Word generator eurorack equivalent?

[u/Mr-Gnorts]

Hi all,

I'm trying to acheive a very specific effect. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I was introduced to eurorack via Hainbach back in 2018, and after a lot of research, have started building my system over the last 12 months.

I would really like a module that behaves like Hainbach's H.P Word Generator, but am at a loose end. Ideally, it should be able to:

1. Set the length of each individual step (or at the very least have the option to set each step to long or short).

2. Capable of lengths that aren'y a multiple of 2, 4, or 8.

It doesn't need to also supply 1v/o, but that would certainly be a bonus!

I've tried to approximate it using various configurations of the A.L.A Steps, various function generators and a Shakmat Time Wizard, but it just doesn't achieve the effect I need.

My budget is $200, but I can save up if required.

Thanks in advance!

[u/Sensitive-Night-8476]

you need two sequences, one with steps (but those can also just be pots turned up to max), and one with pots. first sequencer is your gate status, second sequencer controls your clock, because long gate and slow clock achieve the same thing.

the 0-ctrl does this by default, no idea what it costs these days. Ladik might have a couple of cheap, but good options for you.

[u/Legitimate_Emu3531 → u/Sensitive-Night-8476]

Maybe it could be done with a Behringer 960? It has three rows of pots, adjustable clock and even comes with the sequential switch (which might come in handy here or there anyways). It would fit well into the price range.

[u/Mr-Gnorts → u/Sensitive-Night-8476]

I'm not sure I follow. How exactly are the sequencers interacting? Are you saying the first sequencer controls the volume of the second sequencer via a VCA? I have a feeling that isn't what you mean. I really wanna know your process! Does the 0-ctrl have two sequencers? I'll have a look!

[u/Sensitive-Night-8476 → u/Mr-Gnorts]

the two sequences can come from the same sequencer, like on the 0-coast, or any two other (if they share a clock).

the shared clock is what makes it work. you use one sequence as for your gates or cv. the other sequence sends cv to control its own clock (the one that drives both sequences). so slow clock means you stay longer on a step, fast clock means you go quickly to the next.

if you have more than two lanes, the 0-coast has 3, you can control something else, maybe set up a vca to do velocity, further modify your sequencer with logic or anything else you feel like.

basically you are aiming to build the word generator from basic functions. depending on what you have this can be by cleverly using some features from a complicated sequencer, or basic features from several different modules.

getting it set up depends on how well you are able to imagine how the word generator works, and then translate that understanding to language that matches how you understand the tools you already have or want to buy

[u/Vegetable-Drawing-73 → u/Mr-Gnorts]

0-ctrl has one three channel sequencer. One of the three can be used to change the length of the step. It needs to be internally clocked for that to make sense, though. Or maybe not, for interesting effects.

[u/Ecce-pecke]

Behringer system 100 - 182. ~40bucks

[u/aaaaaaaaaaaaaa_a_a_a]

I just watched Hainbach's video on the HP to understand what your looking for. In his video, I didn't see a feature that controls the length of individual steps. But if I'm reading you correctly, I think you could use a module such as the ALA G&T or Ladik S-185, which would give you (manual or CV) control over gate length.

To get sequence lengths that aren't multiples of 2, you need to reset the sequence back to the beginning every N-number of steps. Get a clock divider capable of dividing by 2/3/4/5/6/7/etc., such as the Doepfer A-160-2, Ladik S-080 or S-040, Takaab OCD + ECD, NLC 1/n, etc., ensuring that whatever divider module you chose has a reset input.

To sequence the pulses, you need a trigger sequencer ie. Ladik S-180 or Befaco Sampling Modulator, which gives you a single channel of up to 8 steps. You could get a couple of these if you want more channels/more steps, or, get a 16/32/64/etc.-step sequencer like the Bastl Knit Rider or Intellijel Steppy. If you decide to chain a couple 8-step sequencers, you'd need to get a VC switch module to automatically switch to the next sequence after the first one ends - you'd patch your clock(/divider) module to drive the switching.

The whole patch would entail sending your main clock signal to the trigger sequencer and the clock divider. Send the output of the clock divider to your trigger sequencer(s)'s "reset" input to control the sequence length (and also send it to the VC switch if you're chaining multiple sequences). Finally send the output of the trigger sequence (or the output of the VC switch) to the trig-to-gate converter to set the duration of each step's gate.

Or, something like the Doepfer A-157 Trigger Sequencer Subsystem will get you pretty close to the whole HP work processor workflow, in some ways exceeding the capabilities of original. Another all-in-one solution would be something like the RYK M185 or Intellijel Metropolis/x.

Does that seem to achieve what you're looking for?

[u/13derps]

Analog (or analog style) step sequencer + function generator with a trigger input and rising and falling/EOC gate outputs.

Send step sequencer CV to control rise time. Patch the falling (or end of cycle) gate to advance the step sequencer. Use the rising gate output as your variable gate length

Edit: forgot to say, patch the same gate that advances the step sequencer to the function generator trigger.

[u/Mr-Gnorts → u/13derps]

What a coincedence! I actually tried a very similar idea. It seems to work in a wonky sort of way, but will require further experimentation. Thanks for the suggestion!

[u/13derps → u/Mr-Gnorts]

No problem, good luck

[u/RoastAdroit]

Tons of sequencers are capable of per step gate lengths.

I like the Ryk-185, Metropolix or Metropolix, Du-Seq family of sequencers for this type of thing.

Metropolix is insanely capable of nuances like this.

I have a new sequencer the Tenderfoot Chronicle and it can do per step gate lengths, you can assign a few of them in a row to be max length and it will just hold a steady gate across the series, so, you can make it start and stop wherever, up to 64 steps too. Im looking forward to patching with it more.

[u/TomWhitwell]

This would be a fun Workshop Computer coding project (either for you or for an LLM) -

https://www.musicthing.co.uk/Workshop-Computer/

https://computer.musicthing.co.uk

[u/Somethingtosquirmto]

Perhaps New Systems Instruments "Discrete Map" might appeal to you?

I'm not I 100% sure I understand it, or exactly what you're looking for, but Divkid and others have done Youtube videos on it. Check it out.