Bedroom Producers Blog proudly releases HY-ESG, a freeware Euclidean sequencer gate developed by our friends at HY-Plugins.
HY-ESG is a gate sequencer (aka a trance gate effect) with a twist. It uses an Euclidean sequencer instead of the standard step sequencer in most other trance gate plugins. You’ll probably find that HY-ESG is more fun and inspiring to use than your current favorite gate sequencer effect.
See also: BPB Dirty Filter Is A FREE Distortion VST/AU PluginBut what does Euclid, an ancient Greek mathematician from the mid-4th century BC, have to do with step sequencers and trance gates?
I asked myself the same question when Mr. Tadashi Suginomori, the DSP programming mastermind behind HY-Plugins, reached out and told me that the forthcoming HY-ESG plugin will be released for free on Bedroom Producers Blog.
Happy about the news, I was eager to learn more about Euclidean sequencers (because my knowledge at the time was non-existent). As per usual, the Internet provided all the answers in a matter of minutes.
A Quick Introduction to Euclidean Sequencers
The Euclidean algorithm is a mathematical method for finding the greatest common divisor of two numbers. It appears in Euclid’s Elements (a textbook from 300 BC) and is actually one of the oldest mathematical algorithms in everyday use.
More than two millennia later, Mr. Godfried Toussaint (1944 – 2019) discovered that the Euclidean algorithm can generate rhythms.
He described the process in a paper titled “The Euclidean Algorithm Generates Traditional Musical Rhythms,” published in 2005.
Fast-forward to the age of VST plugins and Max for Live devices, and you won’t have a hard time finding quite a few musical sequencers that utilize this concept, including HY-Plugins’ very own HY-RPE2.
Another of those plugins is the new HY-ESG gate sequencer by HY-Plugins.
A Quick Introduction to HY-ESG
HY-ESG is a freeware trance gate programmed by HY-Plugins, the developer behind popular VST plugins like HY-Poly and HY-TP2, to name just a couple. The effect is available for free download exclusively here at Bedroom Producers Blog.
At its core, HY-ESG is a gate sequencer. Its sequencer module controls the gate effect, which uses an ADSR envelope to modulate the volume. It can add rhythm and movement to static sounds.
To make things more interesting, HY-ESG substitutes the standard grid-based step sequencer with an Euclidean sequencer, unleashing the age-old rhythm-generating powers of ancient Greek mathematical algorithms in the comfort of your DAW. Πῦρ!
On a more serious note, let’s look closely at HY-ESG’s interface.
Located on the left is the Euclidean sequencer module, controlled by the set of knobs on the right. The user can define the number of steps and pulses, as well as the sequence’s duration and direction. The sequence can be rotated, randomized, or restarted at any step.
In the Gate section, you’ll find the ADSR controls for the volume envelope. This is where you’ll adjust the shape of the triggered steps, making them snappier or duller.
On the right, the user can change the output gain and adjust the mix knob.
The Modulation section is where things can get crazy in the best of ways. HY-ESG offers three modulation sources, each capable of running in LFO or S&H modes.
These can modulate the ADSR envelope, the mix knob, and, yes, the sequencer controls, too.
Use one LFO to modulate the number of steps while another LFO modulates the pulses, and the S&H generator controls the mix knob.
Say ἴθι χαίρων to monotonous sounds and Χαῖρε to ever-evolving complex rhythms that will spark a philosophical debate about the creative limitations and other negative implications of grid-based sequencers in modern-day music production software.
Back to being serious, HY-ESG is a unique, versatile, and easy-to-use gate plugin. Load it as an insert on an audio channel and explore the endless rhythmic effects it can create.
If you like HY-ESG, visit the HY-Plugins website for more incredible software.
HY-ESG Technical Details
HY-ESG is available in VST, VST3, and AU plugin formats for digital audio workstations on Windows and macOS. Both 32-bit and 64-bit plugin hosts are supported.
The plugin features an Euclidean step sequencer, an ADSR envelope, three modulation units with two modes, undo/redo functionality, a bypass switch, and a preset manager. The interface is freely resizable.
IMPORTANT: The macOS version of HY-ESG requires macOS 10.12 or later.
Links
Free download: HY-ESG (16.8 MB download size, ZIP archive containing EXE installer, 32-bit & 64-bit VST/VST3/AU plugin formats for Windows & macOS)
Developer’s website: HY-Plugins
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