Most know the Moog Mother-32 as being a neat little semi-modular synthesizer. However, it also contains a step sequencer with lots of nice options.
If you like, you can just press (Shift) + Run/Stop (Rec) to enable recording, play a series of notes, and those will loaded into subsequent steps in a sequence with a default duration. Tip: Don’t forget to save your sequence by pressing Run/Stop (Rec) to seal off the sequence, then (Shift) + Run/Stop (Rec) for one second. If you want to save it to the current location, press (Shift) + Run/Stop (Rec) one more time; to save to a different location, use the Left/Right arrows to choose a sequence slot and then press (Shift) + Run/Stop (Rec).
However, while you’re paused on a note during the creation of a sequence – or while editing a step after the fact by pressing (Shift) plus the desired step – you can also edit the following additional parameters:
- Duration: Turn the Tempo/Gate Length knob to set the note duration. The Octave/Location LEDs temporarily act as a bar graph to indicate the length of the gate in eighths of a step. This duration will be used for subsequent steps you create in this sequence. Tip: Rotate Tempo/Gate fully clockwise to 8/8ths duration plus set the next step to the same pitch, and those two steps will be tied together to create a note longer than one step’s duration.
- Glide (LED 5): Turn the Glide knob up a little bit from fully CCW, and glide will be enabled just for this step. Octave/Location LED 5 will indicate if a glide has been set for the current step.
- Ratchet (LED 6): Press (Shift) and turn the Glide knob to enable ratcheting – multiple rhythmic triggers – for a given step. The Octave/Location LEDs temporarily act as a bar graph to indicate the number of repeats for that step. When you’re done, LED 6 indicates a ratchet has been set for this step.
- Accent (LED 7): Press Recent/Accent to add an accent, meaning the VCA and VCF will be opened more on that step. Octave/Location LED 7 will indicate if an accent has been set for the current step. Tip: Play a MIDI note with high velocity while entering a sequencer, and accent will automatically be set.
- Rest (LED 8): Press Hold/Rest to set a rest (i.e. no note is triggered) for a step, indicated by LED 8 of the Octave/Location bar graph being lit while on this step.
The movie below from my course Learning Modular Synthesis: Moog Mother-32 demonstrates setting up ratchets and glides:
The entire Learning Modular Synthesis: Moog Mother-32 course s available through this web site as well Lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning. And by the way, if you want to learn more about setting up ratcheting sequences on full modular systems, I created a set of videos and accompanying article here.
Hey there – awesome tutorials! Wondering if you can help with a query – how to send out tie/slide and accent signals out from the M32 sequencer to external VCO’s and VCF’s .. thanks 🙂
To send “tie” signal to another VCO, you just have to send the 1V/O signal. The envelope will just stay open.
To send accent signals, you need to assign the assignable output per the manual.
Hi Chris
maybe you can help me…
Using Ablton Live with my mother and when running Ableton Live always the mother sequencer starts. Can I switch-off the mother sequencer?
I have not used that combination, but I did a little research. It looks like you cannot turn off the Mother from receiving MIDI clocks. However, you should be able to stop Live from sending them. According to their online manual (https://help.ableton.com/hc/en-us/articles/209071149-Synchronizing-Live-via-MIDI), you want to deactivate “the ‘Sync’ switch in Live’s MIDI/Sync Preferences for the MIDI Output port connected to that device.” Hope that works!
You can tell ableton to not send Sync to that MIDI output.
Hi, with the Mother 32 Firmware v2.0 it is possible to deactivate Start MIDI in the Setup mode (Page 8), which will prevent the sequencer to start.
hi there, i’ve got a tricky question. I want to use the mother’s step sequencer to transpose incoming voltages, but NOT to play unless there is an incoming external gate. right now if the sequence is running, the mother is firing its own gates and therefore triggering itself, even if the patched external gate is low.
can i run the sequence but only react to external gates?
Thanks!
Something that is hardwired in the Mother is for its envelope generator to always open its VCA. To work around this, use the patch panel to take the sound after the filter (low pass or high pass jacks), and route it to an external VCA. Then use an external envelope generator – driven by your external gate – to open the filter and VCA.
Hello everyone
I have a query, how can I enter musical figures such as eighth notes, whole notes, quarter notes, etc? Thank you
Every note stats with the same duration – think of it as your shortest duration, such as eighth notes. To make longer notes, you need to give two steps the same pitch, and then tie them together with a Hold. This is explained in the Mother-32’s manual, or in my Mother-32 course: https://learningmodular.com/register/learning-modular-synthesis-moog-mother-32/
Thank You Chris
Is it possible to create syncopation by programming a ratchet, and then silencing (resting) one or more of the ratcheted notes? If not, is there some other method for creating this kind of syncopation?
Thanks
Actually, I’ve identified an alternate method for achieving the results I’m looking for: double (or triple or quadruple) the length of the sequence and just have many more rests along the way.
Still, it would be much easier to be able to selectively mute (rest) individual notes in a ratchet.
You might suggest that to Moog. Or in general explain to them the desire to have syncopation rather than an even grid.
Thanks, Chris.