Awake-AshSynth

Demos: Demo 1 · Demo 2

A norns script that pairs the Awake sequencer with the AshSynth engine.
It follows the same sequencing structure as awake-passersby, but uses the Ash engine instead of Passersby.

Overview

Awake uses two overlapping sequencers:

final pitch = scale[ one[step] + two[step] ]

A bottom value of 0 is not a rest — it means offset 0. If the top layer has a note, sound still plays even when the bottom is 0.

Requirements

• norns
• ashsynth must also be installed (ashsynth/lib/Engine_Ash.sc)
• The SuperCollider engine file should live in ashsynth only. A separate Engine_Ash.sc inside awake-ashsynth will cause duplicate engine errors
• Grid (optional): monome grid or toga integration
• lib/ash_engine.lua and lib/beatclock-crow.lua are included in this script

Installation

norns/dust/code/awake-ashsynth/   ← this script
norns/dust/code/ashsynth/         ← Ash engine (required)

Engine / Sound

• Engine: engine.name = "Ash" — same as ashsynth
• Parameters: lib/ash_engine.lua — same Ash parameter set as ashsynth
• Differences from ashsynth
• No awake halfsecond (softcut) delay loop — direct engine output
• noteOff → noteOn each step to retrigger ADSR (sequencer behavior)
• TIE support for legato / glide between steps
• SOUND mode shortcuts: cutoff, reso, drive, reverb, delay, fdbk

Controls

E1 cycles modes: STEP → LOOP → SOUND → OPTION

STEP

LOOP

SOUND

Shortcuts: cutoff, reso, drive, reverb, delay, fdbk

OPTION

Grid (toga / monome)

Note editing

• Top 8 rows (or upper half of a 16-row grid): one pattern
• Bottom 8 rows (or lower half of a 16-row grid): two pattern
• Press a step (column) to toggle a note. Press again to delete

On an 8-row grid, use K2 to switch between one / two.

TIE (legato)

Awake retriggers every step (noteOff → noteOn), so every note is the same length and legato glide does not work on its own.
TIE connects one step into the next: the gate stays open, the envelope is not retriggered, and glide can slide pitch across steps.

Default Glide Mode is Legato — glide applies on TIE-connected steps. Raise the glide amount in params or SOUND mode.

How to toggle

1. Hold K1
2. Press a step column on the grid (the step must already have a note)
3. Press again to turn TIE off

Works on top or bottom layer. On a 16-row grid, use the upper half for top TIE and the lower half for bottom TIE.

What TIE does

A TIE on step N means: when the sequencer reaches step N+1, do not cut the note first.

Either layer can trigger legato. Sound still only plays when the top layer has a note.

Visual feedback

Glide

Without TIE, each step is a fresh attack. With TIE + Legato + glide, pitch slides into the next step.

Examples

Bottom layer glide (common case — top holds, bottom moves):

Top (one):    3   3   3   3
Bottom (two): 2   5   7   0
TIE:              ●       (TIE on step 2 → legs into step 3)

→ pitch glides from scale[3+5] to scale[3+7]

Top layer glide:

Top (one):    2   5   7   4
TIE:          ●   ●
Bottom (two): 0   0   0   0

→ melody glides across tied top steps

TIE is cleared when

• The note on that step is deleted
• K2 + K1 hold clear pattern
• K3 + K1 hold random

TIE state is saved with norns params / presets on your device.

MIDI output

params output: audio / midi / audio + midi / crow, etc.

MIDI Program Change (PC 0–15) can recall saved presets on your norns (dust/data/awake-ashsynth/).

vs. awake-passersby

File structure

awake-ashsynth/
├── awake-ashsynth.lua      # main script
└── lib/
    ├── ash_engine.lua      # Ash params & engine bridge
    └── beatclock-crow.lua  # clock

ashsynth/
├── ashsynth.lua            # main script
└── lib/
    ├── ash_engine.lua      # Ash params & engine bridge
    └── Engine_Ash.sc       # engine

Presets are saved locally on norns under dust/data/awake-ashsynth/ (not included in this repo).

License

This project is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPL-3.0).
See LICENSE for the full text.

Third-party components

lib/ash_engine.lua is derived from ashsynth (Apache 2.0) and is included in this GPL-3.0 distribution per Apache–GPL compatibility.

Credits

• Awake sequencer: @tehn
• Based on awake-passersby / awake
• Ash engine: ashsynth