you can absolutely swap instruments on a track and start using the same patterns that are active for that track with the new instrument. you can also go to another track, assign the new instrument, then choose from the song’s set of patterns and choose the one from the previous track. i.e. use the same pattern for all instruments if you want, then start tweaking and re-saving it, etc…
the only gotcha with this is if your instruments don’t overlap in the right way. by which I mean the instrument settings will store the note ranges you want to use (or the default note, for P3 sequences) when you initialize a new pattern for that instrument. and it’s possible you started with one instrument, using its default range, then chose another instrument which uses a different range. which may just mean you need to shift an oscillator up or down an octave, but it could also mean all your drum trig notes for the new instrument are off now and not triggering what you thought they would. hopefully that makes sense…
one other great thing about the Cirklon, if using the CVIO: you can go into it and set up the scaling specifically for each instrument. so you go in, tell it to play low C, then change the CVIO offsets until that note’s perfectly in tune. then do the same for high C (or whatever note range you want, really). now these are recalled every time you choose that instrument, so it’s always in tune. and of course you can do similar for CV ranges for any CV-controllable parameter on the synth. you can do similar things with the Kenton CV-midi boxes, but it’s far more crude.
You have to compare the capability and convenience of the Cirklon CVIO interface plus probably a breakout box (about 550 EUR) giving 8 Gates and 16 CVs against the capabilities of any given third-party MIDI-to-CV interface.
The Cirklon itself (without the CVIO interface) has a DIN-Sync output. The Gate outputs on the CVIO can send clock pulses or Gate signals.
You just need to decide how many Gate, CV, and clock inputs you want for the full modular system. Then you can decide whether to add the CVIO expansion or a third-party MIDI-to-CV convertor.
The Pittsburgh SV-1b has a built-in MIDI-to-CV convertor that you could connect directly to a sequencer’s MIDI output.
It’s up to you to decide if you need any additional MIDI-to-CV conversion.
The sequence data doesn’t start as analog. The cirklon is a digital device. So at some point this must be converted to CV.
AFAIK, the sequence info is not stored as midi data, and must therefore be converted to a midi stream before being outputted to the midi ports.
With the CV tracks, I don’t know if the sequence info is converted to midi before it is converted to CV but I wouldn’t have thought so.
This question needs a careful response. I’ll do my best to explain it.
The Cirklon can assign any external instrument to respond to a track. The instrument definitions appear in the UI (basically) the same no matter whether the instruments are connected to MIDI outputs or CV/Gate outputs. But the CV/Gate signals are not generated as MIDI data on a MIDI port and then converted, to enable the best possible timing.
This is why the manual states:
You can think of the CVIO as a MIDI to CV convertor built into Cirklon, without the bandwidth limit of a serial MIDI connection
even though there is no actual MIDI-to-CV conversion.
Because the CVIO parameter setup for voltage scaling, quantisation, and even microtuning is built into the Cirklon, you can program musical events as discrete notes rather than pitch voltages.
So after some careful setting up of the low-level details in instrument definitions, you can program musical events in the sequencer at a high level.
It’s worth reading the Cirklon manual and some of Colin’s detailed explanations of the design of Cirklon on the Sequentix forum if you’re interested in greater detail.
Oh yes, for modular its a must. Now that I know all of it’s capabilities it will be amazing for me even without a modular because I love to sync as much of my hardware as possible via audio sync.
Also the fact that it sends envelopes is huge. So for my grandmother/DFAM tandem that is quite a powerful way to sequence and modulate those boxes.
it is, due to being able to avoid the midi bandwidth issues mentioned above. CVIO is not subject to these. if you used a midi/cv converter, you would be, plus the overhead of conversion. but it’s also a question of scale and what you’re doing with it… if you’ve got one or two synths with midi/cv converters, and you’re mainly just sequencing melodies to them, I don’t think it’s worth the cost of the CVIO board and BOB. unless you’ve also got a ton of other synths you’re sequencing via midi and would like to save some midi bandwidth. OR if you really want to fire a lot of cv’s at your gear, and want to sequence these via the Cirklon.
again, it depends… when I had a SS and the Cirklon, I sequenced it mainly with the Rene. so all I sent it was a sync signal and on/off gate. but yeah, there’s a TON more you could do with the CVIO added to a SS. my advice would be get to know the system well (there’s a lot to learn…) before you make that decision.
remember, you can always add the CVIO and BOB later. these are far easier to come by than the Cirklon itself, and can be installed easily.
anyway… hopefully I’m making it clear that “I have cv/gate-capable gear” does not mean “I absolutely need the CVIO and BOB.” it more-so depends upon how much gear you have and what you’re doing with it. just trying to save people the cash if they don’t need to spend it! the thing’s expensive enough already!
I got a Serge system and prefer that. I don’t like the depth/obtuse-ness (is that a word?) of Rene and Tempi, and I never really got on with Morphagene. I like the rest of the system in general, but it doesn’t scream like a Serge does.
One of the nice things about the CVIO is the CV Calibration, especially if you are using VCOs, especially ones that have intonation issues at higher or lower octaves you can adjust the voltages for that particular set of CV outs to have a greater useable range of octaves.
Another nicety is the ADSR envelopes. its nice having some extra modulation.
The CVIO also allows you to sequencer using Hz (korg ms20 etc) instead of 1 volt per octave.
and the CV output can generate a voltage proportional to the note, velocity or controller values,
or a variable combination of all three.
CV can be configured to slide.
(I consider myself a Cirklon power user. I don’t Use a DAW, everything is cirklon -> noise makers -> mixer -> tape)
I feel like the CVIO ultimately saves money( and HP ) because of all the functionality it provides.
