Specifications

MATRIX PATTERN SEQUENCER
201
About Unipolar and Bipolar Curves
On the back panel of the Matrix you will find a switch, allowing you to select be-
tween “Unipolar” or “Bipolar” Curves. The difference is as follows:
D A unipolar curve has values starting from “0” and up.
“0” is the value produced by all steps when they are “empty” (not visible).
Unipolar is the default setting of this switch when a new Matrix is created.
Unipolar curve.
D A bipolar curve is divided in the “middle”, with the middle repre-
senting a value of “0”.
The curve reflects this. If no curve has been drawn and you switch to bipolar
mode, all steps go from the bottom up to the middle of the scale printed to
the left of the pattern window. Thus, all steps are at “0”, and the curve can
be drawn both up and down from the middle.
Bipolar curve.
Bipolar curves are essential in some instances. If you want to use the Matrix to
CV control the Pan parameter for a mixer channel for example, a unipolar curve
would start at zero - which for Pan equals center position. This means that you
would only be able to use the curve to pan in one direction from this center po-
sition. A bipolar curve however, will have the zero value in the middle, allowing
you to draw pan curves in both directions. Bipolar curves can also be used for
controlling parameters with positive and negative values.
Setting Pattern Length
You may want to make settings for Pattern length, i.e. the number of steps the
pattern should play before repeating:
D The “Steps” spin controls are used to set the number of steps you
wish the pattern to play.
The range is 1 to 32. You can always extend the number of steps at a later
stage, as this will merely add empty steps at the end of the original pattern.
You could also make it shorter, but that would (obviously) mean that the
steps you remove won’t play back. The steps you remove aren’t erased
though, if you set the step number back again, anything recorded in the pre-
viously removed step locations will be played back.
Using Tied Notes
If you activate “Tie” to the left of the Gate pattern window, you can create longer
notes (eighth notes, quarter notes etc.). A quick way to draw tied gates is to hold
down [Shift] when you input the gate values.
Entering tied gate values.
D Each step that has one tied gate value will be twice the length com-
pared to a normal step.
Tied gate steps are indicated by being twice as wide in the pattern window.
D If two or more notes of the same pitch are tied together, the result
will be even longer notes.
Tied notes are also essential if you want to create typical TB-303 “Acid”-type
lead lines - see page 204.
Selecting Patterns and Pattern Banks
This is described in the chapter “Programming Pattern Devices” in the Getting
Started book.