In the early years Serge Modular manufactured a four-stage Sequencing Programmer which was discontinued when the sixteen-stage Touch Keyboard Sequencer came in to production. Musicians have often wondered what happened to it, since they liked its economy, and the fact that its modest dimensions did not tie up a large section of a system.

The EuroSerge sees these Sequencing Programmers revived in the form of the ES28 Touch Sequencer/Programmer.

The ES28 is an extremely versatile manual and automatic controller, combining a touch-sensitive keyboard (ES34 TouchPad), a voltage programmer (pre-set selector), and a sequencer. It is the latest version of Serge's analogue programmer/sequencer.

As a keyboard programmer the ES28 is used in conjunction with the ES34 TouchPad or via the on-panel 'STEP' inputs, and permits the performer to access up to 8 separate stages of 4 voltage presets. In this mode the ES28 can be used to change the settings of other modules through voltage control, altering the characteristics of a sound patch and routing/switching events in live performance or in the studio.

As a sequencing programmer ([CLOCK ON] enabled) the ES28 permits a wide variety of sequencer effects, since the 8 stages can be programmed to go forward and backward, can be set to run through any desired number of stages (from 1 to 8), and can be triggered to skip stages in a semi-random pattern. These sequencer functions can be further enhanced using the ES34 TouchPad to interact with the sequencing programmer so that the sequence length and stage access can be programmed at a touch in actual performance.

Each of the 8 stages has 4 programmable outputs which are presented at [A], [B], [C] and [D] outputs while the [A-B] output provides the difference between the [A] and [B] outputs. The [GATE] output goes high when any stage is selected via either the STEP input or a change in analogue voltage at the [KEYBOARD] input. The [VC TOUCH] output is proportional to the amount of pressure being applied to the TouchPads and will represent the highest 'voltage output'.

Specific features include an LED on each stage for immediate visual indication of programmer activity, a [RESET] input for a variety of rhythmic effects and a [HOLD] function to disable sequencing.

The [PRESET] input is used as follows:- The last stage accessed (via its touch plate or [STEP]) = 'the preset'. When sequenced, whether up or down, the sequence is forced to return and start anew from 'the preset' stage whenever the preset input receives a pulse. In the 'UP' sequence mode this basically sets the lowest/first step in the cycle with [STEP 8] always being the end of the sequence, in the 'DOWN' sequence mode the 'preset' will set the highest/first step in the cycle with [STEP 1] always being the end of the sequence. The 'preset' only remains user programmed during the life of the current [UP/DN] (*) mode. Changing the [UP/DN] direction will automatically enforce a programmed 'preset' being [STEP 1] for 'UP' sequence runs and [STEP 8] for 'DOWN' sequence runs.

ES28-ES34 Touch Sequencer

A short teaser for the ES28

Build Guide