SokkOS, new modified firmware

[Radar]

Hi,
Just some random thoughts:
What i see on the original b0x is, when you hit chain it randomizes the notes. But it does that in a completly random way.
It would be much more intresting and helpful to have it randomize on a scale. Like pentatonic and so on...
Chain+1 = Pure random
Chain+2 = Random in pentatonic scale
Chain+3 = Random in major scale
Chain+3 = Random in minor scale
....
Chain+C# = Random accents and slide only

Cheers!

[biggnoize]

I am planning on using a sokkos xox on tour, to go in and out of pattern write and play modes. I want to trigger an analog modular with the CV outs from the xox.

I would say from the point of view of someone who is using this in a professional manner in festival and large stage presentation, the most important
aspects of the OS should be:

rock solid timing no matter what operations are being performed.
rock solid regeneration of MIDI clock to the DIN out of the xox.
the ability to make patterns of up to 4 bars, not using chain. ideally using the next 4 banks corresponding pattern numbers for the successive bars.

and one big problem I have. Using Ableton, when i have to stop the sequence, select a new cue point and start again, the xox continues from the step
it left off on, it doesn't start from the beginning, which is a real real nightmare, that really kills. for anyone seriously using this live, with ableton which is the standard live software, this needs addressed big time

other secondary idea, if it were possible that when the pattern is reversed, it would play the last note twice so it ends on 16 step but then starts off on the 16th step and ends on 1. and then when its reversed back to original again, the same applies, step 1 plays twice, once as the last note of the previous bar and once as the 1st note of the new bar.

any chance to hook these up before I go back on the road March 17th?! lol

[biggnoize]

The reason SokkOS works the way it does is because that is how I want it to work.

But thats independent form missing realtime input or playability of notes and multipattern abilitys..

that are missing features in all xox OS regardless which other internal sequencer philosophie is running..
And its a handicap for booth sequencer concepts when theese core functionalitys are missing.

Wait 1.9.1 loses the keyboard mode where you can play it form the buttons?

[Altitude]

The reason SokkOS works the way it does is because that is how I want it to work.

But thats independent form missing realtime input or playability of notes and multipattern abilitys..

that are missing features in all xox OS regardless which other internal sequencer philosophie is running..
And its a handicap for booth sequencer concepts when theese core functionalitys are missing.

Wait 1.9.1 loses the keyboard mode where you can play it form the buttons?

No, it does not.

[biggnoize]

So what is this guy talking about no playability of notes form within itself?! lol

[biggnoize]

what about this

Using Ableton as master, when i have to stop the sequence, select a new cue point and start again, the xox continues from the step
it left off on, it doesn't start from the 1st step of the patterm

My other drum machine (707, 909) start from the 1st step when I stop ableton, select a new cue point and start again, just the xox starts, or rather continues, and whatever bar it left off on

[Altitude]

what about this

Using Ableton as master, when i have to stop the sequence, select a new cue point and start again, the xox continues from the step
it left off on, it doesn't start from the 1st step of the patterm

My other drum machine (707, 909) start from the 1st step when I stop ableton, select a new cue point and start again, just the xox starts, or rather continues, and whatever bar it left off on

Thats by design it will only start from the start if it gets a midi start msg, you might want to consider just recording the midi patterns into ableton and bypassing the x0x sequencer. You gain a lot and lose nothing. You can always make the patterns on the x0x and just record them into ableton as midi.

[biggnoize]

Thats by design it will only start from the start if it gets a midi start msg, you might want to consider just recording the midi patterns into ableton and bypassing the x0x sequencer. You gain a lot and lose nothing. You can always make the patterns on the x0x and just record them into ableton as midi.

But I like to start with simple patterns and live edit them as the song goes on, so I need the internal sequencer. Seems like it would be more useful in an OS to start from the beginning when in MIDI sync, rather than continue where it left off, oh well...

[xlarge]

But I like to start with simple patterns and live edit them as the song goes on, so I need the internal sequencer. Seems like it would be more useful in an OS to start from the beginning when in MIDI sync, rather than continue where it left off, oh well...

Make sure your midi clock generator (computer or what ever) really sends a start msg and not a continue msg then.

[alex_dubinsky]

I've fixed a small bug in SokkOS 1.9.1 discovered by a customer. The bug is that when the x0xbox is driving a sequencer while in PATTERN EDIT or TRACK EDIT modes and the RUN button is pressed, the MIDI Start is sent a little earlier than the x0xb0x itself starts playback. The resulting delay is as much as one sixteenth note.

I don't have a nice diff file, but the changes are:

In pattern_edit.c, line 591:
old:
while (note_counter & 0x1); // wait for the tempo interrupt to be ready for a note-on
new:
while ((note_counter & 0x1) || (dinsync_counter < DINSYNC_PPQ/4)); // wait for the tempo interrupt to be ready for a note-on

In track_edit.c, make the identical changes on lines 224 and 416

(I think that's all the places to make the change, but there might be more.)

Then, of course, in both pattern_edit.c and track_edit.c, add at the top
extern volatile uint8_t dinsync_counter;

(A semi-bug is that in pattern_edit.c, volatile uint8_t note_counter is declared WITHOUT the 'extern' keyword, so that should be fixed too.)

Hopefully Sokkan will include the fixes in the next release. I've attached a compiled hex that implements the changes for testing.

[E:pp:ik]

Hey Alex - have Sokkan roll this into the 2.0 beta if it's not addressed there.

[dblondin]

I've done a lot of testing since Alex provided the fix - it works great and this is a must have. I'm actually surprised there have only been 12 downloads of the file since it was released. And I didn't find any mention of the problem in forums. I mean, there must be more than 12 folks using xoxbox as master

[Blackout-]

Hi,
Just some random thoughts:
What i see on the original b0x is, when you hit chain it randomizes the notes. But it does that in a completly random way.
It would be much more intresting and helpful to have it randomize on a scale. Like pentatonic and so on...
Chain+1 = Pure random
Chain+2 = Random in pentatonic scale
Chain+3 = Random in major scale
Chain+3 = Random in minor scale
....
Chain+C# = Random accents and slide only

Cheers!

Excellent suggestion Radar! this would make the Randomize function actually useable in real-life!! i hope sokkos does this one...

also Sokkos do not listen to the minority that have used a TB-303 and their brain just works a certain way and they want the XOXbox to work/be programmed the same way, the TB303 is a right-pain-in-the-ass to get anything useful from and the XOXbox is a joy. Some people just cant live with an improvement, they need to get over it and realise that sometimes just because it is not identical does not mean it is worse, it may actually be better. Of course, the sound of the oscillators and filter of the 303 is killer and needs to be matched identically and not changed/improved (thats the whole idea of the XOXBox) but the sequencer programming was never something 303 users raved about.

what has always amazed me is what an incredible happy-little-accident the TB303 was when they made it. If it was meant to replicate a bass player for live gigs, then what a complete failure and over-engineered box (resonance on a live bass?) it was to meet that objective. damn im surprised Roland didnt fire the product development team over it honestly.

something that hasnt been addressed enough in the XOXbox design tho is how different many 303 owners describe their 303 sounding when using batteries to using power. this difference hasnt been addressed properly in the XOXBox design and really needs to be. ive seen it mentioned and some mods but it really should be incorporated into the XOXbox circuit design, with a "power / battery" mode switch...

[darffader]

Any source code repository available for 2.0 beta?

I'd really like to have a look at the optimizations performed.

[jmejia]

I've noticed that my x0x doesn't send dinsync out while in midi play mode. (It may also neglect to send midi clock out in this mode?)

Is this something that had been added and I could just be running an old version of SokkOS or is that a known feature lack?

Thanks! Great firmware - (I just need to run my 808 while my x0x is getting notes from my sequencer!)