Zyklus Improvisor harmonic sequencer (prototype in Max/Msp)

Zyklus Improvisor is a real-time harmonic midi sequencer. Quickly record a pattern in one of the eight slots, move to another slot and record another pattern while the previous is looped. Use chord recognition for modulating to other key scales.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• zyklus
• improvisor
• harmonic
• sequencer
• max
• msp

[petekellock]

Back in the 1980s I co-designed the original Zyklus MPS with Bill Marshall and wrote the software for the custom sequencer/arpeggiator we created for Vangelis (which was only loosely related to the Zyklus). Great to see something built on some of the same principles and taking it further!

I wonder if the creator of this new Zyklus has ever used one of the original MPS's from the 1980's or seen the Vangelis machine in action? And I'd love to try this software sometime - any way to get a copy?

[MrImprovisor]

@petekellock

Sadly I never had the experience to touch or see a Zyklus MPS nor the Direct sequencer in real life. There is only one video on Youtube about the Zyklus MPS and that's not the best video to say the least. Of course to see the Direct sequencer in action is impossible. I wonder if Vangelis is still using it.

Zyklus Improvisor can be dowloaded:

groups.yahoo.com/group/zyklusi­mprovisor

[faunflynn]

I like this a lot. It's very very cool and very very smart.

Vangelis has a custom systom like this made by Bill Marchall who designed the ZYKLUS MPS. Intersctive sequencer. It's flaw was that it transposed but didn't remap to scale or chorde, so it was limited. This is so so much better.

the rules to extract data intelligently must have been a bitch to work out.

Kudos man ! Tell me when It's for sale I'll buy it !

[MrImprovisor]

@faunflynn

actually the way how sequences are manipulated by the chord recognition process isn't that difficult, but I admit I've spent a few months to figure it out before i saw it

[SquareWaveHeaven]

By the way, feel free to sell this to me ;)

[SquareWaveHeaven]

Wow... Those chord changes sound very professional and would take me a fair amount of time to compose individually... It's beautiful!

[TEMAOHI2787]

Pretty damn COOL I MUST say!!! I think I gotta have one!

[teomeimf]

WERE do I buy the software????

[urizen1]

can you turn quantization off?

[KiNeTiCsOuNdPrIsM]

nice explanation and superb work.The main feature you are missing if i am correct is that the sequences cannot be triggered to play by midi note on and releases by midi note off data.This was the Zyklus big feature for me.I still own one but i must commend you , this is a different beast but still wonderfull.I have always hoped for a vsti version of the Zyklus , a clone , it should have been done and the Zyklus in its original form is without a doubt the most musical device i own .

[MahatmaClown]

You have made a really good job. It's IMPRESSIVE. I'm interested in this one and in its algorithmic creation. Info about?

[petekellock]

Thanks MrImprovisor! In the next few weeks I'm planning to get back into Max (I last used it over a decade ago!) and then I'll download the Improvisor from that address. Btw, after I posted I pinged Bill - we've lived on opposite sides of the world for the last 20 years but are still good buddies - and he filled me in on how this came about. I didn't realize he'd contributed to the design too. Cool!