Adventures in Synthesis: Modular techno patch 2/18/16

Published on Feb 18, 2016 Chris Beckstrom

"More about this project:
www.chrisbeckstrom.com/portfolio/diy-mod­ular-synthesizer/

The modular makes beeps and bloops very easily, but creating rhythmic sequences is a lot more challenging. It's also a nice contrast! That's the amazing thing about this kind of musical instrument: it's capable of so many different sounds and responds to so many different approaches. I built the thing and still barely know what it can do.

Patch notes:
Although I have one "drum" module- a twin-T bass drum (and bandpass filter) circuit- it decided to stop working. This patch uses other sound sources for the sounds, specifically noise (from the delay module with feedback turned up, nothing on the input), saw wave through a comparator (which turns out to be a pulse-width-modulated pulse wave), and a low sine wave from the Arduino providing a "kick."

The patch makes use of the 10 step sequencer set to 8 steps, the CV modulating the frequency of the saw/pulse wave and a few gates opening a VCA with the kick. The "hihat" sound is clocked by the master clock and manipulated by hand because I couldn't get voltage control to work in my circuit. Everything comes out mono, goes through an outboard mixer and some spring reverb, recorded into Bitwig on Linux."