Adding Sequencer to my Voyager

The Moog Forum Minimoog Forum
1

Yesterday I tried out a Sub 37 for the first time and was very impressed and found the arpeggiator particularly useful.
Doing some research I discovered the Doepfer Dark Time sequencer and was wondering if anyone has used it
in tandem with a Voyager to approximate an arpeggiator?
Is there anything else on the market which would do the job?

2

I use a Doepfer Dark Time with my Voyager PE and they work very well together, but sequencers and arpeggiators are not exactly the same thing. Someone with more technical knowledge may chime in to explain the differences, but the two tools do behave differently.

3

Hi,

Here is a post talking about differences between a sequencer and arpeggiator :slight_smile:

Edit
A good definition found on GearSlutz :

  • An arpeggiator sequences the notes of a chord (minimum 2 notes). It can go up, down, up & down, and often randomly, but you have to define a chord to use it.
  • A sequencer plays notes in series, user defined. So it can play any number of notes in any order, around a scale that has no chordal background.
4

Lots of stuff on the market with which to sequence your voyager. It depends on if you want to do it with a midi hardware/software or with some kind of analog device. It depends on if you are willing to invest in some modular synth infrastructure, or if you are willing to buy used.

There are numerous pieces of software available on the ipad with which to sequence your Voyager. I don’t have one though so I can’t tell you what they are.
If you have a mac, numerology is a good free software sequencer (I think the demo version was free at least) and it works great with the Voyager.

Arturia Beatstep is a nice Midi/CV sequencer which at least one forum member has here and likes it. You could get several of those for the price if the Dark Time.
Electro-Harmonix 8 step (I don’t know the specs for this though).

Korg SQ1

Future Retro Orb is going back into production.

If you want to go modular, there is the synthesizers.com q119 and q960. Or there is Moog Sequencer compliment B if you have $8500 lying around.
STG Soundlabs has a sequencer suite. the most attractive sequencer is the Moon Quad Sequential Voltage Source.

MFOS has some sequencer options if you are DIY inclined.

So there are lots of options out there for sequencing your Voyager. I use numerology, the q119 and the q960. I prefer 5u. There are options like the Klee or the Make Noise René in eurorack.


The used market has discontinued and vintage sequencers out there also.

I am inclined to encourage everyone to get into modular, but the Dark Time is surely appealing also and would probably suit your needs just fine.

Eric

5

There is a software version of Klee, really cheap: http://defectiverecords.com/klee/index2.html

6

http://www.intellijel.com/eurorack-modules/metropolis/

Lots of techno oriented demos, but you can make great melodic and rhythmic sequences with it.
I use the max for live version
http://www.maxforlive.com/library/device.php?id=75
Or if you don’t have (max for) live
http://defectiverecords.com/m185/index2.html
Also similar
http://www.sequencer.de/blog/faderfox-sc4-sequencer-controller-pc4-24knob-controller/20466
All euro rack though
I also have hacked my bcr2000 with this:
https://zaqaudio.com
And as we speak this is running my voyager

7

Very interested in sequencing and as a Sub 37 owner with eyes on buying a MiniMoog Voyager… I’m curious to know the following… can you connect the Sub 37 (via midi out) to the Voyager (midi in) and use the sequencer or arpeggiator on the Sub 37 to control or send sequences to the Voyager? If so it would appear that the Sub 37 is a superior (price wise) sequencer (with so much more bang for the buck). All the big name sequencers (including Moog’s Complement B) are quite pricey and more time consuming to program than the Sub 37.

8

I am using a Dot Com Q119.

I also use an iPad and sequencing software with a MIDI interface. The iPad is a strong sequencing tool.

Thanks

9

The Novation Bass Station 2 has a arpeggiator and step sequencer that transmits over MIDI. You can find them used for a few hundred $.

10

Just tried the 37 sequencing the Voyager just now, and it works great.

The Sub 37 was my first Analog synth, love it! But the Voyager will blow you the hell away!
The Voyager oscillators have so much heft and power and authority. If the the Sub 37 sounds fat, the Voyager sounds MORBIDLY OBESE.
They each have their own style and feel and they are both amazing. I was from day one and remain in awe of my 37… but I knew within about a minute that the Voyager is KING. Treat yourself my friend, have both.

11

I have a Voyager RME and also find that the Sub 37 is an awesome controller/sequencer for the RME.

I’m not near either unit right now to give specifics but, you can use some of the Sub 37 knobs to remotely control the Voyager.

Matching knobs that I can remember:
Filter Cutoff
Resonance
Filter A, D, S, R
Amp A, D, S, R
Master Volume

There were other knobs that didn’t share the same labeling like:
Voyager’s WAVE was controlled by one of the Sub 37’s MOD knobs.

I’ll match the MIDI Implementation Charts and post a more complete list soon.

12

Hi Gang,

Here’s a better list of Sub 37 Knobs & Buttons that can remotely control a Voyager
(at least based off their MIDI Charts; I’m not at either unit right now).

The layout is:
SUB 37 → VOYAGER

HERE ARE EXACT KNOB MATCHES:
MOD WHEEL → MOD WHEEL
LFO 1 RATE → LFO RATE
GLIDE TIME → GLIDE RATE
MASTER VOLUME → MASTER VOLUME
OSC 1 WAVE → OSC 1 WAVE
FILTER CUTOFF → FILTER CUTOFF
FILTER RESONANCE → FILTER RESONANCE
FILTER KB AMT → FILTER KB AMOUNT
FILTER ATTACK → FILTER ATTACK
FILTER DECAY → FILTER DECAY
FILTER SUSTAIN → FILTER SUSTAIN
FILTER RELEASE → FILTER RELEASE
FILTER EG AMT → EG AMOUNT TO FILTER
AMP ATTACK → VOLUME ATTACK
AMP DECAY → VOLUME DECAY
AMP SUSTAIN → VOLUME SUSTAIN
AMP RELEASE → VOLUME RELEASE
OSC 1 OCTAVE → OSC 1 OCTAVE
OSC 2 OCTAVE → OSC 2 OCTAVE
OSC 2 HARD SYNC → 1/2 SYNC

HERE ARE TWO CONFLICTING ASSIGNMENTS
ARPEGGIATOR LATCH → MW DESTINATION
ARP ON/OFF → PEDAL SHAPING
(I’d have these two buttons ON before you choose a Voyager preset.)

HERE ARE SOME POSSIBLY USEFUL ASSIGNMENTS
MOD 1 PITCH AMT → MOD 2 INPUT
LFO 2 RATE → PEDAL AMOUNT
MOD 1 FILTER AMT → OSC 2 WAVE
OSC 2 FREQ → OSC 3 FREQ
OSC 2 BEAT FREQ → OSC 3 WAVE
OSC 2 WAVE → EXTERNAL LEVEL
MOD 2 PITCH AMT → OSC 1 LEVEL
MOD 2 FILTER AMT → OSC 2 LEVEL
MOD 2 PGM DEST AMT → OSC 3 LEVEL
FILTER MULTIDRIVE → NOISE LEVEL
MOD 1 PGM DEST → FILTER SPACING
MOD 1 OSC1/2/SEL → MW SHAPING
MOD 1 SOURCE → PEDAL SOURCE
MOD 2 SOURCE → PEDAL DESTINATION
OSC KB RESET → EXTERNAL ON/OFF
FILTER EG RESET → OSCILLATOR 1 ON/OFF
AMP EG RESET → OSCILLATOR 2 ON/OFF
GLIDE TYPE → NOISE ON/OFF
MOD 2 OSC 1/2 SEL → RELEASE SWITCH

13

Fantastic, thanks!

This is a problem that rises with every Moog synth. I see two workarounds:

  1. Use a layer channel in your DAW/sequencer and set both synths to different channels. In this way you can send only the CCs that match.
  2. Use the same channel and filter out the CCs that don’t match.

I am afraid that none of them are perfect. Many people don’t like using a computer and it might be the only way to filter only certain messages, and if you don’t do it, then you won’t be able to automate the non-matching parameters. The other problem is that not many sequencers are able to handle multi-channel tracks easily…

14

Here is another one of your posts that i am screen capping and saving to my iPad. You are a great resource and asset Dan, thank you.

15

so, if I am to understand correctly, if I buy a Sub 37, which I was already considering, I can connect
it to my Voyager and use the Sub’s arpeggiator to control the Voyager?
How does one connect a Voyager to an Ipad to use a software program as a sequencer/arpeggiator?
I’m sure this is all rudimentary stuff but I’m more of a drummer than keyboardist but have a
love of synths, just not a lot of know how on their hardware!

16

Your best bet to use an ipad as a sequencer is to get some kind of a dock to run midi out of it. I use the Alesis dock, but there are many suitable alternatives.

If you aren’t computer averse, you can also use a regular iphone cable along with the new app called MidiMux to run midi to your daw, which can then run midi to your Voyager. That’s what I often do because I process the midi with ableton anyways half the time.

17

You can use the Sub 37 sequencer and arpeggiator to control your Voyager by connecting…Sub 37-Midi Out to Voyager-Midi In…as well as using the Sub 37 to control the things that Demon Dan listed in this thread.


You can connect your iPad to your Sub 37 or Voyager by using something like a Roland UM-ONE MK2 USB MIDI Interface, or iRig which will also charge your iPad if you plug in the iRig. You need the Apple camera connection kit to connect a usb cord to your iPad with some and others have the iPad Lightning or 30-pin connection included. You can also use them to connect your Moog to your desktop computer but you cannot send audio over midi just note and control messages.

If you get the free Patch Morpher app and pay 9.99 in app purchase for the Voyager you will be able to play 3 note chords by using the Keyboard-Simulate Polyphony function, when connected and activated you do not have to use the iPad to play them but the Voyager itself,as long as you have 3 oscillators ON in the Mixer of your Voyager.

18

thanks for all the information.
Would anyone recommend the Doepfer Dark Time?
I thought the Korg SQ 1 would be an inexpensive choice but
read that “because the SQ-1Gate puts out 10v, you can use it safely with the Voyager for a while without attenuation, but it will stress the clamping diodes in the Gate circuit and could eventually cause it to spazz out and fail.”
is this true?

19

I don’t know if it’s true or not but, as with everything CV, I always start with more attenuation than the device needs and slowly raise the voltage until it works correctly.

20

Thanks, just curious to know (as I noticed elsewhere in the forum) which ipad sequencer do you use… Phaedra?