This 12HP Module Might Be the Only Voice You Need

video upload by SynthDad

"The Ballista Blast is Shakmat Modular's hybrid digital/analog modular voice, squeezing a remarkably deep feature set into just 12HP. In this video, I walk through all three engines — Classic, Wavetable, and FM — and show you what this module is really capable of.

The Classic engine layers saw and square waves through two switchable analog VCFs (acid or bubbly, your call), a VCA, and an onboard distortion unit. The Wavetable engine runs a customisable wavetable set through that same analog chain, bridging digital texture with analog warmth. And the FM engine brings original multi-operator algorithms — up to four operators per patch — controlled via three macro knobs that keep complex FM territory surprisingly playable.

CORRECTION: The FM engine is actually a lot more complex than I describe in the video, and can do more than 2-op FM depending on the algorithm you choose.

Tying it all together: an onboard envelope, an assignable random generator, velocity and gate inputs, and nearly parameter-wide modulation assignment.

Timeline:
00:00 Introduction
00:50 Walk through of Ballista Blast
03:46 Pitch locking
04:31 Filter and Distortion modes
05:12 Built-in VCA
06:17 Wavetable oscillator
08:33 FM engine
09:52 Dubby FM chords example
10:55 Drone example
11:42 Modulation matrix
13:50 LFO mode on Expander
16:21 Randomising to change up sounds
18:59 Generate random patches for inspiration
21:01 Conclusions
21:45 Closing jam"