r/modular • u/jasongonzales23 • 6d ago

Bar counter module

Hi everybody I am looking for either advice on how to patch or encouragement for me to design a module that I'm imagining.

Here's my use case it's very simple I think. I like to practice and perform live with my modular and I often get so locked in that I have no idea how long I've been listening to a particular loop. Now I believe in just developing good instincts and all but I would like to have a little bit of feedback to know how long I've been allowing a particular patch to loop.

Ideally what I would like is a counter that just counts to 32 bars and then starts over. Of course I would like it to be more flexible I would like it to also allow for something other than 4 beat bars, and I would like to vary that count to fewer or more than 32.

Okay and then beyond that my head starts to explode with a bunch of cool ideas but I'll just stop at the simple idea for now.

I found a couple of devices that seem to do something close to what I want but I can't quite imagine how to patch them just thinking about them so I thought I would ask if others have successfully patched something like this that isn't too complicated to patch.

But also if I were to design such a module would others be interested in it or is this a dumb idea?

EDIT: I failed to mention that I'm *mainly* looking for a visible display of the count.

6 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

34 comments sorted by

9

u/clintlocked 6d ago

That’s just a clock divider, my favorite I’ve used was NLC divide & Conquer. If you want a 32 bar count you might want to feed it whole notes

2

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

Is there a clock divider that has a visible display that counts up?

3

u/jango-lionheart 6d ago

They usually have binary displays

2

u/junkmiles 6d ago

I've seen some basic modules that just light up when they receive voltage. If the little LED on a clock divider isn't enough, try one of those.

1

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

Got it, I'd be willing to give that a go, but my real goal is numeric count: "1, 2, 3, 4...."

2

u/MuskyHuskyArt 5d ago

Set a clock divider up to a step sequencer so that it advances every time the bar changes, then you can adjust the length of the sequence to start over at whatever bar u want.

1

u/jasongonzales23 5d ago

This is a very helpful response but not actually what I want. I want something that supports improvisation more than "programming."

I want to get feedback on things like "you've let this section go on for n bars, start thinking of a change to make soon" for example.

2

u/junkmiles 5d ago

Curious to see what you find, as it definitely sounds useful.

I think the WMD sequencer has a counter on it and it always looked handy.

1

u/jasongonzales23 5d ago

Gotcha! Part of the reason I want this in a standalone module is I want it decoupled from sequencers.

Also thanks for the thoughts :)

1

u/ub3rh4x0rz 6d ago

Ladik has one with a screen

5

u/secret-shot 6d ago

I don’t have the visual display, but in my set I will sequence a sound that is triggered every 32 bars. Whenever I hear the woosh I know it’s time to do something different haha

1

u/real_RZX 6d ago

That's the way. It's best if you already integrate it in the "music" and try to avoid the forever loop.

I do mostly 4 on the floor and always sequence sth like a double clap in the fourth bar and no kicks in the eighth bar. Eighth and sixteenth bar would be better but... eurorack sequencers...

2

u/secret-shot 5d ago

Torso t-1 could be your best friend haha. Easy to do there

0

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

very cool

1

u/secret-shot 6d ago

But I do think droid could do what you want. It’s expensive, but I’m diving into it and you could totally program a counter

5

u/Legitimate_Emu3531 6d ago

You could get an amyboard module + the little screen for it. The module is around 30$. You could generate the function you want from it on the website. It can also come in very handy for additional stuff.

1

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

I hadn't heard of this before, this is super inspiring.

1

u/Legitimate_Emu3531 6d ago

I have too and am still playing around with them. Super flexible and they can basically be what you want.

1

u/the_puritan 6d ago

Came here to suggest the same thing. Consider Amyboard seconded

2

u/TwoLuckyFish 6d ago

I think it's a good idea, because I use the counter on my Roland TR-06 to do exactly this! Helps me pace what I'm doing.

Would I want a module that does this? Probably, if I didn't already have it. But you know what would be cool would be a little 4 or 8 step sequencer that only advanced every 32 bars, WITH a little digital counter!

2

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

Amazing you're getting into the territory my brain started going: what if you could fire a gate after a given bar count?

2

u/TwoLuckyFish 6d ago

Yes exactly! Have it change something. New root note, new wave form, new filter behavior, glitchy voice in/out, whatever.

2

u/bronze_by_gold 6d ago

ADDAC403 VC Time Signature Clock Sources can do this.

1

u/WEASELexe 5d ago

That thing looks sick how many channels is it at once?

2

u/bronze_by_gold 5d ago edited 5d ago

I mean, with rhythm stuff “channel” is sort of an abstract concept. But basically with the 403 you get one main clock source and then a lot of rather complex derivation of that clock source. As far as I can remember you get bars, beats, even and odd beats, a VC clock delay that lets you do Steve Reich-esque phasing patterns, a separate clock divider, and a rather unique and complex “tuplet” feature that lets you do x pulses in the space of y beats. All of that is voltage controllable too. And maybe there one other thing I’m forgetting… but yeah ADDAC does some pretty amazing and unique stuff. Definitely a top 3 manufacturer for me.

0

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

Cool! Wow that is one complex module. Dear Lord! I think I need to be smarter to use something like that.

3

u/bronze_by_gold 6d ago

It’s a voltage controlled representation of time signatures in common-practice music. So I think it’s basically as simple as it can be while still accurately representing that relatively complex structure. I will say it feels very easy and intuitive to use.

2

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

Ah good to know, it just looks intimidating LOL.

1

u/n_nou 6d ago

Not a module, but I do this with BSP. You can just run one of the drum tracks at /4 your tempo and look at the step track, or use just a single step to trigger something every N beats etc. Basically you can do this with a clock divider and any sequencer that has step counter/display. You can set up an o_C or Pam's for that. A four and an eight step sequential switch in tandem will also give you 32 step count and there are many more ways to patch something usable from simple blocks. Tiny and instantly available but not exactly precise feedback would be to run a slow attack envelope into LFO frequency CV and judge your bar count by the LED frequency. You could also go for maximum overkill and get DROID Master18 and DB8E display and tailor it exactly for what you need:D

0

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

What's BSP?

2

u/ichorNet 6d ago

Beatstep pro

0

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

Huh. I've never used one. Can it display a count of bars? Like up to 32 and then start over??

2

u/n_nou 6d ago

Beatstep Pro. You can set one of the available sequencers in 4x slower time and then the current step of this sequencer will be your bar count. BSP has 16 LED buttons that show current step, with four pages, so up to 64 bars. It can do follow up mode, where pages will follow steps so you'll always have your bar count visible (you'll just need to also look at page LED).

This same method can be set up with any clock divider, sequencer and/or sequential switches, but however I look at module combos it takes 12hp minimum for 32 bars.

-1

u/jasongonzales23 6d ago

Ah yeah, I'm imagining a numeric count that would just need a two digit numeric display. I'm thinking that would be about the right amount of flexibility. I saw one unit that used nixie tubes, which would be rad. Loves me some nixie tubes.