Erica Synths DB-01: How to make a "Super-16"

video by Richard DeHove

"How can you make a 16-step pattern into a 32 or even a 128-step pattern without creating multiple bars? Just use the "cycling steps" feature. There are various "cycling step" options available such as 1/2 2/3 3/4 or 7/8. By adding just a few you can make a very simple 16-step pattern into a much more complex and varied "Super-16".

0:00​ What is a "super 16" ?
1:20​ Display and/or erase cycling steps
1:50​ Analysing a super-16 pattern
2:33​ Slight issue
4:10​ Make a super-16
6:25​ Add modulation"

My site: https://richarddehove.com/​
Lots of downloads for supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/richarddehove​

Richard DeHove DB-01 posts

Erica Synths DB-01 Quick Tip: Filter Tracking

video by Richard DeHove

"The DB-01 doesn't have tracking by default, but it's easy to activate by CV. There's some other internal CV patching that can give interesting results as well!

0:00​ Setting up filter tracking
0:45​ Tracking with noise
1:14​ LFO in noise mode
1:40​ Useful resonance
2:36​ Clock to Gate In
3:12​ Clock to CV In
3:55​ Odd 'delay' effect
4:30​ Adding white noise"

https://richarddehove.com/​
Lots of downloads for supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/richarddehove​

Richard DeHove DB-01 posts

Erica Synths DB-01: Advanced randomization

video by Richard DeHove

"The DB-01 has some excellent randomization features. Go into play mode, press and hold a step and select either a percentage chance for that step to play; or select a ratio of plays to pattern cycles. With a little planning you can get some very long and complex patterns. Added to that is the pattern randomization page with all sorts of options that can be great starters:

0:00​ Intro and Play Mode
1:00​ Percentages in Play Mode
1:52​ Step cycles in Play Mode
3:11​ Randomize Pattern Mode
3:30​ Deleting modulations
4:20​ Accents
4:37​ Slides
4:44​ Filter modulation
5:12​ Pitch envelope
7:17​ Gate distribution
8:28​ Cycles and percentages
9:37​ Gate length
9:58​ Scales and note ranges
11:32​ Creating a user scale
13:50​ One-note scale
14:36​ Fixing the start point
17:08​ Saving settings per bank
18:42​ Scale bug on save settings

My site: https://richarddehove.com/​
Lots of downloads for supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/richarddehove"

Erica Synths DB-01 demos by Richard DeHove

Jam with two Erica Synths DB-01s: The Double DB March

video by Richard DeHove

"So I love the Erica Synths DB-01 so much I bought another one! But then I thought I'd better separate them a bit so got two cheap Joyo EQ units. What you hear in this jam is just the two DB-01s going through the EQ units and the delays. Left unit gets an EQ and the DuoTime; the right unit gets an EQ and the Rubberneck. There are no other instruments, no other processing, no limiting or compression, not even any volume changes applied in the DAW. Apart from cutting out some boring bits and errors what you see it what it is.

The left unit is on a very simple 16-step pattern with a synced LFO and put in drone mode. The right unit has an unsynced LFO and a 64-step pattern. From time to time I play the units manually in keyboard mode (which overrides the pattern), and a couple of times the right unit as an arpeggio.

Certainly it would be better with further processing and drums but I thought it more useful to leave it exactly as played where you can directly see the effect of all the knob movements. Sometimes a very slight movement can have a big effect. The sub-oscillator is especially quirky."

Erica Synths DB-01 Quick Tip: Drone mode

video by Richard DeHove

"Drone mode on the DB-01 is simple and obvious yet can add a lot of power and variation to even the most simple patterns. Here drone mode is combined with a saved scale and a synced LFO. You could easily adlib an entire song!

Effects used here are only what you see: a Carbon Copy Deluxe and an MXR Phase 45. The DB-01 is otherwise alone and unprocessed: no EQ, compression, limiting, volume change etc. And of course, just a single track.

For more on the DB-01 see my playlist of tutorial videos and tips: [previuos posts here]

My site: https://richarddehove.com/
Lots of downloads for supporters on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/richarddehove"

Erica Synths DB-01 quick tip: Long steps

Richard DeHove

"The DB-01, good as it is, doesn't have sustain. But there are ways to achieve long sustained notes, as well as mixtures of long and short envelopes in a single pattern.

0:00 Quick overview
0:13 Gate length
0:35 Using gates for sustain
0:55 The LFO as an envelope
2:06 Modulation for sustain
3:00 Combinations"

You can find additional Erica Synths DB-01 quick tips by Richard DeHove here.

Erica Synths DB-01: Using it as a drum machine

Richard DeHove

"The DB-01 makes an interesting and unusual drum machine, keeping sync beautifully while being manually played. It also uses features which tend not to get as much love in the usual bass-duties mode, such as the triangle wave, drone mode and FM.

0:00 Creating a simple starter pattern
0:25 Adding pitch envelope
0:42 Copying and adding steps
1:38 Adding accents
1:46 Modifying the pitch envelope
2:22 Changing octaves
2:57 Filter modulation
3:29 VCA on drone mode & tweaking
4:17 LFO on the filter
4:40 Square wave nmode
5:08 Adding noise
5:27 LFO for basic beat
6:24 Step Roll mode
6:58 Fun noodlings
9:00 Changing the Arp pattern style
9:20 Arp in latch mode

https://www.patreon.com/richarddehove
On Patreon you'll also find some DB-01 loops in wav format"

Richard DeHove DB-01 posts

Erica Synths DB-01 tutorial - Part 3: MIDI & CV

Richard DeHove

You can find all parts in the series here.

"Part 3 of a tutorial series for the Erica Synths DB-01 Bassline synth. The tutorial covers such things as MIDI control, CV in, CV clock and pattern chaining. A short jam toward the end shows a small sample of the range of sounds when paired with a Moog DFAM.

0:00 Playing from an external keyboard
1:08 Keyboard mode
1:35 Setting the MIDI input channel
2:20 Portamento
2:45 External control of the arpeggiator
3:08 External control of step roll mode
4:03 Chaining patterns
5:05 Sync to external clock
5:46 CV inputs
6:10 Pitch CV in
7:05 Fixing knob lag
8:00 A Throbbing Gristle moment
9:50 DFAM pitch input
15:02 Filter CV input and jam"

Erica Synths DB-01 tutorial - Part 2: Advanced

Richard DeHove

Part 1 posted here

"Part 2 of a tutorial series for the Erica Synths DB-01 Bassline synth. The tutorial covers the more advanced functions such as step roll and randomization.
0:00 Step gate length
1:24 Accents
2:59 Slides
3:52 Pitch envelope
5:21 Filter modulation
9:26 Transpose
10:30 Scales
11:43 Arpeggiator
16:00 Arpeggiator patterns
17:58 Arpeggiator step roll
22:03 Randomization
23:12 Randomization parameters
24:03 A classic mistake!
25:25 Randomization customization
32:30 Saving randomization settings

https://www.patreon.com/richarddehove"

Erica Synths DB-01 tutorial - Part 1: Essentials

Richard DeHove

"Part 1 of a tutorial series for the Erica Synths DB-01 Bassline synth. The tutorial covers basic operations in the order in which you may need them. In this video:

0:00 Intro and setting the BPM
0:40 Enter notes
0:48 Play, Pause, Resume, Stop
1:00 Change the note / octave
1:35 Basic controls
2:32 Swing amount
3:08 Quick save
4:27 The configuration menu
5:10 Set the clock
5:31 Set the MIDI in channel
5:43 Set the MIDI out channel
5:51 Send MIDI clock
5:57 Bar follow mode
6:25 Set the output volume
7:00 Tuning, Backup, Calibrate, Reset
7:17 Check the firmware version
7:35 Set the sequence length / bars and steps
9:17 Bar follow in action
10:20 Copy and paste multiple steps
12:47 Copy and paste single steps
13:59 The LFO: shape, sync, reset
18:05 FM level and the LFO
19:10 - Demo jam using FM and the LFO -
24:11 Saving, copying and deleting patterns
27:00 Banks
28:50 Copying patterns from bank to bank

https://www.patreon.com/richarddehove"