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EuroPi Probapoly - A polyrhythmic gate generator with probabilty

Probapoly

author: Nik Ansell (github.com/gamecat69)

date: 2022-07-24

labels: sequencer, performance, gates, polyrhythm, probability

Probapoly creates interesting polyrhythmic gate patterns while also allowing probabilities to be set on gates. Given values for and upper and lower rhythmic ratios, Probapoly will create a looping pattern as short as possible with no repetition of the pattern within the loop.

Outputs 1,2 and 3 output gates based on the upper rhythmic ratio. Outputs 4,5 and 6 output gates based on the lower rhythmic ratio.

Outputs 1 and 4 always have a probability of 100%. Outputs 2 and 5 have a default probability of 50%. Outputs 3 and 6 have a default probability of 25%.

digital_in: Clock input analog_in: Different mode, adjusted by setting self.ainMode as follows:

  • Mode 1: Analogue input toggles double time feature
  • Mode 2: Analogue input voltage adjusts the upper poly value
  • [default] Mode 3: Analogue input voltage adjusts the probabilities of outputs 2,3,5,6 sending gates

button_1: Short press (<500ms): Reduce pattern length (using manual pattern length is ON). Long Press (>500ms): Toggle doubletime feature button_2: Short press (<500ms): Reduce pattern length (using manual pattern length is ON). Long Press (>500ms): Toggle Manual pattern length feature

knob_1: Select upper polyrhythm value knob_2: Select lower polyrhythm value

output_1: Gate upper polyrhythm output_2: Gate upper polyrhythm (50% probability) output_3: Gate upper polyrhythm (25% probability) output_4: Gate lower polyrhythm output_5: Gate lower polyrhythm (50% probability) output_6: Gate lower polyrhythm (50% probability)

Demo video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rflmr2yJYG0

Display

Top Row: Upper ratio value, output 2 probability, output 3 probability Bottom Row: Lower ratio value, output 5 probability, output 6 probability

Top right: current step / pattern length

Getting Started

The following sections provide instructions for using Probapoly to create some interesting rhythms.

Initial Connections

  1. Connect a 50% duty cycle gate / clock to the Digital input
  2. (Optional) Connect a CV source to the analogue input (0 to +5V works best)
  3. Connect each output (1 to 6) to modules you want to send gates to

Creating Polyrhythms

  1. Use knob 1 to set the upper ratio and knob 2 to set the lower ratio. Changing these values will cause Probapoly to update the gate patterns in real-time.

The value of the upper and lower values determine the frequency of a gate output based on the incoming clock. A value of 1 will output a gate every 1 clock trigger, a value of 3 will output a gate every 3 clock triggers.

Outputs 1,2 and 3 use the same rhythm, but with probabilities of 100, 50 and 25% respectively. Outputs 4,5 and 6 use the same rhythm, but with probabilities of 100, 50 and 25% respectively.

See below for some examples.

1:$ Four to the floor

upper: 1 lower: 4 automatically calculated pattern length: 4

2:3 Hemiola

upper: 2 lower: 3 automatically calculated pattern length: 6

4:3 Four over Three (Pass the god damn butter)

upper: 4 lower: 3 automatically calculated pattern length: 12

16:15

upper: 16 lower: 15 automatically calculated pattern length: 240

Example patches

Polyrhythmic percussion with probabilistic decay and FX movement

This patch will create a polyrhythm with two percussive elements. On 50% of the gates, the kick and tom decay will be changed. On 25% of the gates an FX module will have it's parameters tweaked.

  • Connect output 1 to some percussion element (e.g. a kick)

  • Connect output 2 to an envelope, connect the envelope to the kick decay

  • Connect output 3 to an envelope, connect the envelop to wet/dry CV input on an FX module

  • Connect output 4 to some percussion element (e.g. a tom)

  • Connect output 5 to an envelope, connect the envelope to the tom decay

  • Connect output 6 to an envelope, connect the envelop to another CV input on an FX module

  • Set the upper value to 4

  • Set the lower value to 3

Polyrhythmic melodies

This patch uses the polyrythmic gates to advance sequencer clocks

  • Connect output 1 to the clock input of sequencer 1

  • Connect output 4 to the clock input of sequencer 2

  • Create a short (e.g. 4) pattern on both sequencers

  • Adjust the upper and lower values manually or during a performance to created interesting and fluid polyrhythmic melodies