Whimsical Prelude

monome’s Teletype excites us. Writing simple scripts away from a computer; executing tiny morsels of musical composition. Just Type is a suggestion for how these ideas can be extended & deeply integrated with the elements of synthesis, using our Just Friends module.

At its most basic, Just Type (JT) is a set of invisible patch cords. Type a command to create a trigger on your desired channel, in parallel with IRL voltages in Just Friends (JF)’s TRIGGER ins. RUN mode & voltage can be set directly, not needing a dummy cable or negative-offset capable voltage source.

More than a cloaking device, Just Type extends the base functionality of JF into more complex territory. Use Teletype’s N notation to easily transpose JF in 12-tone musical increments. Every output can be driven with a varying velocity, adding subtlety and movement to sequences. Even the INTONE relationship can be altered away from the default harmonic structure and instead taken in more experimental directions.

Beyond these general-purpose modifications, Just Type brings two entirely new modalities to JF. Synthesis allows independent polyphonic control over each channel, controlled directly, or dynamically allocated as a 6-voice polysynth. Geode instead pursues rhythmic manipulation of striated repetitions, creating polymetric bursts with dynamic decay.

Enough! Just. Type.

Don’t burn the locals

The commands outlined in this tutorial build on established conventions in the Teletype language. If you’re new to or rusty with Teletype, it’d be best to start with a review of the original Teletype Studies for 1.x.

Just Type comes pre-installed since Just Friends v3 (late 2017). Get the update here if you have an early JF with the silver & green landscape backplate.

Just Type also requires Teletype 2.0+. Any 2.x+ commands in the accompanying musical examples will be explained and hyperlinked to reference points in the manual.

And of course you’ll need to connect an ii cable between the TT and JF. If you have more than 3 modules on your ii bus you will likely need a TT bus board to ensure the electrical levels are correct.

Practical Magic

Let’s start with some old pals: triggers.

In the Teletype language, triggers are controlled with the command TR and two parameters: the hardware output (1 through 4) and its on/off state (1 or 0).

Try this: with Just Friends switched to shape/sustain mode and all knobs at 12:00, patch a cable from Teletype’s TR 1 to Just Friends’s 6N TRIGGER input. Execute this command in LIVE mode on Teletype:

TR 1 1

You should see the LEDs above each output illuminate as the envelopes blossom in response to the hardware stimulus.

Just Type can create this same response through software, using the ‘invisible cords’ mentioned in the Prelude.

To illustrate, remove the physical patch cable and execute:

JF.TR 0 1

The output LEDs should brighten again, as the envelopes re-open.

To close them:

JF.TR 0 0

Magic.

What’s this all about?

JF.TR takes two parameters, channel and state.

channel: sets the channel to be triggered

• 1 through 6 is IDENTITY through 6N
• 0 will trigger all channels

state: sets the trigger high or low

• non-zero values are ‘high’
• 0 is ‘low’, if required (more on this in a bit)

Give it a try! Keeping Just Friends in shape/sustain, execute:

JF.TR 6 1
DEL 1000: JF.TR 6 0

Cognitive dissonance

Due to hardware normalization, Just Friends allows TRIGGERS to cascade when provoked by hardware triggers. For example, if 6N is the only physically-patched channel, an impulse sent to 6N would automatically open the other five.

Just Type simply ignores this hardware normalization because every channel is patched to a source — Teletype. This allows for cross-talk between hardware and software triggers, as each trigger source will uniquely manifest.

Enemy of the state

sustain is the only mode that will respond to (indeed, requires) a ‘low’ trigger. In sustain, every JF.TR channel 1 command must have an accompanying JF.TR channel 0 to release the envelope.

Implementation is up to the synthesist, but here are some starting points:

• JF.TR channel TOSS gives a 50/50 chance of the channel’s envelope changing states
• DEL ms: JF.TR channel 0 gives a timed start to the channel’s release
• JF.TR 0 0 releases all of JF’s envelopes simultaneously, which can be interrupted by additional single channel commands

EXAMPLE: CONTROL ISSUES

Featured in the banner video above.

Just Friends is set to shape/sustain. Mangrove’s FORMANT is sent through 6N while its SQUARE is providing subtle FM.

This scene makes heavy use of two features from Teletype 2.x, EVERY and Turtle (@).

• EVERY x: is a control flow mod that runs a command every x times it’s called.
• @ is a two-dimensional movable index of pattern values on the TRACKER screen.

The I script:

• builds a fence for Turtle (@F 0 0 4 4)
• sets Turtle’s speed (@SPEED 300)

The M script:

• clocks Turtle’s steps (@STEP)
• randomizes Turtle’s direction (@DIR RRAND -180 180)
• passes the value in Turtle’s current position to CV 1 (CV 1 N @)
• executes SCRIPT 1, which sends high triggers/resets to a number of JF channels.

Toggle Turtle visualizer on/off with @SHOW 1/@SHOW 0 in LIVE mode.

The scene is pretty minimal, using only one numbered script. M and I feature subcommands tied together with a ;, condensing commands into a single line.

Lots of room for expansion!

#1
EVERY 3: JF.TR 1 1
EVERY 5: JF.TR 3 1
EVERY 4: JF.TR 4 1
EVERY 2: JF.TR 5 1
EVERY 7: JF.TR 6 1
EVERY 2: JF.TR 0 0

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#M
@STEP; @DIR RRAND -180 180
CV 1 N @; SCRIPT 1
EVERY 30: CV 2 V RAND 10

#I
M 120
@F 0 0 4 4; @SPEED 300
CV.SLEW 2 3000

#P
4   16  19  11
7   7   0   12
0   12  11  16
11  7   4   23
19  23  7   19

Reference

Just Type Studies Continued

Part 2: Nudge Nudge→

Part 1: Practical Magic