Trigger Riot - Long Term Views

[FatRocky]

Can i ask if someone there is getting TR808 or TR909 in sync with Trigger Riot?

I have my drum machines but i 've been recently thinking in getting some euro modyules to work with them, I thought in Trigger Riots, QCD, Grids tec.

Is the trigger riot a good partner of a TR808 (clocking it to the trigger outs of the 808)?

[Sinamsis]

Look at the manual. I think it discusses using start and end of cycle with xox style drum machines. So I think you can but I have no personal experience.

[DSC]

While the Trigger Riot can do typical/straight rhythms, I don't really think that was the focus for it. It seems more geared toward exploration and unexpected rhythms.

+1 to this. Use it every day for this sort of thing. With the presets you can easily get back to where you started, which is a huge bonus in the land with no presets

[maudibe]

Aye - this thread was not started to say anything negative about the TR... just to ask how you are getting along after prolonged exposure

I am, as I say using mine for mainly clock / triggering envelopes...but not much for drum pattern creation as I initially imagined.

I quite like the idea of primarily using it as a clock source; a way I haven't really considered... although, of course, I am using it as a clock - it is the notion of not considering it a rhythmic source, but just a source of clocks that is interesting. If that makes any sense at all?

I must spend more time in TR land

[turin horsey]

I've had the TR for a few months now, my first euro module actually, so perhaps not the best long term perspective, but so far it remains my favorite euro module and the most interesting hardware beat maker i've come across.

-Love the probability parameter, never used a drum machine with this feature before, great for many rhythm types but really interesting generative-like rhythms can be made by going a little batty and multiplying speed of a rhythm x8 or more but dropping probability down to around 7% (cool with clicky/glitchy sounds)

-love varying pulse widths and feeding them into a vca for varied rhythmic on/off triggering.

-nord drum can produce tuned percussive sounds that sound a bit like steel drums, TR works great with this!

-more standard techno rhythms dont occur quite as intuitively, so agree that not the best module if that's the main purpose, many options in that category though!

Just a few thoughts from a newb, count me as a TR fan i guess, really looking forward to combining with logic/trig-delay modules!

[suboptimal]

I love it. It and the Z8000 have become the core of my sequencing suite. I horsed around for years trying to find a sequencing setup that worked for me, and concluded that the A4 is a vastly superior sequencer for straight-ahead stuff than anything I could get in Euro. But the TR+Z8000 combo (together with some accessories, like dividers/multipliers/logic/switches) is very powerful for making modular music that no one, under any circumstances, will want to listen to.

[turin horsey]

appears that Surgeon is a fan, pretty cool, friday night wiggle time!

https://boilerroom.tv/recording/surgeon/

[Neekau]

Very instructive topic, I am really interested by the TR but I did not know how it would behave after the few weeks obviously dedicated to learn its operation... now i know !

[thresholdpeople]

I recently got a Trigger Riot, and have been using it for a few days now. It took me a bit of thinking to figure out how they count the dividers, but now with a somewhat firm grasp, I really enjoy it.

I know you're wondering about long term views, and probably my early enthusiasm has been talked out in the main thread about it, but I'm mostly writing here to add my 2 cents in response to people saying they find it too random a sequencer. I don't think it's random at all. I think it is abstract. Once I understood how the clock dividers worked, I'm able to create both standard grooves, as well as erratic ones fairly easily.

The thing I really like about it is the level of abstraction. The knobs and divider numbers are so different than XOX groove boxes but it is still possible and quick to calculate the sequence as such. Having encoders also removes visual cues in a nice way, causing me to have to use my ears to know where I am in the cycle. Not seeing a metrical grid with LEDs per step encourages different rhythms, let alone the relationship between the X and Y outputs.

I do sometimes find myself wishing there were a way to see some sort of internal counter, but I think that's because I'm still getting used to it, and can't wait to break that habit. Having to use (only) my ears as my way of knowing where I am in the cycle is amazing, and something I've long gotten away from by using groove boxes and DAW sequencers.

[SunSpots]

Just wanted to chime in again.

I always use the individual mode. I often think about getting back to the default matrix mode (or whatever it's called), but never get around to it. These days I've wanted to make predictable stuff, but there was a time when I wanted totally weird stuff no one wants to hear... which I love.

I also really like the idea of punching in my own triggers using that mode. not sure what it's called but when I press the button and it adds the trigger for me right there.

and start/end cycle I still can't/don't go and figure out. I honestly just set it and see if it sounds crappy, then adjust it till it sounds right.

Of course, rarely do things come together where I wanted them to, but almost always it's just as good or better when they do come together.

And I wouldn't even think of something like the TR for typical drum programming.. too static, too unknowable. With drums you want to know exactly where the drum is hitting, when, and be able to vary it, right? Well typically right? I dunno. I would rather use something else for that, but I use the TR for drums all the time and it's great. I just don't go trying to make some long composition. I think of it for tight loops.

Those are my long term thoughts. Not selling it, ever.

[GoneCaving]

[quote="SunSpots"]Just wanted to chime in again.
I also really like the idea of punching in my own triggers using that mode. not sure what it's called but when I press the button and it adds the trigger for me right there.
[/quote]

I didn't realise that was possible. I just checked the manual and can't find any mention of this

Can you elaborate? Or was this a feature request?

[maudibe]

Just spent a few more days getting into the TR - I have found it's perfect partner for drum patterns (in particular) - the Bytom... feed TR and PW into the Bytom and send resets to the TR at 'sensible' intervals. Result... grooves

I had sort of ignored the resets except at the start of a piece, and had been relying on the cycle function. Using resets coming at 8's 16's 32's etc leads to a fair bit of control and predictability for grooves. Mixing the TRs gates and triggers with regular PW triggers (in Bytom) gets it happening.

[continuum]

I didn't realise that was possible. I just checked the manual and can't find any mention of this

Can you elaborate? Or was this a feature request?

Hold the Tap Tempo button down until 'tAPS' (tap Step) appears. Press the mute button for any output and a trigger will be placed on that step. It cycles through all 4 of the Step slots for each row/column so you can edit after the fact.

[Bob Loblaw]

I recently got a Trigger Riot, and have been using it for a few days now. It took me a bit of thinking to figure out how they count the dividers, but now with a somewhat firm grasp, I really enjoy it

Care to shed some light on that? I've learned somewhat how it works just be listening, but I can't say I've cracked the code as to how it counts through the different steps yet.

[GoneCaving]

Thanks continuum!

[mheumann]

Just got my TR and am enjoying it so far, but what I really wanted to say was that TipTop's manual is fantastic. The step-by-step instructions in the quick start really helped my figure out a lot of the intricacies of the module very quickly. Kudos to TTA for that.

[slimenbones]

Just spent a few more days getting into the TR - I have found it's perfect partner for drum patterns (in particular) - the Bytom... feed TR and PW into the Bytom and send resets to the TR at 'sensible' intervals. Result... grooves

I had sort of ignored the resets except at the start of a piece, and had been relying on the cycle function. Using resets coming at 8's 16's 32's etc leads to a fair bit of control and predictability for grooves. Mixing the TRs gates and triggers with regular PW triggers (in Bytom) gets it happening.

This sounds like a good method, I can't quite get my head around how the patterns will come out though, does it create a kind of controlled randomness but resetting to a regular 4/4 time signature?

[maudibe]

Hi Slimenbones,

The patterns can be programmed in as usual but anything after the reset on the TR will be ignored (since the pattern goes back to the beginning upon reset) - so you can limit the number of events before it loops back.

The Bytom is an OR gate, so if i is also receiving a regular pulse from the PW this can 'interrupt' a gate coming from the trigger riot.

Very difficult to explain … but if you set it up and try it, it makes sense.

The reason I mentioned the Bytom in particular, is that it has switches, so you can change things around on the fly.

[owensands]

Trigger riot for me was not a good solution to trigger drums. That is if you want predictable. I thought it would be cool and bought it along with 3 or 4 TT drum modules. Lost a bunch of money there and sold them all. xoxox dedicated drum machines with velocity control and parameter locks are a much better solution. As for trigger solution you can get a DIY LXR from sonic potions with the trigger expansion
(7 triggers on xoxox sequencer with adjustable pulse width like trigger riot with swing!) for about the same price as a trigger riot and you get a killer digital drum synth too.

[Liquidyzer]

+1 on the lxr, even if you don't like the sounds the amount of channels, shuffle, probability. Worth it for the sequencer alone

[asii]

I've been intrigued by the TR for some time but i decided to keep my octatrack and just use the vermona qMI to sequence drums via CV interpreted from octatrack

[Cashman]

Is there a way to get the clocks of the Trigger Riot to swing? Will it follow a clock that has swing from elsewhere? Will uStep do this? or circadian?

[Bob Loblaw]

Is there a way to get the clocks of the Trigger Riot to swing? Will it follow a clock that has swing from elsewhere? Will uStep do this? or circadian?

Yeah, mess with the "speed" settings to swing it.

Love is still strong with this one.

[continuum]

Is there a way to get the clocks of the Trigger Riot to swing? Will it follow a clock that has swing from elsewhere? Will uStep do this? or circadian?

Swing is possible - set two divisors to the same division and then offset the second one for swing. For example, to get 8th note swing set two divisions of 4 (assuming speed is 16th notes) then set Clock shift to 2. This will give 8th notes. Adding Time Shift will delay the second note to give swing.

[jos3no]

i havent recieved mine yet but after reading the manual multiple times and watching a ton of videos with it the TR seems like the perfect percussion/hi hat machine for techno, keep the kick on a xox style sequencer and use the TR for the rest and it should be a hell of a good time