ARPIE

Monophonic MIDI Arpeggiator

User Guide
Revision 1.03
19 May 2013
1
Introducing ARPIE
ARPI is a !onophonic MIDI arpeggiator "ased around open#source so$t%are and
hard%are. &he Arduino#"ased $ir!%are ena"'es si!p'e code custo!isation and re#
purposing "y users. &he hard%are is designed $or easy DI( asse!"'y and custo!isation.
Despite its si!p'e construction and appearance) ARPI is $u'' $eatured %ith various chord
arpeggiation and te!po synchronisation $eatures) together %ith $eatures to ena"'e ARPI
to "e used creative'y %ithout an attached MIDI *ey"oard.
A distinctive $eature o$ ARPI is the !ini!a' contro' sur$ace. +hi'e this has on'y si!p'e
,Ds $or visua' $eed"ac*) it is si!p'e to use once you get $a!i'iar %ith it.
&his !anua' is designed to provide a handy guide to using supp'ied ARPI $ir!%are and
standard hard%are. -o%ever it is not the $u'' set o$ docu!entation avai'a"'e.
.or in$or!ation on trou"'eshooting) "ui'ding) custo!ising etc.) as %e'' as $ir!%are
updates) source code and hard%are $i'es p'ease see https/00githu".co!0hotch*1110arpie
Quick Start
I *no% you 2ust %ant to get started... 3o connect up your MIDI *ey"oard to MIDI in) and
a sound !odu'e to MIDI out. 3%itch on the ARPI.. a$ter a short de'ay 41#2 seconds5 the
16 "'ue data disp'ay ,Ds shou'd 'ight and the 7,8 ,D shou'd start "'in*ing.
-o'd do%n a chord on the MIDI *ey"oard. &he R9 ,D shou'd "'in* as notes are received)
and the &9 ,D shou'd "'in* rapid'y as notes are sent. Press the -:,D "utton once) the
-:,D ,D shou'd i''u!inate. ;o% %hen you p'ay a chord) the Arpeggiator continues to
p'ay a$ter you have re'eased the *eys.
I$ you don<t have a *ey"oard handy) turn on -:,D) press I;3& and then press the s!a''
"utton "e'o% the right#!ost "'ue ,D. &his shou'd start p'aying a 7 !a2or chord
arpeggio.
:8) no% %e<ve "ro*en the tension 'ets !ove on /o5
2
Connections And Power
&he rear pane' o$ ARPI is sho%n "e'o%/
&he !ini!a' re=uire!ents to !a*e !usic %ith ARPI are
A synthesi>er or other sound !odu'e connected to MIDI :U&
A po%er source. &his can "e an interna''y !ounted PP3 "attery or a D7 supp'y
o$ "et%een 9 and 2?@ connected to the rear 2.1!!) centre#positive soc*et. &he
soc*et auto!atica''y disconnects the "attery %hen a p'ug is inserted.
Additiona''y) you can connect a MIDI contro''er to MIDI I;. &ypica''y a piano type
*ey"oard is used to p'ay chords %hich provide input $or ARPIs arpeggiation engine
ho%ever ARPI can a'so "e initia'ised %ith rando! or $iAed chords %ithout an eAterna'
*ey"oard.
:ptiona''y a MIDI c'oc* source can "e connected to MIDI 3(;7- I;. .or eAa!p'e you
!ight %ant ARPI to synchronise as a s'ave to a dru! !achine %hich can output a MIDI
"eat c'oc*.
ARPI can a'so s'ave to a MIDI "eat c'oc* on MIDI I;) though o$ten the note contro''er
and !aster c'oc* sources %i'' o$ten "e separate devices) %hich is %here the eAterna'
synch input is use$u'.
&he !ain po%er s%itch is on the side o$ the device) c'ose to the D7 soc*et. 3'ide the
s%itch to%ard the "ac* o$ the unit to s%itch on po%er. &he po%er ,D 4c'ose to the
s%itch5 'ights %hen po%er is on.
3
The Control Surface
&he top ro% contains three activity ,Ds/
&he RX ,D $'ic*ers %hen MIDI in$or!ation is received via the input port
&he CLK ,D # $'ic*ers at the start o$ each "eat
&hen TX ,D $'ic*ers %hen MIDI in$or!ation "eing sent via the output port
&he $unction o$ the Data Disp'ay ,Ds and Data ntry Buttons depends on %hich o$ the
$unction "uttons %as 'ast pressed. ach $unction assigns speci$ic !eanings to each o$ the
,Ds and Data ntry "uttons. I$ no "uttons are pressed $or a $e% seconds the disp'ay
$unction returns to Pattern Mode 4PA&;5
4
old !utton
&he HOLD "utton togg'es the chord ho'd $unction on and o$$. An indicator ,D "eside the
-:,D "utton sho%s %hen the chord ho'd $unction is in e$$ect. &his $unction !eans that a
chord you press on a contro''er *ey"oard %i'' continue to p'ay a$ter you re'ease the *eys.
Pressing and ho'ding the HOLD "utton $or a"out 3 seconds ena"'es MIDI input lock.
&his prevents the arpeggiator engine $ro! responding to any in"ound notes and it is
use$u' %hen you have !u'tip'e ARPIs in a chain an !ay %ant to contro' one %hi'e the
others continue to p'ay. In MIDI input 'oc* !ode the -:,D "utton "'in*s rapid'y. Press
the -:,D "utton again to eAit $ro! this !ode.
&he -:,D $eature has so!e !ore su"t'e e$$ects regarding se=uencing and step ti!ing)
%hich are 'isted 'ater.
"
PAT# $ Pattern Edit
In this !ode the siAteen data disp'ay ,Ds sho% a pattern o$ CnoteD 4,D on5 or ErestE
4,D o$$5. (ou can togg'e an ,D on and o$$ "y pressing the data "utton "e'o% the ,D.
&his pattern o$ notes and rests and a''o%s a rhyth!ic structure to "e app'ied to the
current'y p'aying arpeggio. Arpeggiated notes are !uted %hen they coincide %ith a rest
in the pattern.
PA&; is the de$au't $unction) and the one to %hich ARPI returns %hen you don<t press
anything $or a %hi'e. (ou can return to this !ode i!!ediate'y "y pressing PA&; at any
ti!e.
P%E# $ Pattern %ength
Press the P,; "utton to vie% and change the 'ength o$ the rhyth!ic pattern 4$ro! 1#16
steps5. &he current pattern 'ength is indicated %ith a "righter ,D and can "e changed "y
pressing a data "utton.
&he pattern restarts %hen it reaches the point de$ined "y P,;. &his can "e di$$erent
$ro! the 'ength o$ the arpeggio se=uence) a''o%ing so!e interesting e$$ects as the
rhyth!ic pattern o$ notes and !oves across the arpeggio se=uence.
&
T'PE $ Ar(eggio T)(e
&his !ode a''o%s you to se'ect the "asic %ay in %hich the Arp se=uence is "ui't $ro! a
chord. It a'so contains so!e "uttons %hich can "e used to initia'ise a pattern
ARP ORDER
UP # notes o$ the chord are sorted into ascending order
DOWN # notes o$ the chord are sorted into descending order
UP-DOWN # notes o$ the chord are sorted into ascending) then descending
order I$ the se=uence spans !u'tip'e octaves) a'' octaves are spanned on the
%ay EupE "e$ore returning Edo%nE. &he highest note is not repeated.
RANDOM # notes p'aced into a rando! order.
KEYBOARD # notes o$ the chord are not reordered) so %i'' "e in the order they
%ere received "y MIDI.
PATTERN SETUP
RANDOM # &he rhyth!ic pattern 4PA&; !ode5 is rando!ised and its 'ength
4P,;5 is set to a rando! nu!"er.
CLEAR # Pattern is c'eared 4a'' rests5 and set to 16 step 'ength.
PATTERN ILL # Pattern is $i''ed 4a'' notes on5 and set to 16 step 'ength.
*
S+T $ ,cta-e shift
&ransposes the arpeggiated se=uence "y %ho'e octaves.
&he de$au't Cno shi$tD position is indicated "y a s'ight'y "righter ,D.
SPA# $ ,cta-e S(an
Deter!ine the nu!"er o$ octaves the arpeggiated se=uence %i'' "e eAtended over.
.
RATE $ ste( length
Deter!ines the 'ength o$ notes in the arpeggiated se=uence) as a $raction o$ a "eat 4It
does not a'ter the te!po0BPM5
&he a"ove 'a"e's can "e interpreted as $o''o%s/
NOTE TIME DI!ISION
" F $u'' note
# F ha'$ note
$ F =uarter note 41 "eat5
% F eighth note
"& F siAteenth note
'# F thirty#second note
SUIX
D F dotted ti!e 4one and a ha'$ ti!es nor!a' note duration5
T F trip'et ti!e 4t%o thirds nor!a' note duration5
+ho'e ti!e divisions 4+ithout su$$iA5 are sho%n on the disp'ay %ith "righter ,Ds to
assist interpreting the disp'ay.
/
0E%, $ 0elocit)
7ontro's the MIDI ve'ocity o$ the notes output "y the se=uencer.
&here are t%o ve'ocity !odes and you can togg'e "et%een the! "y pressing and ho'ding
the @,: "utton.
A( pl)*+, p'ays each arpeggiated note using the ve'ocity o$ the note as it %as
p'ayed in the chord on the input device. &his !ode can "e identi$ied "y the
right#!ost ,D "eing on and a'' the others o$$. In this !ode the data entry
"uttons have no $unction.
A,-u(t).l+ /+locit* 0o,+ a''o%s you to override the ve'ocity o$ a''
arpeggiated notes to one o$ 16 'eve's 4inc'uding !uted and $u'' ve'ocity5 as
indicated "e'o%
11
2ATE $ note %ength
7ontro's the gate 'ength o$ the notes output "y the se=uencer # as proportion o$ the
current note 'ength. &he highest setting !eans that one note is EtiedE to the neAt 4&he
note is not stopped unti' the neAt note is started) %ith the MIDI note o$$ !essage "eing
sent a$ter the neAt MIDI note on5
I#ST $ #ote insertion
Atends the 'ength o$ the arp se=uence "y repeating notes $ro! the chord according to
speci$ic !odes as de$ined "e'o%. &his screen a'so has so!e options $or inserting chords
%ithout a *ey"oard $or de!o purposes. &he E-o'dE s%itch !ust "e ena"'ed $or this to
%or*.
11
S'#C $ 3I4I S)nch
&his screen contro's the arp MIDI 3(;7- !ode and interna' !etrono!e 4BPM5. +hen
ARPI is running on its interna' c'oc*) the data disp'ay ,D<s indicate the approAi!ate
BPM. Pressing one o$ the nine BPM "uttons sets the te!po to a speci$ic va'ue.
&he SOURCE "utton contro's the 3(;7- c'oc* source/
ON F Interna' c'oc* source
O F Aterna' c'oc* source via the MIDI I; or 3(;7- I; soc*ets
&he SEND "utton contro's %hether ARPI sends a MIDI "eat c'oc* to the MIDI :U& port.
&his "utton can a'so "e used to start0stop and synchronise MIDI s'ave devices. More 'ater
in the !anua'
ON F 3end MIDI synch !essages out o$ MIDI :U& port
O F Don<t send MIDI synch !essages
&he BPM1 and BPM- "uttons can "e used to ad2ust the BPM "y steps o$ 1.
Pressing the TAP "utton t%o or !ore ti!es a''o%s you to set the te!po interactive'y.
BPM de$au'ts to 120 %hen ARPI is s%itched on.
&he interna''y generated BPM is approAi!ate 4"ut good enough $or !ost stu$$5. -o%ever)
an eAterna' c'oc* source is reco!!ended i$ a precise BPM is needed.
12
S)nc $ 2%,5A% ,PTI,#S
Press and ho'd 3(;7- to access the G'o"a' :ptions screen.
&he g'o"a' options are
Resend received non#note channe' !essages 4e.g. Pitch "end) !od %hee'5
received in ARPIs input channe') !apped to ARPIs output channe'
Pass note !essage received on ARPIs input channe' to output %ithout changing
the channe'
Pass received non#note channe' !essages 4e.g. Pitch "end) !od %hee'5 received
in ARPIs input channe') to output %ithout changing the channe' nu!"er o$ the
!essage.
A''o% ARPI to receive MIDI synch !essages $ro! the MIDI I; port
A''o% ARPI to receive MIDI synch !essages $ro! the auA MIDI 3(;7- port
13
&he $o''o%ing ta"'e sho%s the e$$ect o$ the G'o"a' :ptions
MIDI notes $ro!
contro''er
*ey"oard are
received on the
MIDI I; soc*et
P)(( O2i3in)l Not+ g'o"a' setting is
:;
;otes are sent to MIDI :U&
on the o2i3in)l c4)nn+l on
%hich they are received
ARPIs MIDI input
c4)nn+l is set to
:M;I or !atches
the contro''er<s send
channe'
MIDI Not+
Lockout is :..
4-o'd 'ight is not
$'ashing5
Input notes are sent to
arpeggiator engine and
arpeggiated notes are sent
to ARPIs assigned output
channe'
;on#note
channe'
!essages
4pitch"end) !od
%hee' etc.5 $ro!
P)(( O2i3in)l C4)nn+l M+(()3+
g'o"a' setting is :;
Messages are sent to MIDI
:U& on the o2i3in)l
c4)nn+l on %hich they are
received
R+(+n, C4)nn+l M+(()3+ g'o"a'
setting is :;
Messages are sent to MIDI
:U& on ARPIs )((i3n+,
output c4)nn+l
MIDI 3ynch
!essage are
received on the
MIDI I; soc*et
S*nc4 52o0 IN
option is ena"'ed
S*nc4 Sou2c+
option is
9&R;A,
MIDI synch $ro! the I;
soc*et drives the
arpeggiator engine and is
sent to MIDI :U& 4i$ 3;D
option is :;5
MIDI 3ynch
!essage are
received on the
MIDI 3(;7-
soc*et
S*nc4 52o0 AUX
option is ena"'ed
S*nc4 Sou2c+
option is
9&R;A,
MIDI synch $ro! the
auAi'iary 3(;7- soc*et
drives the arpeggiator
engine and is sent to MIDI
:U& 4i$ 3;D option is :;5
Not+6 MIDI thru is handed in ARPIs $ir!%are 4there is no hard%are thru5 %hich can
cause 'atency i$ the arpeggiator engine is "usy # and possi"'y even dropped !essages in
situations o$ very high thru vo'u!e.
14
CA# $ 3I4I Channel
+hen pressed) se'ects and disp'ays the MIDI channe' $or output
I$ the 7-A; "utton is pressed and he'd $or a coup'e o$ seconds) you can S+l+ct T4+
MIDI Input C4)nn+l. By de$au't ARPI %i'' accept input $ro! any MIDI channe' 4:M;I
!ode5 "ut you can a'so se'ect a speci$ic channe') %hich a$$ects MIDI &hru "ehaviour 4see
"e'o%5
:M;I !ode is indicated "y a'' the Data Disp'ay ,Ds sho%ing "right'y. Pressing any
sing'e "utton %i'' se'ect an individua' input channe'. Pressing the sa!e "utton again %i''
restore :M;I !ode.
TRA# $ note trans(ose
&ranspose the MIDI output. Buttons represent #3. #2) #1) 0) G1) G2 through to G12
se!itones. &he de$au't 4no shi$t5 position is indicated %ith a "righter ,D.
1"
3ore A!out ,%4
-ere is everything you %anted to *no% a"out the ho'd "utton. And so!e !ore.
-:,D is
O
:ne or !ore *eys are pressed and
he'd
Arpeggiation starts $ro! "eginning
o$ pattern and p'ays i!!ediate'y.
Beat ti!e is reset
:ne or !ore *eys are re'eased $ro!
a chord "ut at 'east one *ey re!ains
he'd
Arpeggio is re"ui't "ut position in
pattern and ti!ing o$ neAt "eat are
una$$ected
:ne or !ore additiona' *eys are
pressed %hi'e a chord is he'd
.ina' *ey is re'eased Arpeggiation stops
-:,D pressed %hi'e *eys are he'd -:,D is :; using the current
chord. Pattern position and neAt
"eat ti!e are una$$ected
-:,D
is ON
:ne or !ore *eys are initia''y pressed Arpeggiation starts $ro! "eginning
o$ pattern. ;eAt "eat ti!ing is
una$$ected so the $irst step p'ays
according to the current "eat ti!e
3o!e *eys are re'eased $ro! the
chord
;o e$$ect. &he re'eased *eys
re!ain in the arpeggio
Additiona' *eys are pressed %hi'e at
'east one *ey o$ the chord re!ains
he'd
Arpeggio is re"ui't "ut position in
pattern and ti!ing o$ neAt "eat are
una$$ected
A'' *eys are re'eased ;o e$$ect
:ne or !ore *eys pressed a$ter
re'easing a'' *eys o$ the previous
chord
Arpeggio is rep'aced "ut position in
pattern and ti!ing o$ neAt "eat are
una$$ected
1&
-:,D pressed %hi'e *eys re!ain he'd A'' notes re!oved $ro! the
arpeggio eAcept any that are sti''
physica''y pressed on *ey"oard.
-:,D is :..
-:,D pressed %hi'e no *eys are he'd Arpeggiation stops. -:,D is :..
-:,D is
LASHIN7
MIDI Input ,oc* is ena"'ed. Inco!ing MIDI notes are not passed to the
arpeggiator engine
1*
3ore a!out s)nch
3:UR7 3;D
I;&R;A,
4,D is ON5
O STANDALONE
Running on interna' "eat c'oc*
Interna' "eat c'oc* is not sent to MIDI output
Inco!ing synch !essages are ignored
ON MASTER
Running on interna' "eat c'oc*
Inco!ing synch !essages are ignored
Interna' "eat c'oc* is sent to MIDI output
+hen 3;D goes $ro! :..#:; the "eat c'oc* is restarted
and MIDI restart !essage is sent to do%nstrea! devices
+hen 3;D goes $ro! :;#:.. the "eat c'oc* is stopped
and a MIDI stop !essage is sent to do%nstrea! devices
9&R;A,
4,D is
O5
O SLA!E
Re=uires eAterna' synch
Both MIDI I; and 3(;7- I; are active 4"ut on'y one shou'd
"e used to receive synch !essages at any ti!e5
Inco!ing synch !essages are not passed to output
ON SLA!E 1 THRU
Re=uires eAterna' synch
Both MIDI I; and 3(;7- I; can "e received 4"ut on'y one
shou'd "e used to receive synch !essages at any ti!e5
Inco!ing synch !essages are not passed to output
1.
Stored settings
ARPI stores the $o''o%ing settings in PR:M) %hich !eans that they are re!e!"ered
%hen the device is s%itched o$$) and used as de$au'ts neAt ti!e it is s%itched on
S+ttin3 D+5)ult
3ynch 3:UR7 setting I;&R;A,
3ynch 3;D setting :..
MIDI input channe' 4or :M;I5 setting :M;I
MIDI output channe' setting 7hanne' 1
Resend 7hanne' Message G'o"a' :ption :;
Pass :rigina' MIDI ;ote G'o"a' :ption :..
Pass :rigina' 7hanne' Message G'o"a' :ption :..
3ynch .ro! MIDI I; G'o"a' :ption :;
3ynch .ro! AuA MIDI 3(;7- Input G'o"a' :ption :;

&hese setting can "e restored to de$au't "y pressing the -:,D "utton %hen ARPI "oots
up) then %hi'e the $ir!%are version is disp'ayed press and re'ease M:D. +hen -:,D is
re'eased a'' the ,Ds shou'd $'ash "right'y indicating the settings have "een reset
1/