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The Clerk

The Clerk is a browser-based utility for updating Atrium's firmware, modifying its settings, and loading & saving patches! It works on any Chromium browser (eg. Chrome, Edge, Brave, Opera, etc).

Visit the Clerk at https://atrium.whimsicalraps.com/clerk

The Clerk hosts its own documentation on its dedicated site, so we won't repeat that here, but perhaps its helpful to note that we can use it to manage:

  • spectre's filtering
  • touchplate sensitivity
  • lighting brightness
  • loading & saving patches
  • firmware updates

Offline Access

The Clerk is a humble worker, operating as a static website served from a single folder on our server. Besides fetching the latest firmware on-demand, it has absolutely no dependencies or dynamic content; this means we can simply save the website in full and use it as an offline utility.

Simply load the Clerk in your Chromium browser (while online) and Save Page As..., which will download two files to your chosen location: Clerk.html and a Clerk_files folder. Just keep them both in the same location and open Clerk.html whenever you need offline access to its functionality.

If you save a firmware's .dfu file from Atrium's firmware repository, you can also use Clerk to update while offline using its Update from file workflow.

Troubleshooting

MacOS

If Atrium is not successfully populating as a device once you've clicked Clerk's connect button, ensure that you have allowed Atrium to connect to your Mac via the system pop-up:

If Atrium is not successfully populating as a DFU device once you've clicked Update to latest or Update from file, it's likely because MacOS has denied Atrium's DFU mode from registering as an 'allowed' device. Ensure that you have additionally allowed Atrium to connect to your Mac via the second system pop-up:

Once you Allow the device, you will need to click Update to latest again to actually select it (DFU in FS Mode) from the pop-up.

If at any point you accidentally pressed Don't Allow, simply reconnect Atrium via USB and MacOS should prompt for your approval again.

Windows

If Atrium is not successfully populating as a DFU device once you've clicked Update to latest or Update from file, it's likely because Windows does not already have a generic WinUSB driver installed for Atrium's DFU mode. In this case, manual assignment is necessary:

  • Download Zadig and run the program
  • If Atrium is not yet in DFU mode, then please connect to it via Clerk and click Update to latest (or Update, if updating from a file) to put it into DFU mode
  • Once Atrium is in DFU mode, it should populate in Zadig's Device dropdown as DFU in FS Mode
    • Don't see it? Click Options > List All Devices
  • With the DFU in FS Mode device selected in Zadig, ensure that the destination driver is WinUSB (v6.1.7600.16385)
  • Once the above is verified, click the Install Driver button in Zadig:

  • Zadig will now install the driver, which may take some time. When it's completed, it will alert you that "The driver was installed successfully" and you'll see that the WinUSB driver was assigned to the DFU device:

  • Back at the Clerk, click Update from latest (or Update, if updating from a file) again and you should be able to select the DFU in FS Mode device from the pop-up
    • It might also populate as DFU in FS Mode - Paired
  • Once the update is complete, feel free to close Zadig – you should not follow this workflow for future updates, as Windows now has a driver assigned to Atrium's DFU mode!

Linux

If Atrium is not appearing as a DFU device once you've clicked Update to latest or Update from file, it's likely because of a security issue which requires adjusting udev rules.

In your terminal of choice, create a udev rules file for Atrium, and open it for editing, by executing:

sudo nano /etc/udev/rules.d/49-atrium.rules

Into it, write:

SUBSYSTEMS=="usb", ATTRS{idVendor}=="cafe", ATTRS{idProduct}=="df11", MODE:="0666"

Exit and save (Control + X, then Y). Reload the udev rules by executing:

sudo udevadm control --reload-rules
sudo udevadm trigger

Physically reconnect Atrium and you should now be able to connect in Clerk.

Firmware Changelog

Though this is a Player's Manual and not an Operator's Handbook, it does seem useful to capture a summary of Atrium's version-to-version changes.

v1.1 → v.1.2.1

v1.2.0 is focused on making the update process of Atrium more resilient, along with some niceties like faster boot times, and kind lighting fades. A fix to the controller port (USB Host) is included too.

v1.2.1 is focused on improving incoming MIDI connectivity and stability.

new

general

  • Lights fade in gently upon power-up (previous behavior: abrupt pulse, then all-bright)
improved

system modes

In order to ensure future updates are stable, this update does some behind-the-scenes reorganizing into three system modes:

  • runtime: this is the main Atrium instrument
  • loader: our new bootloader to perform updates safely
  • system DFU: the old bootloader, still accessible to allow updates to the loader in the future.

Once v1.2 (or later) is installed: Clerk takes care of switching from runtime to loader when you begin the update process, but if you need to manually access the loader, hold tap and gesture while powering up Atrium.

  • In Clerk, the loader appears as "Atrium Bootloader" instead of "DFU in FS Mode".
  • The first light in the gesture lightstrip will pulse indicating it is ready to update.
  • When an update begins, that lightstrip will fill with dim blocks (firmware is being erased), then a bright light will fill it from left to right (firmware is being written). On completion, Atrium will return to the runtime.
  • See which version Atrium is on without a computer by reading the numbers in the phase window.
  • To exit the loader without updating and return to runtime, press load + clear.
  • The loader will play a small composition while updating, with the volume knob functioning as normal.

Updates via the loader are substantially faster than from the system DFU.

If a firmware update fails, Atrium will force itself into the loader, and the extension window will display "f" for "fail". Simply retry the firmware update, making sure your cable connection is solid, and that you keep Clerk's window in view throughout the update. If the update continues to fail, note the colour of the debug light (embedded along the left edge of Atrium) and send a message to support@whimsicalraps.com with as much detail as possible. eg. Which OS is your computer is on? Did you update to "Latest" or from a "File"? Any other details you can imagine. More info the better!

If you need to access to system DFU, you can jump there from the loader by holding clear for 3 seconds. The phase meter will count you down from 3, and you will see the letters dFU across the light windows. You can then use Clerk to update the loader as well as the runtime.

fixed

USB Host

  • Driver is now fully asynchronous, so there's no light stutter when connecting a device to the controller port

(v1.2.1) MIDI

TRS MIDI:

  • Multiple issues causing stuck notes are resolved
  • Added support for Roland UM-ONE mk2 (as well as other legacy DIN MIDI devices)

USB MIDI (controller):

  • Issues causing stuck notes upon connection are resolved
  • MIDI clock can now be sent to the connected controller
  • Added support for OP-1 and OP-1F (as well as others with similar USB descriptor issues)
  • Added support for Melbourne Instruments Roto-Control to be recognized as a MIDI controller (as well as others that expose additional CDC ports)

USB MIDI (computer):

  • Sending MIDI clock from Atrium to a Windows PC now works correctly

v1.0 → v.1.1

new
  • The Clerk: A one-stop shop for firmware updates, settings modifications, and patch saving & loading.
  • spectre filtering: The presence of time artifacts in the analog bucket brigade device signal chain has been softened. Two flavors: normal (this is the filter-adjusted configuration, which is the new default) and grit (the original v1.0 settings, with some time whine).
  • controllable lighting brightness: Either reducing intensity (dim) or adding more contrast (bright).
  • controllable touch sensitivity: Three modes of responsiveness: normal, sensitive, and hyper.
improved

general

  • the recently-recalled cluster will pulse while holding chord
  • better lighting information consistency
  • UI generally runs at higher refresh rates

MIDI

  • clear learned MIDI destinations
  • map MIDI CC’s to touchplates: voicing, phase, spectrum, and stretch
  • MIDI sustain pedal CC 64 now implemented to sustain voices
  • MIDI learn now uses the gesture LED strip to display the current CC value
  • clear+midi clears all MIDI notes (on-board "panic")

spectre

  • time has been reshaped to provide higher accuracy at fast times
fixed

general

  • load + clear now more resilient and no longer requires double-execution to leave high-intensity patches
  • loading saved patches is now more reliable
  • clock: clear + tempo clears tap-tempo
  • scale editor: longer sequences accurately displayed and stepped-through

gestures

  • gestures now follow changes to tempo
  • when recording a gesture, starting another gesture recorder will now stop the previous (and start its playback) for fast overdub-style workflows with multiple recorders
  • step now quantizes to clock pulses, creating more of a sample+hold effect
  • recording long gestures no longer slow down runtime

MIDI

  • Atrium maps incoming note velocity more smoothly
  • clock out via TRS MIDI now working
  • MIDI "panic" (CC 123): all notes off
  • MIDI learn settings now saved in patches
  • MIDI SysEx messages are correctly ignored (could cause bogus notes previously)
  • when MIDI devices are connected to the controller (USB-A) port, latency is dramatically improved, and no longer slows down the core modulation loop
  • USB devices that enumerate a serial port along with MIDI now expose the MIDI signals (eg. monome iii grids and arcs)
  • MIDI support for Elektron Digitone and Digitakt Mk1 connected to controller port