Tiptop Audio Circadian Rhythms
8-channel performance rhythm sequencer with deep pattern architecture
36 HP Eurorack module
The Circadian Rhythms (CR) is a performance-oriented Eurorack rhythm sequencer with 8 trigger/gate output channels, organized into a hierarchical structure of Groups, Presets, and Steps for composing complex multi-voice rhythmic patterns. It features looping, swing, zoom sub-step editing at 24PPQ resolution, fills, and extensive sync options including internal clock, external analog clock, DIN sync, DAW sync, and SyncBus for connecting multiple Tiptop modules. The CR is designed as a master controller for modular systems, supplying clock and reset signals while driving drum modules, envelope generators, and melodic sequencers simultaneously.
Features
- 8 trigger/gate outputs at +5V
- 8 Groups each containing 8 Presets each containing 8 Channels of 8 Steps — up to 512 steps total
- 16th note main grid resolution (4PPQ) with Zoom view at 24PPQ sub-step resolution
- Zoom view with 6 sub-steps per 16th note for triplets, dotted notes, and micro-timing offsets
- Trigger delay per step (hold sub-step and turn Swing Knob in Zoom view)
- Swing on 8th or 16th notes with per-channel swing assignment
- Gate outputs up to 64 steps in length
- Preset and Group looping to create patterns up to 512 steps
- Beat Continue and Beat Sync transition modes
- Fill function with 15 fill rates (1/4 through 1/64 in straight, triplet, and dotted values)
- Live trigger recording quantized to 16th notes
- Random and Chaos step generation at 16th and 24PPQ resolutions
Controls & Jacks (60)
- Group 1 — Selects Group 1 for display and editing. Green LED indicates current group.
- Group 2 — Selects Group 2 for display and editing.
- Group 3 — Selects Group 3 for display and editing.
- Group 4 — Selects Group 4 for display and editing.
- Group 5 — Selects Group 5 for display and editing.
- Group 6 — Selects Group 6 for display and editing.
- Group 7 — Selects Group 7 for display and editing.
- Group 8 — Selects Group 8 for display and editing.
- Preset 1 — Selects Preset 1 within the current Group. Green LED indicates currently selected preset.
- Preset 2 — Selects Preset 2 within the current Group.
- Preset 3 — Selects Preset 3 within the current Group.
- Preset 4 — Selects Preset 4 within the current Group.
- Preset 5 — Selects Preset 5 within the current Group.
- Preset 6 — Selects Preset 6 within the current Group.
- Preset 7 — Selects Preset 7 within the current Group.
- Preset 8 — Selects Preset 8 within the current Group.
- Step 1 — Step entry button for Vertical view. Green LED indicates trigger, red LED indicates gate.
- Step 2 — Step entry button for Vertical view.
- Step 3 — Step entry button for Vertical view.
- Step 4 — Step entry button for Vertical view.
- Step 5 — Step entry button for Vertical view.
- Step 6 — Step entry button for Vertical view.
- Step 7 — Step entry button for Vertical view.
- Step 8 — Step entry button for Vertical view.
- Channel 1 — Selects Channel 1 for editing. Green LED indicates current channel. Outputs to trigger/gate 1.
- Channel 2 — Selects Channel 2 for editing. Outputs to trigger/gate 2.
- Channel 3 — Selects Channel 3 for editing. Outputs to trigger/gate 3.
- Channel 4 — Selects Channel 4 for editing. Outputs to trigger/gate 4.
- Channel 5 — Selects Channel 5 for editing. Outputs to trigger/gate 5.
- Channel 6 — Selects Channel 6 for editing. Outputs to trigger/gate 6.
- Channel 7 — Selects Channel 7 for editing. Outputs to trigger/gate 7.
- Channel 8 — Selects Channel 8 for editing. Outputs to trigger/gate 8.
- Mute 1 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 1. Red LED indicates muted. Green LED shows when channel is firing. Hold to solo.
- Mute 2 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 2.
- Mute 3 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 3.
- Mute 4 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 4.
- Mute 5 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 5.
- Mute 6 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 6.
- Mute 7 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 7.
- Mute 8 — Mutes/unmutes Channel 8.
- Group Loop On/Off — Activates UI for selecting groups to loop. Green when looping, red when off.
- Copy — Copies step/gate data from a Channel, Preset, or Group into memory buffer. Press then select target.
- Random/Chaos — Press once for Random (green) at 16th note resolution, press again for Chaos (red) at 24 PPQ resolution.
- Beat — Selects between Beat Continue (red) and Beat Sync (green) mode for preset/group switching.
- Fill — Activates fill mode. Press twice to select fill rate. Hold to toggle trigger recording.
- Trigger 1 — Outputs trigger on Channel 1. In fill mode, holds for fill pattern. In record mode, records steps.
- Trigger 4 — Outputs trigger on Channel 4. In fill mode, holds for fill pattern. In record mode, records steps.
- Trigger 7 — Outputs trigger on Channel 7. In fill mode, holds for fill pattern. In record mode, records steps.
- Set Loop — Enables loop editing mode. Green indicates preset loop, red indicates group loop.
- Paste — Pastes copied data from buffer into selected Channel, Preset, or Group.
- Clock In/Ext — Switches between internal (green) and external (red) clock source.
- Tap Tempo — Tap twice to set tempo. Difference between taps calculates BPM.
- Sync/Boss — Enables SyncBus mode. Hold until red to become boss module in SyncBus network.
- Trigger 2 — Outputs trigger on Channel 2. In fill mode, holds for fill pattern. In record mode, records steps.
- Trigger 5 — Outputs trigger on Channel 5. In fill mode, holds for fill pattern. In record mode, records steps.
- Trigger 8 — Outputs trigger on Channel 8. In fill mode, holds for fill pattern. In record mode, records steps.
- Preset Loop On/Off — Turns preset looping on or off. Green LED when looping is running, red when off.
- Clear — Arms clear function. Next button pressed (Channel/Preset/Group) will be cleared of step data.
- Swing — Enables swing. First press: 8th note swing (green). Second press: 16th note swing (red). Hold to edit per-channel swing.
- Reset — Resets internal counters and sends reset pulse to Reset Out. If looping, goes to first preset in first group.
How-To Guides
- Save All Data to Internal Memory
- Save Sequence Data to USB Drive
- Load Sequence Data from USB Drive
- Clear a Channel's Steps
- Clear All Steps in a Preset
- Clear All Steps in a Group
- Copy and Paste a Preset
- Clear Internal Memory (Factory Reset)
- Update Firmware via USB
- Classic Four-on-the-Floor Techno Beat
- 16-Step Evolving Drum Loop
- Broken Beat Hihat with Sub-Step Triplets
Explore the interactive Circadian Rhythms panel on BleepDex — tap any control to learn what it does.
