diff --git a/sound_algo/data_only/launchpad.scd b/sound_algo/data_only/launchpad.scd
index 7886d97..e6b8505 100644
--- a/sound_algo/data_only/launchpad.scd
+++ b/sound_algo/data_only/launchpad.scd
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ SynthDef(\lp_pluck, { |out=0, freq=220, amp=0.3, cutoff=2500, pan=0|
     var sig = RLPF.ar(Saw.ar(freq.clip(40,2000) * [1, 1.005]), cutoff.clip(200,8000), 0.4);
     Out.ar(out, Pan2.ar(Mix(sig) * env, pan.clip(-1,1)) * amp);
 }).add;
+// sustained lead: gated ASR so notes hold for their full \dur (needs \legato).
+SynthDef(\lp_lead, { |out=0, freq=220, amp=0.3, cutoff=3000, gate=1, pan=0|
+    var env = EnvGen.kr(Env.asr(0.01, 1, 0.3), gate, doneAction: 2);
+    var sig = Mix(Saw.ar(freq.clip(40, 3000) * [0.997, 1.0, 1.005]));
+    sig = RLPF.ar(sig, (cutoff.clip(300, 9000) * (1 + (env * 0.4))).clip(300, 12000), 0.28);
+    Out.ar(out, Pan2.ar(sig * env, pan.clip(-1, 1)) * amp * 0.45);
+}).add;
 SynthDef(\lp_pad, { |out=0, freq=220, amp=0.0, cutoff=1500, gate=1|
     var sig = Mix(Saw.ar(freq.clip(40,1000) * [0.99, 1.0, 1.008, 2.0]));
     sig = RLPF.ar(sig, cutoff.clip(200,6000), 0.4);
@@ -164,10 +171,10 @@ Pdef(\lp_arp, Pbind(\instrument, \lp_pluck, \dur, 0.25,
     \degree, Pseq([0,2,4,7,4,2], inf),
     \freq, Pfunc { |e| ~lpNote.(e[\degree], 1).midicps },
     \cutoff, 3000, \amp, Pfunc { 0.2 * ~lpVol.(\arp) }, \pan, Pwhite(-0.3,0.3)));
-Pdef(\lp_lead, Pbind(\instrument, \lp_pluck, \dur, Pseq([1, 0.5, 0.5, 2], inf),
+Pdef(\lp_lead, Pbind(\instrument, \lp_lead, \dur, Pseq([1, 0.5, 0.5, 2], inf),
     \degree, Pseq([7,5,4,0,2,4], inf),
     \freq, Pfunc { |e| ~lpNote.(e[\degree], 1).midicps },
-    \cutoff, 4000, \amp, Pfunc { 0.24 * ~lpVol.(\lead) }));
+    \cutoff, 4000, \amp, Pfunc { 0.24 * ~lpVol.(\lead) }, \legato, 1));
 Pdef(\lp_stab, Pbind(\instrument, \lp_pluck, \dur, Pseq([Rest(0.5), 0.5], inf),
     \freq, Pfunc { [0,2,4].collect { |d| ~lpNote.(d, 0).midicps } },
     \cutoff, 2200, \amp, Pfunc { 0.2 * ~lpVol.(\stab) }));
diff --git a/sound_algo/data_only/matrix.scd b/sound_algo/data_only/matrix.scd
index 43f5e8c..59b391e 100644
--- a/sound_algo/data_only/matrix.scd
+++ b/sound_algo/data_only/matrix.scd
@@ -142,9 +142,10 @@ File.exists(~matDir).not.if({ ("mkdir -p " ++ ~matDir.quote).systemCmd });
 // -- ~matVariation : map color 1-6 to a Pchain overlay on the captured base --
 // color 1 = base as-is, 2 = double-time, 3 = octave up, 4 = half-time,
 // 5 = octave down + slight accent, 6 = accent roll (denser + louder).
-// \stretch multiplies event duration; \octave shifts degree-based pitch.
-// NOTE: voices that compute \freq via Pfunc (ignoring \octave) will not respond
-// to the octave variation — acceptable for v1; tune the palette at the live gate.
+// \stretch multiplies event duration; octave colors multiply the base \freq
+// (x2 up, x0.5 down) over the base event, so they transpose even voices that set
+// \freq directly via Pfunc (which bypass SC's \octave). Only pitched voices get
+// the \freq multiply — drums keep their pitch (and any instrument override).
 // Single function so all variation logic lives in one place.
 ~matVariation = { |name, color, vi = 0|
     (color == 0).if({ nil }, {
@@ -152,18 +153,26 @@ File.exists(~matDir).not.if({ ("mkdir -p " ++ ~matDir.quote).systemCmd });
         base.notNil.if({
             var spec = [
                 nil,
-                (stretch: 1.0, octave:  0, amp: 1.0),
-                (stretch: 0.5, octave:  0, amp: 1.0),
-                (stretch: 1.0, octave:  1, amp: 1.0),
-                (stretch: 2.0, octave:  0, amp: 1.0),
-                (stretch: 1.0, octave: -1, amp: 1.05),
-                (stretch: 0.5, octave:  0, amp: 1.2)
+                (stretch: 1.0, freqRatio: 1.0, amp: 1.0),
+                (stretch: 0.5, freqRatio: 1.0, amp: 1.0),
+                (stretch: 1.0, freqRatio: 2.0, amp: 1.0),
+                (stretch: 2.0, freqRatio: 1.0, amp: 1.0),
+                (stretch: 1.0, freqRatio: 0.5, amp: 1.05),
+                (stretch: 0.5, freqRatio: 1.0, amp: 1.2)
             ][color];
             spec.notNil.if({
                 var inst = ~matInstruments[vi];
                 // per-voice volume (mixer fix from main): read live, default 0.8
                 var volOf = { (~lp[\vol].notNil).if({ ~lp[\vol][name.asSymbol] ? 0.8 }, { 0.8 }) };
                 var instPair = inst.notNil.if({ [\instrument, inst] }, { [] });
+                // octave colors: multiply the base \freq, pitched voices only.
+                // gating avoids forcing a pitch onto drums (incl. drum voices
+                // remapped to a pitched instrument override).
+                var pitched = [\sub, \acid, \arp, \lead, \stab, \pad, \reese, \bells, \perc, \tom];
+                var freqRatio = spec[\freqRatio] ? 1.0;
+                var freqPair = (pitched.includes(name) and: { freqRatio != 1.0 }).if({
+                    [\freq, Pfunc({ |e| (e[\freq] ? 440) * freqRatio })]
+                }, { [] });
                 var mod = ~matMod[vi];
                 var modPairs = mod.isNil.if({ [] }, {
                     var src = mod[\source], tgt = mod[\target], d = mod[\depth];
@@ -186,9 +195,8 @@ File.exists(~matDir).not.if({ ("mkdir -p " ++ ~matDir.quote).systemCmd });
                             0
                         },
                         \stretch, spec[\stretch],
-                        \octave,  spec[\octave],
                         \amp,     Pfunc({ (spec[\amp] ? 1.0) * volOf.value })
-                    ] ++ instPair ++ modPairs)),
+                    ] ++ freqPair ++ instPair ++ modPairs)),
                     base
                 )
             }, { base })