RANDOM8

RANDOM 8

It’s not the Fantastic Four and it’s not the Magnificent Seven. It’s the RANDOM8!

RANDOM8 is an 8 step dual value generative CV sequencer that outputs gate or continuously variable CV based on a probability matrix and two possible values for each step. Perhaps unsurprisingly, RANDOM8 is useful for generating random CV triggers and values!

Please note for RANDOM8 to run, you need to provide it with a step advance trigger. Currently our DLOOP-64 delay module can do that, among other things.

Typical setup would be as follows:

Connect a trigger source to the TRIG IN STEP input jack. RANDOM8 will advance a step every time a +1V or more trigger is received. To use RANDOM8 as a traditional sequencer, you would typically connect a source that generates a trigger every 1/16th note.

There is also the option to reset the sequence to the first step when a trigger is received at the TRIG IN RESET input jack.

LEDs next to the input jacks will light briefly when a trigger is received.

PROBABILITY

The probability matrix contains 3 probability controls for each step as follows:

PLAY varies the probability that the step will play from not at all (0%) to always (100%). As the sequencer advances, the LEDs above the step number will light blue when playing and red when not playing. The PLAY LED will light when a step plays.

BUMP varies probability that the sequence will change direction at that step. With the DIRECTION switch in the centre position, the change in direction can be both ways. If the switch is to the left, the bump will only reverse the direction if moving forwards, and if it’s to the right, the change occurs only if moving backwards. The BUMP LED will light when the sequence bumps! Note that two steps set to bump with 100% probability in either direction will “trap” the sequencer between those two steps.

JUMP varies the probability that the sequence will randomly jump to another step next. If the RESET toggle is engaged for that step, the jump will always be to step 1. The JUMP LED will light when jumping.

GENERATE & SLIDER VALUES

Each step has two independent value sliders, blue and yellow. How these values are used is determined by the GENERATE section.

With the switch set to BETWEEN BLUE AND YELLOW, a random value will be generated for that step between the two slider values.

With the switch set to BLUE OR YELLOW, the value will be chosen according to the probability set by the knob below the sliders for each step. All the way to the left means the BLUE value will always be used for that step, and all the way to the right means the YELLOW value will be used. The centre default position means there’s a 50/50 chance either value will be used.

TRIG OUT

The TRIG OUT output jack generates a trigger when a step plays. With the switch set to +5V it will produce a +5V trigger. With the switch set to 0-5V, it will produce a trigger corresponding to the generated value in the range 0-5V. The LED next to the output jack will light when a trigger is sent.

CV OUT

The CV OUT output jack produces a variable CV output corresponding to the generated values. This value will be in the range determined by the adjacent switch, specifically -5V to +5V or 0V to +5V.

There is also an option to apply a variable glide time to the output so that the signal is smoothed. You can see the effect the GLIDE control is having on the output by observing the two meters. The meter on the left shows the “raw” generated values, 0-100% as per the slider values. The meter on the right shows the values with glide applied. If GLIDE is set to zero, the two meters will look the same. The CV OUT LED will light when the output value changes.

We hope you find RANDOM8 an enjoyable, inspiring and random addition to your setup!