ToneRows

ToneRows is a multi purpose utility player. It can be a helpful tool for composition but it can also open up new uses for existing devices, for example allowing Redrum to sequence notes or playing a synth with Kong.

At its basics, the device consists of 8 “tone rows” which each contain a collection of user assignable notes. Assigning a note is done by clicking on a slot in the display and making a selection from the pop-up menu. If the “Alt” key is pressed while clicking, a second pop-up menu offers the ability to assign the notes according to various scale presets or to perform operations on the entire row of notes, for example transposing, reversing, inverting, shuffling and more.

In order to play the device connected to ToneRows, the slots of the selected row can be triggered by playing notes in the range from C1 to D#2 (C1 triggers slot 1, C#1 triggers slot 2, and so on) or they can also be triggered by the separate gate inputs in the back of the device. A row is selected by clicking on one of the 8 selector buttons and this can be automated in the sequencer. For some interesting results, try creating several rows with related collections of notes and then change the tone rows whilst the slots are being triggered by MIDI or CV. Here are just few examples of the potential uses of the device:

• as a composition aid, to quickly try variations of existing MIDI clips, to perform key and mode changes, to create negative melodies and harmonies, and to experiment with the techniques of serial music
• use the gate outputs from Kong’s pads to play notes on a synth or sampler, trigger specific slices or entire loops in Dr.OctoRex, play drum VSTs like Maschine, Battery, etc
• use drum sequencers like Grid64g, Redrum or the Drum Sequencer to sequence notes with the ability to reassign the notes by changing the row selection
• combine several gate inputs from different sources to create intricate melodic lines with the ability to quickly reassign the notes triggered by each input source by changing the row selection
• …and more

For more details, please take a look at chapter 6 and 7 of the Product Manual.

Version History

Version 1.1.2 bug fixes

Version 1.1.1 optimizations for Reason 12 HD

Version 1.1.0

• added assignment of notes from MIDI (shift+click on a note slot)
• added remotables for the note slots

• 8 “tone rows” with either 12 or 16 assignable note slots
• trigger note slots by incoming notes in the range from C1 to D#2 or by single gate inputs in the back of the device, or both!
• copy and paste notes from one row to another
• assign notes according to various scale presets (Major, Natural, Melodic and Harmonic Minor, the Church modes, Major and Minor Pentatonic, and several others)
• assign notes from MIDI (shift + click on a note slot to enter MIDI learn mode, shift + press a key on your midi controller, then shift + click to exit)
• transpose an entire row of notes by octave or semitone
• modify the notes in a row by various operations, including Rotate Left and Right, Reverse or Invert, Sort Up, Sort Down or Shuffle the order of the notes, Alter and Randomize
• automate the row selection in the sequencer