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Steps, legato and glide

Two ways to make a part move. Steps plays a rhythm on any setting. The Voice's Mode and Glide decide how one note leads into the next.

New words

Steps is a module that plays a pattern of up to 16 levels, one per step, in time with the song.

Legato: one note at a time, and a new key held over the last one doesn't start the note again: it only changes the pitch.

Glide: the pitch slides from one note to the next instead of jumping.

1Open the Steps example

Click + Add a module and choose Steps, under Shape and move. In its details, click Open example. A chord of saws plays through Steps into a VCA, chopped into a rhythm.

  1. Step 1: Steps in the browser. The Shape and move group with the Steps tile chosen. (larger)
  2. Step 2: Open example. The details' Example, with Hear it, Open example and Add to my patch. (larger)
  3. Step 3: Steps into the VCA. The example's Patch: Steps wired into the VCA's gain. (larger)

2Draw the pattern

The Steps card has sixteen bars. Click a bar to turn that step on or off. Drag a bar up or down for a level in between. Each change is one Undo step.

  1. Step 1: Sixteen bars. The Steps card, six steps off. (larger)
  2. Step 2: Click: on or off. The first bar clicked from full to empty. (larger)
  3. Step 3: Drag: a level. The fourth bar dragged to half height. (larger)
  4. Step 4: Undo a step. The Undo button reading Undo Steps step 4. (larger)

3Its knobs

Steps sets how many steps the pattern uses: the bars after it stay, dimmed. Rate is how long each step lasts, from 1/32 to 1 bar. Length is how much of each step is on, Attack and Release soften the edges, and Depth sets how far it moves the setting.

  1. Step 1: Steps: 12. The Steps knob at 12, the last four bars dimmed. (larger)
  2. Step 2: Rate. The Rate knob reading 1/16. (larger)
  3. Step 3: Length short. Length turned down: each step shorter. (larger)

4The Voice: Poly, Mono or Legato

Every sound has a Voice, with Mode and Glide on its card. Poly plays chords. Mono plays one note at a time and starts each note again. Legato plays one note at a time too, but a key held over the last one only changes the pitch, so the notes join up. Let go of the newest key and the one you're still holding plays again.

  1. Step 1: The Voice card. The red Voice card: Mode and Glide. (larger)
  2. Step 2: Poly. Mode reading Poly: chords. (larger)
  3. Step 3: Mono. Mode reading Mono: one note, starting again each time. (larger)
  4. Step 4: Legato. Mode reading Legato: one note, joining the next. (larger)

5Glide

Glide is how long the pitch takes to slide to the next note, in seconds, from 0 up to 2. Hold one key and press another: the pitch slides. It's clearest in Mono or Legato.

  1. Step 1: Glide. Glide Lead's Voice card: Glide at 0.12 seconds. (larger)
  2. Step 2: Hold, then press. A key held: press another while it’s down. (larger)
  3. Step 3: Longer glide. Glide turned up to 0.44: a slower slide. (larger)
Glide Lead's Voice card, Mode and Glide, and a keyboard below.
Hold a key, then press another: the pitch slides. Let go first and it doesn't. Open the example sound: Glide Lead ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Try it

  1. Open Glide Lead, hold a low key, then press a higher one: the pitch slides up.
  2. On the Voice card, set Mode to Poly and play a chord: all the notes sound.
  3. Open the Steps example, click four of the bars off and play a chord: a new rhythm.
Open the example sound: Glide Lead ↗ (opens in a new tab)

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