Monthly Patching Workout 2015-2018

[pflosi]

Thanks very much mate, highly appreciate it! Yeah the ping percussion track is one of my favorites too so far, together with the very first one that somehow just worked really nicely.

Love to ping and FM those filters, you can get some great and surprisingly "organic" sounds. And that beat was programmed rather simple anyways, one could do a ton of fun stuff with logic modules and switches and stuff to change those rhythms. That reminds me that I have a switch in a drawer that I really should install soon

Cheers!

[pflosi]

I'm rather late with the September recording So, I had a sweet meditation patch going while cooking (pumpkin-curry soup), so I thought I'd record some bits and then go totally overkill with adding up effects on it. Turned out rather spacey I guess





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... -raindance

So the original patch is three parts from the modular, a noise from a Cwejman D-LFO S/H at audiorate through a SPH2, a FM patch with two PH4 and a pinged RES4. At the center of the patch is a selfmodulating RG6, the clock is used to ping the RES4, the various S/H outs go to some individual and the master RES4 frequencies, as well as the PH4 and D-LFO frequencies and the SPH2 modulator rate. Everything is gated via a VCA4MX and a Doepfer A142-4 for the noise and FM parts, and a CTG-VC for the pings. They are gated from various outs of the RG6, manipulated in timing with a Makenoise Maths and A162. The whole thing is mixed and goes through a FSH1 with feedback and a bit of modulation on the mix from the second D-LFO sine, with the up and down outs used left and right for some nice stereo flanging. A couple of times I go into the audiorange with it. The mix out is further sent to an A199 for some spring verb, the final mixdown is then brought together by a VCA2P.

Then, after recording the patch and a bit of editing, I start to stack up the FX. Besides the original, each return track is also fed into the next one again after recording it. So, first we have a delay-focused RE201 return, straightforward space echo. Secondly, I feed a Quadraverb for the initial reflections into the RE201, focused on the spring verb this time. It's fun to sculpture the space with the digital verb in front of the springs. Thirdly, a stereo delay from a Symetrix 606, fed again into the Quadraverb for some flanging and then to a Mutator for the stereo filter sweeps. And finally, we have a fourth return going to a Boss RRV10 reverb and then an old MXR Pitch Transposer.

Of course, the FX returns become more and more of a drone with each pass. The MXR at the end is a real space machine. Much fun and it ends up tying everything together in a nice way somehow. Good workout for my patchbay too

As always, a bit of delay, reverb, EQ and compression was added in Ableton to glue it all together.

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

I wanted to take advantage of the fact that the Cwejman RG6 sampling signal (of the S/H generator) bleeds into the clock output of the module. Not sure why Wowa did this but it's great fun to ping stuff, as there is a very quiet noise floor in the signal that accentuates the resonance of a pinged filter. I suspect it's also the reason why several modules don't like that clock, e.g. René.





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... -generator

The RG6 also does this when using an external input, feeding the ext input through to the clock. I wanted to use the clock trigger for a ping, and in addition have some function generator in the sampling input that would bleed a little into the ping trigger. So, the RG6 is at the center of the patch, its clock goes to a RES4 which is tuned for a nice ping. A multed copy of the clock plus the RES4 output are then mixed and sent further to a SPH2 phaser, resulting basically in two serial pinged filters. The RG6 is also modulating itself from the random saw a little bit. The SPH2 L and R outputs are fed to a VCA2P, the mix out goes to an A199 for some spring verb and then to the pan input of the VCA2P. The three VCA2P channels are autopanned by three outputs of a PH4 - you can hear it nicely in the noisefloor of my system / the A199

Then, a CTG-VC is fed into the S/H sampling input, basically creating up and down stair patterns. This envelope now also bleeds slightly into the clock output, i.e. the audio chain. I take advantage of this in the middle and towards the end of the recording, bringing in the background drone by pushing it up to the audio range. Of course, otherwise it's just DC in the audio path (which is cut anyway on the way in to the DAW). Furthermore, the mentioned stairwave modulation output from the S/H is fed to the RES4 master frequency as well as the SPH2 L and R frequencies.

Finally and just for fun, we have a D-LFO at audio rate for some FM to the RES4 master frequency, going through a VCA4MX whose channel is gated by an A142-4 envelope, which is triggered from the RG6 clock. Then, I mainly jam with the various CTG-VC, RG6 and VCA4MX controls. So, when the CTG is at audio rates, it creates a drone in the clock out of the RG6. Fun patch

As always, little bit of Ableton EQ, compression, reverb and delay. Hardly any cuts this time, quick and dirty Hope you enjoy it!

Cheers

[pflosi]

Inspired by this recently bumped Muffs thread and especially this linked post by Dave Peck, I wanted to do something using the Cwejman SPH2 Phaser for pseudo "Yamaha style" phase mod. I've enjoyed FMing filters w/ their audio source for a long time, but I've never tried it with the SPH2. It works great, really cool patch. I figured, why stop there and not just go with a whole beat through the phaser? So here is the feedforward phase modulation patch.



https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... modulation

For the bassline, we have a D-LFO sine at audio rate going to the SPH2 via a SSF Mixmode. The SPH2 L and R outputs go to two channels of a VCA4MX, then stereo out to the DAW via a VCA2P; the sum of the two channels is routed to a Doepfer A199 Spring Reverb, which is routed back to the pan input of the VCA2P and panned a bit by a PH4. Furthermore, the SPH2 mix out is routed back to the Mixmode for more feedback than internally possible (inverted on the Mixmode). The mix output of the Mixmode is multed to another VCA4MX channel, from there to the L+R Spectrum (frequency) input of the SPH2 for FM. The D-LFO is sequenced from Ableton via a KMI Qunexus, its gate triggers a CTG-VC which modulates the VCA4MX channel with the FM path.

But I wanted a whole beat into the SPH2 audio and modulation paths, so next we need a bassdrum. I used a TR909 trigger into an A162 Trigger Delay to convert it to a short trigger to ping a RES4, tuned to a kick; an envelope modulates one RES4 band from an A142-4 Quad Decay (attenuated via a channel on a second Mixmode). The RES4 bandpass out is mixed into the SPH2 path via the first Mixmode.

Then, a snare. I began to realize that I was running out of mixers and VCAs, so I had to use two channels of the second Mixmode to mix the snare and (planned) hihat into the last channel of the first Mixmode (from where it's routed into the SPH2 audio and FM path). For both the snare and the hats, an audio rate RG6 that self-modulates via the random saw is used as sound source. The snare is triggered by a TR707, using another A142-4 channel and the last VCA4MX channel. It uses the high S/H output of the RG6 as audio source. The slew on the RG6 acts as a lowpass filter on the three S/H outs. So, I also used the same A142-4 decay envelope to open the RG6 slew.

The clock and random saw outputs of the RG6 are not affected by the slew, so I could use those for the hihats. Self-modulating the RG6, as mentioned before, makes sure that the clock is not just a steady square. They are mixed into the two audio inputs of a FSH1 Frequency Shifter. I didn't have any more VCAs – I could have patched the main audio path more parsimoniously probably (not using up the VCA2P just as a “2bus” output), but there you go. So I bastardized a Makenoise Maths channel into acting as a VCA, routing the up output of the FSH1 to it and from Maths to the SPH2 path. Another A142-4 envelope (triggered by a Dark Time) is used to open the Maths "VCA" and also to the (attenuated) FSH1 carrier frequency input. The second D-LFO channel is used to slowly modulate the FSH1 frequency (via the last available channel on the second Mixmode).

Finally, there's a fun trick for the main stereo output on the VCA4MX channels. The bassline from the D-LFO didn't have any VCA gating so far (only the CTG to modulate the FM path), so the last A142-4 channel is available for that - but this is the “2bus”… So I multed all A142-4 outputs (i.e., the individual VCA envelopes) to an A172 Max / Min, using the max output to modulate the VCA4MX “2bus” channels. A bit like faking an envelope follower for the whole thing

That's the patch, then I jam up a track tweaking the "mixer" levels of the four instruments, the SPH2 feedback, SPH2 FM and envelopes, trying to get a nice slow buildup. I start with very little feedback on the phaser and bring it up about halfway in. In the beginning, I show some of what can be done with only the sine from the D-LFO. This phaser-based "Yamaha FM" emulation patch is really cool IMO. You can hear the Lately Bass in there if you listen closely With the three-part beat into that FM path as well, it's easy to create quite a distorted mayhem of FM goodness, especially using lots of feedback.

As usual, bit of EQ, compression and reverb in Ableton to polish it all. That kick and bassline fully stereo is not something you wanna try on vinyl I reduced the volume of the side signal a bit with the Ableton Utility and cut out some of the low sides with the EQ in M/S mode. No editing at all and I think the first patch in the series without delay!

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

I wanted to see how the frequencies of a self-oscillating RE201 and a Cwejman RES4 clash with one another, it's a rather simple patch today. Just a space echo into the modular via an Intellijel Audio Interface, into a VCA4MX channel, to the RES4 and out via a FSH1 for some subtle stereo flanging (up and down outs of FSH1 to L and R of a VCA2P, mix out for feedback back to the second input and to an A199 Spring Reverb, from there to the VCA2P pan input; some Mix modulation on the FSH1 from a D-LFO sine). The RES4 is tuned to a nice chord, it's subtle but fun how the frequencies clash when changing the RE201 speed. When they come together, the resonating gets a lot louder of course.

Furthermore, I play the RES4 with the master frequency input via a KMI Qunexus. The Qunexus also resets a cycling CTG-VC, which controls the VCA4MX channel before the RES4 (the gating before the resonator makes its bands ring nicely). The sustain parameter on the CTG acts as an offset, making it possible to have the input droning as well. Finally, a feedback CV path is patched from the RES4 notch output back to its master frequency via another VCA4MX channel for some FM. That's it, then I jam with the Qunexus, CTG decay, feedback FM index and RE201 speed.

A simple and subtle patch today, but I enjoy it. The RE201 and RES4 are certainly a nice combo. From times to times the whole thing distorts a bit, it's a delicate act of gainstaging. In the end, the feedback FM caught me with some unexpected bass stuff

As usual, a bit of Ableton EQ, compression, reverb and delay to bring it all together. Hope you enjoy it and cheers!



https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... -resonator

[pflosi]

So I decided to give this another go in 2016. No restrictions, no rules, no boundaries - just fun routings around the studio for your amusement.



To start things off, I wanted to do a similar patch as last year in January, with a no-input reverb feedback loop including a RES4 in the feedback path to shape melodies. However, I wanted to see how my trusty Alesis Midiverb 3 performs in this role (as opposed to the A199 spring verb in my rack that is conveniently and often patched to do this).



https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... ckbirdsong



So, the patch is actually rather simple: The Midiverb is routed into the modular via an Intellijel Audio Interface. From there it is multed to the two inputs of a Cwejman VCA2P; one VCA2P output goes straight to the DAW for recording, the other makes up the feedback path: First, it goes to a RES4, from there out of the rack to a Warm Audio WA76 compressor to squash everything together and keep the gainstaging under control. Then from the WA to the Midiverb. On the RES4, I'm just using two bands with high-ish resonance, tuned an octave apart.

In terms of control, a self-modulating RG6 is at the center providing a clock and a melody from the S/H out to the RES4 master frequency; the clock triggers a CTG-VC, which in turn controls the RES4 master VCA to gate the feedback path. The WA76 is right after this gated VCA and limits it rather heavily with the "all buttons in" mode, very fast attack and long release. Furthermore, an offset from a Makenoise Maths is used to transpose the RES4, and finally there is also some vibrato from a D-LFO to the resonator (the three CV sources are mixed with a SSF Mixmode).

It's a very delicate act of gainstaging and the compressor is crucial to get it right, without distorting the Midiverb or RES4. I found that the "all buttons in" mode or at least the 20:1 ratio works well - i.e., a limiter setting. The Midiverb can be fine tuned much more conveniently than a simple spring verb, for example the decay and delay settings make a huge difference. The nice floor is also much cleaner. One day, I'll have to try this with my Lexicons.

Everything was recorded in one pass in Ableton, tweaking the Math offset, RG6 frequency, vibrato amount from the D-LFO and CTG attack and decay. I had to cut out some parts where it still distorted. Also using some Ableton delay, reverb, subtle chorus and phaser on the track to fill out the spaces and bring a bit of stereo life to it. Finally a bit of EQ and compression in the box to glue it all together and bring up the levels.

Hope you enjoy it and stay tuned for the rest of the series this year.

Cheers

[pflosi]

I guess I'm lucky today that it's a leap year Better late than never, here is the Feb 16 Monthly Patching Workout. I wanted to do something melodic, so here you go with the Parallel Bandpass Ambient using the Cwejman RES4 at the centre of the piece.





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... ss-ambient

First, the bass. For once it's just a straight 101, triggered by a 909. No further processing and recorded directly to Ableton.

On top of that, there are several things going to the RES4. First a trigger from the 707 indicating the tempo, converted to a nice short pluck by a Doepfer A162 Trigger Delay and pinging a SPH2 for a percussion sound. Secondly, a pitched noise from a RG6 sample/hold output at a low audiorate frequency and selfmodulating from the random saw to fill out the frequency spots and give the resonator something to work with. Then, an Andromeda A6 chord is routed to the RES4, as well as a Juno 60 lead line. The external audio is brought in with an Intellijel Audio Interface and mixed into the RES4 with a SSF Mixmode. The whole thing goes to an A199 Spring Reverb for some ambience and then out to Ableton.

In terms of modulation, we have two PH4 Quadrature LFOs modulating the individual frequencies and amplitudes of the RES4 bands. They are themselves modulated by the S/H and random saw outputs of the audiorate RG6, bringing some nice noise FM to the LFOs and making them a bit wacky

Furthermore, I derived two FX tracks from the whole thing. First, the output of the A199 is multed to a FSH1 Frequency Shifter, using the upshift output going to a VCA2P channel and the downshift out for feedback. Its frequency is modulated by the inverted random saw from the RG6; a cycling CTG-VC is used to open the VCA. This track goes out to the DAW separately. And finally, there is a "snare". The first A162 trigger output from the "bongo" is multed to the second A162 channel. Its length parameter is then used to "extract" some of the triggers and fire an A142-4 Quad Decay. The clock output of the RG6 is routed to an A124 Wasp Filter and the second VCA2P channel, which are gated by two different A142-4 channels. The resulting "snare" kind of sound is then mixed in with the rest before the A199 Spring Verb.

The A6 and (midified) Juno are sequenced by a Zyklus MPS1, rather simple stuff. It's all recorded in one take tweaking a ton of parameters, mainly the volumes of the pre-resonator mixer, "snare" decay, RES4 master frequency (with the PH4 offset), speed and amplitude of the PH4 doing the AM on the RES4, 101frequency, and FSH1 frequency. No editing at all, but a RE201 return for the fun of it and some compression, EQ, delay, reverb and automation in Ableton as usual.

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

I was fooling around with self-oscillation on the RES4 a lot lately and also wanted to give using the CTG-VC as an oscillator a try at one point in the Workout. So I decided to combine the two for this fun little patch.





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... tgenerator

It's actually very simple. The RES4 is brought into self-osc by feeding the notch out back to the input (gotta invert it or it kills the resonance) and using the bandpass out for audio. Three bands are tuned to octaves and the last to a fifth. The RES4 master frequency is sequenced by a Doepfer Dark Time and gated with an A142-4 and VCA2P. Then, the four outputs of a PH4 are used to modulate the levels of the individual resonator bands, bringing the four separate tones in and out in quadrature, creating the illusion of a further sequence.

Secondly, the RES4 output that is monitored is multed to the CTG trigger input. The CTG has a nice comparator on the trigger input, it reliably triggers from all sorts of slow sine waves and stuff like that - it doesn't need a fast rising edge (unlike all non-Cwejman envelopes I have here). It works very well at audiorates too, allowing the CTG to be "synced" to a master osc. The attack and decay controls then shape the osc from saw to triangle and ramp, but keeping the frequency of the oscillation. A bit like PWM. Of course, if the combined attack and decay time are too long (i.e., longer than one cycle of the master osc frequency), it "folds" over and basically turns to silence. All sorts of fun can be had additionally using cycling on the CTG (turning it into an actual synced osc), Zero-Restart and modulating the bipolar output level (built-in "ring modulator"!) - but I didn't do any of that in this patch to keep it simple for now. I had only tried syncing the CTG like this to a simple osc so far, which worked great; I thus was amazed to see that it handled a complex input like this "shifting" sequence from the RES4 very well. Gonna have to try a vocal or guitar or something soon, I have a feeling that could be very cool.

Anyways, the synced CTG and self-oscillating RES4 are mixed with a VCA4MX, given a touch of A199 Spring Verb and then recorded directly. First, only the RES4 is heard; The PH4 frequency is very low and the effect of the Quadrature LFO bringing the individual RES4 bands in and out is very obvious. At the beginning I turn up the PH4 frequency to a low audiorate just to show its effect and the chord used, then bring it down again and start to fade in the CTG and play a bit with its time parameters about halfway through the recording. It should be obvious what the CTG is. Also some tweaking of the PH4 frequency to show what that does with the CTG mixed in. At the end, I'm killing the PH4 modulation to show how the CTG reacts to the sequenced "chord" from the RES4, again bringing the CTG in a bit later so it is obvious which sound is which module.

As always, a slight bit of EQ, compression, reverb and delay in Ableton to bring it all together. No further cuts though, what you hear is exactly what I recorded.

I feel that these are two techniques with these two modules worthy of further exploration. The patch might not be super interesting from a listening perspective, but fun to do and hopefully some food for thought. Hope you enjoy it!

Cheers

[pflosi]

I was looking around the studio thinking, what have I never put in a feedback loop… That's a thought you should have once in a while. So my beloved and often used Boss RBF10 flanger was sitting there all innocent looking. As you can imagine, the outcome is the RBF Feedback Sequence.





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... k-sequence

I patched up a straight feedback loop to confirm that the unit can be pushed into self-osc, works nicely and there's a sweet spot without distortion. The feedback path was set up very simple, using an aux send on my Midas Venice 160 and sending it back to a channel of the mixer. Of course, I needed to get some more things into the feedback loop. Then I remembered, this machine has a CV input! It's actually meant to sync two units together, but there's just one jack - no idea how it would decide which is master and which slave. There's also a switch to invert it (very useful obviously if you want to sync two units for stereo operation - inverted sweeps!). Anyways, I had read before that you can use this as a CV input. Never tried it before, so let's see what happens. First a try with a CV keyboard. Quickly, I realized the response range is nowhere near 1V/Oct (more like 5V/Oct probably) and that there's a slight slew on it. So, other strategy: A sequence from my Dark Time. (Unfortunately, using this input kills the internal modulation LFO…)

That's fun already, but of course some more things need to go in that feedback path. For safety, I insert a compressor first, my Warm Audio WA76 has done a nice job for feedback loops a few times already. From there into the modular via an Intellijel Audio Interface, to a mixer (SSF Mixmode) and then the Cwejman RES4. The resonator BP out goes to a single VCA2P channel, from there it's sent back to the Midas channel that sends the aux out from which it started to the compressor. The VCA2P output is further multed out for monitoring, but I couldn't resist to put a SPH2 phaser and very faint A199 reverb on it - just on the monitoring / recording output, not in the feedback path. Then, a trigger sequence from my 909 triggers a CTG-VC which gates the VCA2P output / feedback return. The Dark Time is on 1/8 triplets, so the pitch and trigger sequences are shifting against each other. Furthermore, my pair of PH4 modulate the individual frequencies and levels of each RES4 band. Finally, a (clocked) RG6 sample-hold is used on the global RES4 frequency. And just for a bit more attack on the sound, I multed in the 909 trigger (converted to a very short ping using an A162) with the SSF mixer before the RES4 - the feedback loop is stable without it and it's mixed in very quiet, but gives the whole thing a nice further punch.

In terms of effects, the output is directly recorded with some RE201 Space Echo in parallel. Furthermore, I grab the dry out from the feedback loop (without the SPH2 and A199) from the Midas and send it to a Symetrix 606 for some further slow stereo delay (the Space Echo does the short mono echo). Just very little reverb from Ableton this time and of course the usual mixdown using EQ and compression.

The RES4 bands are dialled in with very little resonance so that the RBF "melody" can shine through. The RES4 tends to take over in a feedback loop otherwise. The RBF response to the sequence is fairly chaotic but that's the fun of it I guess. In the beginning of the recording, the PH4 levels and RG6 internal noise level are down, killing all modulation. What you hear is only the RBF "sequence", the RES4 only takes away a bit of the high end in this scenario. Then I start to bring in the various modulations, bringing the PH4s into audiorate here and there and of course tweaking the CTG decay. Doing so kinda makes the RES4 and RBF battle over the frequencies in the feedback loop, good fun. You can hear the RES4 sometimes just doing a bit of modulation, but then taking over and just leaving traces of the RBF sequence.

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

I wanted to see how far I can get FMing a sine or tri osc with a drum beat. So I routed my TR909 into the modular via an Intellijel Audio Interface and patched it up to FM a Cwejman PH4 (set to triangle), giving us the 909 FM Beats!





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... 9-fm-beats

The beat must be rather hot in order to actually do something. I was fooling around with the patch during the last few days and gradually started to add some stuff. First, I put the 909 FM path through a VCA4MX channel to have an attenuator and be able to mix in more stuff. A Doepfer A142-4 channel, triggered from the 909 rim, controls the PH4 level, thus acting like a global VCA for the audio path. Some feedback FM (from the PH4 90° output) is mixed into the VCA4MX path modulating the PH4, gated from a further A142-4 channel on the VCA4MX (which is triggered by a straight 16th 707 rimshot). Finally, a RG6 tuned noise is routed via the VCA4MX to modulate the PH4 offset. Its VCA4MX channel is also controlled by a further A142-4 channel (triggered by the steady 707 rimshot, as well). The noise gives a hihat-ish effect.

As you know, I was also experimenting with using the CTG-VC as a "triggered" osc lately - so obviously I wanted to see how a beat works and thought I could include it in the patch. So I multed the 909 to the CTG trigger input and simply mixed the CTG output with the PH4 FM patch (with a SSF Mixmode). It proves to be a very cool addition to the patch: While the PH4 FM mostly accentuates low frequencies, the synced CTG "osc" brings out the highs (that was also why I had added the noise in the first place). Especially since there is another very cool trick: The 909 audio, which is triggering the CTG and FMing the PH4, is also multed to the CTG level control, thus acting like a ring modulator of the 909 and CTG. Good fun. One thing that had to be done to get it to trigger more reliably is to offset the audio input a bit (I used Maths channels 2 and 3) - the CTG input comparator is set to 2V, so that helps to get it to "drone". The offset parameter changes the groove a lot, from very choppy staccato to a basically steady drone. In effect, it's the same as changing the CTG input comparator threshold.

After playing around for some time, I also decided that a compressor on the 909 would be very useful to tame those transients a bit and provide a slightly more steady input to the CTG (helps a lot, especially in combination with the offset control described above). Of course, you don't want to smash it to death but remain some of the dynamics. So I gently set up my Warm Audio WA76 in between the 909 and modular - works a treat. For the recording, I basically almost only play with the various levels (on the 909, the FM paths and the two outputs - the FMd PH4 and triggered CTG "osc") and the decay of the RG6 noise. The CTG is only brought in sometimes, you should definitely hear it - the parts in which you can actually hear some cymbals. In the beginning and end, you are only hearing the raw PH4 output as it is without 909 FM, but gated and with the feedback FM. Then, I bring up the various things and jam the patch. All recorded in one go in Ableton, no edits at all but as usual a slight bit of compression, EQ, delay and reverb to bring it all together. Remember that at no point you are hearing any 909 - it's only the PH4 and CTG, the raw 909 audio is not mixed into the audio path at any point.

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

With all the Krell talk lately on Muffs, I wanted to do a take of my twisted version of the classic Todd Barton patch. It inverts the original core of a cycling envelope with modulated attack and decay whose end of cycle gate drives pitch changes. I shall give you the Reverse Cwejman Krell





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... jman-krell

Instead of the cycling envelope with end of cycle, which is great for generative patches based on the Krell, we use a randomly modulated clock (that's driving the pitch changes). The Cwejman RG6 is great for this: The random saw is normalized to modulate the clock of the random generator, so you only have to turn up the attenuator to get bursts. Of course, its S/H outputs will then spit out stepped voltages for the (random) pitches in sync with the (random) clock changes. The clock out needs to trigger an envelope, a CTG-VC in my case.

Generally, the principle here is rather simple: The random saw that's internally modulating the clock to be fast or slow must be inverted and then used to control the attack and decay of the envelope. I'm using a SSF Mixmode to do the inversion and attenuation for the CTG attack and decay. Because of the inversion, the envelope times get faster with higher random saw voltages and thus a higher clock rate, mimicing the typical drone / staccato Krell rhythms. Obviously, the envelope is not tied to retrigger instantly after each cycle again and cause a pitch change as with the original patch - it needs some careful zooming in on those parameters and modulations to approximate the original. On the other hand, it allows passages of silence. Of course, this is just a fun variation approaching a similar idea from a different angle, and in no means any substitute for the great Krell patch.

Then the engine needs to drive something. I'm using a D-LFO at audiorate as oscillator, with some waveshaping from Makenoise Maths and RES4 filtering. It all goes out via a VCA2P (where the CTG is modulating the overall amplitude) and A199 for some spring verb. I'm using a D-LFO sine for the oscillator, the second channel (tri) is used to FM the first one. The FM path goes through a VCA4MX; To modulate the FM index, the VCA4MX is controlled by a Doepfer A142-4 decay triggered by the main (random) clock. With Maths, I'm creating a square copy of the signal with an end of rise gate which is then filtered with the fourth Maths channel and mixed into the RES4 together with the original sine. Maths channel four times are modulated from the RG6 S/H outs and a further A142-4 decay, creating a strange random filter / VCA combo. It's mixed in rather low to not overtake the FMd sine. Finally, the RES4 master frequency is "key followed" from the RG6 S/H that pitches the D-LFO channels (both the carrier and modulator are tracking it). The frequencies of the individual bands are quadrature modulated by a PH4 (whose offset control now provides a convenient master frequency knob for the RES4). And lastly, the PH4 itself is modulated: The master CTG envelope controls its level, correlating the quadrature sweep intensity with the overall amplitude; And its frequency is also modulated by a RG6 random output.

For the recording, I jam with the RES4 frequency (PH4 offset), FM index, clock rate (manually modulating it in addition to the random bursts / drones), Maths levels and PH4 speed. As usual, a bit of editing and some reverb, delay, EQ and compression in Ableton to bring it all together.

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

Time for something a bit more melodic this month. I wanted to see how far I can get sequencing a bunch of different voices only with the Audio Damage Sequencer 1. I've used it for two voice patches all the time, with the latest update there's now a new mode that greatly simplifies note entry into the CV out lines.



https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... multitrack



It's all fairly simple subtractive patching and rather straightforward. So first we have a two osc paraphonic voice: Two Cwejman VCO6 are sequenced with the main pitch and the first CV out, going through a Cwejman MMF6 and Addac 802 VCA. The Seq 1 main gate is used to trigger an ADSR-VC2 that modulates the filter and VCA. Some key tracking and FM from one of the oscs on the filter as well, plus PWM on the osc with a Doepfer A-143-3. Next, a bass voice. The second Seq 1 CV out is used for pitch, the accent out for the gate. For the voice, we have an Addac 701 going through a Manhattan Analog SVVCF and a further 802 VCA channel. For the ADSR, the second ADSR-VC2 channel modulates the filter and VCA again. Finally, the third Seq 1 CV out is used to trigger a CTG-VC that gates the sine output from another Addac 701 via a third 802 VCA channel. A Qunexus is set up to transpose that osc occasionally. Some PWM on the bass osc and vibrato on the last one from the remaining A-143-3 channels. That's it for the patch.

The three parts are multitracked into Ableton in one go, no editing on the tracks itself. However, I added two RE201 returns, one delay and one reverb focused. Additionally, some EQ, compression, as well as more reverb and delay in Ableton to bring it all together as always. Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

I like fooling around with the Cwejman QMMF4 gainstaging a lot lately, so here is a take on using it as a saturated oscillator bank.





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... mf-oscbank

The four bands are tuned to a minor chord in saturation mode. The output is routed from the global MMF out to a SPH2, from there stereo to the DAW (using the SPH2 mix out via a Doepfer A199 for some spring reverb, all mixed together with a VCA2P). Triangle waves of a PH8 are used to modulate the individual QMMF levels, creating a pseudo-arpeggio pattern. A cycling CTG opens the QMMF master level; a RG6 is also running at approximately the same frequency as the CTG, retriggering it with the clock out. A stepped random output of the RG6 modulates the CTG attack and decay for some trills (also some random modulation on the SPH2 modulation rate). Finally, a simple offset from a PH4 is used to manually pitch all oscillators via the master CV input (just the two notes, some attenuation from a VCA4MX so one can manually do the whole sweep).

That’s it, very simple patch and basically just playing with the QMMF saturation. First, the PH8 doesn’t modulate the individual levels, so you can hear the chord. It’s brought in slowly afterwards, creating the pseudo-arpeggiation. The gainstages are then pushed with the PH8 offset and amplitude, QMMF4 “wet level” (master VCA offset) and CTG level. In the beginning, the frequencies of the RG6, CTG and PH8 are dialled in very carefully; midway through the recording, I speed up the PH8 for some AM. Very fun patch to jam. All just one take in Ableton and a bit of reverb, EQ and compression to bring it together. Oh, and a RE201 return track for some tape echo goodness.

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

All the talk about phase cancelling (and sync and FM) in the PH8 thread (on MW) made me want to do a fun patch with using the PH8 as an osc, which it does extremely well. Using the phase cancelling as an advantage is good fun! In this example, I patch the phase cancelling up for a nice stereo tremolo effect.





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... cillations

The patch is very simple: Mainly, I play with the phase cancelling in stereo. To do so, all four PH8 tri outs are routed to a VCA4MX, with the 0° and 180° outs going to channels 1 + 2 and the 90° and 270° outs going to channels 3 + 4. Those two channel pairs are then used as the stereo output (with some A199 Spring Reverb from the total sum of the VCA4MX mixed in as well, using a VCA2P). It is possible to fine tune the two channels (left and right) so closely that the osc is basically cancelling - since the waves are mixed with phase flipped versions of themselves. Now, the fun starts: I’m using a PH4 to modulate channels 2 and 4 on the VCA4MX. Firstly, it has to be carefully finetuned to cancel the audio with the PH4 offset all the way up - basically making sure that the waves still cancel when the PH4 is used (i.e., when all levels are up). I managed to get the levels down to the noisefloor (well, the noisefloor of my A199 ). So, the audio is cancelling despite all oscs being up in volume. That also means that pushing down the PH4 offset will mute the inverted waves, resulting in only the “main” ones (and no more silence). Furthermore, using the actual quadrature oscillation of the PH4 creates the stereo tremolo: The 0° out controls channel 2, the 180° out channel 4 of the audio VCA4MX. So basically, for each left and right channel, the audio cancels when the modulating LFO is at the center position, it gets louder in the positive phase and more quiet in the negative LFO phase. Since I’m using two PH4 channels for this, it will create sort of a ping pong stereo effect.

Furthermore, I wanted to apply simple examples of FM and sync to spice things up a little bit. I have the 90° PH8 square out FMing itself to shape the main audio waveform a bit. Furthermore, there’s sync from a D-LFO square that is routed through a second VCA4MX (to be able to turn the sync on and off). And to give the PH8 slave some motion when synced, a second PH4 is set up to do some frequency sweeps (also routed through a VCA4MX channel to be able to bring it in and out). Finally, I’m using the sustain offset from a CTG-VC to “play” the PH8 and D-LFO, basically only tuning up a fifth manually - I enjoyed doing that a lot in last month’s patch, so I thought it would be fun here as well. That’s the whole patch.

I start with the level of the tremolo PH4 all the way down and the offset all the way up - resulting in the osc cancelling and silence despite all levels being up. Then, I first tune down the PH4 offset, resulting in a steady drone on both L and R channels. Next, I patch in the self-FM (resulting in the first pitch shift). Then, I slowly bring up the PH4 offset, lowering the osc in volume, and bringing in the PH4 level as well, resulting in the stereo tremolo. Furthermore, the sync is brought in - firstly without modulating the PH8 slave, then after some time bringing in the second PH4 modulating the PH8. After that, I break down the whole thing, ending again with the waves cancelling (despite being all up in volume). All done in one take, no editing but a bit of reverb, EQ and compression in Ableton (probably the first Patching Workout without a delay ).

The whole thing is best listened to on a nice stereo system, summing the whole thing to mono cancels stuff also a bit with all the stereo stuff going on… Hope you enjoy it and cheers!

[pflosi]

I wanted to do a variation on the Feedforward Phase Modulation patch from November 15. Basically, I wanted to see how an actual drummachine and synth perform instead of the modular beats and sine bass. Here comes the 909 Modulated Phaser!





https://soundcloud.com/contracommunemop ... ted-phaser

The patch is fairly simple. Some of the individual instruments of my 909 and an SH101 are mixed and sent to the modular via an Intellijel Audio Interface. Since the Cwejman SPH2 (maybe only mine? I have a very early one) doesn’t like passively multed audio on its input, I split the signal with a VCA4MX. It’s routed to the first input, output 1 is then going to the SPH2 audio in. Output 1+2 (the feedforward cv path) goes to channel 3 and from output 3 to the SPH2 L+R freq input. A steady 1/16 rimshot on the 909 triggers a CTG-VC which gates the cv path (on channel 3 of the VCA4MX).

Just for fun, I route the SPH2 mixed out to a QMMF4 for some EQing. Additionally, the highest freq band is routed to a FSH1 for some stereo tremolo (with some feedback on it and a slow D-LFO tri modulating the mix). The mono out of the QMMF4 is mixed with the FSH1 output using a VCA2P - the mono signal additionally goes through a Doepfer A199 for just a touch of spring reverb. That’s it, recorded in one take and a slight bit of additional reverb in Ableton, and of course some EQ and compression as always to bring it all up.

Hope you enjoy it and cheers!