Mzourack Diktaat is a new performance-oriented trigger sequencer module for Eurorack with remixing and mutation options on the fly.
When working with drum sounds in Eurorack, it’s hard to avoid using a drum sequencer. These typically use XOX-style step sequencers, which allow you to create sequences quickly and easily.
If you prefer to record sounds live manually, there’s a new exciting module from Matej Mzourack called Diktaat.
Mzourack Diktaat
Diktaat is a new, performance-oriented 4-channel trigger sequencer, all in just 10HP. Each channel can host a pattern up to 64 steps long. You can also create patterns with just 16 or 32 steps. For creating longer patterns, it’s possible to chain up to eight patterns together in any order you want.
Once programmed, they are quantized and you can save them into four banks of four pattern slots. So, you can recall up to 16 patterns on the fly. That sounds like a classic feature set.
The specialty of the new Mzourack Diktaat is its performance-oriented nature. Everything you do can be done on the fly. This includes everything from programming to manipulating the patterns. For this purpose, there are four large black mechanical buttons with which you can fill patterns with trigger information.
Recording and play tools join the clicky buttons party. In the recording tools, you can have pattern functions such as clear, copy, fill, and chain. For example, you can use the fill function to generate new patterns. The bottom fader gives you hands-on control over this process.
Mangling On The Fly
More exciting are the recording tools. These are functions that allow you to remix, manipulate, and mutate patterns on the fly. Break is a real-time looper that allows you to loop specific sections while the sequence is playing.
Then, shred remixes two tracks and separates the notes. With the fader, you can then distribute the notes on the channels. Every recording and play function has an alternative behavior. For example, the shred mode chops up existing patterns and rearranges chunks of them.
The probability mode adds classic probability to the steps and is fully controllable with the fader. The fourth and last is a crossfader where you can mix between two channels. Don’t forget to check out the alternative mode. Here, it crossfades between entire banks when a chain is active.
Another neat performance addition is three white buttons. Alongside mute and reset, the assign button allows you to map a function momentarily so you can trigger it without activating it separately.
On the I/O side, Mzourack Diktaat has clock input/output, a break socket, four trigger outputs, as well as a reset input and output for manually resetting all your sequencers.
First Impression
At first glance, this is a well-designed trigger sequencer that allows you to work very quickly. I think for many live musicians, four tracks won’t be enough; they’ll use two to get eight tracks with full hands-on beat creation and manipulation.
Mzourack Diktaat is available now for 216€ in the Bastl Instruments shop.
More information here: Bastl Instruments shop
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