F_KLIKZ

F_KLIKZ – Grouped Metronome and Accent Pulse Generator

Overview
F_KLIKZ is a compact metronome module designed for both simple counting and more advanced rhythm practice. It generates an internal click sound and also provides separate pulse outputs for every step, the main accent, and sub accents. Unlike a basic metronome, F_KLIKZ can divide meters into smaller musical groups, making uneven rhythms such as 7/8, 9/8, and 11/8 much easier to hear and understand. It can run from its own internal tempo or follow an external clock, which makes it useful both as a practice tool and as a patchable timing module inside a larger modular setup.

Main idea
The module works as a pulse-based metronome. Each meter is treated as a number of pulses per bar. A grouping pattern then defines where the main accent and sub accents fall. The first pulse of each bar always receives the main accent. The first pulse of each following group becomes a sub accent. All remaining pulses are played as normal clicks. This means the module does not only count bars, but also teaches the internal structure of the rhythm.

Examples
In 3/4 with grouping 3, the pulse pattern is simply 1-2-3 with a main accent on 1. In 3/4 with grouping 1+2, the first pulse is the main accent and the second pulse acts as a sub accent, so the bar feels divided into a short block followed by a two-pulse block. In 7/8 with grouping 3+2+2, the first pulse is the main accent and pulses 4 and 6 become sub accents. In 7/8 with grouping 4+3, pulse 1 is the main accent and pulse 5 becomes the sub accent. In 11/8 with grouping 5+3+3, the first pulse is the main accent and pulses 6 and 9 become sub accents. This allows you to hear the bar as meaningful smaller chunks instead of a long difficult count.

Controls

TEMPO
Sets the pulse speed of the metronome when no external clock is connected. F_KLIKZ is pulse-based, so the tempo directly determines the timing of the internal pulse stream. In simple meters this behaves like a straightforward metronome speed. In uneven meters it controls the speed of the individual counted pulses that make up the full bar.

LENGTH
Sets how long each click lasts. Lower values give a very short sharp tick. Higher values produce a slightly longer and more audible click. This affects the envelope of the generated metronome sound, not the spacing between pulses.

ACCENT
Controls the strength of the accent structure. At lower values the difference between normal clicks, sub accents, and the main accent is smaller. At higher values the main accent stands out more clearly and the internal grouping becomes easier to hear.

LEVEL
Controls the output level of the click sound at the main audio output. At minimum the audio output can be fully silent.

SOUND
Selects the click sound type. The available sound types are CLICK, WOOD, and BEEP. CLICK is the sharpest and brightest. WOOD is softer and more percussive. BEEP is the most tonal. All three are intended to remain compact and functional rather than elaborate drum sounds.

METER
Selects the active meter. The available meters are 3/4, 4/4, 5/8, 7/8, 9/8, and 11/8. Each meter defines the total number of pulses in one full bar.

GROUP
Selects the grouping pattern inside the chosen meter. This is one of the most important controls in the module. It determines how the meter is divided into smaller blocks and therefore where the sub accents occur. Different grouping choices can make the same meter feel completely different.

RUN / STOP
The toggle button starts or stops the metronome when no external RUN signal is connected. In RUN, the module is active. In STOP, the module is silent and does not advance. When a cable is connected to RUN IN, the external gate takes priority over the manual toggle.

Inputs

CLOCK IN
External clock input. When a cable is connected here, F_KLIKZ no longer uses its internal tempo engine. Instead, each rising edge at CLOCK IN advances the module by one step. This means one incoming clock pulse equals one metronome pulse inside the selected meter. Grouping, main accents, and sub accents continue to work exactly the same, but their timing is now driven from the external clock source.

RUN IN
Gate input for transport control. When a cable is connected here, this input overrides the manual RUN / STOP toggle. A high gate allows the metronome to run. A low gate stops it. On a rising edge, the metronome restarts cleanly from the first pulse of the bar so the downbeat is always clear.

RESET IN
Trigger input that resets the internal step position back to the first pulse of the bar. This is useful for keeping the metronome aligned to other sequencers, clocks, or song structures. Reset returns the bar position to the beginning without changing the selected meter or grouping.

Outputs

OUT
Main audio output carrying the click sound.

STEP
Short pulse output for every pulse of the metronome, regardless of accent level. This can be used as a general rhythmic trigger stream.

ACC
Short pulse output for the main accent only. This fires on the first pulse of each full bar.

SUB
Short pulse output for sub accents only. These pulses mark the starts of the internal groups after the main accent.

Meter and grouping details

3/4
Available groupings include 3, 1+2, and 2+1. This allows the meter to behave as a normal three-count or as an internally shifted pattern that emphasizes a smaller structural split.

4/4
Available groupings include 4, 2+2, 3+1, and 1+3. This lets you use F_KLIKZ as a plain metronome or as a way to highlight alternative phrase shapes inside a standard bar.

5/8
Available groupings include 3+2 and 2+3. These are the two most familiar ways to hear 5/8 and both produce a distinctly different feel.

7/8
Available groupings include 3+2+2, 2+3+2, 2+2+3, 4+3, 3+4, 5+2, and 2+5. This covers both classic short-group combinations and larger block divisions. That makes 7/8 useful not only for folk-style counting but also for broader phrase interpretation.

9/8
Available groupings include 3+3+3, 2+2+2+3, 2+2+3+2, 2+3+2+2, 3+2+2+2, 4+5, 5+4, 4+3+2, and 2+3+4. This allows 9/8 to function either as a regular compound meter or as an uneven mixed meter with stronger internal blocks.

11/8
Available groupings include 3+3+3+2, 3+3+2+3, 3+2+3+3, 2+3+3+3, 5+3+3, 3+5+3, 3+3+5, 4+4+3, 4+3+4, 3+4+4, 5+4+2, and 2+4+5. This gives a wide range of practical structures for hearing 11/8 as smaller, manageable rhythmic blocks.

How accents work
Every bar starts with one main accent. This main accent is stronger than the other pulses and is also available at the ACC output. Each additional group start inside the bar becomes a sub accent. These sub accents are audible in the click sound and also appear at the SUB output. The ACCENT knob increases the contrast between the three pulse types: main accent, sub accent, and normal step.

Internal and external timing
When no cable is connected to CLOCK IN, F_KLIKZ uses its internal tempo set by the TEMPO knob. When CLOCK IN is connected, the module follows the external pulse stream instead. In that case, each incoming clock pulse advances the pattern by one step. This makes F_KLIKZ useful both as a standalone grouped metronome and as a clock-following accent processor inside a patch.

Transport behavior
The RUN / STOP toggle controls the transport only when RUN IN is not connected. As soon as a cable is connected to RUN IN, the external gate takes priority. A rising edge on RUN IN restarts the metronome from the first pulse of the bar. RESET IN also returns the pattern to the beginning of the bar, but does not change the selected settings.

Typical uses
Use F_KLIKZ as a standard metronome for timing practice, as an odd-meter trainer for 5/8, 7/8, 9/8, and 11/8, as a grouped trigger source for sequencers and envelopes, or as a structural guide when writing melodies over uneven bars. The STEP output can drive regular events. The ACC output can mark the top of each bar. The SUB output can drive additional modulation or percussion events on group boundaries.

Practical patch ideas
Send STEP to a simple envelope or percussion trigger for a full pulse stream. Send ACC to a louder drum voice to mark the start of each bar. Send SUB to a second percussion voice to make the internal grouping clearly audible. Use the audio OUT for direct monitoring while the pulse outputs drive the rest of the patch. With CLOCK IN connected, F_KLIKZ can act as a grouped accent layer on top of an existing external timing source.

Notes
F_KLIKZ is intentionally kept compact and direct. It is not meant to be a full drum machine or groove clock processor. Its strength is clarity: simple click generation, strong accent logic, external or internal timing, and practical grouping choices that make complex meters easier to hear and use.