ABAKAS¶
Count - Determine - Sequence
Quick introduction¶
The Abakas is an advanced counter based on pulse counting and probabilities.
There are 3 tracks available. Let’s focus on one track and see what’s happening with it.
A track has a Source Clock input (S), a Reset input (R), and an output. It also has two "phases", materialized by two counters. Each phase has a probability to either let pass the input to the output, or block it.
Let’s consider a very simple case:
- Counter 1 : 4, probability 1 : 100
- Counter 2 : 3, probability 2 : 0
To change a parameter, turn the encoder to highlight it. Click the encoder, and turn it to change its value. Click te encoder again to validate.
In the beginning, the track is in phase 1, and every pulse at its clock input will decrease the counter 1. The probability on phase 1 is 100%, so any pulse received will be sent to the output.
After 4 pulses, the first counter reaches 0, and the track enters phase 2: pulses will now decrease the counter 2. The probability on this 2nd phase is 0%, so no pulse will be sent at the output.
After 3 more pulses, the counter 2 reaches 0 and the track must be reset to put the counters back to their initial value. The reset can be automatic (loop mode) or manual (pause mode). In this case, you must send a pulse at the Reset input of the track to reset the counters. Otherwise, any incoming pulse will be ignored.
To summarize, if we send pulses at the Source Clock input, the result at the output is the following:
- Pulse 1 : passes through
- Pulse 2 : passes through
- Pulse 3 : passes through
- Pulse 4 : passes through
- Pulse 5 : blocked
- Pulse 6 : blocked
- Pulse 7 : blocked
Display explanations¶
Let's dive deeper¶
The Abakas exposes 3 tracks like that. Each track has its own, independent pair of counters, that can be set from 0 to 9999. Each track also has its probability values, one for each phase.
If we look at the front panel, we can see that we have 6 inputs (A, B, D, E, G, H) and 3 outputs (C, F, I). Track inputs (Source clock and Reset) can be mapped to any of the physical input, OR any physical output. It means that a single pulse at one connector can potentially act on multiple tracks.
But it also means that an output can be virtually patched to any input of any track! In this situation, we can already imagine a generative configuration where we send pulses on a single input, and the output (driven by probabilities) triggers another track, also driven by probabilities.
Saving scenes¶
Let’s call scene the configuration of three tracks with their counters and probabilities that we have defined.
A scene can be saved persistently, and there are 6 slots to save scenes.
To save or load a scene :
Click the menu button (the one with 3 horizontal lines and beads)
- Select the slot of interest with the encoder
- To load the scene, simply click the encoder
- To save the current scene, long press the encoder until the “SAVED” message appears.
Sequencing scenes¶
To spice up the game, it is possible to automate the load of scenes :)
You can assign any of the 6 inputs (A, B, D, E, G, H) to the following functions:
- Load previous scene
- Load next scene
- Load a random scene
To configure this, click twice the menu button (considering that you’re on the main screen).
To assign an input to a function, navigate to the function with the encoder, and click it.
Select the desired input by turning the encoder, and click it again to validate your choice.
Technical information¶
- Module size: 6hp
- Module depth: 35mm
- Power consumption:
- +5V: TBD
- +12V: 0mA
- -12V: 0mA