Doepfer Dark Time Sequencer - Manual (Page 25)

Dark time DOEPFER Nuts and bolds of sequencing
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4.2.2. Programming melodies into the step sequencer
Of course it is possible to enter tonal melodies into a step sequencer like Dark Time – you should simply
bear some conceptual differences in mind when it comes to using a sequencer vs. a traditional keyboard.
For the time being we would like to have a closer look at some fundamentals of programming melodies into
a step sequencer. Let’s keep Dark Time’s specifications in mind for this.
When sitting down in front of a keyboard instrument, e.g. a piano, its entire range of notes of up to seven
octaves is spread out in front of you. You will be able to easily grasp the position of each note at a glimpse.
Each key generates one tone with a specific frequency resp. specific pitch at a time which corresponds to a
note name, clearly defined in our occidental system of writing music.
In most cases you will play a synthesizer from a traditional keyboard also – at first sight the outset is the
same. But often you have the ability to detune the instrument continuously over a much wider range by just
one turn of a knob. If you do so, the pitch of a played key (e.g. ”C”) will not necessarily correspond to the
pitch actually audible.
An electronic instrument – let’s say, a synthesizer – is not
restricted to keys, organised in semitones when it comes
to determining the pitch. You may also use knobs – as
your Dark Time does. When turning one of the sixteen
step controls on Dark Time’s front panel, the control
voltage produced by the corresponding step is changed
and thus the pitch played by the synthesizer connected.
Since the knobs work continuously, the programming
of the pitch is not restricted to semitones. You can also
obtain all sorts of pitches ”in between”. So it is very easy
to create atonal patterns or microtonal changes.
In most cases, though, you might want to create tonal
patterns that are matching our well-known tonal system
we have grown accustomed to. If you are lucky to call a
sensitive ear and perfect pitch your own, you simply have
to tune your synthesizer correctly and tune the desired pitches ”by ear” using the controls. If your ears are
only average – nothing to be ashamed of –, an electronic chromatic tuner is a very good tuning aid.
Now Dark Time’s Range switch comes into play: In 1V position, a full turn of a step control covers a range
of twelve semitones, thus one octave. This ratio was determined by the first analog synthesizers on the
market. Shifting control voltages by one volt would result in pitch changing by one octave. This ratio, named
”scaling”, became a standard very soon and it still is today. Exceptions from the rule were some vintage
Japanese units (e.g. by Korg and Yamaha) that used an alternative method of scaling and interfacing.
When setting Dark Time’s Range switch to another posi-
tion (like 2V or 5V), a full turn of a step control will yield a
wider control voltage range and thus cover a wider range
of notes. Finding a desired note will become more difficult
then, though. Enjoy finding those you weren’t exactly
looking for.
Of course you are not restricted to controlling the pitch
of an external sound source by Dark Time. Feel free to
control all other parameters of your synthesizer that has
inputs for control voltages, e.g. filter, volume, envelope
settings and many more. Using different voltage ranges is
especially useful with this kind of application.
1V 2V 5V
Range
1 Oktave 2 Oktaven 5 Oktaven