Phase Seq for iOS
Manual
A practical reference for the sequencer, playheads, scenes, instruments, recording and save system.
Phase Seq is a four-part polyrhythmic sequencer built around Drums, Bass, Rhythm, and Lead. Each part shares the same scene system and can be driven by up to four independent playheads moving at different speeds and directions.
This guide covers the controls in Phase Seq 1.0.
Quick Start
- Choose DRUMS, BASS, RHYTHM, or LEAD.
- Tap cells in the grid to create a pattern.
- Set the tempo with the BPM knob.
- Press START.
- Use RNDM to generate pattern variations and PATCH to generate sounds.
- Build more scenes, or use BUILD SONG in the CTRL page to turn Scene 1 into a complete arrangement.
- Arm REC, press START, then STOP when the performance is finished.
Top Bar
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| BPM | Sets the master tempo. |
| REC | Arms recording. If REC is armed, pressing START begins recording the master output. |
| START / STOP | Starts and stops the sequencer. |
| Timer | Shows the recording time while recording. |
| DRUMS / BASS / RHYTHM / LEAD | Opens the sequencer grid for that instrument. |
| CTRL | Opens sound design, harmony, randomization, mixer, and save/load controls. |
Recording
Tap REC once to arm recording, then press START. Phase Seq records the finished master output while the sequencer plays.
Press STOP to end the performance and finish the recording. The recording can then be shared or saved through the iOS share sheet.
In SAVE/LOAD, the EXPORT AAC / EXPORT WAV button selects the recording format. It switches between AAC and WAV; it does not start the recording by itself.
Sequencer Grid
Each instrument has its own grid.
Drums uses one row for each drum voice:
KIK, SNR, CHH, OHH, TH, TL, RIM, CLP
Bass, Rhythm, and Lead use pitched rows based on the current ROOT, SCALE, and instrument register in the Harmony panel.
Tap a cell to turn a step on or off.
Melodic patterns can also contain held/tied steps. A hold continues the previous note instead of retriggering it, allowing sustained bass, rhythm, and lead phrases.
PROB
PROB switches the grid into probability editing.
Probability determines how often an active step is allowed to play. Lower-probability cells create controlled variation without changing the written pattern.
Typical values are 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%.
RNDM
RNDM generates new pattern material for the current scene. Its behavior is controlled by RNDM, DENSITY, MORPH, and TARGET in the Harmony panel.
RNDM changes the musical pattern. It does not change the instrument patch.
PATCH
PATCH generates a new sound for the current instrument without rewriting its notes.
The selected SEQ / DUB / HEX personality also influences PATCH.
COPY / PASTE
COPY stores the current scene, including its musical pattern and scene sound state.
Select another scene and use PASTE to copy the stored scene into it.
When playback is stopped, paste is immediate. During playback, Phase Seq applies the paste on the next 16th-note boundary so the change stays in time.
Scenes and Scene Chain
Phase Seq has 8 scenes.
The numbered buttons select the scene you are editing. Each scene can contain its own patterns and sound state.
The number beneath each scene controls its repeat count in the scene chain. A value of 0 removes that scene from the chain. Higher values make the scene repeat before moving to the next active scene.
Scene changes stay synchronized to the transport.
The Four Playheads
The four rows beneath the sequencer control four independent playheads. This is the core of Phase Seq's polyrhythmic behavior.
Each playhead can be routed to any combination of instruments.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| D | Routes the playhead to Drums. |
| B | Routes the playhead to Bass. |
| R | Routes the playhead to Rhythm. |
| L | Routes the playhead to Lead. |
| Octave | Transposes melodic notes for that playhead up or down by octaves. |
| Rate | Sets how quickly the playhead moves relative to the master clock. Common choices include 1X, 7/8, 3/4, 2/3, 1/2, 1/3, and 1/4. |
| Direction | Sets the travel direction: FW, RV, FW/RV, or RV/FW. |
| ALT | Opens the alternate controls for that playhead: RATCHET, LENGTH, and PROBABILITY. |
| RATCHET | Adds occasional subdivisions inside a playhead step without changing the playhead's visible position or speed. Levels are OFF, LOW, MID, and HIGH. |
| LENGTH | Sets how many steps that playhead travels before repeating. The ∞ setting uses the full current pattern length. |
| PROBABILITY | Sets the chance that the playhead event will fire when it enters a step. Values cycle through 100, 75, 50, and 25. |
Playhead Probability
Playhead probability is separate from cell probability. It controls whether that playhead's event is allowed to fire when it enters a step.
Values cycle through 100, 75, 50, and 25.
Ratchet
Ratchet adds occasional subdivisions inside a playhead step without changing the playhead's visible position or speed.
The available levels are OFF, LOW, MID, and HIGH.
CTRL Page
The CTRL page contains the deeper controls for the whole song and all four instruments. Panels can be collapsed by tapping their headers.
SAVE/LOAD
SAVE
SAVE opens the save editor. A save can contain the complete song or selected sections.
A full SONG save stores the complete Phase Seq state, including scenes, transport, playheads, Harmony, Mixer, and instrument settings.
Partial saves can store individual sections such as:
DRUMS, BASS, RHYTHM, LEAD, PLAYHEADS, HARMONY, MIXER
This makes it possible to save both full songs and reusable instrument presets in the same library.
LOAD
LOAD opens the Phase Seq Library. Saves can be filtered by type and loaded back into the current session.
When a full SONG is loaded, its name appears in teal in the SAVE/LOAD header.
CLEAR ALL
Resets the working song after confirmation.
EXPORT AAC / EXPORT WAV
Chooses the file format used by the master recorder.
HARMONY
Harmony controls the musical framework used by the Bass, Rhythm, and Lead grids.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| ROOT | Sets the root note of the song. |
| SCALE | Sets the scale/mode used to map notes across the melodic grids. |
| SWING | Adds swing to the sequencer timing. 50 is straight; higher values add more swing. |
| LENGTH | Sets the scene pattern length. |
| BASS C… | Sets the base register for the Bass grid. |
| RHYTHM C… | Sets the base register for the Rhythm grid. |
| LEAD C… | Sets the base register for the Lead grid. |
| RESET | Restores the Harmony settings to their default state. |
Chord 1–4
The four chord slots define the harmonic progression used by song generation.
Chord names are shown as scale degrees, such as i, VI, III, VII.
Song Structure
The structure selector chooses the arrangement shape used by BUILD SONG.
Examples include:
CLASSIC ARC — a conventional rise, development, peak, and outro.
EARLY HOOK — brings a stronger section in earlier.
DOUBLE RISE — builds energy in two stages.
BUILD SONG
BUILD SONG uses Scene 1 as the source and creates an arranged song across Scenes 2–8.
Scene 1 remains the main/source scene. Existing material in Scenes 2–8 is replaced after confirmation.
RNDM Controls
These four controls define how pattern generation behaves.
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| RNDM SEQ / DUB / HEX | Selects the generation personality. SEQ is the general Phase Seq behavior, DUB favors space and longer holds, and HEX pushes toward more unusual or angular material. The mode also influences PATCH and Song Build. |
| DENSITY SPARSE / MID / FULL | Controls how much musical material the generator creates. |
| MORPH 25 / 50 / 75 / 100% | Controls how far a generated result may move from the source scene. |
| TARGET | Chooses which instrument or group of instruments RNDM is allowed to change. |
How MORPH Works
MORPH is variation distance, not a cumulative "change another 25%" command.
On the first RNDM press, Phase Seq uses the current scene as the source. Repeated RNDM presses at the same MORPH setting create different alternatives from that same source rather than progressively destroying the previous result.
25% creates a close sibling of the source.
50% creates a stronger reinterpretation.
75% allows a loose relationship.
100% can completely replace the targeted material.
Changing TARGET affects only the selected instruments; untargeted instruments remain tied to the original source scene.
Manual editing establishes a new source the next time a fresh RNDM sequence begins.
LEAD
The Lead synth is divided into four tabs: CORE, FILTER, ENV, MOTION.
The PATCH button generates a new Lead patch. FAV gives quick access to saved/factory Lead favorites.
Lead — CORE
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| OSC 1 / OSC 2 | Select the two sound sources. Available families include SINE, TRI, SAW, PULSE, HOLLOW, VOICE, GLASS, and METAL. |
| MIX | Blends OSC 1 and OSC 2. |
| RATIO | Sets the pitch relationship between the oscillators, with useful musical ratios such as 1:1, 3:2, and 2:1. |
| X-MODE | Selects oscillator interaction: OFF, SYNC, RING, FM, or PHASE. |
| INTERACT | Sets the strength of the selected X-MODE interaction. |
| FOLD | Adds wavefolding/harmonic complexity. |
| DRIFT | Adds subtle pitch and oscillator instability for a less static sound. |
Lead — FILTER
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| CUTOFF | Sets filter brightness. |
| RESO | Adds resonance around the cutoff frequency. |
| ENV AMT | Controls how strongly the filter envelope moves the filter. |
| DRIVE | Adds level and saturation into the filter. |
| TYPE | Selects LADDER, STATE, or BAND filter behavior. |
| KEYTRACK | Makes the filter follow played pitch. |
| SHAPE | Changes source/filter timbre and harmonic shape. |
| MOTION | Adds movement to the filter. |
Lead — ENV
The top row controls the amplifier envelope:
AMP A = Attack
AMP D = Decay
AMP S = Sustain
AMP R = Release
The second row controls the filter envelope:
FLT A = Filter Attack
FLT D = Filter Decay
FLT S = Filter Sustain
FLT R = Filter Release
Lead — MOTION
Lead has two independent modulation lanes, A and B.
Each lane contains:
RATE — modulation speed.
AMT — bipolar modulation amount. The center position is zero; moving left or right applies modulation in opposite directions.
DEST — modulation destination.
SRC — modulation source.
Available sources include SINE, TRI, RANDOM, DRIFT, EVOLVE.
Available destinations include PITCH, FILTER, MIX, RATIO, INTERACT, FOLD, SHAPE, DRIVE, RESO, TIMBRE.
RHYTHM
Rhythm has two tabs: SYNTH and MOTION.
Rhythm — SYNTH
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| OSC | Selects the Rhythm source/oscillator family. |
| TONE | Sets the main tonal/filter brightness. |
| RESO | Adds resonance. |
| BODY | Adds body and weight to the sound. |
| SHAPE | Changes the waveform/timbre shape. |
| ATTACK | Controls how quickly the sound begins. |
| DECAY | Controls note decay length. |
| DRIVE | Adds saturation and aggression. |
Rhythm — MOTION
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| MOTION | Sets the overall amount of internal movement. |
| RATE | Sets motion speed. |
| DEPTH | Controls the strength of the motion. |
| DETUNE | Adds pitch spread/instability. |
| SPACE | Adds spaciousness to the voice. |
| COLOR | Shifts the tonal character. |
| SPREAD | Widens the sound. |
| LEVEL | Sets Rhythm output level. |
BASS
Bass has two tabs: SYNTH and FEEL.
Bass — SYNTH
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| WAVE | Selects the basic Bass source character, from deep/round tones through brighter analog shapes. |
| SHAPE | Changes the oscillator shape and harmonic character. |
| SUB | Adds low sub-bass content. |
| FOLD | Adds harmonic folding/grit. |
| FILTER | Sets filter brightness. |
| RESO | Adds filter resonance. |
| ENV | Controls filter-envelope movement. |
| DRIVE | Adds saturation and weight. |
Bass — FEEL
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| ATTACK | Controls how quickly the bass note begins. |
| DECAY | Controls the main note decay. |
| RELEASE | Controls how long the tail continues after release. |
| GLIDE | Slides pitch between notes. |
| PUNCH | Adds transient impact. |
| RATE | Sets the speed of Bass motion. |
| DEPTH | Sets the amount of Bass motion. |
| WEIGHT | Emphasizes low-end/body weight. |
DRUMS
Select a drum voice first:
KIK, SNR, CHH, OHH, TH, TL, RIM, CLP
Every drum has four common controls:
PITCH — tuning.
DECAY — sound length.
DRIVE — saturation.
LEVEL — voice volume.
The other four controls change according to the selected drum:
| Drum | Character controls |
|---|---|
| KIK | PUNCH, SWEEP, CLICK, BODY |
| SNR | BODY, SNAP, NOISE, TONE |
| CHH / OHH | METAL, TONE, AIR, ATTACK |
| TH / TL | BODY, SWEEP, ATTACK, DAMP |
| RIM | WOOD, CLICK, TONE, BODY |
| CLP | BURST, SNAP, TONE, TAIL |
The drum PATCH button generates a complete new kit/voice setup. FAV provides quick access to saved or factory drum favorites.
MIXER
| Control | What it does |
|---|---|
| DRUMS | Drum mix level. |
| BASS | Bass mix level. |
| RHYTHM | Rhythm mix level. |
| LEAD | Lead mix level. |
| DRIVE | Global master drive/saturation. |
| PUMP | Adds rhythmic pumping/ducking to the mix. |
| BIG REVERB | Adds the global large-space reverb effect. |
| MASTER | Final output level. |
PATCH, FAV, and CUSTOM
Each instrument panel contains PATCH and FAV.
PATCH generates a new sound for that instrument.
FAV opens the instrument's favorites. Favorites can include factory sounds and your own compatible saves.
When the current controls do not exactly match a named favorite/preset, the panel displays CUSTOM.
A Simple Phase Seq Workflow
Start with a 16-step Scene 1 and enter a simple drum and bass pattern. Add Rhythm and Lead only where the track needs them.
Use the extra playheads to create phase relationships instead of filling every grid cell. A slow or reversing playhead can make a simple pattern evolve for a long time.
Use RNDM at 25% or 50% when you want variations that still belong to the original idea. Use TARGET when you only want to replace one part, such as the drums.
Once Scene 1 feels good, set the four chord slots, choose a Song Structure, and press BUILD SONG. Edit the generated scenes by hand afterward.
Use PATCH and the synth controls to shape the final sound, then balance the four instruments in MIXER.
When the track is ready, choose AAC or WAV, arm REC, press START, perform the scene changes or song arrangement, then press STOP.
Notes
Phase Seq is designed so that pattern generation and sound generation remain separate:
RNDM = notes, rhythm, and pattern variation.
PATCH = sound design.
The multi-playhead system remains global and continuous across scenes, which is why scene changes can create large musical changes without restarting the underlying polyrhythmic motion.