Ambient Sounds with Rings

One of the main reasons I got into modular synth/Eurorack was because of the music you could create, specifically ambient generative. 

Ambient generative is a subset of the ambient genre. This is music that is ambient in nature but the music itself is self-developing and randomly changing. No two songs are the same and in fact, it is quite hard to replicate a patch, even if you wired it up identically. The idea behind using a modular synth to create ambient generative patches is that no human input is required to develop the music, it does it all on its own!

This is my first attempt at something that you could quasi-call "ambient generative" and it features the Mutable Instruments Rings module. I've gone into much detail in previous posts about how powerful of a module Rings is and in particular, I'm using it in this patch as the main voice. 

I'm very happy with this patch! It hit all the notes (no pun intended) that I wanted it to, that smooth ambient strumming, all randomly modulated and changing! The randomness, particularly with the rhythm generation was something I was experimenting with for quite a bit.

Now let's break this patch down in detail, as it is slightly more complex than previous ones.

Rings provides the "ambient" component to the patch. It is set to duophonic sympathetic strings mode (yellow-yellow), which allows for those overtones as the pitch changes from note to note. Rings receives notes from 2HP Arp.

The "generative" component is provided by 2HP TM and the random octave mode of Arp. TM generates random notes, which are then quantized via 2HP Tune to a melodic scale. The quantized notes are sent to 1) Arp, to set the root note of the octave, 2) the length input of 2HP Euclid, to set the length of the rhythm Euclid generates and 3) the steps input of Euclid, to set the rhythm that is generated. Euclid also triggers Arp.

So every time TM generates a note, we have a new pattern, pattern length, root octave note and, as a result, a new sound.

To add some more randomness to the patch, I use Mutable Instruments Tides as the clock source, in cyclic oscillation - different shape mode (yellow, OFF, yellow). Tides tells Pam's Workout when to turn on and commence the triggering for TM and Euclid.

And to top things off, I use the Doepher LFO to modulate the slope function of Tides so that the on/off gates generated by Tides for Pam's Workout are not of equal lengths, but varying lengths. This means that sometimes notes will be generated quickly and others slowly.

Whew! That was a lot to explain. I hope it all makes sense. And of course, here is the diagram of the patch, which will hopefully make things a bit clearer:

If you have any questions or suggestions, let me know in the comments below.

Happy patching friends,

-Uncle Peter

Rhythmic Clocked Modulation with Tides v2

As I mentioned in my previous post, I recently added a Mutable Instruments Tides module to my rack. As I began experimenting with it, I began to realize just how powerful of a module it really is. 

As part of my learning process with Tides, I watched a very informative Youtube video from Ali the Architect about Tides v2. The 22-minute video covers many of Tides's features and was immensely helpful to me; I highly recommend it if you've recently purchased this module.

One of the topics that Ali mentions is using Tides for "rhythmic clocked modulation" (i.e. CV modulation that is synced to a clock). In other words, sending a clock input into Tides and having it output various oscillations that are "in time". 

Here is my take on some rhythmic clocked modulation

A Mutable Instruments marriage we have here, with Tides sending rhythmically clocked CV to various parameters of Rings! The CV modulation here results in Rings producing unique synth-like sounds, from the long, drawn-out tones to short, beat-like staccatos. The notes sound as if they're coming from a mixture between a harp and a synthesizer! It really is such a unique sound.

So what's going on in this patch?

• Tides is set to generate 2Hz order (yellow) cyclic bipolar oscillations (yellow). A clock input is given to Tides via Pam's Workout, allowing Tides's outputs to oscillate on time. Rings is set to duophonic sympathetic string mode (yellow-yellow).

• With a clock input, adjusting Tides's frequency multiplies or divides the inputted clock signal, allowing Tides to output oscillations of different periods, when in varying frequency output mode (red). Counterclockwise divides the time and clockwise multiplies the time

• Outputs 1, 2 and 3 are used to modulate the brightness, damping and position functions of Rings, respectively, which is also being strummed by Pam's Workout. It's as if we are quickly turning the dials of Rings, in time

• 2HP Arp sends voltages to the V/OCT input of Rings and is being triggered by 2HP Euclid. 2HP Arp's mode is set to random notes spanning an octave

• 2HP TM, via 2HP Tune, sends quantized voltages to 2HP Arp, to set the root note of the octave, and sends triggers to reset and change the number of steps of the rhythmic triggers that 2HP Euclid generates

On a side note, as you probably have noticed, most of my patches involve 2HP TM and Tune. I primarily use these modules to incorporate a bit of randomness into the patch, so there's a low chance of pitches and rhythms repeating.

Again this is just a single feature of what Tides v2 has to offer. If you have Tides, let me know in the comments below how you use it. And be sure to check out Ali's video for more things to do with Tides.

Happy patching friends,

-Uncle Peter

Suspenseful Strings with Tides v2 and Rings

When you look at what are the most popular module manufacturers in the Eurorack industry, a certain name always comes up in the mix: Mutable Instruments. And it's for good reason! Mutable Instruments make some of the most versatile and unique modules, each with a variety of features, abilities and control.

After a bit of reading and searching online, I found two Mutable Instruments modules that I believe suited my needs: Tides v2 and Rings.

Tides is a tidal modulator and acts, in essence, as an AD envelope generator, varying voltage up or down in unique and customizable ways. Slow enough and it acts as an LFO, fast enough and it acts as a VCO.

Rings is a resonator that can take (or generate) a plain audio signal and give it a full-bodied sound, all when triggered to do so. It contains various resonator types, all which produce unique sounds, with parameters that can also be adjusted.

When playing around with the modules, I was particularly interested in sending audio from Tides into Rings. Here is a cool and "suspenseful" patch I tried out, where Tides generates a chord that is reverbed through a rhythmically strummed Rings.

It's a simple patch but I really like the sounds that Rings is producing here; that deep, space-like background hum, with the soft plucking that varies in intensity. And add to that the smooth chord created by Tides. Such a simple sounds with lots of depth and suspense!

So what's going on in this patch?

• Tides generates audible tones where each output is a different frequency. To achieve this mode, I set the frequency range to audible (red), the ramp mode to cyclic oscillations (yellow) and output mode to different frequencies (red). To get a chord, I take the last three outputs and mix them together using Shades

• The chord is inputted into Rings, which is set to duophonic, sympathetic strings mode (yellow-yellow). This is an interesting mode as it is meant to mimic the phenomena that occurs in strings instruments, in which the strings are not directly plucked, but respond to the vibration of other strings. The result is a fuller sound with more overtones and undertones. Sending both Rings's even and odd outputs to a stereo mixer allows for "odd" and "even" strings to be distinguished. 2HP Euclid also strums Rings rhythmically.

• 2HP TM sends random voltages to 2HP Tune, which quantizes them to a melodic scale. A minor pentatonic scale here is chosen to add to suspense. These voltages are then sent to Tides's V/OCT input, to change the starting note of the chord, Rings's V/OCT input, to change the main frequency of the resonator, and 2HP Euclid's steps input, to change the rhythm it generates.

• Lastly, the A-145-1 LFO is used to CV modulate the damping and brightness settings of Rings. This is what changes the softness of the strummed chord over time.

This patch can definitely be added to, however, in terms of complexity and sounds. I've barely scratched the surface with what these modules can do.

Have you used Rings or Tides before? Let me know in the comments below, I am really keen on learning the ins and outs of these modules.

Happy patching friends,

-Uncle Peter

2HP Modules: Small, Affordable, Powerful

It's no secret that Eurorack modules are expensive for the most part. For some, the price is justified, as they have the ability to do some pretty amazing things.

However, as an interested person looking in, this was one of the things that initially deterred me from Eurorack. I remember thinking "how much do I actually need to spend so my rack can produce a sound, let alone a sound that I like!". Adding in the cost of a case and accessories only added to this worry. There is a company that is challenging this status quo though.

Tagging themselves as the "smallest company in Eurorack", 2HP is not your average modular company. Every module they make is (you guessed it) 2HP in width and reasonably priced. The company boasts about having one of the best performance to size ratios in the industry and also offers a variety of modules.

I am a personal fan of this brand. This is not an endorsement for 2HP by any means, rather, I've simply found that their modules suit my needs. Their popularity is certainly well deserved though. They're addressing both the cost and space issues with Eurorack modules at the same time, all while offering great products.

To demonstrate what you can expect from 2HP, I've wired up a little "2HP Patch", consisting of 2HP's TM, Pluck, Euclid, Arp and Tune modules (with a little help from Pam's Workout).

I love this patch for so many reasons! Its smoothness and arpeggiated note changes all jive together so seamlessly and melodically. Plus the off-beat plucking and modulation adds tons of depth to the sound. It's amazing that this kind of sound can be produced from only a handful of modules. 

To put this all into perspective, those five modules add up to 10HP of space and about $550 (assuming they are bought new, which certainly doesn't need to be the case)! Wow, amazing!

So what's going on in this patch?

• 2HP TM sends random voltages to 2HP Tune, which quantizes them to a melodic scale (chromatic here). The quantized voltages are sent to 2HP Arp's Root input, which sets the root note of the arpeggio

• 2HP Euclid generates a Euclidean rhythm as a series of triggers, which are sent to 2HP Pluck's Trigger input

• Pam's Workout sets the BPM of the patch and sends triggers to 2HP TM's Trigger input, telling it when to generate a new note and 2HP Arp's Trigger input, telling it when to start the arpeggio

• Pam's also sends triggers to Reset inputs of 2HP Arp and 2HP Euclid, so the arpeggio and Euclidean rhythm reset when a note is generated

• I also manually adjust Pluck's decay/damping knobs, Arp's mode knob and Euclid's steps knob, to vary the fullness of the sound, note sequence and rhythm, respectively

In other words, Pluck is the voice here and its being "strummed" by Euclid, and its notes varied by Arp and TM. 

If you have a 2HP module that you like or have used or a cool patch involving some of them, let me know in the comments below. I'm always curious to see what people can do with these modules.

Happy patching friends,

-Uncle Peter