Reason 13.1 Operation Manual
DAW | Rack Plugin
#Setting up
The basic procedure is to input note data, either live or recorded, to the RPG-8 device. This note data is in turn sent to a target device via its Sequencer Control CV/Gate inputs. The resulting output from the target device can either be arpeggiated notes or simply mirror what is played on your control surface device. Proceed as follows:
1.
Create an instrument device, e.g. a Subtractor.
Select a suitable patch, preferably one with a short attack time.
2.
With the instrument device selected, create an RPG-8 Arpeggiator.
A sequencer track with MIDI focus named “Arp 1” is created for the RPG-8. The RPG-8 Note and Gate CV outputs will be auto-routed to the instrument device Sequencer Control Gate and CV inputs, as you can see if you flip the rack around. In addition, the Mod Wheel and Pitch Bend CV outs are also auto-routed to the corresponding modulation inputs on the target device.
3.
Make sure the Arpeggiator Enable (“On”) button on the upper part of the panel is activated.
4.
With Master Keyboard input set to the Arp 1 sequencer track, play a few notes.
The notes in the chord you play are now arpeggiated for as long as you hold down the keys. The arpeggio will change directly if you release all notes and play another note or chord. If you add notes while holding down a chord, the arpeggio will continue with the added notes.
•
The display shows the notes played by the arpeggio pattern, with small bars indicating pitch for each step. The display is continuously updated as you play.
•
The arpeggio will play in sync with song tempo by default in new RPG-8 devices.
•
You do not need to start playback to generate arpeggios.
*
Try changing the arpeggiator mode using the Mode knob.
The various modes govern how the notes are arpeggiated. For example “Up” means from lowest note to highest note, Up+Down from lowest to highest note, then back down to lowest note again. For a description of all the modes see “Mode switch”.
*
By activating the Hold button the arpeggio will continue to play even if you release the keys.
If you play a new chord the arpeggio will continue to play, using the new notes. To stop the arpeggio, deactivate the Hold button or hit Stop on the transport. See “Hold On/Off”.
*
The “Insert” buttons can be used to introduce further variations to the arpeggio.
See “Insert buttons”.
*
If you change the Rate parameter the rate of the arpeggiated notes will follow the song tempo at the selected note value resolution.
Straight, triplet and dotted note values are available. The arpeggiator can also be free running, i.e. not synced to tempo - see “Rate”.
*
The Gate Length knob allows you to adjust the length of the arpeggiated notes.
If the knob is turned fully clockwise (“Tie”), the gate is always open (the notes will be played legato). If it is turned fully counter-clockwise, the gate is closed (no sound). See “Gate Length”.
*
By using the Octave buttons beside the Mode knob you can increase or decrease the octave range of the arpeggio.
With “1 Oct” selected the arpeggiated notes will be those that you press down on the keyboard. If “2 Oct” is selected the range will be expanded so that the arpeggiated notes play over two octaves, and so on - see “Octave range buttons”.
*
You can transpose the arpeggio up or down in octave steps using the Octave Shift buttons.
See “Octave Shift”.
*
By using the Velocity knob you can set the arpeggio to play with a fixed velocity value (selectable between 1 to 127) for all notes. Turning the knob fully clockwise to the “Manual” position means that the arpeggio notes will use the same velocity as the MIDI notes you input.
By using the Manual mode and varying the velocity for individual notes the arpeggio will become more animated and rhythmic. See “Velocity”.
That covers the basic principles of how to set up and use the RPG-8 to arpeggiate notes that you play in real time. But to make full use of the RPG-8 there are many further applications:
*
You can of course record and edit the notes you input.
You can also render the arpeggio output “to track” for full sequencer edit control of the notes generated by the RPG-8 - see “Rendering arpeggio notes to track”.
*
You can introduce rests for more complex rhythmical arpeggios by using the Pattern editor.
See “Pattern editor” for a description.
*
You can use the RPG-8 as a MIDI to CV converter which allows you to freely assign common performance MIDI controllers like Mod Wheel and Aftertouch to control parameters - see “Using the RPG-8 as a MIDI to CV converter”.
#Recording MIDI note data for the RPG-8 - simple tutorial
The notes that you feed into the Arpeggiator can be recorded and edited in the sequencer. This works pretty much like recording/editing normally, but with a few exceptions which will be duly noted.
In this section we will go through the basic principles of recording MIDI data. As several functions are described later in this chapter (e.g. the Pattern editor) we will keep things simple in this tutorial.
To record the notes you play into the RPG-8 you proceed as follows:
1.
Set Master Keyboard input to the “Arp” track.
Make sure the RPG-8 is connected to a target instrument device as described in “Setting up”.
2.
Make sure the “On” button for the Arpeggiator is activated.
If you play a chord, this will now be arpeggiated.
3.
Set up the RPG-8 as you want it to play arpeggios.
For detailed descriptions of all the parameters, see “RPG-8 Parameters”.
•
Note that if an arpeggio is playing before you enter recording, the notes that generated this arpeggio will not be recorded! This is because the note-ons have already occurred before recording commenced - only the notes that you enter after recording has started will be recorded.
4.
Click the Record button in the main sequencer and start playing.
5.
Hit stop when you are done recording.
A clip has now been added to the Arp track containing the notes you just recorded. If you play back the clip from the top the arpeggio will play back as you recorded it.
*
If you switch to Note Edit mode for the Arp track, you will see that only the notes that you input to the RPG-8 were recorded - not the actual arpeggio notes generated by the RPG-8 and sent to the target device.
The arpeggio you “recorded” is actually still being generated rather than played back. The only difference is that now the arpeggio is generated from the notes you recorded on the track rather than from the notes you played live. Thus, if you change any RPG-8 parameters like Rate or Mode this will change the arpeggio you hear.
When using this method the following points should be noted:
•
It will not be possible to edit the individual notes generated by the arpeggiator, only the source notes you play.
This may be fine, depending on the situation. If you simply played some wrong notes you can easily edit them in the sequencer as usual.
•
If you used Hold when recording (or if you activate Hold during playback) the arpeggio will play for as long the sequencer is in Play mode or until Hold is deactivated.
It is generally better to have Hold off when recording.
Depending on the situation, the above limitations may or may not be of concern. But there is a quick and effective solution to all above mentioned issues; the “Render Arpeggio Notes to Track” function (see “Rendering arpeggio notes to track”).
#Using multiple Lanes
You can record note data on several Lanes of the RPG-8 (Arp) track. If you do this, any overlapping note data will be merged and will not play separate arpeggios. The Arp track will always produce a monophonic output regardless of how many overlapping Lanes there are.
If you want to use separate simultaneous arpeggios, with each controlling one voice in a device, you have to use the “Arpeggio Notes to Track” function (see “Rendering arpeggio notes to track”) to separate Lanes in the target device track.
#Generating arpeggios from already recorded tracks
The RPG-8 can also be used to arpeggiate notes copied/moved from other tracks:
1.
Copy the clip(s) containing the notes you wish to arpeggiate.
You can also drag and drop clips between tracks to do this.
2.
Paste the clip(s) to the “Arp” track.
3.
Activate Arpeggio On and activate playback.
4.
If you only wish to hear the arpeggio, mute the sequencer track/lane you copied the source data from.
If you leave it unmuted you will hear both the original chords and the arpeggio.
#Rendering arpeggio notes to track
This function allows you to render the arpeggio generated by RPG-8 to the target device track. The arpeggio output - rather than just the source notes that generate the arpeggio - will be rendered as notes allowing for full sequencer edit control.
After rendering, the target device track will have a clip with the arpeggio notes and the RPG-8 track should be muted, so no arpeggiator parameter settings can be changed - only the actual notes can be edited. You can of course always go back to the original Arp track, change arpeggiator parameters and perform the rendering again at any time.
To perform the rendering, proceed as follows:
1.
First, record some notes in the sequencer.
The Arp track should be selected when recording as usual.
2.
Set the left and right locators to the desired range or length.
If the range set is longer than the arpeggio pattern(s), the data will be repeated to fit the range.
3.
Select the sequencer track that the RPG-8 is connected to, i.e. the target track, not the “Arp” track.
4.
Select the RPG-8 device you wish to copy the arpeggio(s) from in the rack.
5.
Select “Arpeggio Notes to Track” from the Edit menu or the RPG-8 device context menu.
Now notes will be created on the target device track between the left and right locators, according to the selected arpeggio.
6.
Mute the Arp track originally used to generate the arpeggio. If you now activate playback from the transport the arpeggio will play back as note data (the RPG-8 is inactive).
If you enter sequencer Edit mode for the target device track, you can freely edit the arpeggio notes.
*
Performance data (e.g. Pitch Bend or Mod Wheel) recorded on the Arp track are not included in the “Arpeggio Notes to Track” operation.
If you have performance data that should be played back with the arpeggio, you need to copy it manually to the rendered note clip.
#MIDI-CV Converter parameters
The MIDI-CV Converter section to the left contains parameters that affect the CV output from the RPG-8, regardless of whether the Arpeggiator section is activated or not. The following parameters are available:
#Velocity
The Velocity knob can be used to set a fixed velocity value for the notes that are output via the Gate CV Out jacks on the back of the RPG-8. If you set the Velocity knob to a value between “0” and “127”, the Gate CV Out will be fixed (at the set value) regardless of the velocity of the incoming MIDI notes.
Turning the knob fully to the right activates Manual (“Man.”) mode (a LED is lit when activated). In Manual mode the velocity levels will be sent out via the Gate CV Out with the same velocity value as they are input, i.e. “what goes in, will come out”. Manual mode is on by default in new devices.
There is also a “Velocity CV” input at the back. If this is connected to a controller source (a LFO modulation output for example), the output will be a merge between the Velocity setting and the applied CV modulation by the LFO - see “CV Inputs”.
#Hold On/Off
If the Hold parameter is activated (lit button), an arpeggio will continue to run even if you release all keys. It will continue to arpeggiate the last notes played until a new note-on is received.
•
If you continue to hold down at least one key when Hold is on, any new notes will be added to the existing arpeggio as opposed to starting a new arpeggio.
•
If the Arpeggiator section is off, and the Hold function is activated, there will be no note-offs for incoming notes played (i.e. the CV Gate stays open).
•
The Hold On/Off status responds to Sustain Pedal messages - as long as the pedal is pressed down, Hold will stay activated.
#Octave Shift
This allows you to transpose the RPG-8 Note CV output in octave steps. You can octave shift up or down 3 octaves.
Octave Shift can also be CV controlled.
#Arpeggiator parameters
The middle section contains the Arpeggiator parameters that govern how the arpeggio is played. The following parameters are available:
#Arpeggiator “On” button
This switches the Arpeggiator on or off.
#Mode switch
This determines the direction of the arpeggio notes.
| Mode
| Description
Up
This will generate an arpeggio that plays from the lowest note to the highest note.
Up+Down
Notes are played from lowest note to highest, then from highest back down to the lowest. The very lowest and the highest arpeggio notes are not repeated. I.e. the arpeggiator will play the lowest note to the second highest note, then the highest note to the second lowest note.
Down
Notes are played from the highest note to the lowest note.
Random
The notes you input will be arpeggiated randomly.
Manual
Notes are arpeggiated in the same order they are played when input.
#Octave range buttons
The Octave buttons allow you to set the octave range of the arpeggio.
Use as follows:
| Octave range
| Description
1 Oct
The arpeggiated notes will be those that you press down on the keyboard.
2 Oct
If you select this, the arpeggio will be extended to a two octave range, i.e, the arpeggio pattern is played then repeated one octave up. In Random mode, the notes you input are played in random order over 2 octaves.
3 Oct
Same as 2 Oct but extended to a three octave range.
4 Oct
Same as 2 Oct but extended to a four octave range.
#Insert buttons
Insert can be used to add variations to the arpeggio by repeating certain notes in a predetermined order. It works as follows:
| Insert mode
| Description
Off
No Insert repeat.
Low
The lowest note is repeated in between every second note in the arpeggio.
Hi
The highest note is repeated in between every second note in the arpeggio.
3-1
The arpeggio will play 3 notes forward, then step 1 note back and from there play 3 notes forward etc.
4-2
The arpeggio will play 4 notes forward, then step 2 notes back and from there play 4 notes forward etc.
#Rate
This sets the rate of the arpeggio. There are two basic modes for the Rate parameter:
*
If Sync is activated, the Arpeggiator will play in sync with the sequencer tempo. By changing the Rate you can make the Arpeggiator play in different tempo resolutions in relation to the tempo setting.
Straight, dotted or triplet note values are available in 1/2 to 1/16 resolutions. In addition, there are also 1/32, 1/64 and 1/128 (straight) note resolutions.
*
If the “Free” button is activated, the arpeggio rate is free running, and not synced to tempo.
The Rate is then selectable from 0.1 to 250Hz.
#Gate Length
This determines the length of the arpeggio notes. Minimum value is 0 (Gate closed - no output). Maximum value is “Tie”, meaning the gate is open all the time. This parameter can be controlled via CV.
#Single Note Repeat
Single Note repeat governs how the arpeggiator behaves when the user plays single keys or monophonic lines.
*
When Single Note Repeat is on, a single key will retrigger the gate, meaning the note will repeat.
If the Octave setting is 1 Oct, the note will simply repeat (given the Gate Length setting is not set to “Tie”). If the Octave setting is set to anything else, the note will repeat according to the Octave, Mode and Insert settings.
*
When this is off, single notes will not repeat and RPG-8 will play arpeggios when the user plays more than one key (chords).
#Shuffle
Shuffle is a rhythmic feature, that gives the arpeggio a more or less pronounced swing feel. It works by delaying all sixteenth notes that fall in between the eighth notes.
In the RPG-8 you can switch Shuffle on or off using the corresponding button. However, the amount of shuffle can be set globally (for all devices that incorporate this feature) with the Global Shuffle control in the ReGroove Mixer.
The Shuffle on/off switch in RPG-8 and the Global Shuffle control in the ReGroove Mixer.
#Pattern editor
The Pattern editor allows you to introduce rests for arpeggio steps which can produce more rhythmic results. The Pattern editor has 16 step buttons at the top, and a main grid display where the arpeggio notes are represented as horizontal bars for each step in the arpeggio. The pitch of the arpeggio notes are shown on the vertical axis. Notes within the C-1 to C7 octave range are shown. Notes cannot be edited in the display, they are only a visual representation of the arpeggio.
*
The Pattern editor is activated with the “Pattern” button.
When activated, the Pattern button and the 16 Step buttons light up.
*
When you play a chord (or in case you have recorded notes, when you start playback) the arpeggio will play according to the current Arpeggiator parameter settings, as normal.
The only difference is that a pattern will be repeated in the display so that all 16 steps play the pattern.
A three note chord with Pattern off...
...and with Pattern on.
*
If you click on a step button it goes dark. This means that this step will insert a rest in the arpeggio pattern.
Note that no arpeggio notes are “skipped”. Inserting a rest means that the step will be silent and the next active step will play the next note in the arpeggio pattern.
*
The “Steps -/+” buttons can be used to set the number of steps in the Pattern editor.
E.g. if you press the “Steps minus” button four times the last four step buttons will go dark and the Pattern editor cycle will start over after step 12.
#Pattern functions
When the Pattern editor is activated, you will find some specific pattern functions on the Edit menu (and on the device context menu). These are as follows:
| Function
| Description
Alter Pattern
The Alter Pattern function modifies existing step patterns. Note that there has to be a pattern to start with - using the Alter function if all step buttons are active (or inactive) won’t do anything.
Randomize Pattern
The Randomize Pattern function creates random patterns.
Invert Pattern
This will invert the pattern, i.e. active steps will become rests and vice versa.
Shift Pattern L/R
The Shift Pattern functions move the pattern one step to the left or right.
#Automating the Pattern editor
To automate the RPG-8 step buttons a little planning is necessary.
*
In the sequencer, each automation point represents all the possible combinations of each of the 16 step buttons on/off status, so the numbers become slightly bewildering (there are 65535 possible variations).
This makes it difficult to control the automation by drawing events in the sequencer as each position represents a different combination of all the button’s on/off status.
*
You can of course automate the buttons manually while recording but this is not always a solution as you may wish to change the on/off status of several buttons simultaneously.
The solution to both these issues is to record “snapshots” of the Pattern editor:
1.
Set up the buttons as you want them from the start of the song, e.g. all buttons “on”.
This will be your “static value” which is active from the start.
2.
Right-click the buttons and select “Edit Automation” from the context menu.
An automation lane is created and the Pattern buttons will have a green rectangle around them to indicate that they are automated.
3.
Start the sequencer in play mode, and set up the buttons as you want them (except one - see below) for the new pattern combination.
Note that the Automation override indicator on the transport will light up, but this is as it should be.
To record the button’s status, you need to press at least one button after entering record mode. Thus, you need to save one “last” button to press during record to automate the Pattern editor to an exact combination of the 16 button’s on/off status.
4.
Enter record mode and press the “last” step button where you want the automation to happen. Continue recording for as long as you wish the pattern to play, then click stop.
A clip has been added on the Pattern automation lane.
5.
If you open the clip by double-clicking on it in the Arrange view you can see that the clip has one automation point.
Note that it is the clip that governs the start and duration of the automation, not the point itself.
*
If the snapshot automation is not in the right time position, you can simply reposition the clip so that it starts where you want the change to occur using the usual methods.
When the clip you recorded ends, the buttons will revert to the static value you set up in step 1.
6.
By using this general method you can continue to add further clips to the Pattern lane, each containing a “snapshot” of the Pattern editor buttons.
On the back of the RPG-8 you can find a number of useful CV connectors. These are as follows:
#CV Inputs
There are five CV inputs, of which four can be used to control RPG-8 parameters that have associated controls on the front panel. These parameters are Gate Length, Velocity, Rate and Octave Shift.
If you use an external source to modulate these parameters, the incoming CV is merged with the setting on the front of the device.
An example: Velocity is set to 50 on the front panel. A Matrix (bi-polar curve) that varies between +- 20, with the voltage trim pot set to 64 (50%) is connected to the Velocity CV input. The resulting Velocity should then vary between 40-60.
In addition to the above CV inputs, there is a “Start of Arpeggio Trig In” connector. This restarts the arpeggio figure from step 1 when this input receives a gate trigger. See “Triggering arpeggios” for a tip on how this can be used. If something is connected to this input the RPG-8 will not generate arpeggios unless a Gate trigger is received.
Note: If you are modulating the arpeggio using the CV Input jacks, this will not affect the rendered arpeggio notes.
#CV Outputs
The following CV outputs are available:
•
Gate CV Out (Velocity) transmits a gate/velocity value that corresponds to the Velocity parameter setting.
This is normally auto-routed to the Sequencer Control Gate input on an instrument device.
•
Note CV Out transmits the notes generated by the Arpeggiator (or if this is off, the notes you input to the RPG-8).
This is normally auto-routed to the Sequencer Control CV input on an instrument device.
•
Mod Wheel/Pitch Bend Outputs will normally connect to the corresponding inputs of the instrument device controlled by RPG-8.
•
The common MIDI performance controllers Aftertouch/Expression/Breath can be used to control any parameters using these CV outputs.
•
Start of Arpeggio Trig Out - every time the arpeggio figures start over this output will send a gate signal.
This can be used to trigger filter, amp and mod envelopes in other devices, e.g. Subtractor. The length of this gate is the same as the length of the first note in the arpeggio.
•
Sustain Pedal Gate Out - the sustain pedal can be used to trigger envelopes in other devices.
If you plug a cable into the “Sustain Pedal Gate Out” the normal pedal to the Hold parameter connection is broken and the sustain pedal function is changed to send out a gate signal with velocity equalling the Velocity setting knob (if Manual mode is on then velocity defaults to a value of 100).
#Using the RPG-8 for modulation
You can use the RPG-8 as a modulation source, much like an LFO. The RPG-8 can generate stepped modulation that is both synchronized to tempo and controlled by note input. In this and in following examples we assume you already have a RPG-8 connected to an instrument device.
*
With the RPG-8 selected in the rack, create a Spider CV Merger/Splitter.
The RPG-8 Note and Gate CV outputs are auto-routed to the Spider Split A and B inputs, and the Spider first split Note and Gate outputs are connected to the instrument device (as they were before creating the Spider).
You now have 2 (and 1 Inverted) additional Note and Gate CV outputs via the Spider.
*
Try using the Note CV split outputs to modulate other parameters in the instrument device, e.g. filter frequency.
The filter frequency will then track the notes generated by the Arpeggiator.
*
You can of course also connect the Note CV out to various parameters in any device, not just the device connected to the RPG-8.
*
You can connect the Spider split CV/Gate outputs to the corresponding Sequencer Control CV inputs to another instrument device so that the RPG-8 controls two (or more) devices. (This can of course also be done by connecting the RPG-8 to a Combinator device.)
#Triggering arpeggios
On the back panel there is a “Start of Arpeggio Trig In” CV connector. This restarts the arpeggio figure from step 1 when this input receives a gate trigger. You could use this in the following way:
*
One or more Redrum channels Gate out can reset the step pattern to create rhythmic patterns in sync.
*
You could use the Matrix in the same way - each positive Gate signal will restart the arpeggio figure.
*
Note that no arpeggio will be generated unless a Gate trigger is received when something is plugged in to the “Start of Arpeggio Trig In” CV connector.
#Triggering samples
The Gate CV output can be used to trigger samples, either in Redrum or Kong or in the NN-19 or NN-XT Sampler.
*
Connect the RPG-8 Gate CV out to the Gate (Sequencer Control) in on the NN-19/NN-XT or to one of the individual Gate Channel inputs of Kong or Redrum.
Gate values will now trigger the sample on each step with Gate values above “0”.
#Using the RPG-8 as a MIDI to CV converter
You can also use the RPG-8 as a stand-alone MIDI to CV converter without generating arpeggios. In this mode (Arpeggiator Off) you can play instrument devices just like as if MIDI input was directly connected to the target device.
The main benefit of this mode is that you can use note pitch and velocity to control parameters, not only in the target device but in any device.