[sdiy] Model 2 Klee Sequencer (was "Leaving off a pot?")

[scottnoanh at peoplepc.com]

> > For my Model 2 Klee sequencer, I'm using red LEDs and driving them
> > with just
> > a little over 2 mA - the brightness is fine

> This is probably also good if your power supply is also driving any
> audio circuits.  The less current the LED's draw when they're
> switched on, the less chance that they'll put spikes on the power
> supply lines, and the less local power supply filtering you'll need.

That's my thinking as well, plus the way I have it rigged, I don't want to
suck too much juice through the CD4034s.  It wouldn't be such a concern if
this was a 'normal' sequencer where only one stage is active at any given
time.

> I'm intrigued by the name you've chosen for your sequencer.  Did you
> name it after Klee simply because he was a great artist, or is your
> design somehow inspired by Paul Klee's theories of color and how it
> relates to sound and music?

To be honest, I'd never heard of Paul Klee (downside of being from Kansas I
guess =0) ).  I've since come to admire his work.

The original 'Klee' sequencer, which basically consisted of a CD4006 with a
comparator input to acquire random bits and was inspired by Ken's Gated
Comparator and the SOU266 Quantized Random Voltage function, had no name
originally.  I'd described programming it as being similar to molding very
wet, loose clay.  A list member dubbed his the 'Klee' partially because the
abstract nature of the device rather paralleled Klee's work, and the fact
that 'Klee' is pronounced 'clay' didn't hurt either.  Either way, the name
stuck.

> It seems to me that his idea of
> "polyphony" as applied to visual art composition could also be
> applied to certain kinds of musical composing devices and
> structures.  Is that where you're going with this sequencer?

Yes, exactly.  The Model 2 Klee can act as a simple 'normal' sequencer by
programming only one active bit, but its main purpose is to develop 'found
sequences'.  It has the uncanny ability of coming up with very provocative
sequences out of thin air, at least from my experience with it.  It's an
advancement over the original Klee because found sequences can be stored or
programmed via a bank of pattern switches - a pattern isn't lost when power
is shut off as in the original Klee, as long as one stores it with the
switches.  Another enhancement is the ability to form 16X1 sequences or 8X2
sequences, which is also a method of varying or discovering patterns other
than with the pattern switches or comparator input - a 16X1 register, when
put into the 8X2 mode, will play a 'shell game' with the pattern bits.  It
also has three unique voltage outputs.  A - the first shift register, B, the
second shift register, and A+B, which is the original 'Klee' function.  Each
output can produce a unique sequence of 2 through 16 steps from the same
programmed or 'found' pattern.

The other enhancement is a bus section that is composed of three
gate/trigger busses to output gates and triggers derived from the pattern.
One SPDT On-Off-On switch per stage provides this function - the center
"off" position directs bus 2 to fire a gate and trigger if neither bus 1 or
bus 3 is high.  With a one bit 'normal' sequencer pattern, the output of the
gate bus is quite predictable.  Add another bit or more, and the action of
the gate bus turns into the same experience as the Klee pattern, only it
takes the form of creating event patterns.

> It would be nice if your sequencer could make music that sounded the
> way this looks:
>
> http://www.sai.msu.su/wm/paint/auth/klee/klee.highway-byways.jpg
>
> Or this:   http://www.sai.msu.su/wm/paint/auth/klee/klee.ancient-
> sound.jpg

Absolutely beautiful stuff.  The idea is to create things like that,
aurally.  At least it's something to shoot for.

More info on the Klee sequencer (samples and schematics in process) can be
found at this exceptionally long thread on the Electro-Music forum:

http://www.electro-music.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12940&sid=1eae47e42f3fa09
a65c172e31d2b0625

Or go here:

http://www.electro-music.com/forum/forum-112.html

It's the sticky labeled "Super Klee Sequencer", which chronicles the
evolution of the idea up to now, anyway.

It's not every day one sees a sequencer without a single counter chip in
it.....

Cheers,
Scott