Future Retro has announced the availability of Zillion, a new hardware sequencer, inspired by the rare Triadex Muse algorithmic sequencer.

The Zillion is a single track algorithmic MIDI sequencer based on the principles of the Triadex Muse. The Muse used counters and a shift register to generate more than a million musical melodies. The Zillion expands on these ideas to add more features and functionality, providing a ‘zillion possibilities’.

There are 16 operating modes. These include Playback, Tempo, Swing, Direction, Loop, Transpose, Scale, Scale Program, Melody, Rhythm, Velocity, Theme, Shift Register, MIDI OUT, MIDI IN, and Sync.

Here’s a video overview from the 2014 NAMM Show:

Features:

The Playback mode allows you to Stop, Start, Restart, Pause, and Manually Step through a sequence.

The Tempo mode allows you to set the rate the sequence will play back at. The tempo can range from 25-250 BPM. Four hot keys allow you to set and instantly jump from one tempo to another, or can also be changed gradually.

Swing adds a human feel by delaying the start of every other note by a set percentage. The swing range is from 50-75%. Four hot keys allow you to set and instantly jump from one swing value to another, or can also be changed gradually.

Four consectutive directions can be entered to determine if the internal counters will increment or decrement, causing a pattern to play forwards or backwards each time a loop point is reached.

A loop point will cause the internal counters ro reset, limiting the number of steps a pattern will play before repeating. The loop point can range from 1-16 beats, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, or 64 bars, or can also be set to free-running. Four hot keys allow you to set and instantly jump from one point point to another, or can also be changed gradually..

Sequences can be transposed by up to 36 semitones within the Transpose mode. Four hot keys allow you to set and instantly jump from one transpose value to another, or can also be changed gradually..

SCALEThere are 99 Scales that determine what notes the sequencer can generate. Scales 1-16 are presets, while scales 17-99 are user definable. Four hot keys allow you to set and instantly jump from one scale to another, or can also be gradually changed.

User scales can be programmed with the Zillion’s front panel controls, or using any MIDI controller keyboard. Each scale holds eight pitch values. You can also think of these scales as simple 8-step sequences that can then be “remixed” by the sequencer algorithms. A global tranpose feature is also included in this mode, where any MIDI controller keyboard can be used to tranpose sequences.

In the Melody mode you can select up to four sources to determine the melody being generated. These sources include counters, shift register outputs, or can also be set simply on or off.

In the Rhythm mode you can select up to two sources to determine the rhythm being generated. These sources include counters, shift register outputs, or can also be set simply on or off. Rhythms generated will include note-off, note-on (50% duration), note-on (100% duration), or 32nd notes. In addition there is a Rhythm Density value ranging from 0-255. This parameter determines how complex or full the rhythm will be. There are also 3 possible GateTypes to further determine what types of rhythms are generated.

In the Velocity mode you can select up to four sources to determine a velocity pattern being generated. These sources include counters, shift register outputs, or can also be set simply on or off. This can be a useful parameter for controlling various aspects in an external sound module by simply setting velocity to control that parameter… such as filter cutoff, or VCA amplitude.

In the Theme mode you can select up to four sources to determine the theme being generated. These sources include counters, shift register outputs, or can also be set simply on or off. The Theme is what feeds the input of the 32 bit shift register. And since sources of the Theme can be outputs of the Shift Register, feedback occurs and the algorithm can take on a life of its own. In addition, when the Melody, Rhythm, or Velocity use the Shift Register as a source, any changes made to the Theme will then affect all parts relying on the Shift Register making for some interesting interactions.

The Shift Register is a 32 bit logic source for the Melody, Rhythm, Velocity, and Theme. In addition there are 36 parity types available to determine how logic from the Theme will be passed on to the input of the Shift Register.

The MIDI OUT mode defines the MIDI channel number to transmit data on. Four hot keys allow you to set and instantly jump from one MIDI channel to another, or can also be changed gradually. This then allows you to play different MIDI channels live.

The MIDI IN mode defines the MIDI channel number to receive data on. Four hot keys allow you to set and instantly jump from one MIDI channel to another, or can also be changed gradually.

The Sync mode is used to define if the Zillion will play by its internal clock, or sync to an external MIDI clock. In both modes you can determine if the Zillion will transmit MIDI notes, or MIDI notes and MIDI clock.

The Zillion provides the ability to store all parameter settings of where you last were. You can also reset parameters to typical Triadex Muse settings as a quick way of starting new adventures.

Zillion is available now via the Future Retro site for US $300.