notes here and there at certain times make it absolutely wonderful for me.

And for shure its mutch more than just putting in notes via MIDI.

Thank You Jim for this new tool.

best
jue

[M.A.N.U.]

...

......

......... Awesome !

Thank you, Jim !

[steff3]

how about the MIDI keyboard module to change note on velocity according to where you press the key (like we have that in virtual instruments - preferably with user selectable polarity) ...

best

[jim]

how about the MIDI keyboard module to change note on velocity according to where you press the key (like we have that in virtual instruments - preferably with user selectable polarity) ...


I'll look into it...

Jim

[sunsinger]

Hey Jim,
Thanks for the changes in the timeline, I look forward to using them.
I'm sure that arranging in the timeline will be more user friendly. Numerology is becoming the analog style sequencer that electronica composers like me have dreamed of for years.

[kaioconnell]

Very cool stuff in the new updates, couple of comments. For the step entry mode would it be possible to a) have some kind of marker or color change to indicate which step will be edited, and b) a way to cursor to a different step while doing step editing (I'm on step 14, arrow key left a couple of times, and the insert marker is on step 9). Thanks for the consideration and keep up the awesometastic work Jim.

[m5tevens]

The timeline seems to intermittently get confused about what to do if it doesn't have a preset starting at bar 1 for a track. If the first preset in the track doesn't start at bar 1, it'll sometimes play preset 1 when started even if it shouldn't be playing anything until bar N.

To try and reproduce, assign a preset one bar long starting at bar two. It should play back as expected, eg, nothing happening until bar 2 when you hit the spacebar. Now, "do stuff" to the track ... add a couple bars to the preset by dragging, add another preset after the first one, etc. If you get what I get, it should sometimes play "as expected," and sometimes start playing preset 1 at bar one even if there's nothing defined there. The timeline only seems unsure about what to do about blank track space at the head of the track ... once it gets to where presets are defined, it functions as expected.

[jim]

On Mar 27, 2009, at 11:59 PM, m5tevens wrote:


> The timeline seems to intermittently get confused about what to do
> if it doesn't have a preset starting at bar 1 for a track. If the
> first preset in the track doesn't start at bar 1, it'll sometimes
> play preset 1 when started even if it shouldn't be playing anything
> until bar N.
>
> To try and reproduce, assign a preset one bar long starting at bar
> two. It should play back as expected, eg, nothing happening until
> bar 2 when you hit the spacebar. Now, "do stuff" to the track ...
> add a couple bars to the preset by dragging, add another preset
> after the first one, etc. If you get what I get, it should sometimes
> play "as expected," and sometimes start playing preset 1 at bar one
> even if there's nothing defined there. The timeline only seems
> unsure about what to do about blank track space at the head of the
> track ... once it gets to where presets are defined, it functions as
> expected.


Yup, I'm well aware of this one, will fix next week. The workaround
is to create a 'muted' preset and stick that at the head of the
track. Definitely let me know about any other timeline oddities you
find....

Jim

[jim]

On Mar 27, 2009, at 4:56 PM, kaioconnell wrote:


> Very cool stuff in the new updates, couple of comments. For the step
> entry mode would it be possible to a) have some kind of marker or
> color change to indicate which step will be edited, and b) a way to
> cursor to a different step while doing step editing (I'm on step 14,
> arrow key left a couple of times, and the insert marker is on step
> 9). Thanks for the consideration and keep up the awesometastic work
> Jim.


I'm working on that. The 'write cursor' is already a modulatable
param (if you add a ParamMod module and
target a NoteSeq, you'll see it in the param list). I just have to
decide on the correct way to make it
visible, and to add 'prev' and 'next' buttons....

Cheers,
Jim

[sonomute]

What you're really looking for is a MIDI piano roll -- there is nothing else that will operate the way you describe. There's a very good chance that I'll add such a module to Numerology, but it will be a while before that happens. The note sequencers in Numerology are very much step sequencers, which is a very different way of working. Note that I did not use the term "midi recording" when describing the new record features, that's because there is no MIDI recorded -- it is used to set sequencer steps, which record their values very differently. There are a few tweaks I'd like to make to the current recording feature, such as being able to sustain notes across steps in the PolyNote, but it will never work exactly like a piano roll.

Well, i thing you wrong, what i'm looking for, it's enough flexible and well designed step sequencer, and you quite close to it already, add few things like that sustain method and editing cursor, so we can choose which step to edit, and may be something more...don't know, now it is good enough to input values of steps, but not relations between steps, dynamics of changes...

Also, it is very good and appreciated that you want your product to be different, i myself trying to do make my works different, or, as i prefer, original, but it doesn't mean that it must not be good for things that not so "different", like fast and straightforward work :) You know, i have bicycle which is very different from others, but i still can ride it without any special tricks (Strida 5.0). And about piano roll, looks like we have kind of two different schools, like "piano roll" and "step sequencer" teams, like west coast east coast stuff...haha, what's the point in it, main thing it's to make music...

I'm not really musician, i don't need to write long scores or something, i'm doing quite minimalistic stuff, many times in my step sequencer only two or three active steps, al i need is to be able to put those steps at right time in right place...and do it fast and intuitive way...for now it looks lie it is easier for me to do it by hand. Anyway, looking forward to feature add-ons.

[fleskus]

I need to get more acquainted with this app and its new features so i'm not absolutely sure that this is not possible, but in realtime recording i think it would be great if you could adjust gate-value with a CC. Only the gates of the notes you record will change to the current equivalent value of the CC.

When multiple steps can be recorded by holding down a key, it should then be possible to record a different gate for every step by changing the CC value while holding down the key. And how about recording gates without recording notes? Could use a key, that wouldn't be recorded, to disable/enable gate-recording…

If i'm not being clear here, just let me know :)

Maybe this should've been posted under "Feature Requests", but i also consider it feedback on the new recording feature.

[jim]

On Mar 31, 2009, at 9:34 AM, fleskus wrote:


> I need to get more acquainted with this app and its new features so
> i'm not absolutely sure that this is not possible, but in realtime
> recording i think it would be great if you could adjust gate-value
> with a CC. Only the gates of the notes you record by pressing a key
> will change to the current equivalent value of the CC.
>
> When multiple steps can be recorded by holding down a key, it should
> then be possible to record a different gate for every step by
> changing the CC value while holding down the key. And how about
> recording gates without recording notes? Could use a key, that
> wouldn't be recorded, to disable/enable gate-recording
>
> If i'm not being clear here, just let me know :)


This is an interesting idea, but to me it would seem to apply more to
step recording than realtime. My goal for gates and realtime
recording is to have the gates values adjust to more accurately
reflect what is played, including tied notes. Or am I missing
something?

Cheers,
Jim

[fleskus]

It may be helpful to know that i had the MonoNote and nanokontrol in mind when writing this post. And i hope it's not a total mess


This is an interesting idea, but to me it would seem to apply more to
step recording than realtime. My goal for gates and realtime
recording is to have the gates values adjust to more accurately
reflect what is played, including tied notes. Or am I missing
something?
Cheers,
Jim

Yes, it would be very much applicable to step recording too, and i think it would be very strange not to include this in step recording if it were implemented for realtime recording :) It's just that i've used realtime more, and so i used that as a basis. I should've mentioned it as a suggestion for both recording methods.

Maybe there could be a way to choose whether to record gate from the keypress or the CC in realtime mode then, since these features collide? A flexible way could be a midi switch to toggle gate recording from keyboard and/or introduce a button in the sequencer interface. This functionality can not be in effect when the assigned CC is active(explained below).

I'll try to better explain and add some absolutely necessary functionality to make this idea work:
I didn't think of this when i wrote the first post, but you absolutely have to be able to use a midi switch (or non recordable key) to toggle whether a CC value should change gate (or other parameter) when you press a key.
By setting the CC value to zero you could record a pause lasting several steps by holding down a key in realtime mode (in step recording mode you could of course just tap several times to produce the same effect), or you could set a small value to record many short notes just by holding down a key, or turn the knob to get varying gates (or other parameter values) while you play or hold keys, recordable or non recordable. It could replace quite a bit of mouse use if the same method could be used on most or all step parameters.

Example:
With the nanokontrol i'm (hopefully) getting in a couple of days, i could assign knob1 to gate and switch1 to toggle whether knob1 decides gate value when i press a key. So if switch1 is off, gates are left alone and only the pitch (and/or other parameters) is recorded. If other parameters could be recorded the same way, i could then assign fader1 to CV1 and use switch2 to toggle, and so on.


About the write cursor:
In the same vein as my other suggestion, i'd like to be able to do this with a midi controller (i think i'm not the first one to suggest this), and i have a rough idea of how that could work: Values between 60 to 68 (or something like that) is a dead zone. Once you get outside that, you jump the same (or maybe half) amount of steps as the CC-values change, but when you get closer to zero or max, the position changes at a speed. When you turn the knob towards center again, it immediately stops jumping steps once you get (or when you are) inside the "relative values zone".

An example of the midi controlled cursor with everything mentioned here implemented: you could set gates, CV1,2,3, velocity, etc, for all steps, to the values you've set on the enabled controls on your midi controller with one sweep through the steps.

Basically, i would like to be able to do most of the programming of the sequencer with a midi controller/keyboard.



André

[theau]

Again Awesome. I keep on talking about numerology when I can, and everyone should do to support Jim's work. Will soon make an article of it on my "just released" blog ( www.musikgear.com )

theau

[fleskus]

I felt there were something fairly important missing in step recording, so i'll throw in this one too:

It would be really great to to be able to use a button/key (CC or note) to zero the gate or velocity (then go to the next step as if recording a key). In the drum sequencer, this could maybe be an alternate key for every track.

For the zero gate (or velocity) button/key to really be useful, when you record a key that now has a zero gate, that should bring the gate back up to some level, whether it's based on how long you hold the key, a CC or maybe even what the gate's previous value was.


André

[jim]

I felt there were something fairly important missing in step recording, so i'll throw in this one too:

It would be really great to to be able to use a button/key (CC or note) to zero the gate or velocity (then go to the next step as if recording a key). In the drum sequencer, this could maybe be an alternate key for every track.


I've been thinking about this also -- probably designating a single note as the "zero step" command is the way to go. I can make it a pref somewhere....

For the zero gate (or velocity) button/key to really be useful, when you record a key that now has a zero gate, that should bring the gate back up to some level, whether it's based on how long you hold the key, a CC or maybe even what the gate's previous value was.


That should already be the case, though I'm also thinking that using the mod wheel to set the default gate could be interesting...

Cheers,
Jim

[fleskus]

I've been thinking about this also -- probably designating a single note as the "zero step" command is the way to go. I can make it a pref somewhere....

That should already be the case, though I'm also thinking that using the mod wheel to set the default gate could be interesting...

Cheers,
Jim

I think this would be great :)

Mod wheel on gate could be nice; my mod button (nanoKEY) won't do though, so would have to put that on a slider.

N2 is an inspiring application as it is by the way, and it seems quite stable :)


André

[jim]

I think this would be great :)

Mod wheel on gate could be nice; my mod button (nanoKEY) won't do though, so would have to put that on a slider.


Mod wheel now an option for setting gates. Am using pitch bend to move the 'cursor' back and forth, seems to work pretty well...

(new beta in a couple days)

Jim

[Sjoerd]

Hi Jim, everybody, I fell in love with Numerology 2... just started fooling around a bit in demo mode but already convinced this is going to be more than a one night stand. ;-) AWESOME product. o.O

I hope I'm also welcome to give the latest beta's a spin? Would you recommend trying the latest version for more possible bugfixes or sticking to the latest official release version?

Cheers!

[jim]

The most recent publicly available build is 2.1rc3:
http://five12.net/showthread.php?t=428

But if you wait a couple days, I'll have something new that will be bumping up the usefulness of ReWire an order of magnitude or more... ;)

And, of course, thanks for the props!

Cheers,
Jim

[Sjoerd]

The most recent publicly available build is 2.1rc3:
http://five12.net/showthread.php?t=428
Thanks for the pointer Jim. As the new kid on the block it's good to know where the hip folks hang out. :)

But if you wait a couple days, [...]
Wait, what? Are you nuts?

Actually, dumb question, just ignore please... Nutty devs ftw :p

[jim]

Wait, what? Are you nuts?

Actually, dumb question, just ignore please... Nutty devs ftw :p

No worries... but still .... ;)

Jim

[sbaishya]

Hi Jim,

I'm really enjoying how Numerology is developing.

In realtime mode, should I be able to hear what I am playing when I record?

I only hear what I have played on the next loop round.

[jim]

On May 20, 2009, at 1:55 PM, sbaishya wrote:


> Hi Jim,
>
> I'm really enjoying how Numerology is developing.
>
> In realtime mode, should I be able to hear what I am playing when I
> record?
>
> I only hear what I have played on the next loop round.



If you want to hear the input to the sequencer while you are
recording, just
switch over to the Routing page, and connect the input to the stack to
wherever
the output of the sequencer is going. I thought about adding a 'thru'
switch, but
it seems to be just as easy to do the extra routing manually.

If you need more info, just let me know and I'll post an example.

I will also be doing some video's to demonstrate the record features,
but
everything has been pushed back a bit by the rewire 'thang...

Cheers,
Jim

[sbaishya]

If you want to hear the input to the sequencer while you are recording, just switch over to the Routing page, and connect the input to the stack to wherever
the output of the sequencer is going. I thought about adding a 'thru' switch, but it seems to be just as easy to do the extra routing manually.


That works fine, thanks Jim