Bard Quartet

Shakmat Modular 10HP
fw 1.1
QUANTIZER SEQUENCER

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Quad programmable quantizer with integrated keyboard interface. Four channels, 8 harmonies, 10 memory slots. Supports microtuning, arpeggiator, channel grouping, and harmony progressions for full song structures.

Patch Ideas · 18

Harmonic progression sequencer
LFO or sequencer drives HRMN CV to walk 8 chord positions while all 4 channels quantize a shared melody line.
Walkthrough
  1. On each channel (press Channel button 1, program scale, then 2, 3, 4): program the 8 harmonies on each channel to form chord voicings (e.g. CH 1 = root, CH 2 = 3rd, CH 3 = 5th, CH 4 = 7th).
  2. Press Edit + µTune to open Options; confirm F# on keyboard is ON for channels you DON'T want interaction (independent quantizing).
  3. Patch a slow sequencer or LFO → HRMN (Harmony CV input, jack 6).
  4. Patch your pitch CV source → IN 1 (jack 3).
  5. Mult the same pitch CV → IN 2, IN 3, IN 4 so all four channels quantize the same note against their respective harmonies.
  6. Patch OUT 1 → VCO 1 V/Oct, OUT 2 → VCO 2, OUT 3 → VCO 3, OUT 4 → VCO 4.
  7. Advance the HRMN sequencer slowly (one step every bar) and watch the Harmony LED ring 1–8 cycle.
  8. Mix the four VCOs to hear chord changes underneath the melody.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — four quantized V/Oct pitch CVs, -3 to +7V, voicing changes with HRMN position.
Listen for Melody-over-chord: one shared note line played on four voices whose individual pitches shift each harmony step, producing a I-vi-IV-V style progression as HRMN walks 1→8.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 6 connections. Modules: BARD QUARTET, Sequencer, VCO 1, VCO 2, VCO 3, VCO 4. Signals: 1 cv, 5 pitch.BARD QUARTETSequencerVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 4Harmony CVcvIN 11v/octOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octCVcvPitch1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/oct11. advances 8 chord positionscvpitch
Polyphonic arp
All four channels run as independent arpeggiators clocked at IN 1–4; TRSP transposes the whole quartet.
Walkthrough
  1. Press ARPG (button F) to enter the Arpeggiator menu — ARPG LED lights solid.
  2. Hold Channel button 1 and press ARPG to turn CH 1 into an arpeggiator (channel LED blinks). Repeat for channels 2, 3, 4.
  3. In the Arp menu, use the keyboard column to pick Mode (Up ▲ / Down ▼ / Pendulum / Spiral / Random) and octave spread 1–4 per channel/harmony.
  4. Press ARPG again to exit the menu.
  5. Program the scale on each channel — these become the notes the arp walks.
  6. Patch a clock → IN 1 (jack 3). Mult the same clock to IN 2, IN 3, IN 4 (arp clocks replace CV).
  7. Patch an LFO or keyboard → TRSP (jack 4) and set Edit > Transpose = PRE or OCT per channel to taste.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 to four VCOs' V/Oct inputs.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — four stepped quantized arp lines, -3 to +7V, advancing on each IN clock edge.
Listen for Four arpeggios moving at the clock rate, each tracing its own scale + mode + spread; TRSP shifts the entire quartet up/down without breaking the scale.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 7 connections. Modules: BARD QUARTET, Clock, LFO, VCO 1, VCO 2. Signals: 1 cv, 2 pitch, 4 clock.BARD QUARTETClockLFOVCO 1VCO 2ARPG: enabled on CH 1-4IN 1clkIN 2clkIN 3clkIN 4clkTRSPcvOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOutclkCVcvV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/oct11. transposes all channelscvpitchclock
Shift register melody
CH 1 carries a live melody; CH 2–4 echo it one gate-edge behind via A# Shift Register option.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Edit (button D). On the keyboard, press the GT IN column button for channels 2, 3, 4 so GT IN is assigned to each (required for Shift Register).
  2. Press Edit + µTune together to open Options. Select CH 2, press keyboard A# — LED confirms Shift Register ON. Repeat for CH 3 and CH 4.
  3. Press Edit + µTune again to exit Options.
  4. Program the same scale on CH 1–4 (or different scales for stylized harmonization).
  5. Leave IN 2, IN 3, IN 4 UNPATCHED — 0V is required at those inputs for Shift Register to engage.
  6. Patch your pitch-CV sequencer → IN 1 (jack 3).
  7. Patch a clock → GT IN (jack 2) — each rising edge shifts CH 1 → CH 2 → CH 3 → CH 4.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 to four VCOs; mix with short envelopes to hear the cascade.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — cascading pitches, -3 to +7V; OUT n = OUT n-1 from the previous GT IN clock.
Listen for A single melody smeared across four voices like a tape-loop delay made of pitches: CH 1 sings the current note, CH 2 sings the previous, CH 3 the one before that, CH 4 four steps behind.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 7 modules and 6 connections. Signals: 5 pitch, 1 gate.BARD QUARTETSequencerClockVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 4CH 2-4: A# shift register modeIN 11v/octGate InputgateOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octPitch1v/octGategateV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/oct11. advances shift registerpitchgate
★ SATB Vocal Quartet (Bass/Tenor/Alto/Soprano)
Four-part chorale: each of the 8 harmonies stores a root-position 4-note chord, HRMN CV walks the song, GT IN fires Track & Hold.
Walkthrough
  1. Plan your progression (e.g. I-IV-V-vi-ii-V-I-V) and set Harmony pot to position 1.
  2. Press Channel button 1, program CH 1 to the bass note of chord I using keyboard buttons. Repeat for CH 2 = tenor, CH 3 = alto, CH 4 = soprano.
  3. Turn Harmony pot to position 2 and program the 4 voices for chord IV; repeat for all 8 harmonies.
  4. Press Edit, then on the keyboard enable GT IN for all 4 channels so GT IN acts as Track & Hold per voice.
  5. Patch a slow CV sequencer (8 steps, ±5V) → HRMN (jack 6) to walk the progression.
  6. Patch a clock → GT IN (jack 2) — each rising edge latches the current chord.
  7. Patch OUT 1 → Bass VCO, OUT 2 → Tenor VCO, OUT 3 → Alto VCO, OUT 4 → Soprano VCO.
  8. Patch TRIG OUT (jack 1) → envelope trigger so each note-change re-articulates all four voices.
  9. Leave IN 1–4 unpatched — the programmed scales output the root-position notes directly.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — four V/Oct chorale voices, -3 to +7V; TRIG OUT pulses on note change.
Listen for A chord-by-chord chorale: bass walks the tonic, tenor/alto/soprano move in strict four-part voicings as HRMN advances. TRIG OUT re-bowing all voices on each chord change for articulated changes.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 4 pitch, 1 gate, 1 trigger.BARD QUARTETSequencerClockBass VCOTenor VCOAlto VCOSoprano VCOEnvelopeArp: OFF · 8 harmonies = 4-note chord voicingsHRMNcvGategateOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octTRIGtrigOutcvOutgateV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octTrigtrig11. retrigger all voicescvpitchgatetrigger
★ Harmonic Orbit (HRMN-driven progression)
Slow LFO sweeps 8 harmonies programmed as I-vi-IV-V-iii-IV-ii-V; lead on CH 1 rides over S&H pads on CH 2–4.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Edit + µTune to open Options; press keyboard C (Sample & Hold) so GT IN reacts to rising edges instead of levels. Exit Options.
  2. With Harmony pot at position 1, program CH 1 = melody scale (e.g. C major), CH 2/3/4 = chord tones for I (C-E-G).
  3. Advance Harmony pot to position 2, re-program chord tones for vi (A-C-E); repeat for positions 3–8 covering I-vi-IV-V-iii-IV-ii-V.
  4. Press Edit, enable GT IN on CH 2, CH 3, CH 4 only (leave CH 1 Track & Hold OFF so the lead tracks freely).
  5. Patch a slow LFO (period = 8 bars) → HRMN (jack 6).
  6. Patch your melody sequencer → IN 1 (jack 3) — this drives the lead.
  7. Patch a bar-rate clock → GT IN (jack 2) — latches pad voicings once per chord change.
  8. Patch OUT 1 → Lead VCO, OUT 2–4 → three Pad VCOs.
Signal out OUT 1 — continuous quantized lead, -3 to +7V; OUT 2–4 — S&H pad voicings that update on clock rising edge.
Listen for A flowing lead line over a drifting 8-chord cycle: the lead moves in time with the sequencer while the pad voicings shift on each clock edge, creating the classic cinematic loop.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 5 pitch, 1 gate.BARD QUARTETSlow LFOSequencerClockLead VCOPad VCO 1Pad VCO 2Pad VCO 3Harmonies 1-8: I-vi-IV-V-iii-IV-ii-VHRMNcvIN 11v/octGategateOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octOutcvOut1v/octOutgateV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/oct11. S&H padscvpitchgate
Shift Register Chord Crawler
CH 1 receives a melody; A# Shift Register cascades it to CH 2–4 with octave offsets via the Edit-menu Octave column.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Edit + µTune to enter Options; enable A# (Shift Register) on CH 2, CH 3, CH 4. Exit Options.
  2. Press Edit (D). On the keyboard OCT column, set CH 1 = 0, CH 2 = +0 (same), CH 3 = +1, CH 4 = +2 (or any inversion offsets you want). Exit Edit.
  3. Also in Edit, enable GT IN on CH 2, CH 3, CH 4 (required for Shift Register triggering).
  4. Program the same scale on all four channels so the shifted notes remain in key.
  5. Leave IN 2, IN 3, IN 4 UNPATCHED (0V required for Shift Register engagement).
  6. Patch your pitch sequencer → IN 1 (jack 3).
  7. Patch a clock → GT IN (jack 2) — each rising edge walks the shift register CH 1→2→3→4.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 to a 4-in mixer, sum to one audio bus for rolling voicing texture.
Signal out Mixer sum of OUT 1–4 — a four-note rolling voicing that refreshes on each GT IN pulse.
Listen for A self-harmonizing melody: each note you play gets picked up by the next channel one clock later at a different octave, stacking into a four-note moving voicing.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 6 connections. Modules: BARD QUARTET, Sequencer, Clock, Mixer. Signals: 4 audio, 1 pitch, 1 gate.BARD QUARTETSequencerClockMixerCH 2-4: A# shift register · octaves +0/+5/+7/+12IN 11v/octGategateOUT 1audioOUT 2audioOUT 3audioOUT 4audioOut1v/octOutgateIn 1audioIn 2audioIn 3audioIn 4audio11. rising edge shiftsaudiopitchgate
Polytonal Quartet (4 keys at once)
Each channel locked to a different key center for deliberate polytonal drift — no TRSP, no grouping, no channel interaction.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Edit + µTune to enter Options; confirm F# (No Interaction) is ON for CH 2, CH 3, CH 4 so channels stay fully independent. Exit Options.
  2. Press Channel 1 and program a C major scale on the keyboard.
  3. Press Channel 2 and program F# major (the tritone against C).
  4. Press Channel 3 and program Bb Dorian.
  5. Press Channel 4 and program E minor pentatonic.
  6. Patch four free-running LFOs (different rates) → IN 1, IN 2, IN 3, IN 4.
  7. Leave TRSP unpatched so the polytonal relationships never collapse.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 to four VCOs and send each through its own filter/VCA chain.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — four independent quantized CVs each locked to its own key, -3 to +7V.
Listen for Four voices that never share a tonal center: brief consonances emerge when unrelated LFOs cross, but the overall effect is shimmering polytonal ambiguity.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 9 modules and 8 connections. Signals: 4 cv, 4 pitch.BARD QUARTETLFO 1LFO 2LFO 3LFO 4VCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 4CH1=C maj · CH2=F# maj · CH3=Bb Dor · CH4=E min pent: IN 1cvIN 2cvIN 3cvIN 4cvOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octOutcvOutcvOutcvOutcvV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octcvpitch
★ Parallel Harmonizer (Root/3rd/5th/Octave)
Melody CV multed to all four channels; same scale but with degree offsets baked into each channel's programmed notes.
Walkthrough
  1. On CH 1, program your home scale (e.g. C major).
  2. On CH 2, program the same scale but with each key shifted up a 3rd (D→F, E→G, etc.) so CH 2 quantizes to a third above.
  3. On CH 3, program the scale shifted up a 5th; on CH 4, program it shifted up an octave.
  4. Press Edit + µTune; confirm F# (No Interaction) ON for CH 2–4 so multed CVs quantize independently per channel.
  5. Patch your melody VCO's CV → a 1-to-4 mult.
  6. Patch mult outs → IN 1, IN 2, IN 3, IN 4.
  7. Turn the Harmony pot slowly while playing to morph between I/IV/V chord-quality banks across all 8 harmonies you programmed.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 → four VCOs, mix to one channel.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — root / 3rd / 5th / octave of the same melody, each -3 to +7V.
Listen for A four-voice parallel harmony following the melody line in lock-step; turning HRMN re-colors all four voices to whatever chord-bank you programmed into that harmony slot.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 7 modules and 9 connections. Signals: 1 audio, 8 pitch.BARD QUARTETMelody VCOMultVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 4Same scale all CH · offsets +0/+3rd/+5th/+oct: IN 11v/octIN 21v/octIN 31v/octIN 41v/octOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octCVaudioInaudioOut11v/octOut21v/octOut31v/octOut41v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octaudiopitch
Arp + 3 Drones
CH 1–3 hold root/3rd/5th per harmony, CH 4 arpeggiates the same chord; HRMN sequencer walks progression; TRIG OUT doubles as drum accent.
Walkthrough
  1. Program CH 1 = root, CH 2 = 3rd, CH 3 = 5th for all 8 harmonies, forming triads.
  2. Press ARPG, hold Channel 4 + ARPG to turn CH 4 into an arpeggiator (LED blinks).
  3. In the Arp menu, set CH 4 Mode = Up (▲) and Octave Spread = 2; press ARPG again to exit.
  4. Press Edit; assign TRIG OUT to CH 4 (or CH 1 — keyboard T OUT column) so drums trigger from note-changes on that channel.
  5. Leave IN 1, IN 2, IN 3 unpatched — the scale's root output sits on OUT 1–3.
  6. Patch a clock → IN 4 (jack 3) — advances the arp.
  7. Patch a slow sequencer → HRMN (jack 6) to walk chord changes.
  8. Patch OUT 1–3 → three drone VCOs; OUT 4 → arp VCO.
  9. Patch TRIG OUT (jack 1) → drum accent input.
Signal out OUT 1–3 — three sustained chord-tone CVs; OUT 4 — arp CV; TRIG OUT — accent pulses on arp note changes.
Listen for Three drones sustain the current triad while CH 4 arpeggiates that triad across two octaves. Every arp step fires a drum accent, tying percussion to melody.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 4 pitch, 1 trigger, 1 clock.BARD QUARTETClockSequencerDrone VCO 1Drone VCO 2Drone VCO 3Arp VCODrumCH4: Arp UP · octave spread 2IN 4clkHRMNcvOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octTRIGtrigOutclkOutcvV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octAccenttrig11. arp clockcvpitchtriggerclock
Quad Arp Polyrhythm
All four channels run as arpeggiators with spreads 1/2/3/4; clock divider feeds IN 1–4; HRMN walks chord banks. (Expander optional — clocks route directly to IN jacks.)
Walkthrough
  1. Press ARPG, hold Channel 1 + ARPG to arm CH 1 as arp; repeat for CH 2, CH 3, CH 4.
  2. In the Arp menu, set CH 1 spread = 1, CH 2 = 2, CH 3 = 3, CH 4 = 4 (use keyboard OCT column). Mode = Up for all. Exit ARPG.
  3. Program a shared triad scale on each channel for all 8 harmonies.
  4. Patch a master clock → clock divider; route /3 → IN 1, /5 → IN 2, /7 → IN 3, /8 → IN 4.
  5. Patch a slow LFO → HRMN so chords drift under the polyrhythm.
  6. Patch OUT 1–4 → four VCOs, each with its own envelope on TRIG OUT assigned per channel (or individual envelopes triggered from the same clock divider outs).
  7. Mix the four voices to hear the polyrhythmic interlock.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — four arp lines advancing at /3, /5, /7, /8 of the master clock respectively.
Listen for A polyrhythmic chord cloud: short arpeggios (spread 1) chatter against long ones (spread 4); every 840 master ticks the whole pattern realigns.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 9 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 4 pitch, 4 clock.BARD QUARTETClock DividerExpanderLFOVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 4All CH: Arp · spreads 1/2/3/4 · Expander requiredHRMNcvOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/oct/3clk/5clk/7clk/8clkGate 1clkGate 2clkGate 3clkGate 4clkOutcvV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octcvpitchclock
Microtonal Raga Channel
CH 1 retuned to a raga via µTune ±50¢; CH 2–4 stay 12-TET Ionian pad; CH 1 TRSP = POST so raga intervals survive transposition.
Walkthrough
  1. On CH 1, program the raga's chromatic notes across the keyboard (e.g. komal re, shuddha ga, tivra ma).
  2. Press µTune (button E). Press Channel 1, then press each keyboard note that needs detuning and rotate Harmony pot — CW = up to +50¢, CCW = down to -50¢. Blinking key confirms detune.
  3. Exit µTune. Program CH 2, CH 3, CH 4 = plain C Ionian (no microtuning).
  4. Press Edit. On keyboard, set CH 1 TRSP column = POST (post-quantize transpose preserves the tuned intervals).
  5. Set CH 2/3/4 TRSP = PRE or OFF so Ionian pads transpose the standard way.
  6. Patch a drone CV → IN 1 (jack 3).
  7. Patch a keyboard controller CV → TRSP (jack 4) for live transposition.
  8. Patch a clock → GT IN (jack 2); enable GT IN on CH 2–4 in Edit so pads latch.
  9. Patch OUT 1 → Sitar VCO, OUT 2–4 → three pad VCOs.
Signal out OUT 1 — microtonal sitar CV with raga intervals preserved; OUT 2–4 — 12-TET pad CVs.
Listen for A sitar-like lead that moves in authentic raga intervals over a Western Ionian pad. POST-transpose on CH 1 keeps the microtuned intervals intact; PRE on the pads lets them modulate normally.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 5 pitch, 1 gate.BARD QUARTETDrone VCOKeyboardClockSitar VCOPad VCO 1Pad VCO 2Pad VCO 3CH1: raga scale + µTune · TRSP=POST · CH2-4=IonianIN 11v/octTRSPcvGategateOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octCV1v/octCVcvOutgateV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octcvpitchgate
TRIG-OUT Percussion Conductor
Random S&H feeds CH 1; TRIG OUT fires drums on every detected note-change; GT IN latches melody via a deliberate sequencer gate.
Walkthrough
  1. Program CH 1 with a sparse scale (pentatonic keeps rhythmic interest obvious).
  2. Press Edit; on the keyboard T OUT column, assign TRIG OUT to CH 1 only so only CH 1 note-changes fire triggers.
  3. Enable GT IN on CH 1 in Edit so the sequencer gate gates the Track & Hold.
  4. Patch a random S&H (or noisy CV) → IN 1 (jack 3).
  5. Patch your melody sequencer's gate → GT IN (jack 2) — dictates WHEN CH 1 latches new pitches.
  6. Patch OUT 1 → Lead VCO V/Oct.
  7. Patch TRIG OUT (jack 1) → drum envelope trigger to fire a drum on every note-change.
  8. Also mult TRIG OUT → a rhythm sequencer's clock to vary percussion on pitch changes.
  9. Tune the S&H rate against the sequencer gate rate to balance how often new notes (and thus drum hits) occur.
Signal out OUT 1 — quantized pentatonic melody; TRIG OUT — pulse on every CH 1 note-change, 0–5V.
Listen for A chaotic random source becomes a melodic lead whose every note-change cues a drum. Drum density is coupled to harmonic density, tying rhythm directly to pitch motion.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 6 modules and 5 connections. Modules: BARD QUARTET, S&H, Sequencer, Lead VCO, Drum Envelope, Rhythm Sequencer. Signals: 1 cv, 1 pitch, 1 gate, 1 trigger, 1 clock.BARD QUARTETS&HSequencerLead VCODrum EnvelopeRhythm SequencerIN 1cvGategateOUT 11v/octTRIGtrigOutcvGategateV/Oct1v/octTrigtrigClockclk11. fires on note changecvpitchgatetriggerclock
Split TRSP Routing (Pre/Post/Octave)
One keyboard CV into TRSP produces four simultaneous results — CH 1 = PRE (chromatic), CH 2 = POST (diatonic), CH 3 = OCTAVE, CH 4 = OFF.
Walkthrough
  1. Program the same diatonic scale on CH 1, CH 2, CH 3. Leave CH 4 as a static drone scale (or whichever static tone you want).
  2. Press Edit. On keyboard, TRSP column:
  3. • CH 1 → press PRE (transposes before quantization — chromatic shift, notes jump in and out of scale).
  4. • CH 2 → press POST (transposes after quantization — diatonic shift, stays in key).
  5. • CH 3 → press OCT (transposes in whole octaves only).
  6. • CH 4 → press nothing (TRSP disabled — stays put).
  7. Patch a 1V/oct keyboard CV → TRSP (jack 4).
  8. Patch a clock → GT IN (jack 2); enable GT IN on CH 1–4 in Edit for latched pitches.
  9. Patch a pitch sequencer → IN 1 (jack 3) to drive the shared melody.
  10. Patch OUT 1–4 → four VCOs; mix and compare the four transpose behaviors side-by-side.
Signal out OUT 1 — chromatic-shifted melody; OUT 2 — diatonic-shifted melody; OUT 3 — octave-shifted melody; OUT 4 — static drone.
Listen for Four simultaneous answers to the question 'what does transpose mean?': chromatic jumps (CH 1) vs diatonic walk (CH 2) vs pure octave (CH 3) vs fixed drone (CH 4) — a perfect ear-training patch.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 5 pitch, 1 gate.BARD QUARTETKeyboardClockSequencerVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 4CH1 TRSP=PRE · CH2=POST · CH3=OCT · CH4=OFF: TRSPcvGategateIN 11v/octOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octCVcvOutgateOut1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octcvpitchgate
Grouped Wide Chord + Independent Bass/Lead
CH 2 + CH 3 grouped for wide pad sharing scale (with CH 3 +1 oct); CH 1 independent bass; CH 4 independent lead; slow sequencer walks HRMN.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Channel 2 (hold) and press Channel 3 — LEDs light together, confirming CH 2 + CH 3 are grouped (scale is shared).
  2. With the group active, program a chord-tone scale (CH 2/CH 3 now both use this scale).
  3. Press Edit, set CH 3 OCT = +1 (keyboard OCT column) so CH 3 plays an octave above CH 2.
  4. Press Channel 1, program independent bass scale. Press Channel 4, program independent lead scale.
  5. Patch bass sequencer → IN 1, lead melody sequencer → IN 4.
  6. Leave IN 2, IN 3 unpatched so the grouped pad plays the programmed root tone.
  7. Patch a slow sequencer → HRMN to walk chord changes.
  8. Patch a clock → GT IN (jack 2); in Edit, enable GT IN on CH 2 and CH 3 for latched pad.
  9. Patch OUT 1 → Bass VCO, OUT 2 → Pad A, OUT 3 → Pad B (+oct), OUT 4 → Lead VCO.
Signal out OUT 1 — bass line; OUT 2/3 — wide grouped pad (root + octave); OUT 4 — lead line; all -3 to +7V.
Listen for Full-band texture from one module: a moving bassline underneath a wide two-octave pad, with an independent lead floating over the top as HRMN shifts the chord under everything.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 9 modules and 8 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 6 pitch, 1 gate.BARD QUARTETBass SeqPad TrigMelody SeqSlow SeqBass VCOPad VCO APad VCO BLead VCOCH2+CH3 grouped (+oct) · CH1=bass · CH4=lead: IN 11v/octGategateIN 41v/octHRMNcvOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octOut1v/octGategateOut1v/octOutcvV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octcvpitchgate
Generative Feedback Patch
Attenuated OUT 1 → IN 2 → OUT 2 → IN 3 → OUT 3 → IN 4: a quantized feedback chain across 4 different scales; TRIG OUT cascades S&H.
Walkthrough
  1. Program CH 1 = pentatonic, CH 2 = whole-tone, CH 3 = blues, CH 4 = dorian.
  2. Press Edit + µTune and confirm F# (No Interaction) ON for CH 2–4 so feedback signals quantize without shift-register behavior. Exit Options.
  3. Patch a slow random LFO → IN 1 (jack 3) as the seed.
  4. Patch OUT 1 → external attenuator (~0.3 gain) to keep voltages in range, attenuator → IN 2.
  5. Patch OUT 2 → IN 3 directly; OUT 3 → IN 4 directly.
  6. Patch TRIG OUT (jack 1) → a clock divider; divider output → GT IN (jack 2) to latch all voices periodically.
  7. In Edit, enable GT IN on all four channels so the divider clock re-samples the chain.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 → four VCOs to hear the cascading scale-hops.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — a quantized feedback chain; each OUT's pitch depends on the previous OUT's value at the last GT IN pulse.
Listen for A generative pitch web that never quite repeats: each note in each scale conditions the next in a different scale, producing melodic constellations that drift but stay musical.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 7 connections. Modules: BARD QUARTET, Random LFO, Attenuator, Clock Divider. Signals: 1 audio, 4 cv, 1 gate, 1 clock.BARD QUARTETRandom LFOAttenuatorClock DividerCH1=Pent · CH2=Whole · CH3=Blues · CH4=Dorian: IN 1cvIN 2cvIN 3cvIN 4cvGategateOUT 1audioOUT 2cvOUT 3cvTRIGclkOutcvInaudioOutcvInclkOutgate11. ~0.3 gainaudiocvgateclock
Chord Quality Morph via Microtune
Static CVs on CH 1–4 play root/3rd/5th/7th; 3rd-degree note detuned from 0¢ (major) toward -50¢ (minor) across harmonies; HRMN LFO morphs chord quality.
Walkthrough
  1. On Harmony 1, program CH 1 = root (e.g. C), CH 2 = major 3rd (E), CH 3 = 5th (G), CH 4 = 7th (B).
  2. Copy the same notes into all 8 harmonies (ARPG copy/paste — hold ARPG, pick source harmony, release on target; see manual §Intra-slot manipulation).
  3. Press µTune, press Channel 2 (3rd voice), press keyboard E (the 3rd).
  4. Turn Harmony pot to position 1, µTune pot to 0¢. Advance to position 2, set -10¢. Continue stepping: H3 -20¢, H4 -30¢, H5 -40¢, H6 -50¢ (minor), H7 -40¢, H8 -20¢ — arc back toward major.
  5. Exit µTune.
  6. Patch four fixed-voltage sources (offset module or static 0V / +0.33V / +0.58V / +0.92V) → IN 1, IN 2, IN 3, IN 4 to fix root/3/5/7.
  7. Patch a slow LFO → HRMN (jack 6) — this morphs the 3rd's tuning over time.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 → four VCOs; mix to one bus.
Signal out OUT 1 = root; OUT 2 = morphing 3rd (0¢↔-50¢); OUT 3 = 5th; OUT 4 = 7th.
Listen for A static chord that slowly morphs quality: major → neutral → minor → neutral → major as HRMN sweeps H1→H8. Only the 3rd bends; root/5th/7th stay fixed. Continuous chord-coloring without any pitch sequencing.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 10 modules and 9 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 8 pitch.BARD QUARTETStatic CV 1Static CV 2Static CV 3Static CV 4Slow LFOVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 43rd detune 0¢→-17¢→-50¢ across H1-8: IN 11v/octIN 21v/octIN 31v/octIN 41v/octHRMNcvOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octOut1v/octOut1v/octOut1v/octOut1v/octOutcvV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/oct11. morphs maj↔mincvpitch
Scene Recall Song Mode
10 memory slots = 10 song sections, loaded manually via Memory menu (keyboard buttons 1–10); HRMN walks chords within each scene. Memory slots are NOT CV-addressable — recall is keyboard-only.
Walkthrough
  1. Program Slot 1 = intro (CH 1–4 scales + 8 harmonies). Press Edit + ARPG to open Memory menu (Edit LED steady, ARPG blinks).
  2. Press D# (Save), then press keyboard slot button 1 to confirm save. Edit + ARPG to exit.
  3. Modify scales for verse section, then save to slot 2 via the same procedure. Repeat for 10 slots = 10 song sections.
  4. To perform: press Edit + ARPG to enter Memory, press C# (Load), then press the slot button (1–10) you want to recall — Bard Quartet loads that scene's full state.
  5. Patch a pitch sequencer → IN 1 (jack 3).
  6. Patch a sequencer → HRMN (jack 6) to walk chord changes within the loaded scene.
  7. Patch a clock → GT IN (jack 2); in Edit, assign GT IN per channel as needed.
  8. Patch OUT 1–4 → four VCOs. Recall scenes manually (or via a MIDI foot controller sending keyboard button presses) to advance the song.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — four quantized voices whose full programming (scale + harmonies + arp + µTune) changes on each manual Load operation.
Listen for A complete song arrangement in one module: intro, verse, chorus, bridge, etc. each stored as a scene; within each scene HRMN walks the chord progression. Scene changes produce full re-voicings, not just chord substitutions.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 8 modules and 7 connections. Signals: 1 cv, 5 pitch, 1 gate.BARD QUARTETSequencerPitch SeqClockVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 410 memory slots = song sections (manual load via Edit+ARPG): HRMNcvIN 11v/octGategateOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octOutcvOut1v/octOutgateV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octcvpitchgate
Quad S&H Chord Cloud
Four incommensurate LFOs (0.10/0.13/0.17/0.23 Hz) → IN 1–4; slow clock gates S&H; pentatonic on all channels; octaves -2/-1/0/+1; TRIG OUT taps tape delay.
Walkthrough
  1. Press Edit + µTune to enter Options; press keyboard C to switch GT IN behavior to Sample & Hold (rising-edge). Exit Options.
  2. Program the same pentatonic scale on all four channels (press each Channel button and set keyboard notes to pentatonic degrees).
  3. Press Edit; on keyboard OCT column set CH 1 = -2, CH 2 = -1, CH 3 = 0, CH 4 = +1. Also enable GT IN on all four channels. Exit Edit.
  4. Patch four slow free-running LFOs with incommensurate rates (0.10, 0.13, 0.17, 0.23 Hz) → IN 1, IN 2, IN 3, IN 4.
  5. Patch a slow clock (e.g. 1 Hz) → GT IN (jack 2) — every rising edge S&Hs all four channels simultaneously.
  6. Press Edit; on keyboard T OUT column, assign TRIG OUT to the most active channel (CH 4).
  7. Patch OUT 1–4 → four VCOs spread across a wide octave range; mix.
  8. Patch TRIG OUT (jack 1) → tape-delay tap input to re-time the delay on each new note.
Signal out OUT 1–4 — four pentatonic pitches that refresh synchronously on each GT IN rising edge, spread across -2 to +1 octaves; TRIG OUT taps tape delay.
Listen for A shimmering pentatonic cloud: all four voices change together on each clock pulse, but because the LFOs are at unrelated rates, each voice picks a different random pentatonic pitch every time. The tape delay stretches and smears each new cloud into the next.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 11 modules and 10 connections. Signals: 4 cv, 4 pitch, 1 gate, 1 trigger.BARD QUARTETLFO 1LFO 2LFO 3LFO 4Slow ClockVCO 1VCO 2VCO 3VCO 4Tape DelayPentatonic all CH · oct -2/-1/0/+1: IN 1cvIN 2cvIN 3cvIN 4cvGategateOUT 11v/octOUT 21v/octOUT 31v/octOUT 41v/octTRIGtrig0.10Hzcv0.13Hzcv0.17Hzcv0.23HzcvOutgateV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octV/Oct1v/octTaptrigcvpitchgatetrigger

Behaviors

Scale Programming keyboard buttons

Use keyboard buttons to activate/deactivate notes per channel per harmony. Up to 320 scales storable (4 channels × 8 harmonies × 10 memory slots).

Harmony Progression Harmony potentiometer / CV

8 independent harmony settings per channel. Navigate via pot or CV to create chord progressions and song structures. Changes also affect Edit, Arp, microtuning, and grouping.

Arpeggiator trigger → Channel CV input

Each channel can become an arpeggiator driven by triggers at its CV input instead of continuous voltage. Modes: Up, Down, Pendulum, Spiral, Random. 1–4 octave spread per channel and harmony.

Microtuning µTune button

Each note in each channel and harmony can be detuned ±50 cents independently. Tuning setting is stored per harmony. Harmony pot navigates freely when µTune held.

Channel Grouping hold Channel button + press another

Grouped channels share scale settings (and optionally Edit, Microtuning, Arpeggiator settings per Options menu). Indicated by simultaneous LED illumination.

Channel Interaction (Normalization / Shift Register) 0V at CV input (CH 2–4)

Option per channel (CH 2–4): F# = no interaction, G# = Normalisation (when 0V at IN, channel follows previous channel's input), A# = Shift Register (requires Gate In enabled for that channel; on GT IN rising edge, channel samples previous channel's value). Enables cascading voice effects.

Controls

Global Keyboard Buttons 12 keyboard buttons to set notes per scale per channel. Active note shines brighter for real-time note monitoring.
One octave of chromatic keys · C# and D# = Load/Save in Memory menu
Global Harmony Potentiometer Navigates between 8 different harmony locations for the active channel, enabling harmonic progressions. Also used for microtuning (+/-50 cents).
8 harmony positions per channel · ±50 cents in microtuning mode
Global Channel Buttons Select the active channel being edited (1–4). Hold + another channel button to create a group that shares scale settings.
4 channel buttons · grouped channels share LED illumination
Global Edit Button Opens Edit menu for Octave setting, Trigger Out assignment, Gate In assignment, and Transpose mode per channel and harmony.
Octave: -3 to +3 · hold 2s for Tuning Mode output
Global µTune / Option Button Opens microtuning menu to detune any note ±50 cents. Also used with Edit to access Options menu. Long press with Harmony pot dissociates pot from current harmony.
±50 cents per note · Edit+µTune = Options menu
Global ARPG / Memory Button Opens Arpeggiator menu (hold channel button to enable arp per channel). With Edit = Memory menu for saving/loading 10 slots.
Arpeggiator modes: Up / Down / Pendulum / Spiral / Random · 1–4 octave spread

I/O

IN · 4

  • IN 1–4 (Channel CV) -3 to +7V CV
    V/Oct CV inputs for each of the four quantizer channels.
  • TRSP (Transpose CV) -5 to +5V CV
    Transpose CV input. Can work as pre-quantize, post-quantize, or octave transposer per channel (set in Edit menu).
  • GT IN (Gate Input) 0 to +5V GATE
    Gate input (jack 2) used as Track & Hold (default) or Sample & Hold (rising-edge, selectable via C button in Options). Assigned per channel in Edit menu. When a channel is set as Arpeggiator, the Edit Gate In column offers a third option (Reset in) that resets the arp pattern on a rising edge.
  • HRMN (Harmony CV) -5 to +5V CV
    CV input for Harmony potentiometer position, selecting between the 8 harmony locations.

OUT · 2

  • OUT 1–4 (Channel CV) -3 to +7V CV
    Quantized V/Oct outputs for each channel (jack 5). Supports V/Oct, Hz/V, and 1.2V/Oct output norms (set per channel via µTune + Channel button).
  • TRIG OUT 0 to +5V GATE
    Trigger output (jack 1) that fires each time a note change is detected on an assigned channel. Channel assignment via Edit menu T OUT column.