Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer User manual

pittsburgh
modular
synthesizers
lifeforms
percussion
sequencer
user
manual
v.1
welcome to the eurorack drum machine
The Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer is a seriously featured, 4 channel eurorack beat
programmer with a classic drum machine style interface. The familiar interface allows for quick mastery of all
the features leaving the focus on the music. Seamlessly move around the module tweaking patterns and
effects without ever stopping the beat. Easily create new patterns using the live performance or step recording
modes then add one of the powerful pattern effects to each channel to take the sequence to a new level.
Eurorack drum programming has come to life.

table of contents
1 important power information - page 3"
2 user interface - page 4
3 manual dictionary - page 5
3.1 list of terms used in the manual - page 5"
4 patching the percussion sequencer - page 6
4.1 patching overview - page 6
4.2 patching up a drum voice- page 6
4.3 using the envelope as the drum sound - page 6
5 select a pattern - page 7
5.1 select a pattern overview - page 7
5.2 how to select a pattern - page 7
6 record a new beat - page 8- 11
6.1 record a new beat overview - page 8
6.2 how to record a beat in live performance mode - page 9
6.3 how to record a beat in step record mode - page 10
6.4 saving a pattern - page 11
2
table of contents
7 muting channels - page 12
7.1 muting and unmuting channels - page 12"
8 channel effects - page 13-15
8.1 effects overview - page 13
8.2 how to set up an effect - page 14
8.3 modifying an effect - page 15
8.4 turning offan effect - page 15
9 pattern length - page 16
9.1 pattern length overview - page 16
9.2 changing pattern length - page 16
10 copy, paste, and clear - page 17
11 clock source - page 18
12 troubleshooting - page 19
13 eurorack specs - page 20
14 warranty - page 21
15 service and other information - page 22"

1.1 important power information
Read Instructions:
Please read the Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer manual completely before use
and retain for future reference."
IMPORTANT Ribbon Cable Power Information:
The Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer is a eurorack format synthesizer module.
The module can be installed, rearranged, removed, and replaced in any
compatible eurorack enclosure from Pittsburgh Modular or other manufacturers."
The Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer uses a standard 10 to 16 pin eurorack
ribbon cable to connect the module to a bipolar +/-12v power supply. Please
pay very close attention to the orientation of the ribbon cable when adding and
removing modules. The stripe on the ribbon cable marks -12v. This stripe needs
to line up with the -12v pins on the power rail and the -12v pins on the module.
The Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer includes reverse polarity protection so it
will not be damaged when plugged in incorrectly; however, as a general rule,
failure to match up the pins correctly can result in damage to one or all the
modules in a case. On a Pittsburgh Modular enclosure power rail, the -12v pins
are clearly labeled. On the Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer module, the positive
side of the pin connector is on top, and the negative sides of the pin connector
is on the bottom so the red stripe should be toward the bottom of the module. "
Do NOT remove the Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer module from any
case while it is plugged in.
Do NOT unplug ribbon cables from the Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer or
case while the case is plugged in.
1. important information
3

1. effect value knob - modify active effect parameter. "
2. function button - press and hold to enable alternate button functionality."
3. clock led - blinks in sync with the active clock tempo."
4. clock button - internal clock tap tempo or external clock divider button."
5. play/record led - lit when playing. blinks when record is enabled."
6. pattern length button - opens or closes pattern length screen."
7. stop button - stops the sequencer."
8. record button - enable or disable record mode."
9. play button - starts the sequencer."
10. channel select button - opens or closes channel select screen."
11. channel effects button - opens or closes effects select screen."
12. pattern group a button - opens or closes pattern group a selection screen."
13. pattern group b button - opens or closes pattern group b selection screen."
14. mute button - opens or closes channel mute screen."
15. steps button - switches between steps 1-16 and steps 17-32 screens."
16. page 1-16 led - indicates steps 1-16 are visible."
17. page 17-32 led - indicates steps 17-32 are visible.
18. channel 1 in jack - channel 1 vca audio signal input jack. "
19. channel 2 in jack - channel 2 vca audio signal input jack."
20. channel 3 in jack - channel 3 vca audio signal input jack."
21. channel 4 in jack - channel 4 vca audio signal input jack. "
22. channel 1 envelope jack - channel 1 envelope output jack."
23. channel 3 envelope jack - channel 3 envelope output jack."
24. mix out jack - mix of channel 1 through 4 output jack."
25. channel 1 out jack - channel 1 vca audio signal output jack."
26. channel 2 out jack - channel 2 vca audio signal output jack."
27. channel 3 out jack - channel 3 vca audio signal output jack."
28. channel 4 out jack - channel 4 vca audio signal output jack."
29. channel 2 envelope jack - channel 2 envelope output jack."
30. channel 4 envelope jack - channel 4 envelope output jack."
31. clock in/out jack - clock signal input or output jack"
32. channel 1 decay knob - channel 1 envelope decay/release controller knob."
33. channel 2 decay knob - channel 2 envelope decay/release controller knob."
34. channel 3 decay knob - channel 3 envelope decay/release controller knob."
35. channel 4 decay knob - channel 4 envelope decay/release controller knob."
36. pad 1/17 [shift] - sequencer pad."
37. pad 2/18 [glitch] - sequencer pad."
38. pad 3/19 [density] - sequencer pad."
39. pad 4/20 [morph] - sequencer pad."
40. pad 5/21 [swing] - sequencer pad."
41. pad 6/22 [add/drop] - sequencer pad."
42. pad 7/23 [clear effect] - sequencer pad."
43. pad 8/24 [exit] - sequencer pad."
44. pad 9/25 [channel 1] - sequencer pad."
45. pad 10/26 - sequencer pad."
46. pad 11/27 [channel 2] - sequencer pad."
47. pad 12/28 - sequencer pad."
48. pad 13/29 [channel 3] - sequencer pad."
49. pad 14/30 - sequencer pad."
50. pad 15/31 [channel 4] - sequencer pad."
51. pad 16/32 - sequencer pad.
4
2. user interface

3.1 list of terms used in the manual
Active Pattern - The pattern currently loaded into the sequencer."
Active Step - The step within a pattern currently used by the sequencer."
Clipboard - An area of memory used to copy and paste patterns."
Keypad - A single touch sensitive button on the touchpad."
Page - Using the keypad and keypad LEDs to display and select parameters."
Touchpad - The large touch surface with 16 keypads and 16 corresponding
LEDs."
*- Part of panel graphics that indicates the button or LED only works in record
mode."
()- Indicates the functionality of the button while the [function button] is
pressed.
5
3. manual dictionary

4.1 patching overview
The Pittsburgh Modular Lifeforms Percussion Sequencer utilizes an internal
sequencer, touch sensitive drum pads, and analog envelopes and VCAs to
control an array of functions and outputs. This guide will walk through the basics
of patching up the drum voices.
6
4. patching the percussion sequencer
4.3 using the envelope as the drum sound
For a simple percussion sound, the envelope output jack can be used as an
audio source. Unfiltered, the envelope produces a kick drum type sound. "
For a more flexible percussion sound, patch the output of the envelope into a
multiple to split the signal and then patch into a filter audio input and filter
frequency cutoffcv input. A multimode filter that offers low pass, band pass,
and high pass options will provide a nice array of percussive sounds.
4.2 patching up a drum voice
Each channel has an audio input, audio output, envelope decay/release control,
and envelope output. Patching an audio source such as an oscillator or noise
source into a channel input jack will route the audio through the internal VCA.
The envelope decay/release knob controls the rate that the VCA closes after it
has been triggered turning the external audio source into a percussive hit. The
individual outputs use switched jacks so that if the channel output jack is used,
the channel audio is removed from the mix output jack.

5.1 select a pattern overview
The Percussion Sequencer stores 32 user created sequences in 2 groups of 16.
Pattern Group A and Pattern Group B.
5. select a pattern
7
5.2 how to select a pattern
Step 1. Press the [pattern group a button] or [pattern group b button] to
activate one of the pattern select pages on the touchpad."
The corresponding group LED ([1-16] or [17-32]) will turn on to show the
selected pattern group page. The [pattern group a] page contains patterns 1
through 16. The [pattern group b] page contains patterns 17 through 32. This
page will time out 4 seconds after the [pattern group a] or [pattern group b]
button or the last keypad is pressed. Empty patterns are shown with the
corresponding keypad LED off. Recorded Patterns are shown with the
corresponding keypad LED solid on. The active pattern LED will blink slowly."
Step 2. Select a pattern by pressing one of the the 16 keypads.
The sequencer switches to the selected pattern after the final step of the active
pattern. The selected pattern LED will blink quickly until it becomes the active
pattern.

6. record a new beat
8
6.1 record a new beat overview
There are 2 ways to record a pattern. Live Performance Mode and Step Record
Mode."
In Live Performance Mode, the pattern is created by tapping in the pattern using
the [9/25 ch 1 keypad], [11/27 ch 2 keypad], [13/29 ch 3 keypad], and [15/31 ch
4 keypad]. The tapped performance is quantized to the nearest beat. "
In Step Record Mode, the pattern is created by using the touchpad to edit the
pattern of one channel at a time. Each of the keypads represent one step of the
pattern and can be turned on or offby touching the keypad.

6. record a new beat (cont.)
9
6.2 how to record a beat in live
performance mode
Use this mode to tap in a beat in real time on all 4 channels. "
1. Select an empty pattern to record to.
2. Press [play button] to start sequencer."
The [play record LED] will turn on solid."
# "
3. Press [record button] to start recording.
The [play record LED] will start blinking."
4. Press the [channel select button] to activate the channel select page on
the touchpad. The [9/25 ch 1 keypad], [11/27 ch 2 keypad], [13/29 ch 3
keypad], [15/31 ch 4 keypad], and [8/24 exit keypad] LEDs will turn on to show
selection choices. This page will time out 4 seconds after the [channel select
button] is pressed.
##"
5. Touch the [pad 8/24 exit keypad] to activate Live Performance Mode.
6. Tap a pattern on the [pad 9/25 channel 1 keypad], [pad 11/27 channel 2
keypad], [pad 13/29 channel 3 keypad], [15/31 channel 4 keypad] to
program a beat as the sequencer cycles.
3. Press [record button] to stop recording.
The [play record LED] will stop blinking and the sequence will be saved.

6. record a new beat (cont.)
10
6.3 how to record a beat in step record
mode
Use this mode to program a beat one channel at a time using the touchpad."
##"
1. Press the [channel select button] to activate the channel select page on
the touchpad. The [9/25 ch 1 keypad], [11/27 ch 2 keypad], [13/29 ch 3
keypad], [15/31 ch 4 keypad], and [8/24 exit keypad] LEDs will turn on to show
selection choices. This page will time out 4 seconds after the [channel select
button] is pressed."
##"
2. Select a channel to edit. Press the [9/25 ch 1 keypad] to select channel 1 to
edit. Press the [11/27 ch 2 keypad] to select channel 2 to edit. Press the [13/29
ch 3 keypad] to select channel 3 to edit. Press the [15/31 ch 4 keypad] to select
channel 4 to edit. By default, there are 32 steps in a sequence. By default, the
touchpad will automatically switch between pages to always show the active
step. Pressing the [steps button] will switch between step groups 1-16 and
17-32. The corresponding group LED ([1-16] or [17-32]) will turn on to show the
active group page. This page will time out 4 seconds after the [steps button] or
the last keypad is pressed. The active step controlled by the clock is designated
using a solid LED on the keypad corresponding to the active step of the beat."
3. Enter a pattern by touching the 16 keypads."
4. Once you are happy with the pattern, select a different channel to
program.
5. Press [record button] to stop recording.
The [play record LED] will stop blinking and the sequence will be saved.