First, be sure that the supplied micro SD card (1GB) is inserted in the back of Hermod (Hermod can't work without its SD memory).

Connect Hermod to your eurorack system power with the supplied ribbon cable:

Use the 4 supplied screws to fasten Hermod to your system: your sequencer is ready to use!

Note: Hermod requires a ±12V eurorack supply, and consume 310mA from the +12V rail and 30mA from the -12V rail. If Hermod powers an USB midi device from its USB HOST port, add up to 500mA from the +12V rail.

Each of Hermod’s 8 CV/Gate output is controlled by a track. A track can be configured to control more than 1 output for polyphonic, velocity, and aftertouch use. A track can also be used as a “modulation” track, to allow CV and CC recording/playback, gate, and clock messages.

These 8 tracks are grouped into one of Hermod’s 8 sequences. Every sequence is totally independent and contains a new set of tracks to be played with, for a total of 64 tracks in a single project:

You can save/load an unlimited number of projects without stopping Hermod, allowing you to play for hours with your patterns, tracks and sequences.

A Hermod project includes 8 sequences. A sequence is a snapshot of Hermod’s state, it stores every track parameters and recorded patterns. You can use each sequence for individual part of a song or live project.

The behavior of Hermod depends on how you assign each voice to the tracks. By default, a track outputs monophonic notes to its corresponding output (E.G. track 1 to CV/Gate 1, …). You can configure a track behavior by changing its layout.

This way, you can adjust Hermod’s settings to fit any use case in your modular system.

All the fun in Hermod resides in it’s effect system : each track contains up to 8 effects, allowing you to transform input signals, whether it is MIDI or CV. (CV signals are transformed and treated as MIDI messages internally).

Colors help you to know the voice layout of Hermod selected sequence, and the CV voltage outputed:

Example of a voice layout:

If the GATE is active, the led will flash with high luminosity:

By default, each voices are assigned to output CV note pitch + their associated GATE (each track layout is set to 1 voice, mono).

Hermod user interface is laid out into 4 main modes:

• EFFECTS mode : Add/configure effect, Mute/unmute effects, set up effect modulation using the ModMatrix.
• STEP mode: Edit pattern, add/edit notes, gate and modulation, with step-by-step edit.
• TRACK mode: Mute/unmute tracks, set up layout, configure midi, CV and routing.
• SEQ mode: set the current sequence on the fly, change playback style between sequence, program a chain of sequence, and access the project manager.

In TRACK mode, select a track, either by scrolling or by pressing (TRACK + pad

).

Press  Y  to enter settings, select either “midi channel” or “CV source” to set up your inputs. The “active track” setting will allow you to route a channel to the currently selected track, very handy when recording sequences.

Go back to Track mode, and press  X , choose the number of voices and the layout you wish to use. For exemple, if you want 2 voices of polyphony with their associated velocity, select “4 voices”, and “Poly + Velo” when prompted. The four voices will now flash, and the display will show each voice’s role.

You can record a pattern in any mode by pressing rec

.
If the sequencer is not running, it will start it.

 Tip  In STEP mode, holding  Y  and pressing

enables a "hard rec" recording (= no overdub). Previously recorded notes will be overwritten.

You be able to record events from the MIDI port, the USB host or the USB device port. Hermod always records polyphonic notes and velocities, pitchbend and aftertouch messages, so you can record expressive performances.

If configured in the settings > CV in settings, you can even record notes from the CV inputs (CV/GATE AB, CV/GATE CD).

If you want to delete a recorded note, press the pad

where the note stands. A lit pad means that a note sits here. If you want to edit a note, press and hold the pad, you’ll see one of the 3 parameters (pitch, velocity, and length) being highlighted in the display. While holding the pad, you can scroll through the current parameter and jump to the next one by pressing the main knob. You can, of course, add a note with the parameters you want by pressing an empty pad.

If you want to create a modulation automation, you need to configure a track as a MOD

pattern:

• enter TRACK mode
• select an empty track, that will be the modulation track
• press  X  to launch the layout configurator
• select 1 VOICE and MODULATION
• enter STEP mode to see the modulation pattern

Then, you can add modulation steps by holding a pad

and selecting the value (from 0 to 127) with the encoder.

By pressing rec

, you can also record a modulation with a midi controller connected to the MIDI port, the USB host or the USB device port, using its modwheel (midi message CC1).

If configured in the settings > CV in settings, you can even record a modulation from the CV inputs (MOD A, MOD B, MOD C, MOD D).

To delete a recorded modulation, press the pad

where the MOD stands. To edit a recorded modulation, hold the the pad

and rotate the encoder.

 Tip  Like the note pitch, the modulation is outputted on the CV voice (for example, the cv#5 if you selected track 5). That means that the gate is free. You can program an independent gate pattern by holding STEP and selecting GATE

, and then pressing a pad

to add/remove a gate.

Once you’ve added an effect, you can control one of its parameter with an external source (CV or CC message).

In EFFECTS mode, press  Y  to enter the ModMatrix. Press a pad

to select one of the four modulation routes. Select the modulation source by scrolling, press the encoder and select the modulation destination. Press again to confirm.

Once you are happy with your first sequence, enter SEQ mode. Press a pad

to create/select a new sequence.

Now you have a new blank sequence to play with. By default, Hermod’s sequencer is in sequential playback mode: if the sequence is playing, the actual sequence switch will happen at the end of the selected loop length.

Hermod automatically loads at startup the last saved or loaded projet.

 Tip  Hold STEP at startup to direclty load a new project.

CV INPUTS

Hermod includes four CV inputs, that can be configured according to your needs: control effect parameters, clock, sequence change, CV/Gate note pitch, modulations.

For example, the four CV inputs can be split into one pair of CV/Gate input, a CV modulation and an analog clock input.

CV/GATE OUTPUTS

The eight CV/Gate outputs can also be configured to your more complex needs, in order to sequence CV notes (mono and poly), modulations, clocks, velocities, aftertouch, ...

A C0 note will output -5V, C1 note will output -4V, ..., C5 note will output 0V, ..., C10 note will output +5V. If you want to output only positive voltages, play only C5 to C10 notes.

It's possible to calibrate the CV output voltages by holding REC while powering on Hermod, but thanks to the high resolution of the DAC (16-bit), the pitch precision is always perfect.

MIDI INPUT

Use SETTINGS > MIDI CHANNEL to set the channel controlling each track. The parameter ACTIVE TRACK allows you to control the active track and the STEP note learn.

MIDI OUTPUT

Control and sequence a mono/poly synthesizer, a drum machine, a sequencer, ... with this midi output.

USB DEVICE (bi-directionnal)

Connect Hermod to your computer with a standard USB cable and Hermod will receive midi notes, CC messages, pitch, aftertouch, play/stop and clock. It works like the MIDI INPUT: use SETTINGS > MIDI CHANNEL to set the channel controlling each track.

Hermod can also control and sequence virtual instruments (VST) on your computer, and sync your DAW via MIDI clock. It works like the MIDI OUTPUT.

Hermod is compatible with all computer operating systems (Windows and Mac OS).

USB HOST (bi-directionnal)

This second USB port allows you to connect and power any kind of USB device, for example:
- a midi USB controller (e.g. Keith McMillen K-Board)
- a midi USB sequencer (e.g. Squarp Pyramid)
- ...

It is possible to receive midi data in order to control and/or sync Hermod, or to send midi data to control and/or sync other devices.

Hermod is not compatible with some Elektron units like the Digitakt, but it's always possible to use Hermod midi input/output. You can't connect an iOS device directly to USB host, but can use adapters like any Lightning to USB (Camera Adapter). Moreover, Hermod is not compatible with USB hubs, so you can't connect more than one USB device on the USB host port.

You can increase the potential of Hermod by pairing it with the Pyramid sequencer, or you can to use Hermod as a CV/Gate interface for Pyramid midi outputs.

Syncing Hermod with Pyramid works exactly the same as syncing Hermod with any kind of hardware/software sequencers. Connect Pyramid's MIDI or USB output to Hermod's MIDI or USB HOST input. Then you will be able to perform with the Pyramid interface, while its midi notes will be converted to CV/Gate standard thanks to Hermod. You can even use Hermod internal midi effects (e.g. add glides to notes), and use Hermod's sequences and projects as "layout scenes" for your setup.

Note that Hermod is a 100% standalone sequencer, and works beautifuly without any master.

Hermod can fully sequence your eurorack system, from the smallest to the more complex setup.

You can use Hermod as a simple CV interface, like a hub.
All worlds are connected: MIDI, USB and CV.

You don't need any software to configure Hermod: the user interface allows you to route MIDI + USB to CV in a flash.

When using USB (host/device) to CV, Hermod's powerful CPU (Cortex-M7 216MHz) allows you to convert midi notes to CV/Gate with an ultra-low latency.

Your eurorack system can communicate with Hermod in many ways. The CV inputs are great to add complexity to your songs.

Hermod can be also used as "midi sequencer", to control your synthesizers and your computer.

To extend the number of inputs/outputs, it's possible to "daisy chain" 2 Hermods or more, via USB.

Because the USB host and the USB device ports are bi-directionnal, you can easily set hermod to either receive or send MIDI clock for inter-device syncing.

You can even use multiple Hermods as MIDI/USB to CV interfaces for your computer or your tabletop sequencer: