Modular Sessions Vol.2 - Shifting Space

Published on Jul 28, 2014 vcoadsr

"What are the 'Modular Sessions Vol.2'?
The aim is to write, perform and record a new track in a single take using only a Eurorack modular synth (and FX pedals). The key motivation comes from the idea of creating and performing a complete song using a limited set of tools and removing the ubiquitous DAW from the creative process.

'Modular Sessions Vol.2' is available to buy on Bandcamp here:
http://vcoadsr.bandcamp.com/album/modular-sessions-vol-2

And can be streamed on Soundcloud here:
https://soundcloud.com/vcoadsr/sets/modular-sessions-vol-2

Tools used in the making of ‘Shifting Space’ :
12U Eurorack Modular Synth
Eventide Space reverb pedal

Recorded in a single take, no external sequencing, post-production limiting/compression applied only.

Eurorack modular synth patch notes:

This patch is comprised of four elements; drums, baseline, sub-bass line and high register melody line.

All parts in one way or another are being clock by the Tiptop Trigger Riot via ALM’s Pamela’s Workout.
The drums are being directly triggered by the Trigger Riot in particular the Tiptop BD909, 909CP, RS808 and the HATS909, These are then being summed using the Intellijel Unity mixer before being sent to the mixer where some reverb from the Eventide Space deal is added on the send/return loop.

The main baseline synth part starts with the Square wave output from ALM’s SID GUTS module that has it’s pitch modulated by the the Toppobrillo Quantimator in chord mode and using 5ths chord option. The Quantimator is also in ‘Arpeggio function mode’ and is being triggered by ALM’s Pamela’s Workout to give the arpeggiated rhythm. The Quantimator is receiving CV from the Makenoise Rene sequencer in snake mode that is being clocked by Pamela’s workout too. The Square wave from SID GUTS is being sent to a channel on Makenoise QMMG in ‘both’ mode and output to the mixer. The QMMG ‘both’ channel is being struck by an envelope from the Intellijel Quadra module that in turn is being triggered by again Pamela’s workout.

The sub-baseline part comes from multing the square wave output from SIDGUTS into the 4ms RCD and then taking the ‘/2’ output back into another channel of the QMMG in ‘LP’ mode that is being modulated using an envelope from the 4ms PEG that is being clocked by Pamela’s workout.The output is being sent straight tho the mixer with some reverb added from the Eventide Space pedal.

The high register synth part comes from the Makenoise DPO ‘Final’ output that is having its wave shaping modulated by the LFO mode from oscillator 1 in the DPO. The pitch of the ‘Final’ output comes from the pitch CV from the Quantimator being multed into the Expert sleepers ‘Disting’ module in S+H mode. The S+H is then triggered by Pamela’s workout and the output CV is sent to the DPO. The output from the DPO is then sent to another QMMG ‘Both’ channel that is being struck using an envelope from the Makenoise Matths where the ‘Fall’ parameter is being manually opened and closed through out the track. The Maths envelope is being triggered by the Intellijel uStep that in turn is being clocked by Pamela’s workout. The output of this QMMG ‘Both’ channel is then being sent to the Makenoise Echophon that is being clocked by Pamela’s workout. The Echophon is using the ‘Loop 2’ mode with depth fully clock wise and the Pitch knob at 9 ‘o clock. The Echophon output is then being sent to the Makenoise Erbe-verb module where it’s size parameter is being modulated throughout out the track by the 4ms PEG on a slow 2 bar triangle wave to expand and shrink the size of the reverb. The decay parameter is manually modulated through the track to create reverb feedback. The Erbe-verb output is then sent to the mixer.

Finally each drum and synth part is sent to the Eventide Space pedal in varying amounts for reverb (using the ‘30. Ambience’ preset) and the final stereo out is recorded into Ableton as a glorified tape recorder."