Quick Tip: Noise Hi-Hat Eurorack Modular Synthesizer Patch Tutorial

Published on Oct 21, 2019 Perfect Circuit

"In this quick tip, we break down how to make a hi-hat sound on a Eurorack modular synth.

You will need:
-a trigger source (clock, sequencer, keyboard, etc.)
-an AD envelope generator (ideally exponential)
-a white noise source
-a highpass filter
-a VCA
-some extra modulation (from an LFO, random source, sequencer, etc.)

The patch:
-white noise output to highpass filter input
-highpass filter output to VCA input
-exponential envelope with immediate attack and short-ish decay
-trigger source to trigger input of envelope
-optionally, modulation source to decay time of envelope
-VCA output is the hat sound

Classic analog hi-hat sounds are pretty easy to synthesize. By running white noise into a VCA and opening the VCA with a snappy AD envelope, you can simulate striking the hat with a drumstick. With shorter decay times on the envelope, the sound will be closer to a closed hi-hat; with longer decay times, you can simulate the sound of an open hi-hat.

By modulating the decay time, it's possible to create patterns that shift between more open and closed sounds. Additionally, running the sound through a highpass filter before the VCA will help to clean up the low-end: experiment with different cutoff frequencies and resonance levels for finer tone control."

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