Due to changes in my studio (total reset), it’s been a while since I used my Hydra and to be honest, it never crossed my mind to check the possibility to randomise CC to external synths (like the Typhon indeed). Thanks for the suggestion or idea !!!
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The idea is to send a START midi message with every note, using a midi processor.
I made a test, it is doable BUT Typhon have to receive clock to start (external sync mode).
It is also required to send STOP before START, in order to restart from the beginning.
I did this with Octatrack, in order to trigger different patterns on the fly with notes. Works like a charm.
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Not mine :
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Thanks for the tips - will try that out!
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This patch randomiser is great. Are you willing to share a bit about how you built this? Are you using any particular framework to assemble the javascript that appears to be doing the heavy lifting? This is an inspiring idea and it would be nice to extend this to other synths including plugins that don’t have good built-in capabilities for random patch generation.
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Thanks for sharing this amazing tool. I’ve never heard such ghastly sounds out of my Typhon, and I love it.
Thanks for the kind words to you and everyone who commented. I’m more than happy to share the process. I think it would lend itself well to working with anything that has a MIDI CC list that you can send messages to.
The two JS libraries I’m using are WebMidi.js and D3.js
WebMidi is just for sending the MIDI CCs and getting the device list. D3 is doing most of the work. I start with this Google Sheet. Something I learned is that if you change the end of the Google Sheet URL from edit#gid=0 to gviz/tq?tqx=out:csv it will render the sheet as a CSV, which is helpful during development.
Each row is a CC value and the relevant details. The general idea is that D3 loads the CSV file and creates a div per row which contains the CC name, a slider and the current value. I call those divs “knobs”. Moving the slider calls a function that sends the slider value to the corresponding CC number on the selected device and MIDI channel.
I do some aggregation into sections first using d3.group function which groups the relevant CC rows per section and then does the data binding for the knobs per section. I use the d3.range and d3.domain to map between what the display values are and the MIDI CC value. e.g. the HPF CUTOFF has a display value of 0 - 100 but uses MIDI CC values from 0-127, FX3 DAMP has a display value of -100 to 100 and also uses MIDI CC values from 0-127 so you have keep track of and map that. Some of the knobs are not numeric, its a list of options, i.e. the LFO wave type and the spreadsheet has a NAMES column with that info.
The trickier part with the Typhon is that some of the knobs are for “switches” that modify how other knobs behave. i.e. the FX and Modulator type options. So a change to one of those “switches” means you update other knobs. This changes some of the knobs from a numeric output to a list output i.e. Parameter 2 on the Modulators is the wave type for the LFO, a number output from 1 - 100 for EG and S+H and then up to 32 steps for the STEP option.
^ This part is badly implemented in its current form. It mostly works but there are issues with how the values change between a list of options and a numeric value.
Also the Typhon CC ranges mapping to list options aren’t consistent. The LFO wave type should be MIDI CC 0-5 but its 0-127 with a step size of 21, except of the first step, which is less that 21 for some reason. But the M and FX type “switches” do follow the 0-5 convention.
Anyhoo, I got it mostly working and what I wanted was a randomiser, not a web editor. With some strategically placed hacks to get things like randomising the level of each of the steps for the STEP modulator option means I get nice, weird sounds from the Typhon.
This process should be easily generalisable to anything that accepts MIDI CC input though if you create a spreadsheet that follows the same conventions. There are some improvements I could make to that data structure that would make this a bit easier and work better.
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Thanks for the insight into your process in putting together this tool. The way you’ve organized this does lend itself to adaptation for other instruments and plugins. Hopefully we will see more tools like this in the community to inspire and help us all find new sounds in the tools we have at our disposal. I see this as a good way to breathe new life into things I already have, which can help reduce the GAS!
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Finally got around to updating to a newer firmware with four full banks of presets. Can anyone tell me how to create an empty bank to save new stuff? Cheers
Unfortunately there is no bank/preset librarian for your computer, so you’re going to have to overwrite presets. The only thing the firmware update file allows you to do is make a complete backup or restoration of any existing presets stored on your Typhon.
They have actually added a preset librarian, I just can’t figure out how to add extra banks
No, that’s the Preset “manager”, and it can only “back up, send, reorder and rename Typhon’s saved presets. It is also used to update Typhon to the latest firmware. It’s not a tool that would edit your individual presets, as Typhon expects you to do that on it.”
Unless you found another utility app?
Manager / Librarian 
The documentation does say a bit more than that, but it’s not so clear, and I’m half asleep. For now I’ll just go through and strip some unwanted presets
FYI: According to an email reply by Dreadbox, MICI CC Out will be coming in a firmware update this year, around the summer.
This would make it possible to create a fully-fledged software editor. It would also be a good moment for Dreadbox to enhance its preset librarian.
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I presume the limit is four banks … so you can’t add a 5th bank , you have to remove a bank’s worth to add your own over the top.
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I think so.
Is there a way to deactivate sequencer for specific patches ? Apparently silent notes don’t work as workaround.
I’ve had the Typhon for 2 years now and it’s still my go-to synth for leads and basses, such a wonderful sounding machine!
Here’s my latest jam with it:
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Maybe the gate or probably? Can’t remember if they go to 0
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An initialize patch feature would be useful too.
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