"'Mystic Explorations' is a collection of songs written and recorded around the Mystic desktop synthesizer, which I designed for Recovery Effects. Each track was recorded in the early evenings of February, 2024, where I would start by going for a walk with my dog, Jackson, looking for inspiration. These cold, night-time walks centered around a cemetary in our neighborhood, known as a home and hunting spot for coyotes. I would record audio from these walks and use it as the backdrop for each track as I worked on it.
The Mystic is used as the main sound source for these songs, while accompanied by drum machines such as the MPC One, Syncussion SY-1 (built by myself), Roland T-8, and Roland Drumatix TR-06. I used modulation sources from my Eurorack synthesizer, MPC One, and Korg SQ-1. I used effects devices such as the Vongon Polyphrase, Chase Bliss Habit, and Strymon Magneto. All of these effects were synced via MIDI and / or CV and used in tandem with the CV controls on the Mystic to further modulate and enhance the compositions. I recorded bass guitar on the opening track, 'Dream or Memory'.
This was an exciting project to showcase the many sounds the Mystic can achieve, as well as challenging myself to create an entire record with one primary sound source. I hope you enjoy it as much as I had fun making it.
released March 13, 2024
Written, performed, recorded, and mastered by Graig Markel."
"Commissioned setup using two MOOG Mother-32s, a Strymon Magneto and 3x toy sewing machines from the 70s. The machines are triggered via MIDI and can be played using sequencers or the hidden pull-out keybed.
"I was initially going to add a couple extra keyboard parts to this and maybe even several percussion tracks but the more I listened to it the more I liked it as-is! ;-)
Sequencer Jam: Gear list ... Behringer System 100m modules: 110 (x2), 182 Sequencer, Behringer 2500 modules: 1004 Oscillator (x2), 1006 FiltAmp, 1033 Dual EG, Feedback Modules: Mix BX, Mix CR, 106 Chorus, Intellijel: Metropolis, Planar2, Sealegs, ALM Pamela’s New Workout, Melekko Varigate 8+, Voltage Block, Noise Engineering Basimilus Iteritas, Strymon Magneto, Happy Nerding FX Aid, Erica Synths Black BBD, Roland System 500 modules: 521 Dual VCF, 530 Dual VCA, 540 Dual EG, Expert Sleepers ES-8, FH-2, 2HP Tune, Klavis Quadigy, Mordax Data, Roland SE-02, MX-1, TR-8, Ableton Live Suite 11 - including the following VSTs: Arturia Vocoder V, Cable Guys Shaper Box 2. Recorded audio through RME Digiface, Roland MX-1 and Presonus Studio 192. Oh, and there's also the Waldorf Streichfett going through the Orion from WMD, and the Novation Peak ... phew!"
"A self-playing Eurorack modular synthesizer patch featuring Make Noise’s XPO, QPAS & Mimeophon, and Stochastic Instruments’ Stochastic Inspiration Generator (SIG+). Plus many more modules described below.
Everything you hear in this is coming from a single monophonic sequence from the SIG+ and a single Make Noise XPO. I’m pretty amazed by how much variety of tone and texture can come from this single oscillator, all at the same time. The different waveform outputs are each running through their own VCAs, filters, triggers, and effects, but the melodic content is all the same. I’ll go through the sequencing in a minute, but first I’m going to focus on the audio signal paths.
Overall, the XPO’s L & R modulation are controlled by a triangle LFO coming from Acid Rain’s Maestro.
The first output is the stereo square wave, which goes through QPAS and Mimeophon, then into the mixer. QPAS’s L & R rotation and Q are modulated by two different smooth random waves from ALM’s Pamela’s Pro Workout. Mimeophon’s repeats are modulated by a smooth random wave coming from Maestro. This voice is triggered by a bouncing ball coming from Make Noise’s Maths.
The second output is the mono triangle wave, which first goes through an Intellijel 1U VCA, then uses Intellijel’s 1U pedal I/O to go through a Chase Bliss Mood (repeats tuned up a 5th) and Chase Bliss Dark World, then into the mixer. This voice is triggered by another bouncing ball from another Maths.
The third output is the mono sawtooth wave, which goes through channel one of a Make Noise ModDemix, an Intellijel Morgasmatron (with panning controlled by separate LFOs going to the L & R FM1 inputs - LFO 1 coming from Mutable Instruments’ Tides and LFO 2 coming from Intellijel’s Rubicon 2), then a Happy Nerding FX Aid XL running a flanger algorithm, then into the mixer. This voice is triggered by a repetitive Euclidian rhythm coming from Acid Rain Constellation and Doepfer Dual ADSR.
The last output is the spike wave going through channel two of the ModDemix, a Doepfer Multimode VCF, and Strymon’s Magneto in shift mode, then into the mixer. Magneto’s repeats are modulated by another smooth random wave coming from Maestro. This voice is triggered by a slower Euclidean rhythm coming from Constellation and Make Noise’s Contour.
Each voice goes into Doepfer’s VC Stereo Mixer, which has a built in VCA on each channel. The level of each voice is independently controlled by a separate smooth random wave from Pam, so the mix is constantly evolving. The voltages coming from Pam are further slewed by Mutable Instruments’ Stages, since the smooth random wave from Pam can still have some sharp edges. Then the whole mix goes through a 2HP Verb, with the reverb mix modulated by another smooth random wave from Pam, and finally through Endorphines’ Golden Master, which connects directly to the Intellijel 7U Performance Case’s built in audio outputs.
Now for the melodic content and harmonic structure. This is all driven by Stochastic Instruments’ Stochastic Inspiration Generator (my first patch with it!). This is an incredible module. I won’t go into everything it does, as there are already a couple very helpful videos out there on that, but suffice it to say that it lives up to its name! I’m using multiple channels, each with its own tonality, then cycling through those via an ALM Boss Bow Two switch to determine which channel will control the v/oct pitch of the XPO. The Boss Bow’s channel is control by a sequence coming from another Stages. Channel one is just a low C, to establish the primary key. Channel two randomly selects pitches from a C major chord, with low C in the bass. Channel three selects pitches from an F minor chord, with an occasional 2nd and 4th and a low F in the bass. Channel 4 selects pitches from a D flat major chord, with an occasional 6th and a low D flat in the bass.
I’m not sure if this is indeterminate enough to be considered generative, since the harmonic content is fairly structured, even if the melody, rhythm, and balance of the parts are all random. It’s more, well, aleatoric. I hope you enjoy it (although I realize than if you are into this sort of thing, you are born of a special breed!)."
This jam is over a year old but I had not found the right spot to release it earlier in 2022. I made some final adjustments to the mix and video now, and I still really enjoy the piece and the energy of it⚡️
The jam was initially set up using the prophet, keystep, tanzbar, and the Strymon Magneto, Monsoon, and Meris Polymoon as effects pedals. The main and secondary prophet melodies are engaged on the keystep live on separate tracks in order to mute/unmute them. The "bass line" is coming from the Tanzbar toms controlled by the Keystep. Wanted to keep it longer so some additional layers of Prophet pads and ambiance were added in Reaper to spice up the arrangement.
🎶 Check out my current releases 🎛 https://postmodernmachine.com/
"I’m using the 4 clock outputs of the Strymon Magneto delay to trigger 4 random voltages from the Doepfer A-149-4 which are then sent to the Instruo Quad Performance Quantizer which sends the pitch CV and Gates to the 4 voices (Synth Tech E330 VCOs, Klavis Quadigy EG, Xaoc Praga VCA/mixer) and the Magneto provides delays and reverb of course."
"I was mainly just experimenting with my new Klavis Quadigy (quad programmable envelope generator) in my eurorack modular briefcase and this eventually grew out of it. It’s really just a 4 step sequence from a Xaoc Devices Tirana but heavily processed to turn it into four voices with some variety using a Doepfer A-149-4, Synth Tech E102, and Strymon Magneto, etc. Drums are from my new Squarp Instruments Rample module along with helper modules Rebel Technology Stoicheia and Ladin Derivator. Master clock is the Erica Synths Black VC Clock v2 and divider is the 2hp Div."
"Mainly the modules in the lid of my eurorack modular briefcase: Vermona meloDicer sequencing a mostly Erica Synths voice (VCO, EG, VCA, and LFO) with Synth Tech VCF and then passed through a Mutable Clouds. Also Mellotron Micro through a Strymon Magneto. Recorded on and uploaded from an iPad.
A month or so ago I visited a friend's farm and took some shots that I really loved with the Fuji X-T30. I decided to pair these with an outdoor ambient experiment featuring the looping mode on the Strymon Magneto 🎧
The Sequential OB-6 is fed into the Monsoon (Mutable Clouds Copy) for a bit of texture, then into the Strymon Magneto in sound-on-sound looper mode. The dry signal is fairly low and the loop is quite long (I believe more than 30 seconds). The loop is slowly decaying and degrading. It's such a slow degradation that my previous performance is a bed under the final performance when it starts. I was going for something lazy, hazy, and noisy.
For some polish, the CXM 1978 is run in an effects loop from the modular on a static and drifty setting. It was a joy to perform this. I just had to be careful not to play any dissonant notes which would then be looped indefinitely 🤯
I performed and filmed the jam on my back porch. I have been loving setting up outside and creating with the sounds of nature around me🌱
Speckle Park/ Blue Sky Beef farm 🐄 https://www.instagram.com/speckleparkbeef
📺 Check out my current music releases 🌗 https://postmodernmachine.com/
"All sounds are solely from the Moog Mavis, running through various delays and reverbs (see index below).
0:04 Unboxing
1:35 Parts overview
2:22 Mavis through MXR Carbon Copy and Strymon BigSky, unpatched
3:02 Mavis through Carbon Copy and BigSky, self-patched
3:46 Mavis sequenced with a Make Noise 0-Ctrl
4:28 Mavis with a small case of Eurorack modules
Each example was recorded in one take with no overdubs. In the last example with the small case of Eurorack modules, the notes are a random non-repeating sequence from Ableton, running through a Hexinverter Mutant Brain MIDI to CV interface. Audio from the Mavis in this example is processed by a Strymon Magneto."
Moog Mavis with Strymon StarLab and Magneto
"Some sounds from the Moog Mavis processed by a Strymon StarLab reverb in the first example, and a Strymon Magneto delay in the second example (see index below). Sequences sent to the Mavis are random notes from Ableton, sent to a Hexinverter Mutant Brain MIDI to CV converter.
0:04 Mavis through Strymon StarLab
2:59 Mavis through Strymon Magneto
All sounds are solely from the Moog Mavis. Each example was recorded in one take with no overdubs."
"Working with the Strymon combo doesn't feel like patching. It feels like travelling through beautiful landscapes. In this video I used simple sources to highlight some of the cool features this combo has to offer. It's a great way to spend a rainy afternoon.
Opening piano theme composed by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard (Gladiator soundtrack)."
"I don't think anybody has ever tried going from Rings into Beads or Clouds before ;)
Was just missing a succulent plant and I think this video would be the most groundbreaking synthesizer vid ever.
Shockingly, Rings and Beads make a good pair.
Also shockingly I had never been interested too much in Rings, although Elements was almost my first module purchase ever in this module synthesizer journey through the land of eurorack.
Cheekiness aside, I am happy with the results, and it is a bit bitersweet knowing that we will probably not have any new Mutable Instruments modules due to Émilie Gillet retiring.
So patch notes:
I build on a simple loop, find a sweet spot in the granular landscapes of Beads, run it all through Strymon Magneto. Go from Rings internal synthesis to running a nice square wave oscillator through it, good times.
Percusions via Basimilus Iteritas Alter and Intellijel Plonk."
