RIFFER BASIC MANUAL

INTRODUCTION
Riffer is a smart MIDI tool that generates powerful sequences and uniqur melodies for you.
It is built for your sounds, synths, basslines, beats, everything

A module to feed ANY synth, sampler, drum machine and everything that accepts MIDI signal, software and hardware.
You can chose scales, complexity, steps, starting and ending points,
set pitch transpose, motion, measures and more...

DEVELOPED BY
Ievgen Ivanchenko
Mario Nieto
Katerina Mantzari
The Audiomodern Team

UX & VISUAL DESIGN

Maximos Maximilianos

Special thanks to all beta testers!

SUPPORT
For any support related issues or suggestions please use our website:
audiomodern.com/contact

Riffer is available as VST / VST3 / AU / AAX / iOS / Standalone

 QUICK START

To install just double-click the installer found inside the main folder and follow the instructions!

For WINDOWS users you may choose which installer to setup based on your OS version ( 32 bit or 64 bit)

During the installation you may select the formats you want to be installed
( VST, VST3, AU, AAX or Standalone)

After Riffer is installed you will be able to see it in your DAW's plugin list and your Plugins folder
 AUTHORIZATION
The first time you open Riffer, a window will pop-up and it will ask you for your License Key and your registration email.
You may authorize Playbeat with the License key that came along with your purchase, see pictures below:

1.

2.

Riffer has been successfully authorized. Click 'Finish' and Enjoy!

 TOP BAR CONTROLS

The top bar displays the current tempo in BPM (beats per minute, including a tempo adjustment
slider and a find adjustment knob.
Tempo is adjustable only on the iPad version, as the VST/AU plugin will automatically Sync to your
Host/DAW tempo.

Use the 'F' (fine) button to enable precise tempo adjustments using the slider.

MIDI Learn Resize

window

Settings Tab
Info Tab Mute

Keyboard mode Presets Tab

Undo: Use this button
to undo recent changes.

Panic: This resets MIDI, if you are

experiencing issues, such as
hanging notes.
 PIANO ROLL

Riffer includes 4 independent piano rolls to control Pitch, Duration, Velocity and Density,
to send note and automation data to associated plugin instruments and hardware.
These 4 parameters are displayed on the vertical axis and time on the horizontal axis.

You can view, edit and activate each piano roll, by selecting any of the R1, R2, R3 and R4 buttons.
Double-click or Ctrl/Cmd+click on R1, R2, R3 or R4 to activate/deactivate a piano-roll

Enable the 'ALL' button, to apply changes to all 4 piano rolls at once.
 KEYBOARD MODE

Riffer 3.0 can be controlled from MIDI messages.

While the 'Keyboard Mode' is enabled, tonality can be modified and the sequence can be turned ON/OFF for
the selected Riff.

By enabling the 'ALL' button, the tonality for all four Riffs will be modified.

Changing the tone from MIDI messages (such as keyboard or MIDI note messages from you DAW)
will keep playing the sequence. The entire sequence will be transposed in real-time from the keyboard, but
always in key, depending on the type of scale & root.

In order to use the keyboard mode through your DAW, activate the Monitoring option, in order to allow the
track's input to be played through its device and heard at its output.

Keyboard Mode button: This enables the keyboard mode for the selected Riff(s)

Enable the 'ALL' button, to

modify tonality for all
4 Riffs at once
 RANDOMIZATION

Randomize the Pitch, Duration, Velocity and Density for the selected piano roll by clicking on the Randomization (Dice) button.
You can randomize these parameters for all piano rolls at once, by enabling the 'ALL' Button.

Lock

Reverse Erase
Reverse: This will reverse all steps for Pitch, Duration, Velocity and Density for the selected piano roll.
Lock: While enabled, the selected tab (Pitch, Duration, Velocity or Density) will not be randomized by clicking on the randomization button.
Erase: This will erase all settings for the selected piano roll.

Backwards

Forward Back and forth

Select the Motion of the Playback.

 INFINITY MODE

While enabled, the infinity mode takes full control of the selected riff / piano roll and generates a
completely new pattern each time a new pattern starts (loop) so you can just sit back and have it
perform for you.

You can also select how many times the pattern shall remain the same until it re-generates a new one.

For example: if X 2 is set, then each pattern shall play two (2) times, until the mode re-generates a new
pattern and so on..

You can set different modes for each riff.

While the 'ALL' button is enabled, you can activate the Infinity mode for all 4 piano rolls at once.

Use the right and left allow buttons to increase or decrease the Infinity Mode number,
or scroll up or down (drag) the Infinity Mode number to make faster changes.
 LOCK NOTES & STEPS

Lock Notes: While the Lock Notes button is enabled, you can select specific notes in the piano roll to be
locked (click on these notes directly on the piano roll).
This will prevent the Pitch, Duration, Velocity and Density for these notes from being randomized
by clicking on the Randomization (dice) button.

Lock Steps: While the Lock Steps button is enabled, you can select specific steps in the piano roll to be
locked (click on these notes directly on the piano roll).
This will prevent the steps for the currently selected tab (from Pitch, Duration, Velocity and Density)
from being randomized by clicking on the Randomization (dice) button.
For example: If the Pitch tab is selected, only the Pitch parameter will be locked for the locked steps.
By clicking on the Randomization button, the Duration, Velocity and Density will be randomized, but the
pitch will remain the same.

Reset: This unlocks all locked notes and steps in the piano roll.
 PIANO ROLL CONTROLS - 1

Here you can adjust the number of active

notes that your riffs will include by clicking
on the Randomization button.

Quantization: Through this drop-down menu,

you can select time signature for the
selected piano roll.
Shuffle: Add Shuffle amount to your riff.

Steps and Loop: These two selectors control

the step amount of your pattern. You can
select from 1 to 64 steps and adjust the loop
duration of your riff. Root Note: You can set the number of root
notes that your new riff will contain.
For example: if the Root Notes number is 4, by
clicking on the Randomization button, all riffs that
will be generated will contain 4 root notes.
You can deactivate this feature using the On/Off
toggle button.
Tie Notes: While enabled, same notes that
are next to each other will be played as
one sustained note.

Sustain Notes: While enabled,

paused notes will be played as sustained.
 PIANO ROLL CONTROLS - 2

C-B Keys: Click any of the C-B keys to transpose your riff(s) to a selected key.

Select the starting and ending points for your riff.

Octave buttons: Move your riff up to +/-24 semitones Up or Down

Move the riff one step to the right or left. Move the riff one step up or down.

This allows you to Drag-Out the MIDI pattern directly to your DAW, or any location.
You can export the MIDI pattern for the selected riff, or enable the 'ALL' button to export
the MIDI pattern for all 4 riffs.
 SCALES
Riffer provides the option to create riffs using up to 57 scales, or to create your own custom scales.

Through the Scales drop-down menu, you can chose your preferred scale for the new patterns that will be
generated using the Randomization button.

The 'Save new scale' in the scales drop-down menu, allows you to create your own custom scales.
In the piano roll, you will have to include the notes that will be included in your custom scale.
Click on the 'Save new scale' option, give your scale a name and click 'Save'.
Your new scale will be included in the 'Scales' drop-down menu.

You can delete your custom scale by clicking on the delete (Trash) button on the right.

By clicking the keyboard button, your current Riff will be transported to the selected scale.

Scales included: Chromatic, Blues, Major, Minor, Dorian, Mixolydian, Phrygian, Lydian, Locrian, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, Pentatonic Neutral,
Pentatonic Minor, Pentatonic Major, Dim Half, Dim Whole, Augmented, Roumanian Minor, Spanish - Gypsy, Diatonic, Double Harmonic, Eight-Tone
Spanish, Enigmatic, Algerian, Arabian A, Arabian B, Balinese, Byzantine, Chinese, Egyptian, Hindu, Hirajoshi, Hungarian Gypsy, H. Gypsy - Persion,
Japanese A-B, Persian, Prometheus, Six-Tone Symetrical, Super Locrian, Wholetime, Major triad, Minor triad, Major 7th, Minor 7th, Major Dominant, Minor
Major 7th, Diminished, Major 6th-9th-Add9-Augmented, Minor 6th-9th-Add9-Augmented
 RANDOMIZING THE PITCH
Pitch Tab: By selecting the Pitch Tab, in the piano roll you will be able to see and edit
the Pitch of the notes that are included in your Riff.
You can click the Randomization (dice) button to generate new riffs, or click on the steps directly in the piano roll,
to manually create your own riffs.

Pitch Range:
Adjust the Pitch Range of
the piano roll.
Click on the '+' or '-'
buttons to increase or Set the same Pitch value
decrease the Pitch Range, to all steps.
or use the vertical blue
slider to make changes. Alternatively, click a note
directly in the piano roll,
hold Shift and drag to the
left or right, to set the
same pitch for more than
one steps in your riff.
 RANDOMIZING THE DURATION

Duration Tab: By selecting the Duration Tab, in the piano roll you will be able to see and edit the Duration of the notes that are
included in your Riff.

Duration Range:
Adjust the Duration Range
for the steps.
Set min and max values
for Duration using the
vertical blue slider.

Set the same Duration value

to all steps.
 RANDOMIZING THE VELOCITY

Velocity Tab: By selecting the Velocity Tab, in the piano roll you will be able to see and edit the Velocity of the notes that are
included in your Riff.

Velocity Range:
Adjust the Velocity Range
for the steps.
Set min and max values
for Velocity using the
vertical blue slider.

Set the same Velocity value

to all steps.
 RANDOMIZING THE DENSITY
Density: This feature allows you to split specific steps to 2-8 parts/hits.
Density Tab: By selecting the Density Tab, in the piano roll you will be able to see and edit the Density of the notes that are included in your Riff.

Density Range:
Adjust the Density Range
for the steps.
Set min and max values
for Density using the
vertical blue slider.

Adjust the number of steps

that will have Density in your
generated Riffs.

Click on the 'Reset' button to

remove density for all steps.
 AUTOMATION - MIDI LEARN

MIDI Learn allows you to remote control virtually any on-screen parameter with a MIDI controller.
The basic process of pairing a physical control to a Riffer parameter using MIDI Learn is extremely simple:
Click the 'Learn' button

The controls that can be automated are highlighted.

Select a parameter to be activated for the MIDI Learn mode

Move a slider/knob on your MIDI Controller to associate it.

The MIDI CC number of the associated control will be visible in Learn mode, as shown below:

Click 'Learn' to exit the MIDI Learn mode

 AUTOMATION - MIDI CC MAPPINGS

By clicking the Top-right Settings (Gear) button, you can have access to the MIDI Mappings list.
The MIDI Mappings list includes all parameters that can be automated and provides the option to
associate a parameter to your MIDI Controller.
 CLEAR MAPPINGS

By clicking the 'Learn' button to enter the MIDI Learn mode, you can click
the 'X' button from any associated parameter to clear mapping.
Alternatively, long click on the parameter to clear mapping.

In order to clear all mappings at once in MIDI Learn mode,

click the 'Clear Mappings' button at the bottom part of Riffer.

Alternatively, you can clear all mappings by clicking the 'Clear'

button that is included in the MIDI CC Mappings section.
 SAVING PRESETS
In Riffer you have two options to store/save your custom presets.
The traditional method requires you to click the save (pencil) button on the top-right.
Name your preset and click 'Save'.

Quick-Load Slots
The second option is what we call Quick-Load slots.
Once you have a pattern that you want to save, simply by clicking to an empty slot will automatically
save the current pattern to this slot number.
Once a saved preset is there, it can be recalled with a press of a button instantly, rather than choosing
it from the ''load-presets'' top-right menu.

This is extremely helpful in live/jam situations where you can load up to 16 different presets
and quick-fire them with a pouch of a button.
The slot/preset that is currently playing will be displayed with blue color.
 PRESETS TAB

All your saved presets will be included in the presets menu.

In this menu, you can double-click to load your saved presets, export/share to any location, delete,
or assign your saved presets to a slot in the Quick-load presets tab.

Assign preset to a slot in Export preset

the Quick-Load Presets tab
Delete preset

Export: This allows you to store your presets to another location, or share presets between devices (e.g. from Desktop to iOS).

Import presets: By clicking on the 'Import Presets' button, you can import to Riffer a preset from any location.

Save as MIDI file: You can save your currently playing riff as MIDI file in any location on your device
 SETTINGS
By clicking the Top-right Settings (Gear) button, you can have access to MIDI settings
and also Ableton Link for the iOS version of Riffer.

MIDI Input channel selector

Through the Plugin MIDI Output drop-down menu, you can select which of your 4 Riffs will control an external
instrument plugin or hardware associated with Riffer. You can also select the 'All' option to allow all 4 riffs to control
the external software/hardware.

External MIDI Outputs selector

RIFFER IN DAW
 LIVE

Click the 'I-O' button to show the inputs and outputs

Create a MIDI track and load Riffer on it
Load any of your favorite Soft synths onto another MIDI track and set the MIDI track's input to the riffer plugin and hit play. This
was the new MIDI track is triggered by the Riffer MIDI.
 LOGIC
Load Riffer in any instrument track through the MIDI fx slot.
 CUBASE

Create two instrument tracks. Load Riffer in the first track and use
the second track to load another software, e.g. Prologue

Set the MIDI Input of Prologue as Riffer MIDI Out and then monitor arm Prologue track.
Press Play
RIFFER BASIC MANUAL / USER GUIDE

VST/VST3/AU/AAX/iOS