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Subject: Re: Patchcord Musing

From: JWBarlow@...
Date: 1999-10-22

In a message dated 10/21/99 8:46:30 AM, Ken.Tkacs@... writes:
>The joy of modulars, IMHO, is that you start off trying to get somewhere
>and
>90% of the time are sidetracked by some new aspect of the sound you hadn't
>heard before and split off down another road. Working with a modular is
>like
>going for a hike with the intention of getting lost, just to see what's
>"over there." And with a modular synth, unlike a hike after dinner, you
>don't really care if you get back or not.
>

I completely agree with this, Ken! The only things I can add are that patch
diagrams are useful to recall patches that aren't supposed to work, but
actually produce very interesting sounds (running audio through a S/H comes
to mind). And usually trying to log dial settings is pointless due to the
components heating up, and using VCOs as modulation sources, etc. Maybe it's
because I've been using tiny knobs and dirty ARP faders for so long, but
those MOTM knobs and the panel scale really seem much more useful than I
first thought, I wouldn't be surprised if you could successfully log patches
with them -- I still have that patch running involving the 2 300s to the 120
to the 410 I mentioned a few days ago with only minor tweaking to one of the
fine tune pots, and the temp has been varying from 50 to 100 F daily.


>These experiences broke me of the discipline of patch charts.

Yeah! What sounded once like Silver Apples on the Moon ends up sounding more
like Road Apples on the Moog.

JB