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Algorithm #4: Granular Format Oscillator
- modulations into Morph and Timbre create true vowel sounds given the correct depths
- Main OUT and AUX are given the same CV at VCA but are attenuated separately, balance is mixed throughout the recording
- Receives 1v/oct pitch information from M32 KB Out (just KB notes so LFO -> frequency has no effect or utility in this patch)
Sequence Length: Between 3 and 8 steps
Sequence Pitches: a bunch of C's and G's in different octaves
Buff Mult acts as an Audio multiple for Plaits
Gate Out is the driving Clock and Start/Stop for the whole patch
This patch demonstrates approximately 0.06% of Shaggy's Power, in an audible format. Any greater than 0.065% of his power in an audible format is lethal for children and the elderly, so 0.06% keeps a safe distance. Shaggy, the reincarnation of every God rolled into a burrito, approves this patch.
BIA goes direct out (with Amp CV modulation from Maths OR Output, chose OR because 2hp VCA is not bipolar), while Maths CH. 4 is filtered at Cinnamon then sent to Quad VCA and out
Maths modulates BIA Trigger In as well as CH. 4 amplitude cv
LFO's from DixieII and Peaks, as well as a Pitch Sequence from Micro Sequence (which is both advanced and receives a separate Gate from Tempi) bring rhythmic and textural variety to Maths CH. 4's amplitude and filter cutoff, as well as to BIA's various timbral parameters
IMPORTANT, In DAW
- Used Klevgrand Brusfri to cut down on noise from the modular
- Duplicated the BIA Input, where the duplicate is centre panned and only plays frequencies below 300Hz
- Maths CH. 4 is panned left 20L
- BIA unfiltered is panned right 15R
Overall, this patch was just ok, and the recording leaves much to be desired. Some ways it could have been better:
- periodic changes in direction, length, scale, and clock rates fed into Micro Sequence
- Filter Cutoff Modulation
- BIA Morph, Harmonic, Spread, and/or Fold Modulation
- Could have added Plaits
- Peaks Drumsynth was somewhat unnecessary
Tempo 118.5
MIDI Out 1
Each track has a different numbered midi channel out to Poly
Tracks 2, 4, and 8 are off
Frequently using the Roll knob on Track 7 (kick drum) as well as Track 6 (Rings)
Step configuration: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AsdkBRIREHjWiroi4G3OsSZ6w3utUQ
2 Distings: one to advance a pitch sequence on Peaks' expert mode 4-step sequence as well as to gate a Waldorf Blofeld Desktop synth
Use Blofeld H001 (saved), or A28 in the worst case scenario (same sound)
Variable Parameters: Peaks Knob Values, Blofeld Cutoff, Blofeld Filter Envelope Parameters
Clock Source: State Knob (none of the channels set the tempo)
Envelope Trigger Timings are listed above
Play around with Shift/Fine Increment or Fine Decrement tempo offsets
The same envelope sent out of Disting E3 twice but at (sometimes) different speeds as dictated by the Tempi. The other Disting in H8 mode controls the pitch of 2 analog oscillators: Mother 32 (Squ mode) and DixieII (Saw mode). The scope is important here to indicate changes to envelopes in real time.
Order of steps
i: TUNE THE OSCILLATORS in UNISEN (use FINE knob on DixieII, M32 set to 4th octave C)
ii. leave Disting H8 Z Knob CV Input unpatched at the beginning, and Cinnamon CV to 0%
1) Envelopes: Same,
Interval: Same,
Cinnamon: No Cutoff Modulation
VCA: Closed, full CV Depth
2) Envelopes: 2nd is Half speed on Tempi
Interval: Same,
Cinnmon: No Cutoff Modulation
VCA: Somewhat open, full CV Depth
3) Envelopes: 2nd is Half speed on Tempi
Interval: 3rds,
Cinnamon: No Cutoff Modulation
VCA: Halfway open, medium CV Depth
4) Envelopes: 1st is 2x speed, 2nd is 3x speed
Interval: 3rds,
Cinnamon: Cutoff Modulation introduced (depth @ 12:00)
VCA: 75% open, little CV Depth
5) Envelopes: 1st is 2x speed, 2nd is 3x speed
Interval: Unisen,
Cinnamon: 20% reso, Cutoff Max, Cutoff CV Depth 1:30
VCA: 100% open, no CV Depth
6) Envelopes: 1st is 2x speed, 2nd is 3x speed
Interval: Modulated by Maths (plug it in, attenuated by Channel 2)
Cinnamon: 20% reso, Cutoff Max, Cutoff CV Depth @ 12:00
VCA: 100% open, no CV Depth
7) no more CV into Quad VCA
Envelopes: 1st is normal speed, 2nd is 2x speed
Interval: Modulated by Maths
Cinnamon: Lower the cutoff
Maths: increase the depth of modulation, slow the Fall of Channel 1
8) VCA: Closed, 100% CV Depth and fade out
a fast and spastic up and down motion with the joystick to create an aggressive phasing effect when sent to Position on Rings, sometimes it is Looped and other times it is used as a one-shot.
Concept:
- A mostly low register 8-step sequence from Mother 32 modulates its' own pitches by musical intervals usually greater than or equal to one octave thanks to Gate being fed into VC Mix Attenuator and into 1v/oct input.
- This voice then triggers the BIA which exists in the Alto register. Rings and various modulations on the M32 and BIA are triggered and otherwise influenced by a 4-step CV sequence coming from Peaks' Channels 1 and 2 outputs (same sequence, "Twin" mode).
- Maths (via CH. 4 slow cycling LFO) influences various BIA parameters as well as the speed of an LFO from DixieII which advances the 4-step sequence on Peaks
- A bandpass filtered version of BIA (thru Erica Synths VCF1 Polivoks filter) goes into Quad VCA, and an unfiltered version goes into Joranalogue Mix3 (the interplay between these two signals creates interesting results throughout the recording)
- Planar 2's Y Output is sent to the Position on Rings to act as a kind of phaser, for the "Western Chords" mode of Sympathetic Strings set to quadraphonic
Mother 32 sends what are usually Gates to the Quad VCA Channel 1 CV Input, but can adjust the envelope of the Gate with Attack/Decay Knobs and Sustain Switch
ASSIGN Out is in Value #3, so it outputs a +5V Gate at half the input clock rate
There is a 16-step sequence programmed in, pitches dont matter but there is a rhythm created by a combination of Gate ON and OFF steps
Overview
A simple techno patch using BIA and Peaks for Sound Sources, some modulation, and a Korg SQ-1. Other than the OUT from the ADM10 Kompressor, all other patch cables that start or end outside of the rack are those involved with the SQ-1. The patch is based on ideas presented by James Cigler in his BIA "how-to" video: .
Playing the Patch
Adjust the following to achieve variety and interest:
- Mix3 Kick Drum Volume (Channel 2)
- Quad VCA Channel 1 Volume
- Quad VCA Channel 1 CV Depth
- Mother 32 EG (sent to BIA Attack Rate and Quad VCA Channel 1 CV
- BIA Register (start in Bass but can change later on)
- BIA Algorithm (start in Skin but can change later on)
- BIA Spread, Harmonic, Morph (start CCW), and Fold
- Peaks Knob 2: FM Intensity
- Peaks Knob 3: FM and AM envelope decay time
- Peaks Knob 4: Colour
- Mother 32 Sequence Reset
Rings Parameters
- Quadraphonic Polyphony (Red)
- 2-operator FM (Blinking Green, hold Synthesis Type Selection Button when in Modal Synthesis mode to access this Expert Mode)
Disting Parameters
- Straight forward but Z Knob is set to neutral so no Z jack colour
KeyStep Parameters
- Clock: Internal
- Rate: 12 o'clock (approx. 1/4 note = 70bpm)
- Arp Mode: Order (arpeggiates notes in order of when they are played, with new keys added to a held chord to be played at the beginning of the next cycle)
- Time Div: 1/4
- Octave: 1 above middle C
- Chords Used (actual pitches are a tritone below played notes on the KeyStep)
On KeyStep: GMAadd2, FMIadd2, and Eb7#5 (Whole Tone)
Actual Pitches: DbMAadd2, BMIadd2, and A7#5 (Whole Tone)
Throughout the recording notes are added to the 7#5 chord like a low 2nd and others, so much of the whole tone scale sounds at some point in the piece
Overview
- A simple patch where arpeggios from Arturia Keystep are sent to Disting G7 algorithm (MIDI-CV) and the Pitch and Gate information are sent to Mother 32 and Rings in different ways
Colour Scheme
- Irrelevant here, because I didn't need to keep things separate given the simplicity of the patch
Highlights: 3 Things
1) Many firsts including:
i. first patch with Polyend Seq+Poly
ii. first implementation of multi-tracking
iii. first time using ADM10 as a VCA for just one voice (Kick)
2) Seq felt very intuitive and fun to use
Things to Improve: 3 Things
1) Take more time with patching to improve Intentionality (perhaps setup the patch one night then finish, document and record with it on night number 2)
2) Try to use more modulation from within the rack (did not use Synthrotek ADSR, Maths, either Disting, Tempi, Planar 2, or much of the internal ASD envelope in Mother 32) (used a lot of effects and sidechaining within Ableton to compensate, which hurt the audio quality)
3) Rings still feels cumbersome, not sure yet how it fits in the overall sound of the instrument
This is the first patch involving Polyend Seq & Polyend Poly, where MIDI Out 1 from Seq goes to Poly, which transmits 6 Tracks on 6 MIDI Channels to various destinations around the Modular.
Seq Parameters
- Initially, 6 Tracks at full 32-step length (Tracks 7 and 8 OFF for visual convenience)
- Pattern 1-1 with all Tracks routed to Out1
- Tracks are arranged as follows:
1) Rings
2) Mother32
3) Bastl Cinnamon Cutoff CV
4) Hi-Hat from Plaits
5) Snare from Peaks
6) Kick from Peaks
Variation
- Since little is known about Seq (will study it in 2 months' time), achieved variation mostly by changing individual track lengths by odd and even values (should attempt Steevio's Primes approach as an exercise)
- Changing pitches for Rings and M32
- Velocity values for Track 3 Bastl Cinnamon Cutoff CV
- Varied Gate Lengths and Velocities for Mother 32
Recorded Joystick movement: quite erratic mostly horizontal motion
X out goes to the Modify Input (Y) on Disting F5 algo (Shift Register Random CVs), so that the bit in the shift register flips when a Gate is sensed from the Planar 2