CuteLab Messed Up User manual

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O ut li n e
M e ss ed U p
T ech n ical S tu ff
O v e rv ie w
B a s ic O p e r a t i on
C l o ck a n d BPM
B ea ts a n d D i v i s i ons
B ea t a n d D i v ide L a t ch
T run ca t i on
M o d u la t i on
R oun d T r i p a n d O n e - W a y M o d u la t i on
d = b a n d C l o ck R e s e t
C on fig ur a t i on M e nu
I nput C l o ck D i v ide r
B ea t I nput R e s e t
D uty C y cle M o de
M o d u la t i on S ty le
S a v i n g a n d R ecalli n g P r e s e ts
A pp e n di x
M e tr ic M o d u la t i on
M e ss ed U p
M e ss ed U p i s a cl o ck sour ce a n d cl o ck str e t che r , sp eciall y de s ig n ed f or po l yr h yt h ms a n d m e tr ic
mo d u la t i on . G i v e n a n i nput cl o ck , i t ca n str e t ch t ha t cl o ck to a pr eci s el y ch os e n n e w t e mpo , w ai t i n g f or a
d own bea t i n or de r to st a y i n syn c w i t h t he i nput cl o ck .
T ech n ical S tu ff
M e ss ed U p i s pow e r ed b y t he +12 V r ail , us i n g a 10- p i n (2 x 5) c onn ec tor . P lea s e f o ll ow t he m a r ki n g s on t he
mo d u le to e nsur e t ha t t he r ed str i p e on t he cable i s alig n ed to t he -12 V r ail on b ot h t he mo d u le a n d your b us
b o a r d .

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O v e rv ie w

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. T a p t e mpo b utton a n d cl o ck ( i nt e rn al / i nput ) i n dica tor
. E xt e rn al cl o ck i nput
. D i sp la y , s h ows su bdi v i s i ons a n d bea ts b y defa u l t
. M o d u la t i on tr igge r b utton
. S u bdi v i s i on adj ust
. B ea t adj ust
. L a t ch su bdi v i s i on cha n ge s to bea ts ( ac t i v e on )
. L a t ch bea t cha n ge s to bea ts ( ac t i v e on )
. " R oun d T r i p " mo d u la t i on mo de to ggle
. T run ca t i on adj ust
. L a t ch mo d u la t i ons to d own bea ts mo de to ggle
. S u bdi v i s i on mo d u la t i on a tt e nuv e rt e r
. B ea t i nput C V mo d u la t i on
. M o d u la t i on tr igge r i nput
. T run ca t i on i nput C V mo d u la t i on
. S u bdi v i s i on i nput C V mo d u la t i on
 . D own bea t output ( ga t e )
. " E n d o f M o d u la t i on " output ( ga t e )
. T run ca t ed cl o ck output
. S u bdi v ided cl o ck output
. B ea t cl o ck output
B a s ic O p e r a t i on
M e ss ed U p ca n ac t a s b ot h a cl o ck sour ce a n d cl o ck str e t che r . I t w ill ge n e r a t e a n i nt e rn al cl o ck un le ss a
cl o ck sour ce i s p a t ched i nto t he e xt e rn al cl o ck i nput .
M e ss ed U p e mu la t e s a m e t e r ed g r id b y prov idi n g pu l s e outputs t ha t r e pr e s e nt b ot h t he d own bea t a n d t he
bea ts o f a h ypot he t ical m ea sur e . G i v e n a n i nt e rn al or e xt e rn al cl o ck sour ce , t he mo d u le w ill ge n e r a t e f our
s e p a r a t e cl o ck s ig n al s de p e n di n g on t he v al u e s di v ide a n d bea t . W i t h a bea t v al u e o f f our a n d a di v ide v al u e
o f t h r ee , t he d own output w ill fi r e on ce f or e v e ry f our cl o ck i nputs , a s if i t w e r e fi r i n g on a d own bea t . T he
bea t output w ill tr igge r on e v e ry i nput cl o ck , w hile t he di v ide output w ill fi r e t h r ee t i m e s f or e v e ry f our i nput
cl o ck s . E ss e nt iall y , t he di v ide output i s str e t ched b y a fac tor o f f our a n d mu l t i p lied b y a fac tor o f t h r ee . T he
trun ca t e output , di s c uss ed i n mor e de t ail bel ow , i s a v a r ia t i on o f t he di v ide output .

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M e ss ed U p i s de s ig n ed to m ake m e tr ic mo d u la t i on ea sy . P r e ss i n g t he m o d u la t e b utton or s e n di n g a high
vo l t age to t he m o d u la t e i nput w ill ca us e a m e tr ic mo d u la t i on to o cc ur . W he n a mo d u la t i on d o e s o cc ur ,
M e ss ed U p w ill str e t ch t he i nput cl o ck b y a r a t i o su ch t ha t t he bea t output w ill m a t ch t he di v ide output . I n
t hi s w a y , you ca n tr igge r a mo d u la t i on to a n e w t e mpo , r ela t ed i n a pr eci s e w a y to t he or igi n al . F or e x a mp le ,
w i t h a bea t v al u e o f f our , you c ou ld i ntro d u ce a " tr i p le t " b y s e tt i n g t he di v ide v al u e to t h r ee , t he n mo d u la t e
to a n e w t e mpo w he r e t he " tr i p le t " wou ld now feel like a qu a rt e r not e . F or mor e on m e tr ic mo d u la t i on , s ee
t he a pp e n di x .
C l o ck a n d BPM
U s e t he t a p t e mpo b utton a t t he top - lef t o f t he mo d u le to s e t t he t e mpo o f t he i nt e rn al cl o ck . Y ou ha v e t he
opt i on o f t a pp i n g t he b utton to adj ust t he t e mpo di r ec t l y , or you ca n us e t he di v ide a n d bea t e n c o de rs to
fi n e tun e t he t e mpo . H o ld d own t he t a p t e mpo b utton , t he n us e t he di v ide e n c o de r to adj ust t he t e mpo b y a
fac tor o f 10, a n d t he bea t e n c o de r to adj ust t he t e mpo b y a fac tor o f 0.1.
I f a n e xt e rn al cl o ck i s p a t ched i nto t he cl o ck i nput bel ow t he t a p t e mpo b utton , t hi s w ill be us ed i nst ead o f
t he i nt e rn al cl o ck . I n t hi s c on fig ur a t i on , you ca n pr e ss a n d h o ld t he t a p t e mpo b utton to s ee t he t e mpo o f
t he output cl o ck .
B ea ts a n d D i v i s i ons
M e ss ed U p us e s t he v al u e o f bea t a n d di v ide to de t e rm i n e t he bea t , di v ide , d own , a n d trun ca t e outputs .
U n le ss t he t e mpo ha s bee n mo d u la t ed ( S ee M o d u la t i on ), t he bea t output w ill be t he s a m e a t t he cl o ck
i nput . T he bea t v al u e , w hich ca n be adj ust ed us i n g b ot h t he bea t e n c o de r (6 i n t he diag r a m ) a s w ell a s t he
bea t C V i nput (13 i n t he diag r a m ), de t e rm i n e s h ow m a ny cl o ck i nputs c onst i tut e s a s i n gle m ea sur e . I f t he
bea t v al u e i s 2, t he n t he d own output w ill tr igge r on ce f or e v e ry two cl o ck i nputs . I f t he bea t v al u e i s 3, t he n
d own w ill output on ce f or e v e ry t h r ee cl o ck i nputs , a n d so on .

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T he di v ide v al u e ca n be c ontro lled b y t he di v ide e n c o de r (5 i n t he diag r a m ) a n d t he di v ide C V i nput (16 i n
t he diag r a m ). T he di v ide C V i nput ca n be s caled b y t he di v ide a tt e nuv e rt e r pot e nt i om e t e r (12 i n t he
diag r a m ). T he bea t a n d di v ide v al u e s c om bi n e to calc u la t e t he output f or di v ide . T he bea t v al u e de t e rm i n e s
t he num be r o f cl o ck i nputs ov e r w hich di v ide outputs w ill be sp aced . S o , f or a bea t v al u e o f 3 a n d a di v ide
output o f 4, t he r e w ill be f our di v ide outputs f or e v e ry t h r ee cl o ck i nputs .
B ea t a n d D i v ide L a t ch
P r e ss t he bea t a n d di v ide e n c o de r sw i t che s to to ggle la t ch mo de on a n d o ff f or t he bea t a n d di v ide v al u e s ,
r e sp ec t i v el y . W he n la t ch i s e n abled , t he v al u e o f bea t or di v ide w ill on l y cha n ge on a d own bea t . A dj ust i n g
t he bea t or di v ide e n c o de r w ill ca us e t he la t ch LED un de r t ha t e n c o de r to bli n k , i n dica t i n g t ha t a cha n ge i s
qu e u ed f or t he n e xt d own bea t . W he n la t ch i s di s abled , t he bea t a n d di v ide outputs w ill cha n ge a s t he y a r e
adj ust ed .
T run ca t i on

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T he trun ca t e output i s t he s a m e a s t he di v ide output , e x ce pt t he t he w h o le p a tt e rn i s trun ca t ed a n d r e s e t a t
som e po i nt w i t hi n t he le n g t h o f t i m e de t e rm i n ed b y t he bea t v al u e . T ha t trun ca t i on po i nt ca n be adj ust ed
w i t h t he trun ca t e pot e nt i om e t e r (10 i n t he diag r a m ) or t he trun ca t e C V i nput (15 i n t he diag r a m ). T he
trun ca t e output ca n be a us ef u l sour ce o f su b t le v a r ia t i on on top o f t he di v ide output . I n t hi s e x a mp le , t he
i nt e rn al " bea t c ount " ha s bee n added f or cla r i ty .
M o d u la t i on
P r e ss t he m o d u la t e b utton , or s e n d a tr igge r to t he m o d u la t e i nput to qu e u e a mo d u la t i on . W he n a
mo d u la t i on i s qu e u ed , t he m o d u la t e b utton w ill bli n k to i n dica t e t ha t a mo d u la t i on i s p e n di n g . I f t he la t ch
m o d u la t i on to ggle (11, ab ov e t he m o d u la t e i nput ) i s up , t he mo d u la t i on w ill o cc ur on t he n e xt cl o ck . I f t he
la t ch m o d u la t i on to ggle i s d own , t he n t he mo d u la t i on i s " la t ched " to t he d own bea t a n d w ill o cc ur a s soon a s
t he d own output g o e s high . W he n a mo d u la t i on o cc urs , t he E o M output ( E n d o f M o d u la t i on ) w ill s e n d a
tr igge r .
I n t he f o ll ow i n g e x a mp le , t he mo d u le i s s e t to f our bea ts a n d t h r ee su bdi v i s i ons . T he la t ch m o d u la t i on
to ggle i s al so l ow , so mo d u la t i ons w ill al w a ys o cc ur on a d own bea t . A t 1, t he us e r qu e u e s a mo d u la t i on ,
ei t he r b y pr e ss i n g t he m o d u la t e b utton or b y s e n di n g a high s ig n al to t he m o d u la t e i nput . W hile t he
mo d u la t i on i s p e n di n g , t he bea t output r e m ai ns un cha n ged . A t 2, t he mo d u la t i on o cc urs , str e t chi n g t he
i nput cl o ck to m a t ch t he di v ide output . A t t he s a m e t i m e , a tr igge r g o e s out on t he E o M output .

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N ot ice t ha t af t e r t he mo d u la t i on , t he bea t output m a t che s t he di v ide output . A l so , t he t i m e be tw ee n two
output cl o ck s on t he d own output str e t che s b y a fac tor o f 4/3, r eflec t i n g t he cha n ge i n t e mpo . F i n all y ,
not ice t ha t t he i nput cl o ck a n d t he bea t output a r e no l on ge r i n syn c , a n d now s hif t i n a n d out o f p ha s e .
R oun d - T r i p a n d O n e - W a y M o d u la t i on
A f t e r mo d u la t i n g , qu e u ei n g a not he r mo d u la t i on ca n ei t he r ca us e t he mo d u le to str e t ch to a not he r t e mpo , or
r e turn to i ts or igi n al t e mpo .
I f t he m o d u la t i on m o de to ggle (9, un de r t he m o d u la t e b utton ) i s up , t he mo d u le i s i n R oun d T r i p mo d u la t i on
mo de . I n t hi s c on fig ur a t i on , af t e r mo d u la t i n g on ce , t he m o d u la t e b utton LED w ill r e m ai n ill um i n a t ed .
Q u e u ei n g a n e w mo d u la t i on w ill ca us e t he mo d u le to r e turn to i ts or igi n al , unstr e t ched t e mpo . I f t he la t ch
m o d u la t i on to ggle i s up , t he r e turn mo d u la t i on w ill o cc ur on t he n e xt bea t . I f t he la t ch m o d u la t i on to ggle i s
d own , a n d a n e xt e rn al cl o ck i s c onn ec t ed , t he n som e t hi n g i nt e r e st i n g ha pp e ns . M e ss ed U p w ill st a rt a
c ount d own , w ai t i n g unt il t he n e xt d own bea t w he r e t he e xt e rn al cl o ck a n d str e t ched cl o ck a r e i n p ha s e . T hi s
m ea ns t ha t w he n t he qu e u ed mo d u la t i on o cc urs , t he output cl o ck w ill j ust li n e up w i t h t he i nput cl o ck . T hi s
on l y o cc urs if a n e xt e rn al cl o ck i s p a t ched i n . O t he rw i s e , M e ss ed U p w ill mo d u la t e on t he n e xt d own bea t .
I f t he m o d u la t i on m o de to ggle i s d own , t he n t he mo d u le i s i n O n e W a y mo d u la t i on mo de . W he n a
mo d u la t i on o cc urs , M e ss ed U p w ill mo d u la t e t e mpo r ela t i v e to t he al r ead y - mo d u la t ed cl o ck . I n t hi s w a y , you
ca n c ont i nu e to e xp l or e t e mpos f urt he r a n d f urt he r f rom t he i nput cl o ck .
d = b a n d C l o ck R e s e t
I f t he bea t a n d di v ide v al u e s a r e t he s a m e , t he n t he bea t a n d di v ide outputs w ill be t he s a m e a s w ell . W he n
t hi s i s t he ca s e , mo d u la t i n g wou ld str e t ch t he cl o ck b y a r a t i o o f 1 to 1— i n ot he r wor d s , i t wou ld ha v e no
effec t . I f you try to mo d u la t e w he n bea t a n d di v ide a r e t he s a m e , t he n t he mo d u le w ill di sp la y d = b ,
i n dica t i n g t ha t bea t a n d di v ide a r e ide nt ical , a n d t ha t no mo d u la t i on ca n o cc ur . T he on e e x ce pt i on i s i n

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R oun d T r i p mo d u la t i on mo de , if a mo d u la t i on ha s al r ead y o cc urr ed . H e r e , a ny mo d u la t i on w ill s i mp l y r e turn
to t he or igi n al t e mpo , so i t d o e sn ' t m a tt e r if t he v al u e s o f bea t a n d di v ide a r e t he s a m e .
N o m a tt e r w ha t st a t e o f mo d u la t i on t he mo d u le i s i n , fli pp i n g t he m o d u la t i on m o de or t he la t ch m o d u la t i on
to ggle w ill ca us e all mo d u la t i on to r e s e t , a n d t he bea t output to on ce mor e tr ack t he e xt e rn al or i nt e rn al
cl o ck .
C on fig ur a t i on M e nu
P r e ss a n d h o ld t he di v ide e n c o de r b utton to e nt e r t he c on fig ur a t i on m e nu . I n t hi s m e nu , turn t he di v ide
e n c o de r to c y cle t h rou gh t he diffe r e nt c on fig ur a t i on opt i ons . P r e ss t he di v ide e n c o de r b utton to e nt e r t he
c on fig ur a t i on f or t he s elec t ed opt i on , a n d pr e ss t he di v ide e n c o de r agai n to r e turn to t he m e nu . P r e ss a n d
h o ld t he di v ide e n c o de r b utton to e x i t t he c on fig ur a t i on m e nu .
CLC t - I nput C l o ck D i v ide r
S elec t CLC t to adj ust t he i nput cl o ck c ount e r / cl o ck di v ide r , turn i n g t he di v ide e n c o de r to cha n ge t he r a t i o .
T hi s le ts you s cale d own t he sp eed o f t he i nput cl o ck b y a fi x ed r a t i o . A v al u e o f 1  1 lea v e s t he i nput cl o ck
un cha n ged . A v al u e o f 1  2 w ill c ount two i nput cl o ck s bef or e t he mo d u le w ill r egi st e r t he i nput . T hi s ca n be
us ef u l if you w a nt to d r i v e M e ss ed U p w i t h a fa st cl o ck , b ut you w a nt t he output to be mor e c o a rs e g r ai n ed .
F or e x a mp le , a v al u e o f 1  4 wou ld effec t i v el y tr ea t t he i nput cl o ck a s s i xt ee nt h not e s , i n a t i m e s ig n a tur e
t ha t ga v e a qu a rt e r not e on e bea t .
BEA t - B ea t I nput R e s e t
S elec t BEA t to cha n ge t he f un c t i on o f t he bea t C V i nput . T he di sp la y v al u e rst i n dica t e s t ha t bea t i nput
r e s e t mo de i s ac t i v e . E n abli n g t hi s mo de cha n ge s t he i nt e rpr e t a t i on o f s ig n al s on t he bea t C V i nput . W i t h
bea t i nput r e s e t mo de ac t i v e , r a t he r t ha n adj ust i n g t he bea t v al u e , a high s ig n al on t he bea t i nput w ill r e s e t
t he i nt e rn al bea t c ount e r , i mm edia t el y tr igge r i n g t he d own output . T hi s ca n be us ef u l f or kee p i n g M e ss ed
U p i n " ha r d syn c " w i t h a n e xt e rn al s e qu e n ce r .
d U ty - D uty C y cle M o de
S elec t d U ty to cha n ge t he d uty c y cle mo de . I n t he defa u l t 1  2 mo de , each bea t , di v ide , trun ca t e , a n d d own
output w ill fill 50 % o f t he a v ailable w i n d ow f or a ny output cl o ck pu l s e . T he al t e rn a t e 0.01 mo de w ill s e n d out
a fi x ed 10 m illi s ec on d - w ide pu l s e .
S ty L - M o d u la t i on S ty le
S elec t S ty L to cha n ge t he mo d u la t i on sty le . T he defa u l t sty le , S yn C , adj usts t he bea t c ount to be e qu al to
di v i s i ons af t e r mo d u la t i n g . T he i nt e nt w i t h t hi s mo de i s t ha t af t e r mo d u la t i n g all o f t he outputs w ill be p a rt o f
t he n e w t e mpo . I n t he S t A y sty le , n ei t he r bea ts nor di v i s i ons w ill cha n ge af t e r mo d u la t i n g . P e r ce ptu all y , i n
t hi s mo d u la t i on mo de t he w h o le mo d u le w ill soun d fa st e r or s l ow e r af t e r mo d u la t i n g . F i n all y , t he FLIP sty le
w ill sw a p bea ts a n d di v i s i ons af t e r mo d u la t i n g . T hi s sty le i s i nt e r e st i n g : p e r ce ptu all y , i t w ill be a s if t he bea t
a n d di v ide outputs sw a pp ed . I t ' s ha r d to s a y w hich o f t he s e sty le s i s " c orr ec t " w i t h r e sp ec t to m e tr ic
mo d u la t i on . Y ou s h ou ld e xp e r i m e nt a n d fi n d out w hich on e soun d s be st i n your s e tup .
S a v i n g a n d R ecalli n g P r e s e ts

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T he c omp le t e st a t e o f t he mo d u le ( i n cl u di n g i nt e rn al t e mpo , bea t a n d di v ide v al u e s , t he bea t a n d di v ide
la t ch st a t e , t he e xt e rn al cl o ck di v ide r , t he bea t i nput r e s e t mo de st a t e , t he d uty c y cle mo de , a n d t he
mo d u la t i on sty le ) ca n be stor ed to on e o f n i n e pr e s e ts , a n d t he n r ecalled a s n eeded . T o e nt e r pr e s e t mo de ,
pr e ss a n d h o ld t he bea t e n c o de r sw i t ch . A f t e r on e s ec on d , t he di sp la y s h ou ld cha n ge to p 1 , i n dica t i n g t he
fi rst pr e s e t . N ow , turn i n g t he di v ide e n c o de r w ill c y cle t h rou gh a v ailable pr e s e t s l ots . T urn i n g t he bea t
e n c o de r w ill sw i t ch be tw ee n s a v e mo de , i n dica t ed w i t h t he S cha r ac t e r , a n d r ecall mo de , i n dica t ed w i t h a
l ow e r ca s e r cha r ac t e r . W i t h s a v e mo de i n dica t ed , pr e ss t he bea t e n c o de r sw i t ch to c on fi rm a n d s a v e t he
c urr e nt st a t e o f t he mo d u le i n t he c urr e nt pr e s e t s l ot . W i t h r ecall i n dica t ed , pr e ss t he e n c o de r sw i t ch to
r ecall t he pr e s e t a t t ha t pr e s e t s l ot . A t a ny t i m e , pr e ss t he di v ide e n c o de r sw i t ch to e x i t pr e s e t mo de .
A pp e n di x
M e tr ic M o d u la t i on
M e tr ic mo d u la t i on i s l oos el y r ela t ed to t he mor e fa m ilia r not i on o f mo d u la t i on f rom on e ton al ce nt e r to
a not he r . I n b ot h ca s e s , t he s a m e mus ical ele m e nt t ake s on a n e w r ela t i ons hi p to t he r e st o f t he p iece ,
ca us i n g t he feel o f t he mus ic to cha n ge . W he n w e mo d u la t e f rom t he ke y o f C to G , t he not e G , w hich us ed
to be a d om i n a nt , bec om e s i nst ead t he ton ic . T he not e G ca n st ill a pp ea r i n t he ke y o f C . H ow e v e r , af t e r
mo d u la t i n g , i nst ead o f feeli n g like i t s h ou ld r e so l v e back d own to C , t he G not e now feel s like t he ton al
ce nt e r . M e tr ic mo d u la t i on wor k s i n t he s a m e w a y , e x ce pt w i t h r e sp ec t to not e d ur a t i ons r a t he r t ha n s cale
deg r ee s .
T ake a l oo k a t t hi s e x e rpt f rom C a r l V i n e ' s P ia no S on a t a N o . 1 .

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A t m ea sur e 75, m a r ked A , t he t e mpo i s 108 b pm , a n d t he ke y s ig n a tur e i s 12 ov e r 16. T he s i xt ee nt h not e s i n
t he lef t ha n d e st abli s h a backg roun d pu l s e , r h yt h m icall y a n al o g ous to a ton al ce nt e r . A t m ea sur e 77, m a r ked
B , t he c ompos e r i ntro d u ce s a tup le t o f f our not e s i n t he sp ace o f t h r ee , w hich challe n ge s t he e st abli s hed
r h yt h m ic feel . A t t he m ea sur e 80, m a r ked C , t he c ompos e r cha n ge s b ot h t he t e mpo a s w ell a s t he t i m e
s ig n a tur e . T he n e w t e mpo , 144, i s e x ac t l y 4/3 t i m e s fa st e r t ha n t he or igi n al t e mpo o f 108. T he f our not e
tup le ts now e st abli s h a n e w r h yt h m ic " h om e ", s i m ila r to a ke y cha n ge . T hi s i s t he e ss e n ce o f m e tr ic
mo d u la t i on .