May 10, 2022
by Graeme Rawson
Introducing Tempo Division
With M-Tron MkII 1.1 we’re introducing a major new feature, Tempo Division. With Tempo Division you can now slow down the playback speeds of rhythms and accompaniments in exact steps related to your host’s tempo. Allow you to combine different playback speeds to create new textures, mix and match rhythms and create deeper, more complex compositions with M-Tron MkII. All whilst staying in time with your DAW.
Tutorial with Dave Spiers
M-Tron MkII 1.1 is a free update for registered users, download it now from your account.
4 Things to Try
Ultra slow cinematic textures
Set a super slow tempo by dividing down to a 1/4, or even 10%. Load up an orchestral sound like Moving Strings and drape it in bucket loads of reverb and delay to create super slow orchestral movements with instant nostalgia and cinematic scope.
Split Polyrhythms
Using dual R/A mode, load two rhythms into M-Tron MkII, leave one side at full speed (1/1) and set one side to a fractional division like a 1/3 or just a 1/2. Filter the bass from one side and the highs from the other to divide the frequencies so you can get the hats and top percussion on one and the bass and drum hits from the other.
Fatter Chords
Using dual R/A mode again, set a “chords” patch into both left and right manual. These patches contain a continuous chord on each key. Set each side to a different tempo division so that the playback speeds for each side fatten up the chord to create a deeper, more orchestral, pad. Go a step further and pitch one side up or down an octave or a fifth.
Plucking Complex Patterns
Load up a transient sound into each side of M-Tron MkII, pizz strings are good, or the marimba chords. Now use tempo division to set the playback speeds differently on each side. If you have the marimba chords, go really slow! Half on the “in time” side and maybe a strange percentile on the other. With a bit of panning and reverb this creates complex, unpredictable plucking patterns.
