Press the Trip, Shake, Push and Clave Buttons to select a Timing. This has a profound impact on the Shuffle:

Press again to cycle through four Feelings, indicated by the backlit colour, to apply subtle rhythmic variants:

The sequencer plays when a pulse clock is detected, and stops when the clock is stopped. Start detection occurs at the rising edge of a clock pulse.

To detect a stop, the module waits for the next clock tick and times out if the measured interval falls below 15 bpm. Example: at an input clock divider of 4 ppqn, Stolperbeats stops after a clock pause of a 16th note at 15 bpm.

The incoming clock is measured each tick and taken as a running average over 16 measurements. Every half bar there is a Sync point where the internal clock syncs up with the external clock to eliminate drift due to jitter. Expect the best results with high-resolution external clocks ranging from 4 ppqn to 24 ppqn.

It is good practice to set the external clock signal and the input clock divider to the same value. Example: clock signal at 16 ppqn, input clock divider at 16 ppqn. You might also want to try setting the external clock to half the value, 8 ppqn in this example, if you want Stolperbeats to run at half tempo.

The less resolution, the longer it takes Stolperbeats to catch the external Tempo, so do not expect wonders at 1 or 2 ppqn.

You can select from a number of standard waveforms for ENV 1 and 2:

	Ramp down
	Ramp up
	Triangle up
	Triangle down
	Sine
	Cosine
	Pulse (starting high)
	Pulse (starting low)
	x4 - P2: Alternating between upper and lower boundary :bd - :P2: Stepped velocity values

The envelopes and LFOs are either clocked along with one or multiple bars, a beat, or they reset along with one of the Kick, Snare, HH 1+2, Perc 1+2 triggers and adjust dynamically to coincide with the Shuffle, Timing and Feeling you select.

You can choose from a number of clock dividers:

Note that while the first two groups share a velocity setting, the last group saves one velocity setting per instrument.

On the first two groups, x4 - P2, the upper boundary can be understood as maximum and the lower boundary as an offset. The range of the envelope lies between lower and upper boundary.

On the last group, :bd - :P2, the upper boundary can be read as accented, and the lower boundary as non-accented velocity. The range of the envelope lies between zero and upper boundary for accents, and zero and lower boundary for non-accents.

Blinking indicates which parameter you last edited. Parameters are saved when you press stop from a playing sequence.

You might want to program on one set of Banks, but perform with another set; or want to use the Banks creatively by having variations of the same Patterns in the same slots, so you can toggle them similar to the A, B and Fill Patterns on classic drum machines.

You can also choose to load an empty Bank if you want to start programming beats from an entirely blank slate.

The mapping is valid for the default, out-of-the-box factory settings of the machines listed and often follows one of three common strategies for mapping a drum machine:

• Each drum sound is on a seperate MIDI channel, and the MIDI note number changes the pitch of each channel. This is often found on Elektron machines.
• All drums sounds are on the same channel, and roughly follow a General MIDI drum map. Roland, Jomox and Vermona follow this pattern.
• All drums sounds are on the same channel, and are mapped chromatically starting from a C pitch. This is common for Arturia devices, and software like Ableton Live's Drum Rack.

These default maps can serve as a starting point for creating your own maps, as they are often similar between devices from the same manufacturer.

Note that a MIDI velocity map is generated automatically. Each instrument has a lower boundary and upper boundary - lower boundary (dimly lit) represents non-accented velocity, upper boundary (fully lit) represents accented velocity.

The module can receive MIDI Notes on fixed Channels to cycle through the 24 Patterns in the active Bank, toggle Subdiv and select Shuffle, Timing and Feeling:

You can replace the SD Card with a compatible one e.g. SanDisk Ultra, up to 32 GB, Class 10 U1 HC1. It should be FAT32 formatted, 32Kb sectors, which is the default setting when you format an SD Card in Windows.

At powerup, Stolperbeats checks which files are present on the SD card, and the integrity of the data before loading settings.

For a Factory reset, power the module off, remove the SD card and insert it into a PC. If you delete all files from the SD card, or insert an empty FAT 32 formatted card in to the module, Stolperbeats will write factory settings and Pattern Banks for all parameters.

Eject the SD card safely, re-insert it into the module, then power the module.

The SD Card contains the following files:

PatternBank000.txt#

These files contain the pattern data for each Bank. They are numbered with a leading zero, so PatternBank000.txt maps to Bank 1 on the instrument. If you want to back up pattern data you have created, make sure you save a copy of these files onto your computer.

User 21echoes has written a browser-based editor that converts MIDI files to Stolperbeats PatternBank .txt files. We would like to thank them for this stellar contribution. https://stolperbeats-pattern-creator.vercel.app/

User KittenVillage has provided a series of 41 pattern banks based off Mutable Grids. This content is donation ware and available through their Gumroad shop. https://kittenvillage.gumroad.com/l/fwysrl

MIDIMap000.txt#

These files contain the MIDI Output Map data, meant as a quick way to change MIDI mapping from one drum machine to another and selectable and editable from the MIDI Edit menu. They are numbered with a leading zero, so MIDIMap000.txt maps to Bank 1 on the instrument.

If you want to back up MIDI maps you have created, make sure you save a copy of these files onto your computer.

EnvelopeSettings.txt#

The waveform and velocity settings for ENV 1 and ENV 2 are stored here.

MachineState.txt#

This files stores volatile settings that is likely to change with every time you play on the module. Its saves Tempo, Timing, Shuffle, Feel and Linear setting, as well as Bank, Pattern number and Mute for each instrument. Finally it saves which MIDI output map is active.

MachineConfig.txt#

This file contains settings data for the whole machine. It keeps track of which pattern banks are activated, and offers some addtional options for Play on Clock detection as well as MIDI settings.

The last line in this file will tell you which firmware version you are on.

This parameters described here can set it by editing MachineConfig.txt on the SD Card.

Enable / disable step highlight#

Optional LED chaser, highlights the play position in pattern matrix (Kick, Snare, Hihat / Perc). This setting is not default. You can enable it by editing MachineConfig.txt on the SD Card.

HIGHLIGHT_PLAY_POSITION: 1;

Play on Clock detection#

The sequencer plays when a pulse clock is detected, and stops when the clock is stopped. Start detection occurs at the rising edge of a clock pulse.

To detect a stop, the module waits for the next clock tick and times out if the measured interval falls below 15 bpm. Example: at an input clock divider of 4 ppqn, Stolperbeats stops after a clock pause of a 16th note at 15 bpm.

This is set by default, and intended to simplify patches for users who want to daisy-chain Stolperbeats to another sequencer such as Pamela's New Workout.

Both settings are optional and can be changed by editing MachineConfig.txt on the SD Card.

FIRST_PULSE_CLOCK_STARTS_SEQ: 1;    plays when incoming pulse clock is detected
LAST_PULSE_CLOCK_STOPS_SEQ: 1;      stops when incoming pulse clock is lost

Reset toggles Start / Stop#

This is an option you can set on the SD card, to repurpose the Reset input and make it into Start / Stop toggle. This enables you to automate what happens if you press the Tempo Encoder to start / stop the sequencer using a trigger.

This setting is not default. You can enable it by editing MachineConfig.txt on the SD Card.

RESET_TOGGLES_PLAY_STOP: 1;

Enable / disable pattern switching via MIDI#

This is an option you can set on the SD card, enabling / disabling pattern switching with MIDI. Enabled is default; Disabled is a good idea when you send MIDI clock and MIDI notes on the same port, and want to split the MIDI out to multiple instruments each one their respective channels.

MIDI_ENABLE_INPUT: 1;       allows for switching the patterns via midi
MIDI_ENABLE_INPUT: 0;       disables switching the patterns via midi

Disabling this leaves the MIDI Clock input and transport unaffected.

Mapping MIDI notes to Stolperbeats' output (very long hold Shuffle, fast blink) also remains unaffected by this setting.

Enable / disable MIDI clock I/O#

This is an option you can set on the SD card, enabling / disabling MIDI clock input and output. Enabled is default; Disabling one is a good idea when you patch both MIDI in and out into the same device, like a MIDI interface or another sequencer, in order to avoid MIDI loops.

MIDI_ENABLE_CLOCK_OUT: 1;       enables 24ppqn MIDI clock output
MIDI_ENABLE_TRANSPORT_OUT: 1;   enables MIDI Start and Stop messages

MIDI_ENABLE_CLOCK_IN: 1;        respond to incoming 24ppqn MIDI clock
MIDI_ENABLE_TRANSPORT_IN: 1;    respond to MIDI Start and Stop messages

Note that for sending or receiving transport, clock has to be enabled.

Occasionally we get asked how to update Stolperbeats from Linux. Here is an update procedure to install the latest Stolperbeats firmware from a Raspberry Pi 4 running Linux (Raspberry Pi OS):

Download and install dfu-util:

cd ~
sudo apt-get update -y
sudo apt-get install -y dfu-util

Get Firmware binary. The last number denotes the firmware version:

wget https://makingsoundmachines.com/firmware/bin/_MSM_stolperbeats_hw_rev4-160.bin

Upload the compiled binary to Stolperbeats: Connect the USB cable from Stolperbeats to your Linux system. Hold the boot button, then press and release the reset button. This will put your module in bootloader mode.

sudo dfu-util -a 0 -s 0x08000000 -D /path/to/binary.bin

-a 0 refers to flash storage interface -s 0x08000000 refers to start of flash storage address on the STM -D refers to a “download” which actually means an upload to the STM

Wait for the upload to finish. Then press the reset button on Stolperbeats to run the program.

162#

Feature: added some MIDI Maps to the defaults - Bank 14 Tubbutec and LPZW 6m0d6, Bank 15 Roland SP404mk2, Bank 16 1010 music Bitbox / Bitbox nano. These maps will not overwrite your previous settings. If you want to use them, delete files MIDIMap013.txt, MIDIMap014.txt, MIDIMap015.txt from your SD card and they will be replaced with the new default mappings on reboot.

Feature: optional LED chaser, highlighting the play position in Kick, Snare and Hihat / Percussion matrix. This setting is not default. You can enable it by editing MachineConfig.txt on the SD Card. Open the file in a text editor and set HIGHLIGHT_PLAY_POSITION: 1;

Fix: Adjusts behaviour of ENV 1 + 2 with and externally triggered reset. Env 1 + 2 used to reset (and fire) with the triggered reset. Instead they now retain the last value over a reset until triggered as set.

Fix: Sync x1, x2, x4 fire on start of bar. Was offset by a quarter note. Introduced in 157, fixed in 161.

160#

Feature: New Pattern Bank 6 with Electro and French House patterns. If you have your own patterns saved in Bank 6, they will not be overwritten. If you have no patterns in Bank 6, go into the bank menu and enable the sixth Bank.

Fix: With external clock, Env 1+2 tied to an instrument trigger would reset at the bar. Introduced in 158, fixed in 160.

158#

Fix: With external clock, sending a single reset at the start of a sequence would allow the sequencer to drift. Introduced in 157, fixed in 158

Known bug: With external clock, Env 1+2 tied to an instrument trigger would reset at the bar. Introduced in 158, fixed in 160.  

157#

Feature: New Pattern Bank Bank 5 with halftime patterns, mostly with a snare at the middle of the bar and more playful Kicks, Hats, and Percussion patterns. If you have your own patterns saved in Bank 5, they will be preserved. If you have no patterns in Bank 6, go into the bank menu and enable the sixth Bank.

These have grown out of working with the MIDI to Stolperbeats .txt file generator 21echoes has written. Have a play with it at https://stolperbeats-pattern-creator.vercel.app/

Feature: added some MIDI Maps to the defaults - Bank 11 + 12 for Vermona DRM-1 MK VI, Bank 13 Cyclone Analogic TT-78

Feature: Linear Mode used to affect only Snare, Kick and Hihats; this has now been updated to work for Percussion, mirroring the behaviour of the Hihats in parallel. Linear Mode now has a stronger effect on the playback of the pattern.

SD > Kick > HH2 (open) > HH1 (closed)
SD > Kick > Perc 2 > Perc 1

Thank you for your time, enthusiasm and care, sharing insights and advice and for being there from the start.

Stijn and Priscilla Haring-Kuipers – TiNRS This is Not Rocket Science
Lauri Koponen – Vaski Embedded
Jan Hennig – Kabuki
Ben Wilson – DivKid
Konstantine – on Instagram