FIVE12 Eurorack Vector Sequencer

[Carlsborg Expert]

Just had a thought.. I'd really love to be able to simultaneously launch a pattern on the vector and a clip in Ableton with the same button on the launchpad. Has anyone managed to figure this out? I can imagine it would be really great for those of us with a hybrid work flow.

[Sinamsis]

Loaded question... so first Jim had to give me a custom build because I couldn't calibrate the outputs to 1.2v/oct. With his build I get at least 6 octaves (I think 2 down and 4 up IIRC) which is plenty for me. Otherwise in this case yes a passive format jumbler that ties ground to the Buchla system is "adequate." I have also just used custom cables as well. What you lose is that the gate outputs won't work on inputs that expect triggers. There's something funky about how the Buchla triggers work, I forget exactly, but I think the basics are that first a much higher voltage occurs that is the trigger, and then the gate follows in a Buchla system. The gate output isn't hot enough to trigger the trigger mode of the 281 in this example. As a result I was a little more limited in how snappy and percussive each note could be, but it was good enough for me. I have a 225e on the way and I will probably use the Vector to control it via MIDI, mainly to streamline patching a bit.

Thank you for the detailed explanation—I have a Vector and will be getting my feet wet with a 208 soon. The MIDI route sure sounds easier, but of course it’s not entirely the same thing. I probably wouldn’t want to have to buy four CVGT1 modules if I was in your shoes.

I dunno. I think the MIDI route will certainly add certain things potentially. Ha I’ve never really used the Midi but aren’t there more CCs to sequence? So that seems appealing to me rather than just having note gate and velocity.

But yeah honestly I probably wouldn’t that many conversion modules. I have a super disting I could use. And I thought about making a 1U conversion solution. But I think using MIDI might just be the most eloquent option. Time will tell!

[chaosium]

For the price, is there a "best" bang for the buck Launchpad model for integration?

[Dark Barn]

For the price, is there a "best" bang for the buck Launchpad model for integration?

Jim recommends any of the current models, the main difference between them as far as the vector is concerned is the size, and the type of buttons (soft buttons vs velocity sensitive pads.) Jim has indicated he is looking at ways to support the velocity sensitive pads of the X and Pro models, if that future compatibility matters to you then the X or Pro would be the way to go, if not then any will be a good match.

[chaosium]

For the price, is there a "best" bang for the buck Launchpad model for integration?

Jim recommends any of the current models, the main difference between them as far as the vector is concerned is the size, and the type of buttons (soft buttons vs velocity sensitive pads.) Jim has indicated he is looking at ways to support the velocity sensitive pads of the X and Pro models, if that future compatibility matters to you then the X or Pro would be the way to go, if not then any will be a good match.

Awesome, thanks! I didn’t know about the plans to *eventually* incorporate. I’ll take that into account.

[Dark Barn]

For the price, is there a "best" bang for the buck Launchpad model for integration?

Jim recommends any of the current models, the main difference between them as far as the vector is concerned is the size, and the type of buttons (soft buttons vs velocity sensitive pads.) Jim has indicated he is looking at ways to support the velocity sensitive pads of the X and Pro models, if that future compatibility matters to you then the X or Pro would be the way to go, if not then any will be a good match.

Awesome, thanks! I didn’t know about the plans to *eventually* incorporate. I’ll take that into account.

He talks a little about it during the first part of this recent deep dive, if you’re interested.

Edit: not in the first part, they get into it at around 1:16:50

[jimi23]

Just had a thought.. I'd really love to be able to simultaneously launch a pattern on the vector and a clip in Ableton with the same button on the launchpad. Has anyone managed to figure this out? I can imagine it would be really great for those of us with a hybrid work flow.

I put in a feature request for the ability to send MIDI messages on preset/scene/project start. The key would be to have the messages freely definable by the user so you could sent a Preset change to a synth or module, as well as triggering a clip or scene in Ableton when you changed patterns on the Vector (for example)

https://forum.five12.net/forum/eurorack ... select-bus

Here it is... maybe comment or like or whatever to make it more visible and let Jim know its something others would find useful!!

[Carlsborg Expert]

I put in a feature request for the ability to send MIDI messages on preset/scene/project start. The key would be to have the messages freely definable by the user so you could sent a Preset change to a synth or module, as well as triggering a clip or scene in Ableton when you changed patterns on the Vector (for example)

https://forum.five12.net/forum/eurorack ... select-bus

Here it is... maybe comment or like or whatever to make it more visible and let Jim know its something others would find useful!!

Cheers Yeah I should really just pull my finger out and maker an account on the Five12 forum - then I can give this a plug.

I actually have another request which is growing more and more urgent in my mind, just because of how useful it would be... Direct pattern change.

It's a feature which isn't nearly common enough in sequencers, but I use it all the time on the Analog Rytm and it's the most musically useful feature I could possible ask for.

Basically it can be thought of as maximum sensitivity for pattern change, so that when you launch a new pattern, instead of waiting until the end of the bar, it launches instantaneously on the very next step. This way, you can have much busier patterns, which you can momentarily 'punch into' to create fills & variation in the most intuitive way. Honestly once you've used a sequencer which can do this, you'll wish they all did..

I really hope the hardware will allow for this on the Vector.

[buyingitwontmakeucool]

Direct pattern change.

You can set pattern start quantization to next beat, next bar or off in vector per track

[Carlsborg Expert]

Direct pattern change.

You can set pattern start quantization to next beat, next bar or off in vector per track

I'm using that currently, but direct change is quite different. Here's a hypothetical:

So you have a 1 bar pattern playing, and on step 11 you hit play on another pattern. The next pattern immediately starts playing - but it would start on step 12. Then let's say you hit play on the original pattern to switch back to it and you do this on step 14, the original pattern would then launch from step 15 and continue to cycle.

Obviously the above example in real time this just looks like 2 button pushes in very quick succession. But yeah it's an incredibly fun way of creating fills because you can have several busier or otherwise varying patterns to chop and change between.

If this is possible to implement on the Vector it would be so amazing.

[everforever]

I have requested this feature before, but I’m not sure if it was understood correctly. Write an email to Jim, I’m sure he will listen if more people request it.

[Carlsborg Expert]

I have requested this feature before, but I’m not sure if it was understood correctly. Write an email to Jim, I’m sure he will listen if more people request it.

Ahhh nice

Yeah I'll get in touch and see what he thinks!

[kesserich]

I bought a USAMO to see if I can beat my usb-b midi timings(3-6ms jitter through a hub) but I can't get the j-exp sync to work. On the first globals page, i changed sync from 'usb-b' to 'JxMidi' but nothing happens. The bpm drops to 0 and the sequence fails to advance. Is there some other step involved that I am missing?

I know the USAMO isn't the problem because i get the same behaviour when i send a midi beat clock directly out of bitwig.

[Zymos]

Have you tried working with Jim about this?

Not that you shouldn’t also avail yourself of the collective MW wisdom at the same time of course...

[kesserich]

Have you tried working with Jim about this?

Not that you shouldn’t also avail yourself of the collective MW wisdom at the same time of course...

Not yet. I'm assuming that I am doing something stupid and didn't want to waste his time unnecessarily.

[Wubz]

Have you tried working with Jim about this?

Not that you shouldn’t also avail yourself of the collective MW wisdom at the same time of course...

Not yet. I'm assuming that I am doing something stupid and didn't want to waste his time unnecessarily.

What about JxDIN with the midi cable plugged in the 5 pin Sync Input on the expander? Does that work?

[kesserich]

What about JxDIN with the midi cable plugged in the 5 pin Sync Input on the expander? Does that work?

I did try this with no luck. It's weird because all the triggers on the expander work just fine. That's why i'm assuming there is some software option that I have misconfigured.

[mOBiTh]

Hey guys
Is anyone witnessing dropped notes when recording midi into a DAW via USB?

I'm finding random notes are replaced by a very short note on the tail end of where the original note should have been - as if a particular midi note-on was dropped and the subsequent note-off was registered as a note-on-off (or something like that)

I've reported it to Jim but wondering if it affects anyone else?

Cheers!

[Wubz]

Hey guys
Is anyone witnessing dropped notes when recording midi into a DAW via USB?

I'm finding random notes are replaced by a very short note on the tail end of where the original note should have been - as if a particular midi note-on was dropped and the subsequent note-off was registered as a note-on-off (or something like that)

I've reported it to Jim but wondering if it affects anyone else?

Cheers!

I had dropped notes when sending midi to a shuttle control from USB B.
He is aware of that also and workimg on a fix

[the_oid]

When changing presets, my Vector switches parts immediately (both from the presets screen and scenes screen) instead of at the end of the pattern. I've scoured the manual, forum and demo videos and don't see where I'm going wrong. Am I missing a cue quantization settings somewhere?

[buyingitwontmakeucool]

When changing presets, my Vector switches parts immediately (both from the presets screen and scenes screen) instead of at the end of the pattern. I've scoured the manual, forum and demo videos and don't see where I'm going wrong. Am I missing a cue quantization settings somewhere?

Yes - PQNT setting on the third Seq Control page (Preset Quantization, sets whether presets change immediately, on the next beat, or on the next bar).

Clean new projects should start with PQNT on, but make sure on latest firmware bc there was a bug and it would say it was on in new projects, but would actually be off (you had to turn it off and on to get it to work). That’s fixed in latest firmware

[the_oid]

When changing presets, my Vector switches parts immediately (both from the presets screen and scenes screen) instead of at the end of the pattern. I've scoured the manual, forum and demo videos and don't see where I'm going wrong. Am I missing a cue quantization settings somewhere?

Yes - PQNT setting on the third Seq Control page (Preset Quantization, sets whether presets change immediately, on the next beat, or on the next bar).

Clean new projects should start with PQNT on, but make sure on latest firmware bc there was a bug and it would say it was on in new projects, but would actually be off (you had to turn it off and on to get it to work). That’s fixed in latest firmware

Thank you so much, PQNT was off. Loving it on the whole, and finding it more jammable than I expected.

[Mndscrpt]

hi, some n00b questions:

1) Is there a simple way to create arps?
EDIT: found a thread about this in the five12 community

2) is there something like a rotating output mode?
3) are there more functions that can be controlled ext. via midi other than scene launching? Like time divisions, ratcheting, performance stuff.

[mdoudoroff]

1) There is no parametric arpeggiator in Vector at this time—it has been requested; that said, the subsequencers and chance ops make it possible to create some very sophisticated arpeggiator-like results

2) No, but I think it has been requested; in the modular context, you can obviously accomplish this with switches downstream

3) I don’t believe so

[chaosium]

He talks a little about it during the first part of this recent deep dive, if you’re interested.

Edit: not in the first part, they get into it at around 1:16:50

Great thanks, found a deal on a Pro and can at least get used to how it goes without velocity to start.