Different loop lengths within patterns

modular1 · Post by **modular1** » Sat May 12, 2012 11:46 am

I wanted to get myself a small music setup that is hardware and not based around a DAW.

Im thinking of buying a Korg Electribe esx1 and using that for the beats and basic sequncing.

I've been playing with the iPad version and I wanted to check something out because the iPad version can not do it.

On the esx1 I would like to be able to write patterns with eg. A kick pattern that loops over 16 steps, a hat pattern that loops over 12 steps and another pattern that loops over 10 steps.

This kind of thing is quite easy to achieve in ableton and Reaktor sequencers but you can't do it on the iPad electribe.

can the esx1 electribe do this? Or does every sound you use have to use the same amount of steps as the others?

Also, is it easy enough to send the patterns written on the electribe to an external synth like the Waldorf blofeld?

cooptrol · Post by **cooptrol** » Sat May 12, 2012 3:19 pm

I used to use reaktor and ableton to do polyrhythmic stuff, but then i turned to hardware, this is a record i made using only an electribe:

http://cooptrol.bandcamp.com/album/danx

As you can see, polyrhythmical illusions can be achieved with the electribe sequencer if you use a little math

I also use the ESX to sequence my Yamaha TX synths, it works ok. Just bear in mind that the drum parts of the E's send a very short note length, so you should use patches that have a longer release time.

modular1 · Post by **modular1** » Sat May 12, 2012 4:09 pm

So how do you go about it if the functionality isn't there? I like to work quickly. Working stuff out mathematically sounds like a headache recipe. Can it be done on the iPad version using your method? I'm finding it a bit frustrating, ESP as it can be done so easily on the iMS-20.

cooptrol · Post by **cooptrol** » Mon May 14, 2012 2:28 pm

Ha! when I say math i dont mean difficult equations! I just put the last step of the pattern to other than 16, and then place each sound in different number intervals, like for instance, the kick drum every 7 steps, the snare every 5, and always something polyrhythmic comes out.

Off course you need an ESX or EMX to do this, because the iPad version is based on the ER1, which doesnt have the "Last Step" function.

modular1 · Post by **modular1** » Tue May 15, 2012 9:08 pm

the last step sounds like exactly the function that I asked if it had in the first place? or does it effect every drum in the pattern?

cooptrol · Post by **cooptrol** » Mon May 21, 2012 9:41 pm

It affects all the parts in the pattern. The best thing you can do is get yourself another electribe and run the seqs in different signatures, or creatively sequence each drum part in odd signatures and it will all reset every 8 bars, which, believe me, takes the freakiness a little bit down and it's better for your music. That's what I do.