Kilpatrick Audio K4815 Pattern Generator Eurorack CV and MIDI Pattern Generator

As its premier offering in the modular synthesizer world, the K4815 Pattern Generator by Kilpatrick Audio packs incredible power into a 20HP Eurorack module that offers virtually unlimited creative potential for modular players. The K4815 can produce notes and varying control voltages for a wide range of musical applications. Its unique approach to music creation will have you finding melodies and rhythms you’ve never heard before. Unlike a step sequencer, where the player picks each note in a sequence, the K4815 creates sequences by combining a scale, a visual pattern (as shown on the display) and a sequence playback motion to determine the rhythms and notes that are actually played. Other parameters can adjust the note and sequence length, as well as the transposition, direction of playback, and so on.

The K4815 is fully analog and MIDI compatible. The MIDI interface is available on an internal connector and is compatible with the K1600 MIDI Converter from Kilpatrick Audio. You can even build your own MIDI interface (See: AN-1 Simple MIDI Interface for a free design). The analog connections support three inputs for connecting analog clock, and analog control of the playback direction and pattern playback reset. The CV and GATE outputs are high-performance analog outputs for controlling VCOs and envelope generators. High quality 12-bit DACs ensure accurate tuning, and jumper selectable voltage offset and trimming are provided internally to allow integration with most modular equipment.

But notes are not the only thing that can be produced with the K4815. In the alternate X/Y mode, varying voltages are produced on both the CV/X OUT and GATE/Y OUT. By using the X/Y mode, the playback position creates varying voltages and MIDI control changes which can be used as a source of modulation.

The essence of any sequencer is the clock. The K4815 has a high-stability internal clock that can generate a wide range of tempos. The unit also supports analog (5V) clock on the CLOCK IN connector or MIDI clock. When the internal or analog clock is used, MIDI signals are generated automatically, making the system a useful MIDI clock generator or converter.

Pattern Generation Concept

New ways of creating melodies and control signals help to break new ground in music and sound. The K4815 helps you explore new melodies and rhythms using a unique concept of generating patterns. Unlike random pattern generators or ones based on various mathematical concepts, the K4815 bases its music-making foundation on simple scales, visually designed patterns, and intelligently designed motions. The player can control these three elements in realtime, creating an enormous variety of sounds in a visual way that is fun to use. Everything happens on the 8×8 LED matrix, which is both a visual indicator and a conceptual view of how the system works internally. Scales, patterns and motions are all mapped to points on the matrix that show exactly what is happening.

The K4815 concept can be thought of as three distinct layers:

Scales – Underneath the 8×8 LED matrix are the notes which are assigned to each of the 64 points on the grid. The selected scale can be major or minor, large or small. These are selected with the MAJ/MIN and LARGE/SMALL switches. Only four choices might seem like a limitation, but what happens on the other two layers ultimately affects the rhythms and melodies that are produced.

Patterns – Patterns are visually designed icons, symbols and patterns which define which notes will play. They are shown in the background at all times. There are 32 patterns which can be selected with the PATTERN TYPE knob. If a point on the 8×8 LED matrix is lit, the underlying scale note is active. If the playback ball lands on that point, its note will play.

Motions – Motions define how a sequence is played. Each motion defines up to 64 steps in a sequence. Each step can land on any of the points on the 8×8 LED matrix. If a step lands on a point which is lit, a note will play. There are 64 different motions, some sequential and musically-designed, and others more abstract or geometrically-designed. By using MIDI it is possible transpose the scale, and also to start and stop motion playback with note commands, changing the K4815 into a special type of auto-arpeggiator.