# 16 step drum sequencer (aka. ACME beat machine) **URL:** \ **Category:** Patches\ **Created:** [March 8, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962 "2019-03-08T15:31:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![callmesam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@callmesam](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/callmesam)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 3:31pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/1 "2019-03-08T15:31:40Z")
Major update to this patch: - Created pretty graphics for the GUI - Added an option to let you dial in 16th swing (press and hold d#5 and turn knob 4, reverb is now press and hold c#5 and knob 4) - Added samples from a volca beats unit… [https://patchstorage.com/16-step-drum-sequencer/](https://patchstorage.com/16-step-drum-sequencer/) ![image1](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/critterandguitari/original/2X/e/efe4a96ecae6a47b0d7e8b81d003b93a430945db.jpeg) ![image2](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/critterandguitari/original/2X/a/a573e9a8c7159e60fbbe7670eb87ae56123e9747.jpeg) ![image4](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/critterandguitari/original/2X/0/0344cc1db1238400d274c2c258956e1be1c8f8db.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![TonyLB](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.critterandguitari.com/tonylb/32/1776_2.png) [@TonyLB](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/TonyLB)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2019, 3:44pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/2 "2019-03-08T15:44:57Z")
Wow that’s cool !! ---
**Author:** ![callmesam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@callmesam](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/callmesam)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 3:06am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/3 "2019-03-09T03:06:19Z")
Should anybody be willing to sample his/her drum machine (that she or he has lying around) and i’d be more than happy to include additional drum machines… (or if someone has excellent **public domain** sample libraries) On a second note: I tweaked the gui a bit and made a different version. I personally feel this is simpler and better. What do you guys think? ![img1](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/critterandguitari/original/2X/e/ee37ccbb3eb00a016cdedbef220ebe2beee9b710.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![TheDeadFarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TheDeadFarmer](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/TheDeadFarmer)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2019, 4:02am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/4 "2019-03-09T04:02:26Z")
yeah! def like it more without the extra lines going through it. better imo too 😃 Also the Volca beats can make for some great samples - have some of them stored somewhere with eq and compression, though I realized in the end I was using a noisy preamp to record them - anyway, excited to try this, and ty! ---
**Author:** ![youngfamiliar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.critterandguitari.com/youngfamiliar/32/4079_2.png) [@youngfamiliar](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/youngfamiliar)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2019, 2:20pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/5 "2019-03-10T14:20:25Z")
Amaaaazing - thanks for this! I really love switching between kits for a sound variant while the sequence is running, and the C# reverb selecting is genius. It does seem like the Volca Beats samples aren’t really getting the reverb. It’s almost like the reverb is affecting the decay and at like, 50% wet. Am I mis-hearing this? The reverb seems to affect the other kits as you’d expect. Anyway, I’m having a blast with this thing! ---
**Author:** ![TonyLB](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.critterandguitari.com/tonylb/32/1776_2.png) [@TonyLB](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/TonyLB)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/6 "2019-03-13T17:30:57Z")
Cool patch 🙂 thanks @callmesam ---
**Author:** ![callmesam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@callmesam](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/callmesam)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/7 "2019-03-13T20:37:15Z")
Hey everybody, thanks to all of you for the nice feedback. I’m still not sure about the graphics and will be trying out other things before posting a new version. Will keep you posted and should I come up with a better design, will post it here. In the meantime: issues, ideas, suggestions, things to improve etc. are much appreciated. What do like? what not? what could be useful to you? > [@youngfamiliar](#): > > It does seem like the Volca Beats samples aren’t really getting the reverb. It’s almost like the reverb is affecting the decay and at like, 50% wet. Am I mis-hearing this? The reverb seems to affect the other kits as you’d expect. All the kits go through the same “signal-chain” but I think what you are hearing is the following: Currently the reverb doesn’t affect all different drum voices the same way. It mostly affects Snares, Claps and Rims, while Bass Drums & Toms just get a light splash of reverb and Hats get none. I did this to keep drums from muddying the low and high frequencies… ---
**Author:** ![youngfamiliar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.critterandguitari.com/youngfamiliar/32/4079_2.png) [@youngfamiliar](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/youngfamiliar)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2019, 8:56pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/8 "2019-03-13T20:56:12Z")
Ah, I gotcha. Good call! It probably just seems more pronounced on some kits than others. I’ve got ideas for building my own kits outta samplepacks I’ve dug up and my own samples… 🙂 Huge thanks, again – this has quickly become one of my most-used percussion patches when I sit down to write/demo/mess around! ---
**Author:** ![doctor\_dirt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e495f1/32.png) [@doctor\_dirt](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/doctor_dirt)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 4:37am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/9 "2019-03-14T04:37:12Z")
Fantastic patch thank you @callmesam! I didn’t realize that I NEEDED a nice functional step sequencer like this in my organelle library. Much appreciated. As for ideas… my brain keeps fighting to find a key for each of the 16 steps on the keyboard. Its like I hit a mental delay when I have to rotate knob 3 to shift step set. I like the playability of your earlier version that has 8 steps on the keyboard before you have to rotate to the next 8 steps. However, it would seem most playable to me if all 16 steps could be turned on/off without having to rotate a knob. I’ve been trying to imagine my ideal setup on the keyboard but can’t decide… The first 8 ‘black’ keys being the first 8 steps and the first 8 ‘white’ keys being the second 8 steps? The first 16 keys ascending chromatically in order? Steps 1-4 (C#4,D#4,F#4,G#4), steps 5-8 (C4,D4,E4,F4) steps 9-12 (C#5,D#5,F#5,G#5), steps 13-16 (C5,D5,E5,F5)?? Would this be helpful to anyone else? It would free up a knob to rotate drum kits or possibly split the efx. Just a thought after playing around for a few hours. Regardless this patch is a new fave 👍 ---
**Author:** ![TonyLB](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.critterandguitari.com/tonylb/32/1776_2.png) [@TonyLB](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/TonyLB)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2019, 6:47am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/10 "2019-03-14T06:47:02Z")
I’m totally ok with graphics. I think an individual gain for each drum sound (knob 4) would be great ! ---
**Author:** ![andy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/aeb1de/32.png) [@andy](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/andy)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 1:14am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/11 "2019-03-16T01:14:02Z")
I love it! I agree - if knob 4 altered the volume of each drum sound then that would be amazing. ---
**Author:** ![callmesam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@callmesam](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/callmesam)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/12 "2019-03-16T02:20:47Z")
> [@TonyLB](#): > > I think an individual gain for each drum sound (knob 4) would be great ! > [@andy](#): > > if knob 4 altered the volume of each drum sound then that would be amazing. Agreed! The only question is: How could we implement in the most useful way. I was thinking using all black keys from c#4 to d#5, which would give us seven keys (thereby moving reverb and swing to keys f#5 & g#5, leaving a#5 open for something like saturation or delay or something else). Currently there are more than seven drum sounds, therefore it would be necessary to group. I was thinking these two options made sense (but maybe you guys have a better idea): c#4 bass drum d#4 snare 1 f#4 snare 2 (giving you the option to dial in ghost notes) g#4 rim a#4 clap c#5 low & mid tom d#5 closed & open hihat or: c#4 bass drum d#4 snare 1&2 f#4 clap g#4 rim a#4 closed & open hihat c#5 low tom d#5 mid tom > [@youngfamiliar](#): > > I’ve got ideas for building my own kits outta samplepacks I’ve dug up and my own samples… 🙂 If you build a cool kit, I’d be more than happy to include it. (although I can’t include samples that are not public domain or belong to you). On that note, i was thinking about ways to make it easier for people to include their own custom kits. I could include two slots for custom kits and call them custom 1 & 2… maybe even changing the labeling of the drum “voices” when you select one of these kits. Last but not least: Here’s the new design I’m currently working on… ![graphics_test](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/critterandguitari/original/2X/9/9bd52aadcac7bc4bc113e628f1d6231c96fdbff4.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![callmesam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@callmesam](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/callmesam)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 2:45am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/13 "2019-03-16T02:45:10Z")
Thanks for the feedback, @doctor_dirt ! I like the idea as it would give you direct access and little to no confusion regarding which key to press to activate a step. Yet I fear that currently it would be too much work to implement it in alternative version and try it out, as I’m occupied with two other patches I’d like to get done. But maybe I’ll try it out sometime in the future… > [@doctor\_dirt](#): > > I like the playability of your earlier version that has 8 steps on the keyboard before you have to rotate to the next 8 steps. I changed the original design of the patch (from direct access to 8 steps to direct access to 4 steps) as the keyboard layout gave me little indication which step i was altering and I did often punch in the wrong step. I often got confused and I figured that the design didn’t work for me. Hopefully, the new design doesn’t make it cumbersome for you to dial in a sequence… ---
**Author:** ![youngfamiliar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.critterandguitari.com/youngfamiliar/32/4079_2.png) [@youngfamiliar](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/youngfamiliar)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 2:50am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/14 "2019-03-16T02:50:15Z")
I like the grid will the solid/empty cells! Looks really clean ---
**Author:** ![callmesam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@callmesam](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/callmesam)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2019, 12:05pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/15 "2019-03-16T12:05:42Z")
So here is a beta version of the patch with volume control for the individual drum sounds… Any thoughts? Improvements? [ACME Beat Machine.zip](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/critterandguitari/original/2X/c/c20d32b9b3a1c4d8cf1b4259fced12280c5d6152.zip) (3.6 MB) ---
**Author:** ![eoae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/51bf81/32.png) [@eoae](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/eoae)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2019, 10:12am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/16 "2019-03-19T10:12:29Z")
The new design looks amazing! And the implementation of changing the volume for each sound makes it also a lot more flexible. As great as this patch is now I think you could only do more by changing it to a multipage layout with individual volume / length / pitch / etc. for each sound… Great work! ---
**Author:** ![Vasco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ba8739/32.png) [@Vasco](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/Vasco)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2019, 9:04am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/17 "2019-04-11T09:04:28Z")
Great patch, simple and fun as it is. Only thing I’ve missed is a quick/easy way of muting each channel separately. Would be a fantastic addition to orac… ---
**Author:** ![callmesam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5fc32e/32.png) [@callmesam](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/callmesam)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/18 "2019-04-21T18:52:47Z")
Just updated the patch on patchstorage ( [https://patchstorage.com/16-step-drum-sequencer/](https://patchstorage.com/16-step-drum-sequencer/) ). New features (some were already in the beta): Adjust volume of ind. drum sounds, a tr-808 kit, dotted eight note delay and new GUI… ![IMG_1927](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/uploads/critterandguitari/original/2X/5/5c756bc3d8ed26a9f14d39519a0ac9d25b03fa3a.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![bomboy](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex035/user_avatar/forum.critterandguitari.com/bomboy/32/5576_2.png) [@bomboy](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/bomboy)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 12:09am UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/19 "2019-04-22T00:09:59Z")
Sweet! I wanted to tell you I actually used this patch in one of my ig vids! > **[John Bomboy on Instagram: “Happy #straturday . . . . . #lofi #beats...](https://www.instagram.com/p/BwfeDxAAJ-a/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=wghm3p3q6l4j)** > > 65 Likes, 1 Comments - John Bomboy (@johnbomboy) on Instagram: “Happy #straturday > . > . > . > . > . > #lofi #beats #pickupbeats” ---
**Author:** ![TheDeadFarmer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/47e85d/32.png) [@TheDeadFarmer](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/u/TheDeadFarmer)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962/20 "2019-04-22T16:34:22Z")
@callmesam this patch is absolutely _stellar_ thanks for making it 🙂 One request if you do an update - why not make the black keys take you to the page of whatever instrument whose volume you want to adjust (permanently rather than momentarily)? This would streamline things as one button press brings you to grid programing AND volume control, and would also free up a knob. I’ll also second the craving to be able to quickly/easily mute individual tracks - is it possible to do this as a key combo with the last (currently unused) key? or is this kind of behavior only possible using aux+key combo? [Next page](https://forum.critterandguitari.com/t/16-step-drum-sequencer-aka-acme-beat-machine/3962.md?page=2)