FLAME TAKT Rhythm Sequencer Euro Rack Module User Guide

FLAME TAKT Rhythm Sequencer Euro Rack Module User Guide

MODULE OVERVIEW

1. I/O jacks: MIDI, Clock, Reset USER1+2 input, LFO1-4 outputs
2. OUTPUTS: 8x Gate/Trigger 8x Velocity-CV/Modulation-CV
3. Pot: Variation, Gatetime
4. LFOs, SETUP & MIDI menu
5. Pot: Beat, Velocity
6. Buttons: Sensor-Set, Shots, Phrase, Bar
7. Buttons: Play, Pattern, Scene
8. Buttons: Record, Clear/Copy/Swap
9. Buttons: for functions
10. Buttons: Select tracks

CONNECTION TO THE MODULAR SYSTEM

The module is delivered with a connected rib- bon cable for the Doepfer bus. The colorcoded core designates -12 volts.

It is important to pay attention to the correct polarity when connecting. If the module has accidentally been polarized incorrectly, pro- tective diodes prevent the module from being destroyed immediately (however, it cannot be ruled out that damage will still occur).

Caution: Check the connection several times before switching on for the first time!

The power consumption of the module is up to +130mA / – 30mA

CONNECTING THE SENSORS

The 2HP sensors are connected to the switched-off module via a 60cm long 6-pin rib- bon cable. There are four box connectors for the cables on the underside of the modu- le.

Since there are only pin contacts on the underside of the sensors, care must be taken to ensure correct polarity, otherwise the red LED could be damaged. The red marking on the cable must match the dot marking on the sensor connection!

CAUTION:
Check the sensors before switching on for the first time

FUNCTION OF THE SENSORS

With four sensors connected, the tracks can be played alternatively (as with the track but- tons). If you move your hand over the sensor, the channel is triggered at a distance of approximately 7..10 cm. The red LED on the sensor lights up as long as the sensor is trig- gered.

The four sensors are permanently assigned to four channels.

If the LED is off (as shown above), then sensor 1 triggers channel 1, sensor 2 triggers channel 2, sensor 3 triggers channel 3, etc.

If the LED lights up, then sensor 1 triggers channel 5, sensor 2 triggers channel 6, sensor 3 trig- gers channel 7, etc.

TURN OFF SENSORS
In certain situations it can be helpful to switch off the sensors so that no triggers are trigge- red. To do this, press and hold the SEN-SET button until it flashes. To reactivate the sen- sors, press and hold the SEN-SET button again until it stops flashing.

SUN MODE
If the sensors are exposed to direct sunlight, they may trigger without being actuated. In this case, the sensitivity can be reduced in the SETUP menu so that the sensors also work correctly under these lighting conditions.

Go to SETUP – repeatedly press the SETUP button until the SUN menu appears on the display. Set the value with the data slider to “ON” and exit the menu again. The setting is permanently saved automatically. NOTICE: In contrast to the track buttons or MIDI notes, which in SINGLE mode trigger the channel in real time and are later quantized in the loop, the triggers for the sensors are set and played for the next quantization step

QUICKSTART

TAKT comes pre-installed with 4 simple patterns on Scene 1 in order to simplify you star- ting off with your modular, making sure everything is connected correctly and so that something happens right away. These patterns are also perfect for exploring the various functions of TAKT. Clocks and Resets are also set up to work straight out of the box.

A possible patch to start with would be:

• Gate 1 > kick drum
• Gate 2 > snare or clap
• Gate 3 > envelope (e.g. to modulate the cutoff of a filter)
• Gate 4 > hihats
• Gate 5 > toms or percussion

Let us show you a classic example!

1. Save scene 1 as scene 2 by pressing SCENE / SAVE (centre right). Select 2 with the dial (in the middle of the module) and press SAVE again. Behind the 2 you’ll see a dot appearing. When the dot stops flashing resp. goes out, the scene is saved.

2. Now delete the 5 patterns by holding down CLEAR (bottom left) and pressing pat- tern 1, then 2, and so on – once. These patterns are now empty and you can start off fresh. At this point you could also setup TAKT so it always loads an empty scene when it powers up. Save the scene and then press SETUP eight times until the display shows ”aLd” (autoload) – select the scene you want and exit the menu by pressing TEMPO or
   NOTE / CLEAR. Btw, that way you exit all menus in TAKT. Important: Deleting patterns only works while TAKT is not running, deleting notes or tracks works always.

3. Let’s start with a simple 4/4 kick on track 1. When restarting, TAKT is always in single mode (the button to the right of the display). This means: when pressed, it will record. However, we first want to make sure that the kick actually lands on track 1, and this is how it works:

   • Set the BEAT pot to 4, VELOCITY pot to 127, GATETIME pot to 1.
   • Press the SHOTS button (it lights up and TAKT is now in shots mode).
     While TAKT is running hold down the first track button for the whole bar. Now 4 exact quarter notes resp. kick drums have been recorded.

4. We go over to the next parts, let’s assume it’s the hihats on track 4. Set the BEAT pot to 16th notes and press track key 4 continuously as in the previous example. By the way, you can of course also use the sensors instead. Important: it must be attached to the right slot and the pairs have to match (SEN-SET button!) as well.

5. Let’s assume you want to delete one or more notes within a track: hold CLEAR (left) and use one (or more) of the lowest eight keys to delete – as long as you press it! If you hold them continuously, all note values will be deleted, but just the not values – not the settings (mute, velocity, etc). If you want to delete the whole track (including mutes etc.) hold CLEAR and use the 8 keys in the second row from the bot- tom, this re-initialises the track. This also works while the sequencer is running, only in order to delete patterns the sequencer must be stopped.

6. Now let’s record a snare or clap on track 2, but this time in single shot mode. To do this press SHOTS once (now it’s unlit) then press track button 2 whenever you want a snare being played. You could do the same on track 5 too and add a short roll with some percussion towards the end of the bar. If you’re not sure anymore where your 1 is just restart TAKT and off you go.

Et voila! Don’t forget to save the scene!

HINT
When you record a track with SHOTS (when a track button is held down), you can simultaneously turn the BEAT knob and play rhythm patterns on the fly. Just give it a try

TROUBLESHOOTING

If nothing gets recorded, but you could hear the changes while recording:
Make sure that MUTE & HOLD isn’t active on that particular track. HOLD has to be unlit in order to record, otherwise you’re only performing your change, but not recording it – which is great, when intended 😉 And MUTE states should be obvious.

If TAKT still isn’t recording:
Check if the gatetime and velocity (only relevant for Midi or if CV is connected to Velocity of a VCAS) knobs are in their middle position. Just move both knobs a few millimetres back and forward. Usually that should quickly become part of your muscle memory, but it can be confusing sometimes, especially when starting off.

I’m playing several notes but only a few get recorded:
Make sure that resolution is set to 16th notes, which is always a good starting point anyway..

My recording sounds wonky:
Either the resolution is set to max (BEAT pot fully cw = TICK) hence you’re recording unquantised, or the BEAT pot is set to triplets (the morning hours). Or you’ve accidenti- ally pressed the offbeat button.

I can’t delete the pattern:
Make sure the sequencer is not running.

I deleted some notes, but something is still off?
You probably deleted notes only (CLEAR & lowest row – the track buttons – only dele- tes the note). Hold CLEAR and press the according button in the second lowest row (the function buttons) in order to initialise that track.

I don’t know how to exit a menu:
Press TEMPO or NOTE (both left)!

The sensors play by themselves or interfere because I accidentally trigger them when wiring:

Press and hold the SEN-SET button until it flashes. Now the sensors are switched off and cannot trigger any notes. To activate, press the button again until the flashing stops.

FIRMWARE UPDATE

A computer with a MIDI interface and a SYSEX program is required for a firmware update. For PC we recommend the freeware software MIDI-OX, for MAC the soft- ware “SYSEX LIBRARIAN”.

Proceed as follows

1. Load the firmware file (e.g. FlameTaktV1_3.syx) onto the computer.
2. Connect the MIDI input of the module directly to the MIDI out of your computer using a MIDI-TRS-B adapter (avoid detours, e.g. via USB hubs). Advice: A MIDI-TRS-B adapter is required for the MIDI connection!
3. Turn on the module while holding buttons MOD-CV and 8 (TRACK 8). The module now starts in the bootloader menu and waits for the Syseyx file. The display shows: ”UPd” (Update)
4. Send the firmware file from the sysex program to the module. The receipt of the data should now be shown on the display of the module (counter counts up). If nothing is shown on the display when sending the file, the MIDI connection is not correct (please check the cables, settings of the MIDI interface and SYX program settings)

If the upload was successful, the module saves the data (the display freezes for 2-4 seconds) and then starts automatically with the new firmware

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