Tap to set the value for a step, or swipe to create an entirely new sequence. That’d be so much quicker and easier than using sliders or encoders.
Tap to edit the gate type.
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Quartet is probably a better product name for this.
(Quad sequencer, based on the Tetrapad.)
Here’s another possible interaction: To copy the values for gate, skip and slide, just tap and hold the value you want to copy, then drag across the other steps you’d like to copy it to. This would also serve as a very quick way to reset or clear a specific row (just set one to the desired value, then swipe to the others, as shown below).
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How about QUATROPOLIS?
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Yes! I’d be all for that. They can call it anything… if it happens, I’ll still buy it.
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Haha true. Whatever the name, as long as they make it.
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Is there anything else I should prototype, to show how it could work?
Yes, the three things I mentioned above.
Extra inputs, extra CV outputs, move the clock & reset jacks.
I don’t think I’m really a fan of these mockups. I use the OG just about everyday and ergonomically there is nothing else like it. If there was a Metropolis 2, I would hope all the sliders, switches and buttons stay! The great thing about the OG now is that there are no menus (other than config). It is totally performance based and playable.
Of course I wish for more channels but I think I’d rather have knobs w/ adjacent OLED microscreens rather than tetrapad style sliders. Same with pulse counts. Gate mode could be a single button row with 4 different colors. I think I would also like more stages.
I’m not sure why you separated the slide/skip into 2 rows. It works great on just 1 row now.
A new version should have a 3rd output per channel, accent, that should correspond to a new row of buttons.
Also, having a knob for clock division but not for #stages seems like a weird choice. In my setups, the aux’s are almost always assigned to steps/div and # stages, and I either have them assigned to a random voltage or a simple attenuator so I can play them along with gate/slide time.
EDIT: An added benefit of having a microscreen per stage (for note and # pulse display) is that when you transpose or change scale, you can see all the notes in each stage change simultaneously. Right now I just have to wait and see how it sounds, etc.
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@MikeLeeBirds working on some ideas now. What would the additional CV do for each sequence? Would that be for accent?
I wonder if this should only have 2 sequencers (to keep the number of patch points similar, once accent and others are added), and have a separate expander?
That means missing out on recalling sequences, missing out on having more than one sequence, and missing out on lots of other potential features. I like the physicality of the Metropolis, but it’s difficult to expand its abilities without adding more size and cost.
Because there’s space, and to allow for a simpler interaction. Also, take a look at the shortcut for copying values across the entire sequence (shown above). Why? Because it makes things better.
Accent would be great.
The steps encoder in the mockups is stages.
Maybe the best approach would be to keep the Metropolis, and add this as a new product?
Another mockup. 
- Accent added for each sequence.
- Grouped CV, gate and accent better.
- Removed aux attenuators (that would be done via the display now).
- Added aux C input.
- Renamed to “Quartet”.
It‘s a shame 16 patch jacks don’t fit across the top — that way clock and reset could be on the top row, allowing for 4 aux inputs. They probably would if it was 36HP or 38HP, but I think keeping it to 34HP is good, if possible.
How would you edit the accents? There’s a few ways that could work. I’m not sure which is best yet.
If it becomes 36HP wide, it could be a bit cleaner. Aux D can also be added.
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These mockups look great. But I think if there was a new metropolis, it would be crazy to not have more steps. 16 at least really. My biggest grumble with the original was only the 8 steps. I know you can have repeats on each step, but still…
You could have 8 sliders and a page option to scroll through steps 1-8 / 9-16 / 17 - 25 / 26 - 32 etc
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Thank you!
I completely agree! I think a way to handle that would be via pages. Each page could have 8 steps, and there could be 8 pages (because you could hold a modifier and tap a zone to change to each of the 8 pages). That could give you 64 steps for each of the 4 sequences. It could work like this.
Turning the steps encoder = changes the number of steps.
Pressing the steps encoder = jump to the steps options on the screen.
Holding the steps encoder while tapping one of the 8 areas = jump to that step page.
Those would just be shortcuts. I think the steps options and steps page selection should also be available via menu diving using the main display navigation. This means it’s discoverable, but slower, or fast via the shortcut of using the steps encoder for pressed and chorded actions. The steps don’t take up much memory, so there could really be as many as is sensible to access via the front panel.
It’d also be awesome to have some per-step randomisation.
I totally agree.
I think that also shows why using the Tetrapad input is a good way to go for the future. With the hardware sliders and switches, there’s just no way to add more features without making it massive and expensive.
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Very interesting brainstorming and good ideas! Here’s another iteration on the subject.
-Aux A-D assignable to any function by holding assign and pushing a slider. The slider works as an attenuverter.
-Mute/select/save button to swap between mute channel and select channel modes. Holding button and pressing somewhere in pulses section saves current pattern.
- Configure 1/2 & 3/4 buttons enter channel configuration pages on slider pad. Functions of each column indivated with grey text above the pad. Pitch section has controls for channel 1 or 3 and pulses section for channel 2 or 4. Slide/skip section indicates which patterns are chained together, and gate section how many times each is repeated. (Length determines overall length of sequence despite chaining.) Chaining allows for more than 16 stages.
-Configure master page has controls indicated in black text above slider pad. Values of eg BPM indicated with leds on slider pad as text. Pulses section of pad allows loading saved patterns. There could be also a swing type parameter with different profiles, and not just the basic 16th note.
-Channel buttons to swap between sequences/ to mute channels if mute mode is active. Holding a channel button and pressing a slider allows for using a cv of a channel to internally modulate parameters.
-Buttons could have leds to indicate which channel/page is active.
There’s still room for othe functions on the panel (function x)…
I’m not sure if separate accents are neccessary, one could just use one of the other channels for accents and modulation.
What do you think?
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Loving these mockups and concepts! Great ideas and discussions
One thing I would caution though is that the resolution of the touch pads is probably not fine enough to be able to comfortably fit small, precise switching. You would need a stylus to really be able to do that or a much larger and spaced out tetrapad (like a Linnstrument). Every time you lift your finger off the pad it will change the position and you would not be able to see the leds as you are setting them. So unfortunately things like the 8 position switches would probably be very hard to adjust; Also when you change direction of measurement (like the horizontal row) that would have to be isolated from the linear positioned elements. It would be fun to make a giant Metropolis in this style!
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These Tetropolis mockups look very cool. I think they lose the spirit of the Metropolis, which is aimed at that specific style of sequencing. But in return they seem more versatile, and I’d be more interested in them as a flagship/one-stop sequencer than the Metropolis.
I’d think they’d have to be able to do everything Steppy can. What about modes for the touchpads instead of showing everything at once? You could fit more steps on the panel with a dedicated gate mode. You could also do all tbe probability/ratchet/etc. modes that way.
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I agree! Apple’s done a lot of research on this for the iPhone, and they settled on about 7mm square for a comfortable touch target. Here’s a mockup that ensures the touch targets are big, and also takes a crack at reimagining things in a potential future Intellijel style that uses black PCBs.
It’s 36HP, and has accent just on the first 2 sequences. Once again, the buttons are a bit hand wavy on how they’d all work. Most would likely be mode switches, with a few exceptions that are actions (run, reset etc). They could also be in a better order.
Probability and being mode driven would be great. It’s always nice to have things immediately available, but as modules do more, modes are definitely a great way to reuse the input for lots of features. I’d definitely be all for that. I think having the screen helps with feedback, too (it’s easy to get lost without very explicit lights or text letting you know where you are).
Here’s another mockup, this time with some LEDs under the gate outputs, and with things reshuffled a bit to make more sense. Oh, and probability added, as @Minatorymodular suggested. The pitch, pulses and probability mode selection buttons are all in a row now, with the lit state matching the blue LEDs in the touch area.
Ok, time for some new mockups! I’ve switched to Rogan PT Series Round Control Knobs, rather than some quick made up thing. These are similar to the current encoders Intellijel are using, just with a white cap, that looks great with a dark module. I’ve also moved the buttons around, so they’re a lot more sensible, and added another row.
Run and Reset are actions. Seq toggles between sequences 1 to 4 (which includes pages of a sequence, if a sequence is longer than 8 steps). These all have white LEDs behind them. Run would blink with the clock pulses. Reset would blink when a reset external input is detected.
Scale, BPM and Config all jump to the relevant page on the display. These act as radio buttons (only one mode can be active at once).
Pitch, Pulse and Probability buttons jump to the relevant page for the blue touch areas.
Skip, Slide and Accent buttons jump to the relevant page for the green touch row.
Other actions and settings not mentioned would all be available via the top encoder and the display. Hopefully the GIFs below demonstrate how easy this would be to understand and use while performing.
@Danjel I really want this to exist! Please feel free to use any or all of these ideas. I realise this is now a long way from the initial Metropolis, but I do think it would be an incredible performance sequencer.
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