Metropolix

Intellijel 34HP

fw 1.6

Multitrack, performance-oriented pitch, gate and mod sequencer. Two tracks with 8 stages, per-stage pulse count, gate type, slide, skip, ratchet, probability and accumulator. Eight assignable MOD lanes.

Patch Ideas · 20

★ Boards of Canada chord progression

MOD Lane 1 assigned to Pitch Post of both tracks, /8 clock, LEN 4, stepped values transpose the whole sequence every couple of bars while sliders stay fixed.

Walkthrough

Press MOD, turn encoder to MOD Lane 1.
In the Lane Menu set DIV=/8 and LEN=4.
Press CV (stage edit). Set stage 1=0st, 2=+2st, 3=+5st, 4=+7st with the encoder.
Hold ALT then A (or B) to open the output assignment. Assign MOD Lane 1 to Pitch Post, destination Track 1+2.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → VCO1 V/oct, Track 1 Gate → ENV1.
Patch Track 2 Pitch → VCO2 V/oct, Track 2 Gate → ENV2.
Program any 8-stage melody on the sliders, press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch and Track 2 Pitch — 1V/oct, transposed chromatically by MOD 1 every 2 bars.

Listen for The same sliders re-voiced over four moving roots — a slow I–ii–IV–V vibe. Change MOD stage values to remap the progression.

▸ Show diagram

★ Chord arpeggio within a single stage

One stage fires three ratchets and accumulates +4 semitones per ratchet, sounding a root–3rd–5th arpeggio in a single pulse.

Walkthrough

Pick a stage (e.g. stage 3). Set its GATE TYPE switch to SINGLE and PULSE COUNT to 1.
Press RATCH, then press that stage's button and turn encoder to 3.
Press ACCUM, press the stage, set amount to +4 semitones.
Hold ALT + LIM, set the accumulator limit to +7 semitones and Reset=Stage.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → VCO V/oct, Track 1 Gate → ENV → VCA.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch — 1V/oct stepped through root → +4st → +7st; Track 1 Gate — three ratchet pulses.

Listen for A fast root–major-3rd–5th arpeggio that resolves inside the beat. Swap +4/+7 to +3/+7 for a minor triad.

▸ Show diagram

★ Two-voice counterpoint from one sequence

Track 1 forward, Track 2 reverse and half speed, same sliders — instant two-voice counterpoint.

Walkthrough

Press TRK 1. Press ORDER and select Forward. Press DIV and set /1.
Press TRK 2. Press ORDER and select Forward, then press the encoder to flip DIRECTION to Reverse.
Press DIV on TRK 2 and set /2.
Program an 8-stage melody on the sliders.
Patch Track 1 Pitch/Gate → VCO1/ENV1.
Patch Track 2 Pitch/Gate → VCO2/ENV2.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch and Track 2 Pitch — 1V/oct melody running forward at /1 and backward at /2.

Listen for Two voices crossing each other from opposite ends. Shift sliders and both voices move in contrary motion.

▸ Show diagram

Generative brownian walk

Brownian order plus per-loop accumulator drift, with AUX controlling accumulator direction — a walking melody that keeps evolving.

Walkthrough

Press SCALE, pick a Major Pentatonic scale and a root you like.
Press TRK 1 then ORDER, select Brownian.
Press LEN, set STAGES=8.
Press ACCUM and for each stage set amount=+1st, Reset Trigger=Loop.
Hold ALT + LIM, set accumulator LIMIT to ±7 semitones, Polarity bi-directional.
Press X button (AUX X) and assign destination Accum Dir.
Patch LFO (slow) → X In, Track 1 Pitch/Gate → voice. Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch — pentatonic melody that wanders and transposes ±7st over time.

Listen for A drunken melody that mostly trends forward but occasionally backs up, slowly climbing then falling as the LFO flips accumulator direction.

▸ Show diagram

Live loopy performance

Track 1 plays the full 8-stage sequence; Track 2 is in Stage Player so you tap stage buttons as a keyboard for lead lines.

Walkthrough

Program an 8-stage bass line on the sliders.
Press TRK 1 and make sure ORDER=Forward, LEN=8. This is the bass track.
Press TRK 2, press LOOPY (∞). Configure Loopy Target=Current and enable Stage Player.
Patch Track 1 Pitch/Gate → Bass VCO/ENV.
Patch Track 2 Pitch/Gate → Lead VCO/ENV.
Press RUN. Tap stage buttons to play lead notes in real time.

Signal out Track 1 outputs the running bass; Track 2 Pitch/Gate fire each time you press a stage button.

Listen for A steady bass with a one-shot keyboard lead on top — instant performance layer without a MIDI controller.

▸ Show diagram

Hemiola (3 against 4)

Track 1 plays a straight 8. Track 2 uses PULSE COUNT=2 for three stages then rest to paint a 3+1 feel against it.

Walkthrough

TRK 1: sliders for kick pattern, every stage GATE TYPE=MULTI, PULSE COUNT=1.
TRK 2: stages 1–3 GATE TYPE=MULTI PULSE COUNT=2; stage 4 GATE TYPE=REST PULSE COUNT=2; LEN=4.
Patch Track 1 Gate → Kick Trig.
Patch Track 2 Gate → Snare Trig.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Gate — straight kick. Track 2 Gate — three hits then a rest in a 3+1 pulse grouping.

Listen for Snare accents fall on a 3-pulse cycle against a 4-beat kick — a rolling hemiola rhythm.

▸ Show diagram

Stutter-drop fill

Stage 6 ratchets four times in MULTI, stage 7 rests, stage 8 resumes — a programmed stumble-and-recover every bar.

Walkthrough

TRK 1: 8 stages programmed as your melody. All stages GATE TYPE=MULTI PULSE COUNT=1.
Press RATCH, press stage 6, set to 4.
Set stage 7 GATE TYPE switch to REST.
Leave stage 8 default.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → VCO, Track 1 Gate → ENV → VCA.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Gate — normal gates then a 4-ratchet burst on stage 6, silence on 7, single gate on 8.

Listen for A burst of machine-gun repeats, a dramatic drop-out, and a clean landing on stage 8 — an end-of-bar fill that feels performed.

▸ Show diagram

User-scale reharmonization

Save several User Scales inside one bank, then use MOD Lane 1 assigned to Scale (User) to step through them — every few bars the chord center changes.

Walkthrough

Press SCALE, select User Bank 1, Scale 1-1. Long-press encoder to edit notes, set it to a chord-tone scale. Exit.
Repeat for Scales 1-2, 1-3, 1-4 with different chord tones in the same key.
Press the encoder on one scale to Lock the bank (MOD LOCK icon).
Press MOD, pick MOD Lane 1. DIV=/8, LEN=4.
Assign MOD Lane 1 destination = Scale (User). Program stages 1–4 as −1V, 0V, +1V, +2V so the lane steps one scale per change.
Patch Track 1 Pitch/Gate → voice. Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch — sliders are re-quantized into a different User Scale every /8 loop.

Listen for The melody recolors into new chord tones every few bars without you touching anything — instant reharmonization.

▸ Show diagram

Swing offset between tracks

Track 1 straight, Track 2 swung — same sliders, two grooves at once.

Walkthrough

Press TRK 1, press SWING, set 50% (straight).
Press TRK 2, press SWING, set 65%.
Program your 8-stage melody on the sliders.
Patch Track 1 Pitch/Gate → VCO1/ENV1.
Patch Track 2 Pitch/Gate → VCO2/ENV2.
Press RUN.

Signal out Both track outputs carry the same notes with different micro-timing on Track 2 Gate.

Listen for Two voices locked to the same notes but one shuffles — a laid-back jazz-style rhythmic layering.

▸ Show diagram

AUX as hidden panel controls

No cables in AUX — still use X/Y/Z attenuverters as extra performance knobs by assigning each to a parameter.

Walkthrough

Press X (AUX IN). Assign destination Accum Dir.
Press Y. Assign destination Play Order.
Press Z. Assign destination Pulses Len.
Leave the AUX jacks unpatched — the attenuverter alone provides the control voltage.
Program a sequence and press RUN.
Turn X, Y, Z attenuverters during play to re-shape the sequence live.

Signal out No external output — the three AUX knobs become three live performance controls.

Listen for Three extra physical knobs on the panel that morph the pattern's direction, length and accumulator without patching anything.

▸ Show diagram

Divergent dual-voice polymetric counterpoint

Track 1 at length 7, Track 2 at length 5, same scale and clock div — phrases realign only every 35 steps.

Walkthrough

Press SCALE, pick a natural minor scale with a root you like.
Press TRK 1, press LEN, set STAGES=7.
Press TRK 2, press LEN, set STAGES=5.
Leave DIV equal on both tracks.
Program sliders so the first 7 and first 5 each make a musical phrase.
Patch Track 1 and Track 2 Pitch/Gate to two voices.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 — 7-step loop. Track 2 — 5-step loop. Both at the same clock.

Listen for Phrases drift in and out of phase with each other; a new alignment every 35 steps feels composed but isn't.

▸ Show diagram

MOD lane as filter envelope accent

MOD Lane 1 programmed as a per-stage CV curve into B Out, routed to filter cutoff — paints accents on specific steps without an AUX input.

Walkthrough

Press MOD, select MOD Lane 1. LEN=8.
Press CV, step through each stage and set voltages (e.g. +1V on accented stages, 0V elsewhere).
In the Lane Menu enable Slew (gives smooth motion between stages).
Hold ALT + B, assign MOD Lane 1 to B Out.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → VCO, Track 1 Gate → ENV → VCA.
Patch B Out → Filter Cutoff.
Press RUN.

Signal out B Out — per-stage CV curve driving cutoff. Track 1 Gate — normal rhythm gates.

Listen for Bright opening on the accented stages and darker in between, all locked to the sequence.

▸ Show diagram

Gate-toggle ratchet noise bursts

A MOD lane with CV TYPE = Gate Toggle fires only on chosen stages and drives a noise VCA — fills and hat rolls aligned to ratcheted steps of the main voice.

Walkthrough

TRK 1: program a normal pitch/gate pattern. Put RATCH=4 on stages 4 and 8.
Press MOD, pick MOD Lane 1. Hold ALT + TYPE, set CV TYPE = Gate Toggle.
Press CV and toggle stages 4 and 8 high, others low.
Hold ALT + A, assign MOD Lane 1 to A Out.
Patch Track 1 Pitch/Gate → main voice. Patch A Out → Noise VCA gate input.
Patch Noise source → Noise VCA input. Press RUN.

Signal out A Out — gate pulses only on stages 4 and 8; Track 1 outputs the main voice normally.

Listen for Bursts of noise land exactly on the ratcheted beats, like snare-roll or hat fills locked to the melody.

▸ Show diagram

Self-modulating microtonal drift

MOD Lane 2 with tiny CV values, different length than Track 1, sums into the pitch path via a precision adder — the melody drifts microtonally.

Walkthrough

TRK 1: program your melody, LEN=8.
Press MOD, select MOD Lane 2. LEN=5.
Press CV on MOD 2, set stage values small (e.g. ±50 to ±100 mV).
Hold ALT + B, route MOD Lane 2 to B Out.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → Precision Adder In 1.
Patch B Out → Precision Adder In 2.
Patch Adder Out → VCO V/oct; Track 1 Gate → ENV. Press RUN.

Signal out Precision Adder Out — Track 1 pitch with a slowly-cycling microtonal offset from MOD 2.

Listen for The same notes but slightly detuned from one pass to the next; a shimmering, alive-sounding melody that never quite repeats.

▸ Show diagram

Polyrhythmic kick and bass split

Track 1 plays a 16-step bassline, Track 2 plays a 6-step kick pattern at the same clock div — resolves every 48 steps.

Walkthrough

Press TRK 1, DIV=/1, LEN will naturally be 8; use MOD/AUX or long bass phrasing to stretch, or treat LEN=8 as a 16-pulse phrase by using MULTI stages with PULSE COUNT=2.
Press TRK 2, DIV=/1, set LEN/PULSES to deliver a 6-pulse loop (e.g. LEN=3 with PULSE COUNT=2, or LEN=6 with PULSE COUNT=1).
Slider values on TRK 1 = bass notes; slider values ignored on TRK 2 (we only use its gate).
Patch Track 1 Pitch → Bass VCO, Track 1 Gate → Bass ENV.
Patch Track 2 Gate → Kick Trig.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 — bass pitch + gate. Track 2 Gate — kick trigger every 6 pulses.

Listen for The kick walks a 6-pulse cycle against a 16-pulse bassline; downbeats coincide only every 48 pulses.

▸ Show diagram

Acid slide with MOD-driven resonance sweep

Per-stage SLIDE for a 303 glide, MOD 1 drives filter resonance, MOD 2 drives VCA accents — all in-box programming for an acid lead.

Walkthrough

TRK 1: program pitches. Press SLIDE and toggle it on for stages 2, 5 and 7.
Press SLIDE TIME, dial in around 40.
Press MOD, MOD Lane 1. Program a rising CV ramp across 16 pulses. Route MOD 1 → A Out.
MOD Lane 2: short CV pulses on every stage (accents). Route MOD 2 → B Out.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → VCO. VCO → Resonant LPF → VCA.
Track 1 Gate → ENV → VCA CV. A Out → LPF Resonance. B Out → VCA CV.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch — gliding acid line. A Out — resonance ramp. B Out — per-step VCA accents.

Listen for A squelchy 303 lead where resonance opens across the phrase and each step punches with its own accent.

▸ Show diagram

Convergent chord stabs on two VCOs

Track 1 drives VCO1, Track 2 drives VCO2 transposed up a fifth via Pitch Post; OR their gates so either track fires a shared envelope.

Walkthrough

Press TRK 1, program the melody.
Press TRK 2, program same or different sliders.
On TRK 2 press the Track Menu → Transpose, set +7 semitones (or use MOD/AUX Pitch Post +7).
Add RATCH=2 on a couple of stages on one track for flams.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → VCO1, Track 2 Pitch → VCO2.
Sum both Gate outputs with an OR/MAX logic module → single ENV → shared VCF/VCA.
Mix VCO1 + VCO2 into the VCF. Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch and Track 2 Pitch — two-note stab. OR Out — one fused gate.

Listen for Stacked fifths playing as chord stabs; flams on ratchet stages add human feel.

▸ Show diagram

AUX as clocked Turing reset

MOD Lane 1 in Gate-Toggle mode fires only on stage 1 of a long phrase, resetting a Turing Machine so its randomness locks to the phrase boundary.

Walkthrough

Press MOD, MOD Lane 1. Hold ALT + TYPE, CV TYPE = Gate Toggle.
Press CV, toggle stage 1 high, all others low. LEN=8.
Hold ALT + A, route MOD Lane 1 to A Out.
Patch Track 1 Pitch/Gate → main voice.
Patch A Out → Turing Machine Clock or Reset input.
Patch Turing CV Out → VCO2 V/oct, Track 2 Gate → ENV2.
Press RUN.

Signal out A Out — single gate on step 1 of every phrase. Turing CV — randomness that now resets in phase with Track 1.

Listen for A random texture that mutates but always comes back to the same moment of the phrase — unpredictable but in time.

▸ Show diagram

MOD-driven wavefolder timbre evolution

MOD Lane 1 runs its own 5-step sequence into a wavefolder while Track 1 plays an 8-step melody — timbre and pitch slide out of phase.

Walkthrough

TRK 1: melodic pitch pattern, LEN=8.
Press MOD, MOD Lane 1. LEN=5.
Press CV, set each MOD 1 stage to a different voltage (0V … +5V).
Hold ALT + A, route MOD 1 to A Out.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → VCO → Wavefolder → VCA → output.
Patch A Out → Wavefolder Fold CV. Track 1 Gate → ENV → VCA.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 Pitch — melody. A Out — a 5-step fold amount CV.

Listen for The same pitch returns with a different timbre each time, because the fold sequence is shorter than the pitch sequence.

▸ Show diagram

Buzz-roll fill with pitch dive

Last two stages ratchet x8, slide, descend in pitch; MOD 1 shortens the decay on those stages — an end-of-phrase drum roll that pitches down.

Walkthrough

TRK 1: program 8 pitches. Raise stages 7 and 8 sliders higher than the others and tilt them downward; enable SLIDE on both stages.
Press RATCH, press stage 7 and 8, set both to 8.
Press MOD, MOD 1. Set stages 7–8 to a low CV (for short decay), others to a high CV.
Hold ALT + B, route MOD 1 to B Out.
Patch Track 1 Pitch → Drum/VCO pitch CV. Track 1 Gate → Drum trigger.
Patch B Out → ENV Decay CV.
Press RUN.

Signal out Track 1 — main rhythm with rapid ratchets on the last two stages. B Out — decay CV that dips on the roll.

Listen for A buzz-roll that dives pitch-wise into the loop — a classic fill without programming a separate drum machine.

▸ Show diagram

Behaviors

Two Independent Tracks always

Tracks share the same 8 sliders but interpret them independently. Each has its own order, length, division, swing, slide, and gate settings. Different clock divisions create instant counterpoint.

MOD Lanes MOD button

Eight CV/gate lanes with their own stage values, order, length, and clock div. Assignable to any OUT jack or internal parameter. The key to chord progressions and parameter automation.

Accumulator per-stage ACCUM button

Cumulative pitch offset that grows each pulse, stage, or loop. Direction (up/down/freeze) and polarity assignable to AUX or mod lane. Limit sets ceiling before wrap or stop.

Loopy Mode LOOPY button + stage buttons

Two-finger: hold two stages to loop between them instantly. One-finger on Track 2: Stage Player keyboard mode — each press plays that stage's pitch once. Shift loop region while held.

Ratchet Modes per-stage RATCH button (with Gate Stretching ON)

MULTIPLY: ratchet count fits across the pulse count, so repeat rate tracks gate length. PULSE: all ratchets play within one clock pulse at a constant rate — classic ratchet. GATED: rate is fixed (one pulse per ratchet unit) but the total count stretches with gate length.

Gate Types per-stage 4-position switch

HOLD: ties gate through consecutive stages (legato). MULTI: gate per pulse (staccato). SINGLE: one gate regardless of pulse count (sustained). REST: silence, pitch still advances.

Brownian Order ORDER menu

50% chance forward, 25% stay, 25% back. Sequence wanders but trends forward. Combined with scale quantize and accumulator limits, produces melodies that feel improvised.

Track Output Swap Trk Out Swap via AUX, MOD lane, or CTRL

Swaps Track 1 and Track 2 pitch/gate outputs instantly. Melody goes to bass voice, bass to melody. Assignable to AUX for a live crossfade surprise.

Pitch Pre vs Pitch Post mod lane or AUX assignment

Pitch Pre: modulates before the quantizer so output stays in the chosen scale (good for in-scale transposition). Pitch Post: adds 1V/oct chromatic offset after the quantizer, so pitches can land outside the scale.

Preset Chaining preset load

64 presets (8 banks x 8) chainable in sequence. Chain Follow auto-advances after N loops. Use for song structures with distinct verse/chorus patterns.

Controls

Stages 1–8	Pitch Sliders	Set default pitch per stage. Range and root configurable per track. 1–4 octave range · scale-quantized · overridable per stage
Stages 1–8	Pulse Count	8-position switch sets how many clock pulses each stage holds. 1–8 pulses · interacts with Gate Type and Ratchet
Stages 1–8	Gate Type	4-position switch: HOLD, MULTIPLE, SINGLE, or REST. HOLD=tied · MULTIPLE=gate per pulse · SINGLE=one gate · REST=silent
Global	CTRL 1 / CTRL 2	Assignable performance knobs for real-time modulation of any parameter. User-assignable destination · takes effect immediately
Screen	Encoder	Push-encoder for navigating and editing on-screen parameters. Turning it on HOME scrolls through 4 HOME screens. Turn to scroll · press to select/confirm · long-press for edit modes
Transport	RUN	Start or stop sequencer playback. Configurable as Run/Pause or Run/Stop in SETUP
Transport	LOOPY (∞)	Enters Loopy performance mode for live loop manipulation. 1-finger or 2-finger loopy · Stage Player sub-mode
Transport	RESET	Returns sequence to starting stage. Long-press sets GATE outputs to 0V. Global or per-track · responds to RESET IN jack
Global Settings	SETUP	Opens global setup menu: clock source, MIDI, presets, display settings. Clock = Internal or External
Global Settings	BPM	Sets internal clock tempo. Tap-tempo supported · range varies
Global Settings	SCALE	Assigns quantization scale and root note to pitch sliders. 35 traditional scales + 14 chord shapes + 100 user scales (10 banks of 10)
Track Settings	ORDER	Sets playback order of stages (forward, reverse, ping-pong, random, etc.). Multiple order modes · customizable shortcuts
Track Settings	LEN	Sets number of active stages in the sequence. 1–8 stages
Track Settings	DIV	Sets clock division for the track relative to master clock. Multiple divisions available
Track Settings	SWING	Adds swing/shuffle timing to the track. 50% = straight · 50–78% swing range
Track Settings	SLIDE	Sets portamento (slide) time for the track. Track-level global slide time · 0–100
Track Settings	GATE (Track)	Sets global gate percentage length for MULTIPLE/SINGLE gate types. % of clock pulse · overridable per stage
Stage Buttons	SLIDE (Stage)	Enables portamento slide into the selected stage. Per-stage on/off
Stage Buttons	SKIP	Skips the selected stage during playback. Per-stage on/off
Stage Buttons	PITCH (Stage)	Overrides slider pitch with a specific note value for the stage. Per-stage pitch override · independent of slider
Stage Buttons	GATE (Stage)	Overrides track gate length for the selected stage. Per-stage gate percentage
Stage Buttons	RATCH	Adds ratcheting (note repeats) within a stage's pulse count. Per-stage · up to 8 · interacts with Gate Stretching
Stage Buttons	PROB	Sets probability that a stage will play on any given pass. Per-stage · 0–100%
Stage Buttons	ACCUM	Cumulative pitch transposition that grows each time stage is visited. Per-stage · polarity, range, and order configurable
Stage Buttons	CV	Assigns a CV value or gate-toggle voltage to a stage for MOD/AUX output. CV Type = CV Value or Gate Toggle
ALT Buttons	ALT (LOAD/SAVE/A/B/CLK/MX/LIM/TYPE)	Hold ALT then press stage button to access alternate functions. LOAD/SAVE presets · A/B output assign · CLK div · MX expander · LIM accum · TYPE cv
Track Buttons	TRK 1 / TRK 2 / MOD	Selects which track or MOD lane is currently being edited. TRK 1 and TRK 2 are pitch/gate tracks · MOD selects one of 8 mod lanes
Screen	EXIT	Exits current menu and returns to HOME screen. At HOME, rotate encoder to cycle through 4 HOME screens
AUX IN	X / Y / Z Attenuverters	Scale and invert the three AUX CV inputs before they modulate assigned parameters. CCW = attenuated/inverted · CW = unity · center = zero

I/O

IN · 5

Clock In gate/trigger GATE

External clock input to sync sequencer to outside source
Reset In trigger GATE

Trigger resets sequence to start stage (reconfigurable as RUN in SETUP)
X In -5V to +5V CV

AUX CV input assignable to any sequencer parameter
Y In -5V to +5V CV

AUX CV input, identical in function to X In
Z In -5V to +5V CV

AUX CV input, identical in function to X In

OUT · 7

A Out depends on assignment GATE

User-assignable output A: pitch, gate, clock, or mod signal
B Out depends on assignment GATE

User-assignable output B: pitch, gate, clock, or mod signal
Clock Out gate GATE

Divided clock output from internal or external clock source
Track 1 Pitch 1V/oct

1V/oct pitch output for Track 1 (swappable with Track 2 via Trk Out Swap)
Track 1 Gate 0–5V GATE

Gate output for Track 1 (off = 0V, on = +5V)
Track 2 Pitch 1V/oct

1V/oct pitch output for Track 2 (swappable with Track 1 via Trk Out Swap)
Track 2 Gate 0–5V GATE

Gate output for Track 2 (off = 0V, on = +5V)

Expanders

Gx 4HP

4HP active expander for Metropolix. Adds 8 gate/trigger/clock jacks assigned from Metropolix's MX menu (Transport, Prob Clocks, Mod Clocks, Stage Num, Mod Stage Num). Connects via I²C cable plus its own bus-board power. Incompatible with Metropolix Backpack.

Behaviors

I²C expander (requires host + power) 6-pin I²C cable to Metropolix, separate 10-pin power cable to bus board

Gx is an active module: it needs its own 10-pin power connection to the eurorack bus board AND a 6-pin I²C cable to the Metropolix's I²C port on the back. Always power down before connecting/disconnecting the I²C cable. Not compatible with the Metropolix Backpack — you can install one or the other, not both.

MX EXPANDER — Transport A / B / C ALT + MX on Metropolix → MX EXPANDER = Transport A/B/C

Jacks 1–2 carry global Run gate and Reset trigger. Jacks 3–8 carry a bank of clock divisions/multiples of Metropolix's master clock. A: /1, /2, /4, /4+2-offset, /8, /16. B: /1, /3, /4, /5, /8, /16. C: x4, x2, x1, /2, /4, /8. MX ASSIGN is ignored in these modes.

MX EXPANDER — Prob Clocks ALT + MX → MX EXPANDER = Prob Clocks

Jacks 1–4 emit an x1 clock at 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% probability respectively. Jacks 5–8 emit a /2 clock at 100%, 75%, 50%, 25% probability. Useful for generative rhythms.

MX EXPANDER — Mod Clocks ALT + MX → MX EXPANDER = Mod Clocks

Jacks 1–8 output the clock for Metropolix MOD Lanes 1–8 respectively, each following that lane's CLOCK DIV setting on the DIV screen. MX ASSIGN is ignored.

MX EXPANDER — Stage Num ALT + MX → MX EXPANDER = Stage Num, MX ASSIGN = Track 1 or Track 2

Each jack 1–8 emits a gate that is high while the correspondingly numbered stage is playing on the selected Track. Not affected by Metropolix's Gate Length settings. Muted Track → gates also muted. With Loopy on + sequencer stopped, Stage Player button presses fire the matching stage gates.

MX EXPANDER — Mod Stage Num ALT + MX → MX EXPANDER = Mod Stage Num, MX ASSIGN = MOD Lane 1–8

Each jack 1–8 emits a gate that is high while the correspondingly numbered stage plays on the selected MOD Lane. Muted MOD Lane → gates also muted. Useful for stage-synchronous triggers on mod-lane timelines.

Gx vs Qx module selection

Metropolix supports either Gx or Qx as its expander (not both). Both are 8-jack gate/trigger/clock expanders; the manual treats them identically for all seven MX modes. This sheet applies to the Gx.

Patch Ideas · 4

Global transport fan-out (Transport A)

MX EXPANDER = Transport A · Gx 1 Run + Gx 2 Reset drive downstream sequencers · Gx 3–8 = /1, /2, /4, /4+2, /8, /16 clock tree for percussion and modulators

▸ Show diagram

Probabilistic hats & perc (Prob Clocks)

MX EXPANDER = Prob Clocks · Gx 1–4 = x1 clock at 100/75/50/25% → layered hi-hats · Gx 5–8 = /2 clock at 100/75/50/25% → sparse percussion

▸ Show diagram

Stage-gated events (Stage Num, Track 1)

MX EXPANDER = Stage Num · MX ASSIGN = Trk 1 · Gx 1–8 fire only while stage 1–8 plays on Track 1 · route to scene-change triggers or sample choke

▸ Show diagram

Per-MOD-lane clocking (Mod Clocks)

MX EXPANDER = Mod Clocks · each Gx jack = its MOD lane's CLOCK DIV · use as 8 independently-divided clocks for envelopes, LFOs, sequencers

▸ Show diagram

I/O

OUT · 8

1 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 1. Function is set globally on Metropolix via ALT + MX. Depending on MX EXPANDER mode this carries: Run gate (Transport A/B/C), x1 clock at 100% probability (Prob Clocks), MOD Lane 1 clock (Mod Clocks), a stage-1 gate for the assigned Track (Stage Num) or MOD lane (Mod Stage Num).
2 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 2. MX-assigned. Typical modes: Reset trigger (Transport A/B/C), x1 clock at 75% probability (Prob Clocks), MOD Lane 2 clock, or stage-2 gate.
3 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 3. MX-assigned. Typical modes: /1 clock (Transport A/B), x4 clock (Transport C), x1 clock at 50% probability, MOD Lane 3 clock, or stage-3 gate.
4 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 4. MX-assigned. Typical modes: /2 clock (Transport A), /3 clock (Transport B), x2 clock (Transport C), x1 clock at 25% probability, MOD Lane 4 clock, or stage-4 gate.
5 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 5. MX-assigned. Typical modes: /4 clock (Transport A/B), x1 clock (Transport C), /2 clock at 100% probability, MOD Lane 5 clock, or stage-5 gate.
6 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 6. MX-assigned. Typical modes: /4 clock +2 offset (Transport A), /5 clock (Transport B), /2 clock (Transport C), /2 clock at 75% probability, MOD Lane 6 clock, or stage-6 gate.
7 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 7. MX-assigned. Typical modes: /8 clock (Transport A/B), /4 clock (Transport C), /2 clock at 50% probability, MOD Lane 7 clock, or stage-7 gate.
8 0V / +5V gate GATE

Gate/trigger/clock output 8. MX-assigned. Typical modes: /16 clock (Transport A/B), /8 clock (Transport C), /2 clock at 25% probability, MOD Lane 8 clock, or stage-8 gate.

Patch Ideas · 20

Behaviors

Controls

I/O

▸ IN · 5

◂ OUT · 7

Expanders

Behaviors

Patch Ideas · 4

I/O

◂ OUT · 8

IN · 5

OUT · 7

OUT · 8