What does a Hermod add? (Pyramid owner)

Hermod
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I have a smallish (360hp) Eurorack system that Im currently sequencing with my Pyramid.

Im doing this via midi, using a Bela Salt to do midi -> cv conversion (4 voices), but I want to re-purpose the Bela Salt for other duties, so I need to replace it with Midi to CV converter.

as an aside, Im also wanting to add more modulation sources to the rack, e.g. LFOs, but also ‘midi modulation’ might be useful.

so my choices are:

  • midi cv module , fairly cheap
  • Hermod, quite a bit more expensive, more hp , but more flexible.

Im really happy with the Pyramid - I suspect most of the time I would still do the sequencing on it, so I think the Hermod would mainly be midi to cv, and modulation sequencing.

I might do some sequencing on the Hermod, but not sure its ‘adds much’, and Ive plenty of tracks etc on the Pyramid, and there are more ‘features’ (eg. patterns)
(The pyramid is sequencing other gear too… so its going to be running alongside the Hermod in most cases)

  • are others using Hermod with a Pyramid (or other sequencer) ?

  • any advantages sequencing in the Hermod? (noticeable better timing? latency?)

  • how do you configure it? usb between pyramid/hermod , midi clock from Pyramid

thoughts? is the Pyramid + Hermod a good combination or a bit of an overkill?

a couple of specific questions…

when using modulation tracks, are these still 7 bit (0…127) steps?

this sounds like it be quite ‘steppy’ to me, does the Hermod smooth these transitions? or do you do it manually with the glide fx?

what modulation options are there?

as far as i can see it’s… a) draw/record modulation b) LFOs … is that it?

what can ‘spare’ gates be used for?

as far as i can see - sequenced gates, clock output?

polyrythm/polymeter?

are these missing? looks to me like all tracks are in the same time… so your working on the same grid?!
(zoom is just zooming in/out of that grid), so you cannot say track 5 has 7 steps, and track 2 has 9 steps.
the only adjustment to this is the euclidean fx?
do all the tracks run in step time with one another ? (e.g. step 1 is always at the same time for all tracks?)

Euclidean fx

how does this work on the Hermod?, Im very familiar with it on the pyramid, so understand the parameters…
but how does it know what note to play? is it some how selecting from the notes stored on that track?

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Yeah, about spare gate channels. Can you sort of separate them entirely from a cv output and set it as a clock output?

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yes, I’ve been using the gate output of a mod track for clock without issue.

to answer my own questions above , now Ive had it for a while:

when using modulation tracks, are these still 7 bit (0…127) steps?

they are stepped, but you can use glide

what modulation options are there?

yup just what you program of LFO… it be nice to have some more.
also I wish that notes and mod tracks were treated more similarly in this regard e.g. why not allow random on it?

what can ‘spare’ gates be used for?

yup, you can sequence gates, or use for clock - I mainly use for clock (and transport) which is actually pretty useful

polyrythm/polymeter?

tracks can have different lengths, but the timing is the same i.e. there is no separate tempo.
pretty similar to pyramid, but not as long sequences, and no (fractional) offset

Euclidean fx

this is a lot of fun… and I wish this was an option on the pyramid.
(the pyramid eucidean is fun too, but this is different)

on the hermod, the euclidean fx generates gates BUT it uses the note that is currently active on the sequencer when it fires… and it only fires if the gate is also ON on the sequence.
simple example (which aren’t fun. but show how it works)

track 1, 8 length, put a euclid FX on it

now program 1 note of 8 length. playing C4
now you get what you expect C4, played using the euclidean gates.
(and pretty much how it works on the pyramid)

now change it so you have 2 notes, each of 4 in length, 1 of C4, the other G4,
now the euclid will play C4 using the euclid pattern for 4 steps, then G4 for 4, then back to C4

now change the G4, to only have a length of 2, so we have
CCCCGG–
now the euclid will play as before but it will be silent for the last 2 steps

playing with the eucid rate gives you different interactions.

Note: since the length of gate of the actual notes played is determine by the euclid fx.

its great i love it, really flexible, as it can be used to just get a rhythmic effect over an existing melody.

overall, I like the Pyramid + Hermod combo, because both are great products in their own right,
and Ive enjoyed having a sequencer in the case (more than I expected) … so sometimes use the hermod for this rather than the Pyramid.

I do think Squarp are missing some opportunities to make them work together in a kind of integrated fashion, rather than just working as two unrelated products - but that’s ok by me, as they are both great in their own right.

so sure its a bit of overkill, but Im glad ive got them both, and would do the same again :slight_smile:

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Sweet. Thanks a lot for all the info. Much appreciated. I pulled the trigger and ordered a Hermod. :slight_smile:

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just a little trick, if you link the 2 usb ports or midi ports with a cable, put a midi out plugin on a track with the cc set properly, you can use that track, or the lfo you have on that track, to modulate any other track or fx on any other track. i find it an interesting trick, so you can modulate internally and spare the jack outputs for other stuff