Exploring Carnatic Music with the 'beers-melakarta' Eurorack Module: An Ancestral Sequencing Journey

The 'beers-melakarta' Eurorack Module facilitates a harmonious blend of the intricate traditions of Carnatic music with the exploratory possibilities of contemporary electronic music sequencing. Inspired by the multiplexity and versatility of Melakarta ragas, this module serves as a gateway to reimagining these ancient musical structures within the context of electronic music.

This innovative 16hp module traverses beyond the conventional realm of sequencing, inviting musicians to dive into the ocean of 72 Melakarta ragas. Leveraging two rotary switches and a single toggle switch, the users can manage the pitch sets, bringing flexibility and variability to performances. The concept, born out of a musician’s desire to expand beyond western tonal structures, translates into a device that breaks any cultural barriers, bridging the Indian classical music landscape with modern sound creation.

However, what sets the 'beers-melakarta' module apart is its ability to combine complex rhythmic sequencing with compositional preparation – an attribute that offers users a plethora of creative possibilities. Its distinct functionality allows the module to march linearly up the raga on each rising edge applied to the CLOCK. In this 'clocked' mode, the device keeps churning melodious sequences until it reaches the pinnacle of the raga or Ṣaḍjam/root, then descends back to the beginning before recommencing its journey. This singular ability to invert the direction of the sequence puts absolute control in the hands of the musician.

The inclusion of an 'addressed' mode takes the module beyond its primary sequencing function. Enabled by the SET input/toggle switch, this state ignores clock pulses and instead selects swara based on three binary inputs. When used correctly, this feature adds a unique depth to the sequence, elevating your performance.

The 'beers-melakarta' combines analog circuitry with 0.1% tolerance resistors in a volt per octave weighted DAC, driven by a 4000-series CMOS-based sequencer, ensuring precision with your performance. This might seem like an alternative path to the generally taken 'microcontroller' route, yet it adds to the ranks of features that makes this module a creative haven for any electronic music enthusiast.

Despite the module's intricate functionality, user-friendliness lies at its core. The module offers OUT and SUM OUT, the two main modes of operation. OUT, the main CV output, is a 1V/octave equal-tempered control voltage, corresponding to the current position on the raga/scale. SUM OUT, on the other hand, provides the same voltage summed with whatever signal is input into SUM IN, chiefly used for transposing up the CV from another sequencer.

Moreover, the integration of bonus features - GATE OUTS that go high when their swara is active and a secret bonus feature allowing notes outside your selected raga/scale to be played - adds a distinct charisma to the module.

The 'beers-melakarta' Eurorack Module, in essence, is a tool for the artistic exploration of Carnatic music in an electronic medium. Through its comprehensive array of functions, analog design approach, and seamless translation of Melakarta raga, it creates a novel bridge between the rich cultural heritage of Indian music and contemporary sonic experimentation, sparking creativity and opening up new musical vistas for exploration. Delve deep into this fascinating intersection of musical tradition and technology to unlock your own ancestral sequencing journey through the 'beers-melakarta' module.

Example Usage

In clocked mode the output climbs sequentially up the raga on each rising edge applied to CLOCK until it reaches the top and turns around and heads back to the Ṣaḍjam/root (0 volts) and turns around to go up again. This up and down march can be interrupted/modified by applying a gate or positive CV to the TURN or HALF inputs. A gate or positive CV on TURN reverses the direction of the next clock movement. A gate or positive CV on HALF divides the clock frequency by 2 (ignores every second pulse). UP is a gate output with LED indication of which direction the output will go on the next clock pulse.

Further Thoughts

In clocked mode, the output climbs sequentially up the raga on each rising edge applied to CLOCK until it reaches the top and turns around and heads back to the Ṣaḍjam/root (0 volts) and turns around to go up again. This up and down march can be interrupted/modified by applying a gate or positive CV to the TURN or HALF inputs. A gate or positive CV on TURN reverses the direction of the next clock movement. A gate or positive CV on HALF divides the clock frequency by 2 (ignores every second pulse). UP is a gate output with LED indication of which direction the output will go on the next clock pulse. Addressed mode is enabled by the SET input/toggle switch. In this state clock pulses will be ignored and the selected swara depends on the 3-bit binary inputs. With nothing plugged into the SET input the toggle switch next to it can be used to manually engage addressed mode. SET sw up = addressed, SET sw down = clocked. Patching a gate or positive CV into the SET jack also enables addressed mode. In this case the toggle switch decides what to do with incoming CV/gates: UP = gated (module is in addressed mode as long as SET is high), DOWN = momentary (transfers the binary inputs to output only on the rising edge of the signal on SET). With the toggle switch DOWN the SET input behaves sort of like a sample and hold. When given a gate the output jumps to the current decoded binary value and stays there until another rising edge on SET, or another rising edge on CLOCK moves the output up or down by one. The three binary inputs are xx1, x1x, 1xx. Together they form a three-bit binary word that is decoded into one of the 8 swara/intervals on the selected raga/scale. Like the SET input, with nothing patched into the binary inputs the toggle switches manually set each bit when in addressed mode. For example the panchama (Pa) can be programmed by setting 1xx up and the other two down. Or, with all switches down and nothing patched to the binary inputs, SET can function as a reset to zero. (or any position on the scale you like programmed by the switches). Also like the SET input, patching a gate or positive CV to the binary input will set that bit high with the switch down, and set it low with the switch up. Playing around with the switches can give quite different melodic results from the same CV/inputs! The +1 octave input adds 1V to the output regardless of clocked or addressed mode and its toggle switch behaves like the binary address switches. With nothing patched the switch manually adds +1 octave of CV, with a gate/positive CV applied to +1 octave input the logic of the input is inverted with switch up. "+1oct" lights up near the top right jack to show when the extra octave is being applied. The INHIBIT input 'mutes' the output voltage while a gate/positive CV is applied.

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