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davidjames wrote:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you can just double tap on C when in interval select mode, that should give you unison for Output B. I believe the led turns red.
Y E S !!
This is officially the Best Thread Ever.
Also, as it turns out, double-tapping on any other button sets the interval to that number-of-steps-minus-one down.
Yep, this thread is a gold mine for me. I've always known I've been under-utilizing the uScale II and it's nice to see some discussion that gives insights into how it works. It's also a good reminder for why I avoid modules with sub-menus and stuff!
This thread came back around just when my interest in the uscale had come back around.
I like the idea of using the dual S&H to sample the outputs, very interesting.
That kind of gives you the trigger inputs which are missing from the uscale.
I have been doing the opposite, using that same S&H to feed the uscale.
One thing I found important to make it remotely musical without using a sequencer, is not using a boring repeating trigger.
I have been using one output of Grids, but feeding it to the clock input on a Nano rand.
The Nano rand has a function called the "Clock Randomizer" which adds extra random triggers and triplets to its gate out.
This really makes the output of the S&H have some uh, life.
Of course I am sampling attenuated, colored noise (from an A-118 noise module).
I try to keep it down to around 1 octave of range from the S&H.
And I have a Pittsburg LFO2 set very slow, modulating the X and Y maps of Grids, attenuated of course.
The uscale also works very well with a ribbon controller.
I had believed a month ago that the Quantimator was way better than the uscale, but now I see that, I need both.
When I see (and hear) some of the work being done by some of the posters in this thread, and watch the "How to" videos, I am blown away.
I feel like an infant who just opened his eyes.
As was said before, BEST THREAD EVER.
Thank you to all the posters in this thread.
Does anyone else's uScale sometimes "wiggle" between two steps in a scale and make a less-than-melodic sound? I bought mine second hand, so it might be a somewhat defective unit, but it also might be a larger phenomenon.
As for intuitiveness, I find the basic functions of the uscale (basic custom scales, shift, and interval) to be VERY intuitive. You just have to press the buttons until they light up! However, I have never really delved into somw of the features involving storing scales, and I often have to get out the manual to get through a lot of the deeper menu features of the module.
It definitely achieves being both very intuitive at surface level while also going very deep, and so I think this is a module that's going to stick around in my rack!
What would happen if I put my µScale in Scale Select mode and fed its quantized output, via multiple, to an oscillator and the µScale's own Shift input? Would it go round in complex patterns forever, or would it find a quiescent point and just sit still after that?
chysn wrote:On my way to Lowe's today, I had an idea.
What would happen if I put my µScale in Scale Select mode and fed its quantized output, via multiple, to an oscillator and the µScale's own Shift input? Would it go round in complex patterns forever, or would it find a quiescent point and just sit still after that?
Conrad wrote:Does anyone else's uScale sometimes "wiggle" between two steps in a scale and make a less-than-melodic sound? I bought mine second hand, so it might be a somewhat defective unit, but it also might be a larger phenomenon.
As for intuitiveness, I find the basic functions of the uscale (basic custom scales, shift, and interval) to be VERY intuitive. You just have to press the buttons until they light up! However, I have never really delved into somw of the features involving storing scales, and I often have to get out the manual to get through a lot of the deeper menu features of the module.
It definitely achieves being both very intuitive at surface level while also going very deep, and so I think this is a module that's going to stick around in my rack!
There's a thread up here from the past in which we discuss this at length.
I had the same problem:
UScale would get stuck between adjacent notes and buzz back and forth, sounding distorted.
If you use Slew generators, either before or after the uScale you can smooth it out.
But here's the real fix:
Danjel created two versions of the uScale firmware and the early version two modules have a version that tracks incredibly fast, that's what gives you the buzzing sound. Eventually he went back to the slower version which will still track very fast, but not so fast as to distort. I sent my uScale (vesion two) back to him and he updated it with the firmware that tracks a little slower. He told us he would be using that firmware on all the subsequent uScale version two's
Wow those junkyard for your videos. I've had the uScale for a while and always loved it, but evidently am utilizing it for like 1/3 of what it can do! Now to go tinker.
junkyard_kahrs wrote:Made a short video about my struggle with the uScale module, the A & B outputs and how they are created:
Good video :tu:
Yes, you're correct. Infact you can pick a transpose offset of +1 or -1 but you can't actually pick unison. :cry:
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you can just double tap on C when in interval select mode, that should give you unison for Output B. I believe the led turns red.
I think when you double tap C, you get a -1 interval and not unison. That's at least how it works on my uScale. I'd be happy to learn if there was a way to set it to unison; until then, buffered multing output A does the trick.
natureclubcassettes wrote:I had the wiggly pitch problem when I sent uScale II cv from wogglebug; replaced WB with a nanorand and the problem has disappeared.
Also, maybe I'm alone here, but I've never found the thing to be difficult to use...
is this a woggly 'pitch' (i.e. microtonal variation) or is it woggly in the sense that that it skips to the next quantised note?
"You have to go on and be crazy. Craziness is like heaven." Jimi Hendrix
I want to know if the uscale will do something and it's hard to tell from the videos I've watced:
Say I want to just pick different chords that are saved on the uscale (like in the manual, it says bank 5 = chords in C minor). How many button taps does it take to switch from one chord to the other? In my ideal world, you could leave it in the "select a new chord" state and then just hit one button (one of the "black and white keys") to select a different chord, and then when it's time to select a different chord, simply press a different key.
Is that how it works? Or do you have to press and hold a button to get into the chord selection functionality (or something like that) every time you want to switch a chord?
The potential use case for this: I'm envisioning playing notes from a chord on pressure points with my right hand while quickly flipping through different chords on uscale with my left hand.
midilifestyle wrote:I want to know if the uscale will do something and it's hard to tell from the videos I've watced:
Say I want to just pick different chords that are saved on the uscale (like in the manual, it says bank 5 = chords in C minor). How many button taps does it take to switch from one chord to the other? In my ideal world, you could leave it in the "select a new chord" state and then just hit one button (one of the "black and white keys") to select a different chord, and then when it's time to select a different chord, simply press a different key.
Is that how it works? Or do you have to press and hold a button to get into the chord selection functionality (or something like that) every time you want to switch a chord?
The potential use case for this: I'm envisioning playing notes from a chord on pressure points with my right hand while quickly flipping through different chords on uscale with my left hand.
You can actually uses CV to select scales within a bank using the Shift input. Just long hold the SCALE button to activate.
I don't want to automate the selection of chords, though. I want to pick a specific chord at the press of a button (or if need be, a two button combination). But instantaneously.
If I did it via cv, I would need a module that had twelve buttons and twelve stored cv values to send out.
midilifestyle wrote:So...would that be a "no" then?
I don't want to automate the selection of chords, though. I want to pick a specific chord at the press of a button (or if need be, a two button combination). But instantaneously.
If I did it via cv, I would need a module that had twelve buttons and twelve stored cv values to send out.
It's definitely a "no." The only way to switch scales from the µScale is to hold the Scale button for about a second. I've used Pressure Points with Scale Select mode to switch scales quickly, but you got me wondering if there's anything that has twelve buttons and twelve stored CV values.
The closest thing I can think of is QuBit Octone. With the mode switch set to Tune, Octone sends out the CV of a step when the step's button is pressed. It's only for eight steps, though.
Other than ganging up three copies of Pressure Points or PGMs, is there any module like that?
midilifestyle wrote:Say I want to just pick different chords that are saved on the uscale (like in the manual, it says bank 5 = chords in C minor). How many button taps does it take to switch from one chord to the other? In my ideal world, you could leave it in the "select a new chord" state and then just hit one button (one of the "black and white keys") to select a different chord, and then when it's time to select a different chord, simply press a different key.
Is that how it works? Or do you have to press and hold a button to get into the chord selection functionality (or something like that) every time you want to switch a chord?
The potential use case for this: I'm envisioning playing notes from a chord on pressure points with my right hand while quickly flipping through different chords on uscale with my left hand.
If you have one and are not using it for something else, that sounds like the perfect use for a Midi keyboard and a Midi to cv module.
Oh, yes that is what I have done.
But, it doesn't seem to transpose to the keyboard exactly, or maybe it's not 1V/oct
Actually, it is +-5V (or 0-10V) equals +- 12 semitones, if anyone cares
Foghorn
Edit: added quote for clarity, added info
Last edited by Foghorn on Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:16 am, edited 4 times in total.
I've been creating custom "banks" for use in scale select mode, but every time I power down my synth, the banks disappear. Is there a way to permanently save banks? Anyone else have this issue?
FlangerMagazine wrote:I've been creating custom "banks" for use in scale select mode, but every time I power down my synth, the banks disappear. Is there a way to permanently save banks? Anyone else have this issue?
Thanks!
You need to long hold save to persist scales in the eeprom
FlangerMagazine wrote:I've been creating custom "banks" for use in scale select mode, but every time I power down my synth, the banks disappear. Is there a way to permanently save banks? Anyone else have this issue?
Thanks!
You need to long hold save to persist scales in the eeprom
Thanks, I appreciate it. BTW, contrary to the title of this thread, I generally find the Uscale pretty easy to use.
Can someone help explain to me how i can force the Uscale to use A as its root note, so i understand that when i choose a root note it jumps the current c scale up to the note i press, but when i try that the resting note always seems to be C
Ok maybe i should be clearer, i want to use Aminor and when the envelope i'm sending rests i'd like the note playing to be A instead of C, is this possible?
I am already attentuating with a maths and whatever i try when the envelope ends it rests on C, is it actually possible to change this?
Thanks
edit- So at 0v i'd like to play A in the chord of Aminor is this possible?
I would just use a Cminor scale on the Uscale but tune my oscillator to A at 0v. That way you hear the Aminor scale even though the Uscale shows a Cminor.
In general I always work with C major or minor on the Uscale interface but I tune my oscillators to whatever root note I want.
great idea! 
