Le Grand Strum - Strummed Chord MIDI Controller by sixty four pixels

video upload by Jason Hotchkiss

"A quick demo of the upgraded Le Strum MIDI controller. Available from six4pix.com/grandstrum"



"LE GRAND STRUM is a new version of our popular LE STRUM controller. It comes pre-assembled, in a larger format, with high quality 12mm tactile switches and gold plated strum pads.

To play MIDI notes, you hold down one of the chord buttons and touch the tip of the stylus to the strum plate. The contacts on the strum plate are mapped to notes of the chord across multiple octaves and you can create guitar-like strums, massive chord sweeps and arpeggios by moving the stylus across the strum plate.

36 chord buttons give you immediate access to 84 different chords (maj, min, dom7, maj7, min7, aug, dim for 12 root notes). You can also play sus4, add6 and add9 chord variations (with some limitations)
The 16 pad, gold plated strum plate has a tapering layout which allows fast chord strums at the top and individual note picking at the bottom.
Two new circular strum areas duplicate notes from the main pads and allow you to play continuous arpeggios by moving the stylus in a circular motion.
Multiple chord modes are offered, including stacked triads, guitar chord voicing, “drone” chords on second MIDI channel and scale mapping for playing melodies
5 pin MIDI socket for direct connection MIDI synthesizer hardware or to a computer (Using a suitable MIDI interface/USB-MIDI cable)
Long life from a 9V PP3 battery (7mA current draw typical). Battery not included
Integral enclosed acrylic base plate with leather stylus holder and acrylic side legs/hand-grips and non-slip rubber feet
Open-source hardware and firmware and hackable design – with PCB pads for attaching a second stylus and external pads or strings
Approx size – 17 x 12 x 3.5cms. Approx weight – 250g without battery
A fun, unique and expressive MIDI controller.Great for learning about chord progressions and a helpful songwriting tool
LE GRAND STRUM shares the same firmware and function with the LE STRUM DIY kit.

Please note that synthesizer hardware or software is required to make sound. LE GRAND STRUM is a MIDI controller and does not make any sound by itself!"

Fresh Coffee with Oberheim OB-6, Strymon Volante & Six4Pix NoodleBox

video by While We Were Sleeping

"I recently got a Sequential Oberheim OB-6. The OB-6 just sounds wonderful and puts me in a euphoric and relaxation state of mind.
On our first weekend together I thought Ill introduce The OB-6 to my other two current favourites the Strymon Volante tape delay and the Six4Pix NoodleBox Serendipity Sequencer.
So I Noodled a few sequences made a fresh cope of coffee using hand-ground Beans and let that sweet Oberheim sound float through the Volante.
So here it is mixed with the sound of the Brighton sea and a pinch of seagulls.

Background Video and sounds are shout next to Brighton pier and just in time for that day starling murmuration.

Hope you enjoy
xxxxx"

Chapter 4: Vermona PERfourMER MKii - 4 Voices 7 patches

Published on May 6, 2020 While We Were Sleeping

0:00 Le Strum it all night long
2:00 Walking through the waves
4:11 Crocodile
5:38 Smooth like velvet, sweet like chocolate
7:55 Pebbles & Drones
10:22 Distorted reflections
11:46 Quack Quack

"The 5th chapter of my Strymon Volante with mostly synth series and the second featuring the wonderful Vermona PERfourMER mkii.

The PERfourMER is a four part/oscillators analog synth that is flexible and creative and I have deep love for it. I have had several ideas for patches but to be honest between the PERfourMER and the Volante it is easy to get lost in creativity and I could have easily kept on for days. Maybe ill have a PERfourMER part 3 at some point.

I have used a number of sequencers and MIDI devices on these patches. I again used the Arturia Microfreak for MIDI on a couple of them.
I also used the internal sequencer of the PERfourMER. I always thought of them as Vermona standards that need to be reinterpreted in different ways.
I also used the six4pix noodlebox again for CV control and some glitchy MIDI on the Pebbles & Drones. My noodlebox is an early prototype and the MIDI implementation is not complete on it but that created some interesting semy randomness that was fun.
I also used another six4pix device, the Le Strum. A MIDI guitar style strummer, that helps me to overcome my deep desire to play an electric guitar. Would love to know what you think? I love playing it with the Vermona as the 4 voices act like 4 strings. In the opening patch, the Le Strum is competing with the PERfourMER sequence for the voices creating an interesting and less predictable effect.

I am also using a couple of cheap pedals. Including a £12 including delivery one from China that I am totally into as it is super sensitive and can turn its noise input into drones (Like in the Pebbles & Drones patch). Don't know much about it and maybe my one is faulty but I like it.

I would love to know what patches work for you? and if you have a Strymon Vermona and use it with synthesizers or other interesting gear would like to know how you are getting on with it

Audio and video recorded live into iPhone 11 using Zoom U-24 audio interface
Audio from strymon into Mackie 1202-VLZ3 mixer and then into into the U-24. any other pedals will be shown in the patch description.
No other processing except level normalisation
Video effects using iPhone.
Edited in iMovie
All video (except crocodiles), photography & music by While We Were Sleeping"

Strymon Volante with synth - Chapter 3: Vermona PERfourMER mkii - A 4 notes weekend

Published on Apr 23, 2020 While We Were Sleeping

0:00 - Intro: Does it sound better with or without the Volante?
0:55 - Jam 1: Loving this patch
8:11- Jam 2: can't stop playing this patch
15:16 Jam 3: Going abstract

This is the 3rd chapter of my Strymon Volante with mostly synth series and like the Microfreak before it, this one will be covered in two consecutive videos.

In this two part I have pared the Volante with my Vermona PERfourMER mkii. The PERfourMER is a four part/oscillators analog synth that is flexible and creative and I have deep love for it.

I have kept the Microfreak for this video as a MIDI controller as I really enjoy playing on it. the Microfreak is controlling the PERfourMER Oscillator 4.

I am also using noodlebox prototype by six4pix for CV control of Oscillators 1 to 3. The noodlebox is currently on indiegogo and will have about a day left until the end of the campaign when this video comes out. In my opinion the noodlebox is an inspiring sequencer and looks super cool. if you want to know more search for "Noodlebox - A Serendipity Sequencer" on indiegogo.com or go to six4pix.net

The backroud to this video is:
I was planning on coming up with a complex patch on the noodlebox but made the mistake of turning the Volante on after entering only 4 notes and I thought it sounded so good that I couldn't stop jamming over it all weekend long.
So the first of this two parter will be a selection of 2 long jams and a short one at the end. For the second part I have a large number of shorter patches/jams to go through that are more diverse.
I also have chapter 5 recorded and it is a special one and uses the loophole introduced by the "mostly synth" part of the series name.

Would love to get some feedback and would love to know what you like in this and other strymon Volante videos and if you use the Volante with mostly synth let me know how you are getting on with the pedal.

Some tech stuff:
Audio and video recorded live into iPhone 11 using Zoom U-24 audio interface

Audio from strymon into Mackie 1202-VLZ3 mixer and then into the U-24. any other pedals will be shown in the patch description.

No other processing except level normalisation

Video effects using iPhone.
Edited in iMovie

All video, photography & music by While We Were Sleeping"

noodlebox serendipity sequencer prototype by six4pix

Published on Oct 24, 2019 While We Were Sleeping

00:00 - noodlebox on
00:05 - Fist noodle - My first go on the noodlebox. part of an Instagram live video.
02:39 - Two Layers - An example of one layer modifying another (details below)
03:12 - In the six4pix studio - Jason showing me around the noodlebox. You will be joining us mid-conversation and It's just to give an idea, not a tutorial.

noodlebox Details:
-----------------------------
My good friend Jason gave me a noodlebox prototype so I can help test it :)

In the video, I have the noodlebox MIDI synced to my MPC Live and sends CV and Gate to control a bassline on my eurorack.

The software for the noodlebox is at an early stage and features and functionality can change.

noodlebox Layers:
The noodlebox is a 4 layers sequencer where layers can be though of as tracks. each has an individual midi channel and CV/Gate. Layers can be used to modify each other (Like transpose example at 2:39). Layers can have their own signatures and length. You can drag the start to end points in both directions to create a loop of varies length and directions.

noodlebox pages:
Each layer can also have 4 pages (versions) that can be stringed together at any order and number of repeats (like a song mode)

All this and other features can be used to noodle together vary complex and long patterns.

More Videos details
---------------------------------
in the two layers examples 02:39 we use 2 layers each with a 4 note pattern.
The first playing a simple 4 note pattern.
The second also 4 notes long but at a slow clock division, transposing the first layer.
We are using the trigger of the first layer to trigger the VCA envelope and the transposed CV from the second layer to control the pitch.

Six4Pix Arpie + CVTab Firmware V6 Standalone tutorial with Modded TB-303

Published on Sep 26, 2019 While We Were Sleeping

Sixty Four Pixels - note Arpie made it's first appearance back in 2015.

00:00 - 01:07 Intro
01:07 - 05:28 Part 1 - Basic Arpeggiator
05:28 - 08:20 Part 2 - Patterns
08:20 - 09:25 Part 3 - Random patterns
09:25 - 10:30 Part 4 - Clock out
10:30 - 11:26 Part 5.1 - other features - Skip over notes
11:26 - 11:50 Part 5.2 - Other Features - Hz/V scaling
11:50 - 13:02 Part 5.3 - Other Features - Force to scale
Bonus Material:
11:26 - 14:15 - 1 Note Acid bass-line
14:15 - 15:48 - Eurorack synced Jam

"In this video, I am showing the features of the Arpie by six4pix with it's latest firmware Version 6. This is a significant update to the Arpie and turns it into a powerful Arpeggiator / Sequencer hybrid with a unique workflow and feature set.

The Arpie can be used standalone or with a MIDI keyboard. I love the standalone nature of the Arpie and chose to show it that way in this video.

I am also using the CVtab expansion to control my TB-303 with its Borg mod from Analogue Solutions.
The CVTab gives the Arpie a CV out, a gate out and a third out that can act as a trigger for accents, slides ... or as a clock out. The CVTab also provides storing of 16 patterns.

All the technics used in this video will also work using MIDI except for pattern saving and restoring. MIDI provides a number of features not available as CV and are not covered in this video.

I am covering most of the Arpie features but not all so do read the manual for more details

I did my best to make things clear but if you have any questions do ask in the comments and ill do my best to answer.

A few notes on using the Arpie:

The main function aria has a 4x3 button greed each button in the greed has 2 functions: Press and Long Press. the instructions in the video make this clear however I made a mistake 1:30 in and made a long press before correcting it to a normal short press. I think I got it correct in all other places, but the instructions should be all correct.

Once selecting a function you configure the function using the 16 LEDs/push buttons at the top of the Arpie.

Bonus Material:

1 Note Acid bass-line - This was recorded an earlier test version of the Firmware, but I thought it is interesting to see how the firmware evolved and I liked it and did not want to shoot it again.
(In this version where access to the [PATN] additional layers is on the [Mode button])
Can you work out how to play this using the latest version?

Eurorack synced Jam - While working on the tutorial I was to focused on what I was showing to get a good sync going to my Eurorack so I added a jam that shows better results. I also want to add that it is not difficult to get a sync going and you can create interesting grooves by choosing the start point.

Final thoughts, I love the organic nature of the Arpie and mixing the various technics to create surprising and unexpected results. I have many ideas for patches using the Arpie that I hope to share in the future.
If you have an Arpie would love to hear how you use it?"

Mods for PCLONE2 pecussion synth kit

Published on May 28, 2019 Jason Hotchkiss

"This clip demos some of the mods possible on the Sixty Four Pixels PCLONE2 analog percussion synth kit (Boss PC-2/Amdek PCK100 clone). For more info see
https://six4pix.net/product/pclone2/#...
and
https://www.tindie.com/products/hotch..."

CV.OCD

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Four analog CV outputs, Twelve gate outputs, a wide range of MIDI to CV mapping options at a budget price!
CV.OCD is a device which converts MIDI signals to the Control Voltage (CV) and Trigger/Gate signals which are used to control traditional analog synthesizers.

As well as doing this useful bit of “plumbing”, CV.OCD is designed to open up some creative options that go beyond what a simple MIDI-CV converter can usually do. If you get a bit OCD about your CV this could be the box for you!

CV.OCD has four assignable “continuous” analog CV outputs and twelve assignable gate/trigger outputs

It has powerful functionality for generating clock, trigger and non-note gates from MIDI information. For controlling your analog equipment via MIDI you are probably not going to get as much bang for your buck with anything else!

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ARPIE - MIDI Arpeggiator [Main Features]

Published on Sep 25, 2015 midierror

"The ARPIE is a harware arpeggiator designed by Jason Hotchkiss. It has an insane amount of features as covered in the ARPIE online manual http://six4pix.com/arpie/manual.html

Currently available in kit form, it is soon to be available as a finished product. Watch this space!

These are some of the main ones."

Arpie MIDI Arpeggiator vs Roland TR626

Published on Apr 30, 2015 midierror

"Arpie is a build-it-yourself MIDI arpeggiator with loads of features.

http://six4pix.com/

Great fun to build, and a new lease of life for old MIDI synths!"

ARPIE - MIDI Arpeggiator in clear acrylic case

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

You can video of one posted here. Some details via http://six4pix.com/arpie/:

"ARPIE is a MIDI Arpeggiator. Typically you connect it between a MIDI keyboard controller and a synthesizer and it converts the chords you play on the keyboard into rapid runs of notes (arpeggios) which are played on the synth. However as you’ll see there is a lot more to it than that: ARPIE - and arpeggiators in general - are great composing and performance tools. ARPIE is an open-source project, based on the popular Arduino platform and is designed to be customisable, hackable and extendable."

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