What is it?

popsicko · Joined: Nov 05, 2007 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

I've read through a few of the posts on this forum, dug around on the net a bit, watched some awesome videos, but I can't seem to figure out what, exactly, is the Klee? i know it's a sequencer, but can it be explained a little more thoroughly to a person who has never built anything?
Is there a standard version in which users can modify or is it an ongoing project that is never really done?

If this is all discussed somewhere please just point, but I was having a hard time finding a good description of it.
Thanks,
-b

Luka · Joined: Jun 29, 2007 Posts: 1003 Location: Melb.

check the document
know the klee
it is in the first page of the build & appreciation thread

23isgood · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 12:22 am Post subject:

The Klee is pretty complex. Its hard to describe all the details unless some one shows you in a vid or something. I still don't really understand how the circuit works. In simpler terms, you can control up to three full synth voices with the Klee. You can also trigger up to three drum modules.

You can make 8 or 16 step loops. There are 16 switches that turn on or off a step. To activate a step, you have to flip a switch for that step, then flip the load switch to run your new step sequence. You can feed a clock into the external load input and be able to have the step switches update in real time according to the clock rate. I usually divide the master clock and feed that into the external load input.

The pots change the frequency of the 3 CV outputs, A-B-C. The three pole switches control what output the CV is going to on a given step, and you have glide pots on the CV outputs. There are other controls but im not entirely sure what they are doing, but I have loads of fun playing with them.

pete

Scott Stites · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:59 pm Post subject:

It would probably help if I finished the theory of operation thang.

popsicko · Joined: Nov 05, 2007 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

hmmmmm. . . . . So you have one row of knobs that you can send to 3 different outputs? You have a switch to direct the signal? Does it do standard pitch sequencing or is it. . . oh hell . . . . never mind. I'll keep reading. It sounds interesting but I think I'll have to wait for someone to make an awesome video tutorial or something. Just the way I learn I suppose. Seeing and doing.
-b

Scott Stites · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:36 pm Post subject:

Scott Stites · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:37 pm Post subject:

It also does Julienne fries.....

blue hell · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 3:43 pm Post subject:

In short ... generalized sequencer ... a bit longer ... where in a normal sequencer you have one bit going around in circles, putting out the pot value it happens to hit, here you have multiple bits going round. So multiple pots are being active at the same time, their values being added. The circling pattern itself can be manipulated as well, by jamming it in through a parallel interface or by controlling it from an input. And then there is some stuff for making trigger pulses as well of course ... even longer ... read what Scott wrote about it himself Very Happy

popsicko · Joined: Nov 05, 2007 Posts: 59 Location: Los Angeles

Fries? Yum!

It seems very much awesome! Is it a bit random? I mean the signal that comes out of it. Can you reproduce the same sequence if the need arises? Should it be used in combination with another sequencer or can this be your one an only?
Does anyone build and sell them? I probably wouldn't be able to really get into building one for myself for quite some time.
Thanks for the replies!
-b

23isgood · Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2008 6:46 pm Post subject:

It is very difficult for me to redo anything that I got on the Klee. When I turn it on, what ever sequence I had in there never really sounds like what I had before. If you adjust one of the pots, it is difficult to get it back just how you had it before, though if you have a quantizer, it would solve that problem. So if I really like something, I try to record it so I don't loose it.

You can use the Klee with another sequencer as long as you use the same clock everything should be in sync. You have to build one yourself cuz I don't see anyone selling theirs. I think there are only a handful built so far. The Klee is a complex project. It took me a while to build mine, with lots of planning. If their would be a commercial release of the Klee, it would be very expensive I would guess.

pete

Scott Stites · Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:51 am Post subject:

If I leave the Klee alone and power it up on a different day, for me the sequence sounds identical - for example, on that last composition I posted, the first and last sections were recorded several days before the middle, MIDI controlled section was recorded.

If you're treating it like a simple step sequencer, it's no more difficult to reproduce a sequence than any other step sequencer. Reproducing Klee (multi-bit) gate and trigger sequences is as simple as remembering the switch settings. As for CV out, for a Klee sequence, if you change the pot settings, it's really very difficult to get back to a sequence - Tim Heffman wrote up some patch sheets that help a lot - I've actually reproduced sequences doing that, but it's tricky. Yeah - there's a reason it was named the Klee. Very Happy

It can also produce completely random patterns as well, depending on how you have it patched.

I use Klee sequences as a compositional tool - more for inspiration and going to different places, musically. If it pops up a sequence you really like, it could easily be programmed into another step sequencer for easier retrieval (live) or it could even be programmed to do it itself as a single bit sequence.

Cheers,
Scott

State Machine · Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 2:31 pm Post subject:

Scott Stites · Posted: Wed Feb 27, 2008 3:03 pm Post subject:

Not only can it core an apple, it can wax your car AND serve as topping for your favorite dessert!

Sound · Joined: Jun 06, 2006 Posts: 842 Audio files: 1

Two days ago I have printed "Know The Klee, Draft 4" as a book.

Really you can understand very well what is the Klee. It is very well wrote and is very easy to understand for a beguinner.

Also I have printed Issue 4 Build Doc as well all the documentation. I recommend to read these documents.

Please Stick these documents in a new thread.

Thanks who wrotte them. Scott?

http://www.electro-music.com/forum/topic-19278.html

(Edited to correct my an awesome word of my English Mr. Green

)

Scott Stites · Posted: Thu Mar 13, 2008 10:21 am Post subject:

Actually, that's a pretty good idea, putting them in a separate thread. I created a sticky for the documentation, then locked it. I locked it so that it wouldn't turn into a multi-page thread, which would force people to have to sort of search through it to find the docs. This way they'll always be there on the first click.

Now to put in Bill's BOM docs......