VR extended Rhythms

VR and the ‘extened Rhythms aka ‘Accompaniment

In ‘factory mode’, VR has a inbuild Rhythm section with 52 Rhythms (accessible on the right side of VR panel)

But as usual VR has MUCH MORE under the hood. The dossier explains:
  (I) Using D-Beam for ‘Fill-Ins’ and ‘Break’
  (II) Changing rhythm drumsets
  (III) The 550 additional ‘hidden’ rhythms
  (IV) The ‘PK Accompaniment’ to use fill-ins, intro-outro and ‘rhythm variations’ on each rhythm
  (V) ANNEX: VR official and hidden drumkits

(I) Using D-Beam

You have to use CTRLR Editor
VR D-Beam has hidden options ‘Fill-In’ and ‘Break’ to modify a VR rhythm
In Editor go to panel STAGE and use either ‘D-BEAM’ or ‘RHYTHM KlangKontrol’ to set D-Beam to the rhythm option

The setting is saved to VR registrations

(II) Changing rhythm drum-sets

You have to use CTRLR Editor or a midi controller that can send bank+program
In Editor go to panel STAGE change the drum-kit in ‘RHYTHM KlangKontrol’
With a midi controller, programm a switch or pad with a bank+program (msb/lsb/pc) and send on CH 10. msb/lsb/pc values can be found in the annex (bottom of the page)

The drumkit ist NOT saved in VR registrations
Applying any rhythm modifier (D-Beam fill/break, PK accompaniment) RESETS the drumkit to the default drumkit

(III) Additional ‘hidden’ Rhythms

VR has ca. 550 additional ‘hidden’ rhythms (a total of 607 (!) rhythms with factory rhythms)
These include all kinds of traditionals (fox, tango, march etc etc), waltz-types (3/4, 6/8), all classic latins (bossa, beguine, tangos), freaky ‘rock patterns’, and even un-even takes (5/8, 7/8, named as ‘R.5’ and ‘R.7’)

The hidden rhythms cannot be access on VR keyboard interface – the only way to load them is via ‘upg-files’ (registration files)’

  1. Method 1: ‘Ctrlr Editor’: the hidden rhythms can be set in editor ‘UPG Organiser’:
    – export your VR registration-set to usb-drive (VR menu “Media Utility” => Save registrations
    – plug the dive into your computer and load the file into Editor ‘REG/UPG Organiser’
    – select a registration and change the ‘RHYTHM’ (dropdown in ‘REGISTRATION SETTINGS”
    – save the upg-file and re-import the registration into VR
  2. Method 2: ‘upg-file data repository’
    Go to UPG-Repository and download VR_Hidden_Rhythms.zip
    and unzip the archive:
    It contains a ‘text document’ and a series of upg-files with registrations, each one with a rhythm.
    Carefully read the text document : chose a rhythm from the rhythm list and copy the corresponding upg-file to a usb-drive
    Insert the drive into VR and load the corresponding rhythm registration info a VR registration
    Then build your sounds and re-save the registration

(IV) PK Accompaniment

You have to use CTRLR Editor or a midi controller that can send midi SysEx and CCs

‘PK accompaniment’ is a set of ‘rhythm modifiers inherited from Atelier Organs: it includes start/stop, break, fill-in, intro/outro and 4 pattern variations.
To use PK, the ‘PK controller’ must (also) be connected to VR ‘PK-IN’ socket:
PK-IN is a 7-in midi-jack which is compatible to 5-pin midi cables: when plugging in make sure to ‘center’ the 5-pin plug

  1. Method 1: ‘Ctrlr Editor’
    – connect the laptop to VR via usb-midi
    – additionally connect the laptop to VR ‘PK-IN’ using a usb-to-DIN adapter
    – use a routing/virtual port software to route editor midi-out to both VR usb and VR PK-IN
    Now in Editor ‘STAGE’ panel, switch tab “RHYTHM PK Accompan.”: touch the ‘virtual pads’ to start/stop and apply rhythm modifiers
  2. Method 2: ‘midi controller’
    The used midi controller must be capabable to send midi SysEx and CC (Control Changes): for a list of controllers see Midi Controllers, section A1 and B1
    The controller must be connected to both VR ‘MIDI-IN’ and ‘PK-IN’ jack: this can be done by a simple midi ‘Y-cable’ (available for 10 €/USD or DIY)
    Program switches/pads must be programmed to send a sysex AND Control Change 19:

                   SyEx:                     CC    Rhythm modifier:
       f0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 03 2d f7      19    Start/Stop
       f0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 0b 25 f7      19    Break
       f0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 05 2b f7      19    Intro-Outro
       f0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 0f 21 f7      19    Fill-In
       f0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 06 2a f7      19    Variation 'up'        : switches variation 1->2->3->4
       f0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 07 29 f7      19    Variation 'down'      : switches variation 4->3->2->1
       f0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 08 28 f7      19    Variation 'alternate' : toggles  variation 1-3 or 2-4
    

    MVave SMK 37 controller pads can be configure follwing ‘Custom’ string (we recommend to use the ‘transport pads’, as an example):

                   SMK Pad 'Custom' :                         Rhythm modifier:          SMK Transport Pads:
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 03 2D F7 B9 13 7F B9 13 00     Start/Stop                #>
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 05 2B F7 B9 13 7F B9 13 00     Intro-Outro               "
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 08 28 F7 B9 13 7F B9 13 00     Variation 'alternate'     o
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 07 29 F7 B9 13 7F B9 13 00     Variation 'down'          <<
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 06 2A F7 B9 13 7F B9 13 00     Variation 'up'            >>
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 0B 25 F7 B9 13 7F              Break : stop              <
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 0B 25 F7 B9 13 00              Break : continue          >
       F0 41 10 62 12 00 00 50 0F 21 F7 B9 13 7F B9 13 00     Fill-In                   undo
    

    Note: you can other switches/pads to change the drumkit, see chapter (II)

(V) ANNEX: VR official and hidden drumkits

The listing shows midi ‘bank’ (msb, lsb) and ‘program’ (prg) of the ‘official’ VR drumkits and ‘hidden’ drumkits (of Roland ‘GS’, ‘SoundCanvas’ and ‘BK-0X’ backing keyboard) that can be used for VR Rhythms

Note: not all midi controllers have a ‘combined bank+prg’ option (for a switch, pad, etc). In this case you must use 3 ‘buttons’: 2 ‘CC’ buttons for msb/lsb and one for the program


   msb  lsb  prg      drumkit name

   ------ (1) 'factory' VR GM2 drumkits ------ 
   120    0    0      STANDARD 
   120    0    8      ROOM 
   120    0   16      POWER 
   120    0   24      ELECTRONIC 
   120    0   25      TR-808 
   120    0   32      JAZZ 
   120    0   40      BRUSH 
   120    0   48      ORCHESTRA 
   120    0   56      SOUND EFFECT 
   ------ (2) GS drumkits  ------ 
   125    0    0      STANDARD 1² 
   125    0    1      STANDARD 2² 
   125    0    2      STANDARD L/R² 
   120    0    3      POP² 
   125    0    8      ROOM² 
   125    0   12      ROOM L/R² 
   125    0    9      HIPHOP² 
   125    0   16      POWER² 
   125    0   24      ELECTRONIC² 
   125    0   25      TR-808² 
   125    0   26      DANCE² 
   125    0   27      TR-808 2² 
   125    0   32      JAZZ² 
   125    0   33      JAZZ L/R² 
   125    0   40      BRUSH² 
   125    0   41      BRUSH 2² 
   125    0   42      BRUSH 2 L/R² 
   125    0   48      ORCHESTRA² 
   125    0   49      ETHNIC² 
   125    0   50      KICK&SNARE² 
   125    0   53      CYMBALS+CLAPS² 
   125    0   63      VOX DRUM² 
   125    0   56      SOUND EFFECT² 
   ------ (3) SC / BK drumkits ------
   120    4    0      STANDARD 1³ 
   120    4    1      STANDARD 2³ 
   120    4    2      STANDARD L/R³ 
   120    4    3      POP³ 
   120    4    7      NEW FOLK³ 
   120    4    8      ROOM³ 
   120    0   12      ROOM L/R³ 
   120    0    9      HIPHOP³ 
   120    4   10      JUNGLE³ 
   120    4   11      TECHNO³ 
   120    4   13      HOUSE³ 
   120    4   16      POWER³ 
   120    4   17      ROCK³ 
   120    4   24      ELECTRONIC³ 
   120    4   26      DANCE³ 
   120    4   27      CR-78³ 
   120    4   28      TR-606³ 
   120    4   29      TR-707³ 
   120    4   25      TR-808³ 
   120    4   30      TR-909³ 
   120    4   32      JAZZ³ 
   120    4   33      JAZZ L/R³ 
   120    4   40      JAZZ BRUSH³ 
   120    4   41      JAZZ BRUSH 2³ 
   120    4   42      JAZZ BRUSH 2 L/R³ 
   120    4   43      V-JAZZ BRUSH
   120    4   44      POP BRUSH³ 
   120    4   45      POP BRUSH PERC³ 
   120    4   46      POP PERC 2³ 
   120    4   48      ORCHESTRA³ 
   120    4   49      ETHNIC³ 
   120    4   50      KICK&SNARE³ 
   120    4   53      CYMBALS+CLAPS³ 
   120    4   62      CYMBALS+CLAPS 2³ 
   120    4   63      VOX DRUM³ 
   120    4   31      MULTI DRUM³ 
   120    4   56      SOUND EFFECT³ 

Note: the superscripts ² and ³ refere to the GS and SC/BK variants