#14. CV Devices - The Matrix Pattern Sequencer

The Matrix Pattern Sequencer is a device outputting modifiable CV signals.

There are three CV outputs in the back: Curve CV – with an option of switching between unipolar and bipolar curve, Note CV and Gate CV.

The Note CV output behavior is controlled by the note patterns drawn in the sequencer area.

It has an octave selection switch.

The Gate CV  output is controlled by the amount modifiers below each note. They can be tied with the TIE button switched on, or by holding SHIFT (Whether the TIE button is switched on or off, the holding SHIFT will do the opposite).

To be able to modify the Curve CV, you have to switch from Keys to Curve display. It will display either unipolar or bipolar curve, determined by the switch in the back of the device.

When placed after a synthesizer or sampler (without holding SHIFT), the Matrix automatically connects the Note CV and Gate CV outputs to the corresponding inputs of the device. When started with the RUN button (starts also automatically after you press Play) the matrix starts using the device to play its sequence - Note CV signals control the notes played, while the Gate CV signals control the loudness the corresponding note.

This device can also maintain up to 32 different patterns which are selectable from the area on the left. If you want to switch off the device, disable the Pattern button above. To copy the pattern to the main`s sequencer note lane, rightclick on the pattern and select Copy Pattern to Track.

 

Alternatively, you can rightclick on the pattern area and select Edit Automation. This will create lane for the matrix in the main sequencer for pattern drawing (in that case, Pattern should remain enabled). 

You can select the number of steps of the loop, ranging from 1 to 32 and the speed, controlled by the Resolution knob. The Shuffle button introduces a little bit of swing to the sequence, giving it somewhat human feel.

 This concludes the Matrix Pattern Sequencer guide.

#4. CV and Advanced Routing

You might have heard the terms Gate and CV (control voltage) used in the synth terminology. They are basically signals used to control particular properties of a sound (for example - volume, filter frequency, pitch etc...). While gate has only two possible options - ON and OFF, the control voltage`s values can vary.

In previous tutorials we learned how the audio cables in Reason work. There is however one more type of cables used for the control voltage emulation. The cables themselves are tinier and do not connect in pairs for left and right like the audio ones. They have source and destination.

Let`s create two instances of SubTractor Analogue Synthesizer. Connect the first one`s audio out (it is mono device and has only one out) to the left input of the audio interface. Now connect the second one`s LFO1 output in the Modulation Output section to the OSC Pitch in the Modulation Input section of the first SubTractor. Now when you play the first one you gonna hear sound like a bird tweeting...

In this picture we are using the first SubTractor to make the sound and the second SubTractor to control the first one`s oscillator pitch with it`s LFO1. The little knob determines the amount of the effect.

You can adjust the properties of the LFO1 of the second SubTractor - the waveform, the ratio and the sync. Since we are using the LFO1 on an external device, the amount knob and the 6 destinations below are not being used.

What is basically happening is that the second SubTractor LFO1 is acting as the source of the CV signal, which controls the Osc Pitch of the first SubTractor as a destination. There is a knob near the input which determines the amount of the effect. You can experiment by routing different CV signal sources (LFO-s, envelopes, etc...) to different devices` various CV modulation inputs (pitch, frequency, amp level, etc.). Experiment with that, it is a lot of fun.

In this tutorial we are also going to cover some advanced routing. What if for example you want to use the same sound device outputs twice, or more? Do you need to create a copy of it with the same setting every single time? Well, NO, you just need to use a device called Spider Audio Merger and Splitter.

On the left side it has four pairs of audio input channels for different devices and one single output where they all pass through. It is convenient if you want to link all of them to the same effects for example. On the right side is the audio splitter - it has one input for an audio device and four outputs, making basically four copies of it`s audio signal (with the same volume).

Splitting the signal of Thor, step 1 - routing it`s outs into the splitter ins.

Step 2 - we link the first splitter`s out back into the mixer. We than SHIFT create Scream 4 Distortion unit.

Step 3 - we link the second outputs of the splitter to the Scream 4`s inputs and then link it`s outputs to another channel of the mixer. As a result we have a dry Thor audio signal and another distorted one without the need to duplicate the Thor device.

Example of audio merging - we link Thor and Malström devices to the Spider`s merger inputs and then link the left and right outputs to an Equalizer which is then routed to the mixer. That way we use a single EQ to effect two devices.

If for example you need more merger channels you can always connect the output to another spider merger input or if you need more splitter output channels you can save the last one to connect it to another spider. You can also merge signals, and then link their outs to the same spider splitter`s ins splitting that combined sound in four copies - all done in the same device.

There is also a Spider CV Merger and Splitter version which does exactly the same thing but this time with the CV. It has amount knobs on the merging side and two inverted outputs on the splitter side.

I strongly recommend experimenting further with those concepts. Route different CV sources to the CV merger and apply the output on different settings of some device, for example the Filter 1 Freq of the SubTractor. You can achieve some really wacky sounds by messing around. If you make a sound in a device (a.k.a. patch) that you like and you want to save it, click the diskette icon.

Most of the devices have this patch browse - load - save function.

After you make sure that you understand the new material well, proceed to the next tutorial.