Creative modular sampling patches | SebSongs Sampler

video upload by Tom Churchill

"This video is about the SebSongs Modular Sampler. It’s a new DIY kit available from Thonk, who kindly sent one over for me to check out. It’s a simple 12-bit mono sampler with about three and a half seconds of memory and a beautifully crunchy, lo-fi sound inspired by vintage machines like the Akai S612.

In this video, I’ve put together a small case with a few of my other favourite modules - the Blukac Endless Processor, the Serge VCFQ and Resonant EQ, the Pladask Dradd effects unit and the Xaoc Devices Sarajewo BBD delay - and I've built a few simple patches that explore some creative uses of sampling."

CHORUS EXPANDED! Stereo BBD Juno style Chorus for Eurorack // SoundForce Chorus 6 & µChorus 6

video upload by DivKid

"Here we have a video packed with audio examples of not only the Chorus 6 and µChorus 6 from SoundForce but lots of examples of how to use Chorus and how to expand on the basic uses.

This video includes lots of patches with the DivKid Community music and patches! I asked my Patreon supporters to send in their audio that they’d like to hear through these modules and they sent in a great range of audio, all credited below and in the timing index. Thank you for the general support and thank you for the great audio to work with.

The Chorus 6 and µChorus 6 are both based on the classic Roland Juno series synths and they feature the same audio path as those originals. It’s a stereo array of MN3009 BBDs with basic mode control on the micro version and more expanded fully featured LFO, CV control and externally modulated options of the larger module."

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Xaoc Devices Rostock & Drezno II: new patch ideas for the Leibniz Binary Subsystem

video upload by Tom Churchill

"In this video, I’m taking another look at the Leibniz Binary Subsystem from Xaoc Devices. This is a set of Eurorack modules that let you convert analogue audio and CV into 8-bit digital signals and then process them in all sorts of unique and interesting ways. Using various combinations of Leibniz modules, you can do everything from waveshaping and bitcrushing to sequencing and drum pattern generation.

Xaoc Devices recently sent over the latest modules in the system for me to check out. Drezno II is a new and improved version of their original analogue to digital and digital to analogue converter module which acts as the main front-end for the system. And Rostock is a binary data pipeline, or digital shift register, which lets you delay, loop, scramble and reclock the 8-bit data stream. In the video, I build a few patches that explore some of the musical applications of these tools."

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & patch previews
03:22 Drezno II / Leibniz 101
07:22 Rostock overview
10:33 Complex stepped modulation
16:56 Sequence canons
21:52 Digital chorus and flanging
27:13 Looping drum patterns
32:18 Clock-based destruction
36:20 Generative sequencing

5 filter patch ideas featuring Plum Audio ADVA

video upload by Tom Churchill

"This video is all about some of the weird and wonderful things you can do with filters in a modular synth setup. The filter I’m using is ADVA, which Plum Audio kindly sent over for me to check out.

As you’ll see, it has some powerful features crammed in. But don’t worry, most of the patch ideas in the video can be achieved using other modules too, so hopefully you’ll get a few ideas for things to try no matter what gear you’re using.

Please note: Plum Audio supplied me with an ADVA module in exchange for this video. It’a demo, not a review - but do rest assured I only make videos about modules that I would genuinely recommend to others."

Chapters:
00:00 Intro & patch previews
01:31 ADVA overview and demo
08:19 Filter mode switching via CV
11:05 Pinging for kicks and clonks
15:39 White noise drum kit
19:01 AM with resonance modulation
23:16 Formants with audio-rate FM

7 patch ideas for Joranalogue Delay 1, from chorus to kick drums

video upload by Tom Churchill

"This video is about Delay 1, which Joranalogue very kindly sent over from Belgium for me to check out.

It’s a super-high-quality analogue BBD design that specialises in very short delays, from 1 to 50 milliseconds. This turns it into something much more interesting than a conventional delay or echo effect, as well as opening up possibilities for Karplus-Strong synthesis.

In this video, I build some patches that explore the musical applications of Delay 1, from stereo chorus and comb filter to melodic voice and kick drum generator."

Replica Buchla 100 series modular synth: LA67 Mort’s Barge

video upload by Tom Churchill

"This video is about Mort’s Barge - a replica mini-system of five Buchla 100 series modules that were used by electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick in the mid-1960s. I recently built the 4U DIY modules from LA67, and in this video I walk through the features and create a few patches that show what they’re capable of.

My build notes are here:
https://www.modwiggler.com/forum/view...

Find out more about the Mort’s Barge DIY set on the LA67 website:
https://www.lasesentaysiete.com/mort-..."

You can find additional posts featuring Mort's Barge here.



Notes and pics via Tom Churchill's post on Mod Wiggler:

"I thought I’d share a couple of things I learned along the way which maybe aren’t immediately obvious from the BOMs alone, in case anyone else is planning to tackle the build and is looking for some tips.

Some of this stuff has no doubt been covered earlier in the thread, so apologies for any repetition. Also, a lot will probably be obvious to experienced builders, but I’m definitely not in that category yet, so for anyone else (like me) who’s only built Eurorack kits previously, maybe isn’t super-familiar with circuit theory and component sourcing, it might be useful.

Enclosure:
After I ordered the panels and PCBs from LA67 I contacted Julian at The Beast to ask about his 6U Buchla boats. As luck would have it he still had a couple of the special boats he supplied to LA67 for the pre-built Mort’s Barge systems, with matt black coating and pre-drilled holes for power inlet, power switch and grounding banana socket, so I snagged one.
I added some rubber feet to allow a bit of clearance for the screws I used to mount the PSU PCB (see below) and to avoid the underside getting scratched.
For mounting the modules, I bought a pack of 20 M3 speed fasteners (aka captive nuts, aka Tinnermans) from eBay, and secured the modules using M3 6mm screws with plastic washers.
Power:
The PSU PCB doesn’t require any caps and you just need to solder one bridge as marked. (This is now clear on the Mort’s Barge PSU BOM, but it wasn’t at first.)
I mounted the PSU PCB on 8mm M2.5 standoffs via the pre-drilled holes in the bottom of the boat.
I added a 2.1.mm DC inlet and wired a 20mm round rocker switch in series.
I added a single banana socket connected to 0V to provide a ground for any other cases I might want to use with it (and for connecting to Eurorack - see below).
For the AC-DC converter I just used a standard 12V 2A wall wart I had lying around, with a 2.1mm centre positive barrel connector.
I used the 2-pin Molex connectors as per the BOM to distribute power to the individual modules (with the power cables hard-wired to the individual module PCBs)
Component sourcing:
I combined the individual BOMs for the five modules into one master BOM, ticked off what I already had in stock (mostly resistors), then ordered any other required resistors, trimmers, pots, 2N3904/6 transistors and various bits of hardware from Tayda; caps, specialist transistors, diodes, switches, knobs, lamps etc from Mouser.
I’m in the UK and banana sockets worked out slightly cheaper from Thonk, so I ordered those there. I also bought the necessary matched transistor pairs from Thonk to save time (I don’t have the tools or experience to match them myself!)
Changes:
This might be sacrilege to Buchla purists but I went for Switchcraft 3.5mm sockets instead of Tini-Jax - I already have lots of 3.5mm patch cables and it makes for easier integration.
The 910p film caps on the BOM are huge - 10mm lead spacing - and expensive. I ordered them before I realised this, and with a bit of leg straightening/bending they do fit fine in the 158 and 180 boards, but I replaced them with these much smaller and cheaper 1n mylar film caps for the 140 - https://www.switchelectronics.co.uk/1nf ... apacitor-5 - and they work just fine.
The BOM has since been corrected, but slightly annoyingly at the time I was ordering, the part code for the Dialight lamps in the 123 was out of date, so the ones that arrived in my original order were the wrong size. I had to do a separate order for the correct parts, 609-1122-130F. These aren’t cheap, so double check that you’re getting 9mm ones!
On the 158 BOM, there’s a suggestion to use 1n5 instead of 47n for C11 to reduce saw wave distortion. I put sockets in for that and tried both - the 1n5 definitely gives a much cleaner saw so I’ve stuck with that. I also left out C8 as suggested to improve sine shape - I didn’t try it with it included but the sine is definitely a good shape without so I’ll stick without it.
General tips:
I built them in the left to right order they’re shown on the LA67 photos - 158, 110, 180, 140, 123. It was pretty easy to test this way.
Calibration-wise there’s not much to do - the trimmers on the 158 adjust the sine shape and upper and lower frequency limits; use the 110 trimmers to minimise clicking with a raw trigger in; the 140 trimmers set the upper and lower period (I haven’t really touched these)
For the wiring, I soldered pins to the PCB and used a bunch of F-F Dupont jumper wires, cut in half, so if I ever need to take the board off I can simply pull these off and don’t need to desolder anything. For the multiple outputs I mostly just used old resistor legs to bridge them.
Integrating with Eurorack clock is easy - both the 180 and the 123 respond to triggers as low as 5V (e.g. from Pam’s). I don’t use a format jumbler, just a 3.5mm to two bananas cable, with the ground banana connected to the spare ground I fitted near the power switch. I don’t think I’ll ever bother trying to send CV from Eurorack but this way I can at least clock it to the rest of my system if I want to, and maybe even play around with some more complex rhythm patterns.
Anyway, hope that’s handy for someone - I’ll share a bunch of patches on YouTube soon!"

Xaoc Devices Odessa: full guide and fresh patch ideas using additive synthesis

video upload by Tom Churchill

"Odessa, by Xaoc Devices, is one of my favourite modular sound sources. At the time of recording, it’s been available for well over three years, but as far as I can see it’s still pretty much the only Eurorack voice of its type - a one-knob-per-function, five-voice paraphonic, digital additive oscillator - and I think it’s often still a bit misunderstood.

So I thought now might be a good time to take a fresh look at Odessa and see how it stacks up in 2023. If you’re an owner who hasn’t used it for a while, I hope it inspires you to dig in again, and either way, I hope you just enjoy some of the sounds and maybe learn a bit about additive synthesis in the process.

Note: I’ve done a few videos in collaboration with Xaoc Devices recently, but this isn’t one of them. I bought Odessa with my own hard-earned cash last year, so it’s not sponsored - I’m making this purely as a fanboy and I have no other agenda.

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
02:05 Patch previews
03:33 Odessa 101
16:20 Simple sequencing
19:00 Mixing modulation
21:13 Dirtied-up techno loops
24:38 Deep house chord stabs
29:00 Synthetic percussion effects
32:09 Animating Harmonic Factor
36:42 Through-zero FM tones
39:01 Sequencing paraphonic chords"

Make a Eurorack drum machine in minutes with Traffic by Jasmine & Olive Trees

video upload by Tom Churchill

"This video is about Traffic, by Jasmine & Olive Trees, a new maker from Barcelona. Traffic is a trigger-based CV controller that makes it really simple to set up three different drum or percussion sounds in a macro-oscillator like Mutable Instruments’ Plaits or Noise Engineering’s Basimilus Iteritas Alter, and then control them with individual triggers from a sequencer. But it’s definitely not limited to those modules, and in this video I’ll show you a few ways I’ve been using it with other sound sources.

This video isn’t sponsored; I bought the module myself and have no affiliation with Jasmine & Olive Trees. You can find out more about it at https://jasmineandolivetrees.com/prod..."

"Trigger-based CV controller with random modes.

Imagine having 3 triggers that will instantly set a BIA or Plaits as a kick, snare, and hi-hat. Using Traffic, you can effectively control multiple sounds from a single oscillator using triggers, much like a preset selector.

Traffic features 3 rows of 3 knobs, with each row having an output for the values of the knobs. You can select the active column of knobs using the trigger inputs. The three outputs are simultaneous, making Traffic a 3 channel controller or sequencer. Plus, the trigger sum output sends a trigger whenever there is a trigger in any of the inputs, ensuring seamless synchronization of triggers and CV values."

How to make dub techno chords with the Blukač Endless Processor

video upload by Tom Churchill

"I bought the Blukač Instruments Endless Processor this week, and after spending a couple of hours playing around with it I came up with this deep, dubby techno patch, which I’ve broken down in this video.

The basic idea is to create an infinite chord by capturing and layering some simple individual notes from a VCO - in this case the New Systems Instruments Harmonic Shift Oscillator - then sculpting the sound further and adding rhythmic movement by modulating an LPG.

Channel 1, the higher-pitched chord, runs through the Serge Resonant EQ and then Make Noise Optomix, which I’m ‘striking’ with a trigger from the Beatstep Pro. Channel 2, the lower-pitched chord, runs through the Serge VCFQ and into the other channel of Optimix, controlled by an envelope from Joranalogue Contour 1. Both channels get a bit of tape delay from the Zoom MS70CDR pedal. The only other ingredients are some 808 drum sounds and a sine sub-bass, plus a splash of reverb in Ableton.

Please note: this isn’t a sponsored video - I bought the EP myself and have no connection or affiliation with Blukač Instruments; I’m just a fan :)"

Blukač Instruments - Endless Processor - Sound Examples

video uploads by Blukač Instruments

via Blukač Instruments

ENDLESS PROCESSOR is a dual-channel infinite sound sustainer machine. Put your favorite instruments, unique timbres, or field recordings — virtually any sound — and make it last forever.

It is not a looper in the usual sense - Endless Processor resynthesizes your sounds to create a perfect clickless stream while preserving the timbral and tonal character of the original.

Endless Processor always listens to audio input and keeps a most recent history.

Experiment with sustaining little bits of a sample or make a massive wall of sound with the ability to select how much memorized audio to process.

Stack your sounds to create harmonies, textures, or drones with 5 layers per channel. Each layer can be re-processed or cleared while keeping other ones in place. Set fade-in and fade-out time to quickly or gradually introduce a new layer or remove the existing one. Additional controls will help you to adjust or shape a channel volume (think built-in VCA).

Triphase Oscillator: an epic analogue VCO from New Systems Instruments

video upload by Tom Churchill

"The Triphase Oscillator from New Systems Instruments is a complex analogue VCO that’s based around the concept of phase cancellation, which is a key part of the sound of everything from chorus and phaser effects to PWM and supersaws. And as you’ll hear, it can sound absolutely huge.

Just like the other New Systems modules, the Triphase Oscillator is deceptively minimal on the surface - it’s essentially a triple sawtooth oscillator with voltage-controllable phase of each, and a bipolar mixer to combine them - but its relatively simple architecture unlocks a whole world of rich, complex sound design. In this video, I give an overview of its features and build some patches so you can hear what it’s capable of.

Thanks to New Systems Instruments for supplying the module. All opinions are my own. Find out more and check out the manual at https://nsinstruments.com/modules/tri...

More stuff from me:
https://tomchurchill.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/tomchurchill
https://www.instagram.com/tomchurchill/"

See this post for an additional demo and details on the Triphase Oscillator.

New Systems Instruments Inertia, Harmonic Shift Oscillator, Babel & Quad LFO

video upload by Tom Churchill

"This video is about New Systems Instruments - one of the most innovative and underrated brands in Eurorack.

I’m looking at four modules: the Harmonic Shift Oscillator, a unique analogue VCO; Inertia, a ‘universal movement simulator’ or function generator that can be anything from an envelope to a filter depending on how you patch it; Babel, which is a one-of-a-kind analogue logic and intermodulation utility; and the new Quad LFO with Phase Expander.

I give a quick overview of each module before building some patches with various configurations of the modules to demonstrate a range of sounds and techniques.

Chapters:
00:00 Preview
00:56 Introduction
02:48 Harmonic Shift Oscillator overview
05:56 Inertia overview
11:15 Quad LFO and Babel overview
13:33 Harmonic Shift Oscillator: basic bass voice
16:22 Inertia as a waveshaping VCO with FM
18:54 Harmonic sequencing for techno loops
21:13 Drones with Inertia as a complex filter
24:32 Exploring FM on Harmonic Shift Oscillator
27:06 Experimenting with percussive effects
29:22 Complex wave combinations with Babel
32:00 Final thoughts

Find out more about the modules on the New Systems Instruments website (and do check out the manuals - they’re incredible!): https://nsinstruments.com/

Big thanks to New Systems Instruments’ distributor, Signal Sounds - https://www.signalsounds.com/ - who hooked me up with Harmonic Shift Oscillator, Inertia and Quad LFO to use in this video. All opinions are my own.

More stuff from me:
https://tomchurchill.bandcamp.com/
https://soundcloud.com/tomchurchill
https://www.instagram.com/tomchurchill/"