Korg Nanopad 2 Gate Arp on Drambo?
Dear BeepStreet Community,
I'm currently struggling on trying to replicate the Gate Arp function available on the Korg Nanopad 2/Electribe 2/Kaossilator in a Drambo patch. I use the Gate Arp to send samples triggered by the pads (in CC, not Notes) at the speed I manage via the XY touchpad. The gate arpeggiator applies to the trigger pads only when I'm touching the X-Y pad: the X-axis manages gate speed, while the Y-axis manages velocity. The arp module on Drambo works well, I midi mapped the gate and rate knobs to the X-Y pad, but I don't know how to apply the arpeggiator only when I'm touching the touchpad. Can anyone help me find a way to do that? I'm trying to make this to add the gate arp function to the Korg Nanokey Studio, which lacks this great function.
this is how it works: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45o6HOGnTJ4&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fforum.audiob.us%2F&source_ve_path=MjM4NTE&feature=emb_title
Thank you!
Comments
The Index port is connected to the Gate of XY Pad.
Hey @rs2000 you should start a crowdfunding to write a Drambo book. I’d be totally into that. Maybe even an audio book narrated by what I imagine to be your soothing voice
Thank you so much, this works as intended. Sounds so much alike Gate arp. There's just one thing that is different from the Korg's arp: I use a Random Robin Sampler module which loops the samples as I press the pad, and goes silent as I release it. That works when I'm not arpeggiating with the XY pad. But when it goes from Switch N-1 module 1 to module 2 it won't loop the sample, and it plays the sample with the release time I set on the Sampler module. I tried to put a Retrigger module connected to the first input of Switch N-1, but it arpeggiates the sample without looping it. Is there something I can do to keep the sample looping as I'm pressing the pad even after I arpeggiate it? Thank you. example here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/613Mo2Cgv90
@marcoauti2000 The problem is that the MIDI Switch is "intelligent" and sends note off messages whenever required to avoid hanging notes after switching. You can try using MIDI Latch in "Replace" mode to keep the triggered note active. If you need to modulate the Latch button, you can put a Morph module in front of it and modulate that.
Oh I see, that's why it won't keep the loop then as I switch through the Midi modules. I tried using the MIDI Latch button but it won't work. The loops come from within the Sampler module, as every Sample is in Loop mode. They remain in Loop mode as I trigger the pad and keep pressing it, but they follow the Sampler release time after I arpeggiate with the touchpad and release it while still pressing the pad. Instead with Korg's Nanopad, after releasing the XY pad, Drambo Sampler would loop the last Sample the gate arp hit. I tried to put every single MIDI module attached to the first Switch N-1 input lol, but it seems like it won't loop the last sample hit no matter how.
Here's the patch as it is right now:
if I find a way to keep the loop, we'd have a gate arp patch in Drambo. I'll keep posted :]
I don't have too much time now but if all fails, you can dissect the MIDI signal using MIDI2CV (and re-assemble it using MIDI Note Generator, in case you need a MIDI signal again).
Having the pitch signal available separately allows you to use a S & H (Sample and hold) module to store the last played pitch and re-use it e.g. in a new note trigger to make the loop play again automatically, or not even stop playing.
The pitch will control which sample is played in Sampler, it's like an analog signal that is quantized in Sampler and mapped to actual note numbers. FYI, adding 0.125 to the pitch signal will add exactly one octave.
Keeping the loop will be difficult. Even if I built a patch that continues to loop after releasing the XY pad, the loop will continue from the last position played with the Arp enabled and not continue where it would be if it had played in normal looped mode.
That might not be a problem if you only play one loop...
Here's a relatively simple version that does what you want (but it will also restart the loop upon XY pad release).
X-Fader A and B are connected to the MIDI2CV gates.
I tried this, it works so well, just as the Nanopad 2!!! 🤯 Yesterday I made it work also by making an intricate midi mapping + adding a MIDI Note Generator with its gate output connected to a Trigger Button. Also I used a short MIDI Delay to bypass the automatic Note off message sent by the Switch N-1. But your patch is much more clean and immediate, X-Fader works best for this gate arp! Thank you so much! :)