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Key Features
The Shakmat Bard Quartet is a unique composition tool that allows you to input four signals and use them to create harmonies and melodies. The four-channel module features an integrated keyboard which you can use to control up to four varied instruments which will play together simultaneously.
Product Ref: 234599
Setting itself apart from conventional scale-based modules, the Bard Quartet provides a unique musical approach to generating melodies and song ideas on the fly. The four-channel design allows you to input up to four different instruments. From there, the module will play each instrument simultaneously to create a four-piece harmony. You can swap between eight different progressions using the Harmony potentiometer. With the onboard memory providing space to store up to 320 scales, the module can generate a wide variety of different musical flavours.
The integrated keyboard buttons allow you to set the scale per channel. The active note is represented by an LED – which shines brighter when activated compared to non-selected notes. This allows you to monitor your notes in real-time, providing instant visual feedback. The harmony section features a potentiometer that, when turned, allows you to switch between eight varying harmonic locations. This gives you the ability to create progressions and ever-evolving melodies. You can also group up to four channels, allowing you to apply scales to multiple channels or copy a scale between channels.
As well as creating harmonies, the Bard Quartet can utilise its onboard arpeggiator to create rhythmic melodies. Each channel can be turned into an arpeggiator, reacting to triggers instead of voltage channels from the Channel’s CV input. Five arpeggiator modes are available to choose from including Up, Down, Pendulum, Spiral and Random settings. You can also use the octave spread controls to spread the octave range from one to four octaves.
For those who want to go ‘under the hood’, the Bard Quartet features advanced microtuning capabilities, allowing you to detune each of the 12 notes by a range of +/- 50 cents of a semitone. This can be useful when creating lo-fi style melodies or creating new sounds, allowing you to create natural-style fluctuations between notes for a more organic sound. Each channel/harmony’s notes can be detuned independently by using the keyboard buttons. Visual feedback for any detuned notes comes in the form of a blinking keyboard button.
For those seasoned pros of the modular world, the Bard Quartet also has advanced settings and options. One of these advanced features is the ability to apply settings to all harmonies of a channel, providing a generalised setting for each of them. This can be great as a starting point for composition, allowing you to easily audition harmonies. You can also edit the ‘Scale’, ‘Edit’ and ‘Arpeggiator’ settings of a harmony whilst another harmony is still playing. Holding the μTune button down will disassociate the potentiometer from the harmony that is being currently played. Using this technique, you can navigate freely between harmonies and edit them as you see fit.
Three assignable inputs and outputs are included – perfect for advanced sound design options. You can also expand your control and sound design capabilities by using the various inputs on offer including a shared tripper output, a share transpose input and a shared gate input (acting as a track and hold/reset for the arpeggiators). The module also features premium-grade rubber-injected potentiometers created by the folks over at DJtechtools. For added convenience, the module is V/Oct, Hz/V and Buchla tuning compliant as well as being Skiff friendly.