SOMA Pulsar 23, User Manual

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PULSAR • 23 USER MANUAL
You can connect several outputs of the divider together. The signals will automatical-
ly be summed and you will get a complex rhythmic pattern based on this sum.
You can use the signal from the outputs of the divider to create the sound of a met-
ronome. To do this, connect the desired output of the divider (if the loop length is 4
steps of 4 quarters to obtain 1/4 duration, use output 2) with the input of one of the
attenuators (for the possibility of adjusting the volume of the metronome) and connect
the attenuator output to MIX IN input.
To quickly get the metronome sound, simply touch one finger of your left hand to
output 2, and the other to the MIX IN input. The circuit will be created using body
conductivity.
You can use outputs 16, 8, 4, 2, etc. to create a line of hi-hat, bass drum, etc. with
equal notes. To convert a rectangular signal into short pulses, which form the distinct
sound of the drums, use one of the impulse converters (see the corresponding sec-
tion).
You can use one or several summed outputs of the clock divider array to modulate the
clock frequency, thus creating shuffle and more complex uneven ripples.
LOOPER-RECORDER
One of the features of the Pulsar is that it has no conventional sequencer, and instead
a looper-recorder (LR) designed by the author. The main idea behind the LR is to enable
quick and convenient creation and editing of live grooves "on the fly", flexible improvisation
options during performance, and the possibility of experimenting with loops of different
lengths and speeds on the different LR channels.
Pulsar's LR has 4 independent channels, each of which can have its own, independent play-
back speed. In order to be able to switch between different rhythmic variations, there are 4
banks of loops, each of which contains a set of 4 loops (a loop for each synthesis module).
You can switch banks anywhere in the loop, creating rhythmic variety.
Unlike a sequencer, which records the time of the trigger event, the LR is essentially a virtual
tape that constantly records all manipulations with the ADD and DEL sensors, taking into
account the velocity specified by the sensors of the REC.CONT (recorder control) section. It
does not record manipulations of the knobs and switches, or incoming MIDI events and CV
signals. In line with the concept of Pulsar, LR is not a piece of code in the general proces-
sor that controls everything. Instead, it's an independent module executed on a separate
micro-controller that deals only with this specific task. Thanks to this, it provides excellent
stable behavior without delays and glitches, similar to the behavior of analog and mechan-
ical devices.
While LR has a basic quantize option for individual LR channels, it does not allow for step-
by-step editing of a rhythmic pattern. In our opinion, any portable sequencer with a min-
iature screen is significantly inferior in terms of ease of use and functionality compared to