Sequencers

WR-962

The WR-962 Sequential Switch - a clock-driven 2 or 3-input signal multiplexer with per-stage gates.

The WR-962

The WR-962 is a clock-advanced multiplexer - a switch that picks one of two or three signal inputs and routes it to a single output, advancing through the inputs each time it receives a V-trig clock pulse on the SHIFT input. Despite the name 'Sequential', the WR-962 is not a step sequencer.

By default the WR-962 cycles between two signal inputs: input 1, then input 2, then input 1, then input 2, advancing on each rising clock edge. Patch a cable into SIGNAL IN 3 and the cycle automatically extends to three: 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3. The plug-detection (via the connected bitmask) makes the cabling itself part of the routing logic, not just a signal carrier.

Each of the three stages has its own jump input (a V-trig pulse jumps the switch directly to that stage, bypassing the clock) and its own V-trig output that goes high while that stage is active. Those active V-trigs are the real power of the WR-962 - they let one clock distribute different events across different modules depending on which stage is active right now. A RST input re-syncs the switch to stage 1, and panel SHFT / JUMP / RST momentary buttons let the switch step, jump, or reset by hand.

The WR-962

The WR-962 has three momentary panel buttons (SHFT, JUMP, RST). Eight inputs (1, 2, 3, J1, J2, J3, CLK, RST) and four outputs (OUT, S1, S2, S3). Plug-detection on SIGNAL IN 3: the cycle is 2-way (1, 2, 1, 2) when input 3 has no cable, 3-way (1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3) when input 3 is patched. The OUT passes full-range bipolar audio cleanly. Stage V-trig outputs are 10 V while their stage is active. SHIFT advances on rising V-trig edge, RST jumps to stage 1, per-stage J inputs jump directly to their stage. Manual JUMP button targets a stage 1-3.

In a patch

Feed three different oscillator waveforms into inputs 1, 2, 3 and clock the SHIFT input from a steady clock or a column gate from a WR-960. The single OUT carries a rotating waveform that changes timbre per beat without changing pitch. Run the OUT through a WR-904A and WR-902 and the result is one note repeated, but with three different harmonic faces.

Per-stage V-trig outputs become rhythmic event triggers. Send S1 to one envelope generator, S2 to a different one, S3 to a noise burst - and as the switch cycles, each stage fires a different module. Two WR-962s nested can produce 4-way or 6-way routing patterns. Combined with a WR-960 that has STOP-mode steps, a per-stage WR-962 jump input fires a specific sequencer step - call-and-response between the two modules.

Useful as an audio source-selector: bypass / engage an effect by switching between dry and wet channels, A/B monitor different mix buses, or build a stutter effect by clocking the switch at audio rate (above ~50 Hz) which becomes a wavetable-like timbre transformation.

Inputs

1 (audio) — Input 1. Always active in 2-way and 3-way mode.
2 (audio) — Input 2. Always active.
3 (audio) — Input 3. Patching a cable here enables 3-way mode (the cycle extends from 1-2 to 1-2-3).
J1 (gate) — Jump to stage 1. V-trig rising edge forces the switch to step 1 asynchronously.
J2 (gate) — Jump to stage 2.
J3 (gate) — Jump to stage 3 (only in 3-way mode).
CLK (gate) — Shift input. V-trig rising edge advances to the next stage.
RST (gate) — Reset input. V-trig rising edge jumps to stage 1 - keeps the switch in phase with a longer clock pattern.

Outputs

OUT (audio) — Selected input signal.
S1 (gate) — Stage 1 active V-trig. High while stage 1 is coupled to OUT.
S2 (gate) — Stage 2 active V-trig.
S3 (gate) — Stage 3 active V-trig (only fires in 3-way mode).

Controls

SHFT — Manual SHIFT button. Press to advance one stage. Handy for hand-tapping without a clock.
JUMP — Per-stage manual push-buttons. Press to jump the switch to that stage.
RST — Manual RESET button. Press to jump to stage 1.

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