Modular Jam #18 - 32 Step Sequencing & Switching

Published on Nov 3, 2014 DivKidMusic

"Chaining four 8 step sequences to create a longer main riff plus some drums! Full patch details below.

PATCH NOTES

Sequences
I used 4 different 8 step sequences. The patch originated from the first sequence was what the Analogue Solutions SQ8 taking a clock signal from a Frequency Central System X Sample & Hold. The CV is in lo range of the SQ8 and goes to an RYO Ampmix (channel 1) to scale the CV before going to my ADDAC 207 Quantizer. Adding to that is a pair of Make Noise Pressure Points & Brains Module. Each row (3 rows of 8 steps) is going into the other 3 channels on the Ampmix to scale the output before taking each Ampmix channels output into a Doepfer A-151 sequential switch. Using step 1's gate output on the Pressure Points to switch the sequential switch it now moves between the 4 different 8 step sequences and the switches output then goes into the ADDAC Quantizer.

Riff
At the core of the riff is 4 Intellijel Dixie mk1 oscillators all mixed through the Bubblesound VCA4p. Each is slightly detuned to create a thick wash of sound and the saw outputs are used for a rich harmonic base at the centre of the patch. Beyond the VCA4p the signal splits, one output goes directly into channel 1 on the onboard mixer on the Manhattan Analog SVVCF. The split of the signal then goes into a Barton Waveform Animator for further detune and slightly mangled sound as the input is already a thick detuned wash of saw waves. The Animator output then goes into a Livewire Frequensteiner filter in HP mode with modulation from a Synthesis Tech E355 dual LFO module. The Frequensteiner then goes into the WMD Geiger Counter which has it's wavetable processing sequencing from channel 2 on the ADDAC Quantizer. The Quantizer sends channel 1s input to each of the 4 channels when no other input is present. So depending on the pitch output of the quantizer is also sends modulation to the Geiger Counter. The Geiger Counter then mixes into channel two of the SVVCF. The filter cut off on the SVVCF is modulated by a WMD Multimode Envelope (MME). The MME takes it's gate from the ADDAC Quantizer which when not gated provides a trigger output when it detects a change in pitch.The MME also takes modulation of it's attack and decay times from the E355 dual wavetable LFO. The SVVCF output goes into an RYO Vertmix on channel 1 which is my basic output mixer for this patch.

Drums
Using the clock thru output on the SQ8 I've taken the clock into the 4ms RCD and SCM to divide and multiply the clock further. Sending a clock into the RYO VC Sequencer I'm using the RYO TrigXpander output to take steps 1 and 5 to trigger my kick drum sound which is from the Mutable Instruments Peaks module. Peaks is in hidden/bonus mode 4 which is a drum synthesiser mode. Taking the clock output of the first VC Sequencer into a second VC Sequencer and TrigXpander I'm then taking step 5s trigger to trigger the snare drum which is Peaks channel 2 in normal drum mode. Both the kick and snare mix together in an AniModule TrAniModule for a bit of extra grit before going into an AniModule SOB Filter's first input. The third and final percussion layer is a clocked noise sound used as a basic 8 bit hi hat style sound. Various steps from the TrigXpander are mixed into a Low Gain Short Bus so I can manually flick the switches to select new rhythms taking the the output into a Mutable Instruments Braids trigger input in the clock noise mode. The internal envelopes in Braids are sent to the on board level VCA to create the sound. Modulation of Braids Timbre input comes from the VC Sequencer and the pitch is modulated through the FM input with a Bubblesound uLFO with the shaped sine output. The sine shaping is modulated by a Synthesis Tech E350. This sound then passes through a Make Noise Echophon before going into the SOB filters second input. The SOB now acts as a final mixer and filter for the drums in the patch before taking the low pass output into channel 2 on my Vertmix 'output mixer'.

Output
The final output from the Vertmix goes into a J3RK Fader/Panner which is crossfading between the dry output and a copy of the Vertmix output going into a Doepfer A-199 spring reverb with a larger tank before going out into a Pittsburgh Modular Outs module for recording.

Manual Wiggling
- TrAniModule and SOB input levels to mix drums.
- J3RK fader to mix in spring reverb
- SOB cut off to filter drums
- SOB Wavefolder Mix
- Echophon feedback amount, feedback circuit 1 or 2, pitch modulation depth and mix amount.
- Vertmix, volume of main riff.
- SVVCF input levels, cut off and CV modulation depth."