Hi Stuart

>>Stepnumber 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
>> clock .1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.
>> /2 .11..11..11..11..
>> /4 .1111....1111....
> couldn't follow that (are the dots zeros ) but this...

Yes. I used dots instead of zeros because its more readable.

>>And the best thing for percussion triggering would be
>>
>>Stepnumber 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
>> clock .1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.
>> /2 .1...1...1...1...
>> /3 .1.....1.....1...
>> /4 .1.......1.......
>
>
> ...is what i mean. all gates (or trigers) are on when the start order
> comes. if the clock is sending 16ths, then the /2 output is sending
> 8ths etc.
> why would this need a lot of hardware

you need for each stage an additional inverter and an AND.

> if a device is designed to go high on
> the first trigger and low on the second, then all you need is a chain
> of these devices, with a tap after each one for the relevant output.

Thats a nice thought, but thats not how these divider chips are built.
That what you mean would require a dedicated RS-Flipflop with all
outputs available for each stage. The divider ICs as used in the A-160
have a chain of RS-Flipflops, but they are connected in the wrong way
with each other (if its of interest I can post details). So you'd need
eight Divider ICs plus two 4xAND-Chips for this, where the standard
A-160 goes with one chip - and with that you still do not have the
divide by three part.

Florian