MOTM

>Hey everyone, I want to start playing around with the self running
>patch concept and I was wondering if anyone has any advice, tips or
>tricks they could pass on to me.
>
>My rig consists of a 300, 310, 2 LFO's, 101, 3 filters, 2ea 190 & 800,
>and a mult panel. I also have a voyager with the breakout box. I'll
>probably use a mackie 1204 mixer for all the various outputs.
>
>I'm looking for a wide range of sounds. nice, sweet, bubbly, dark and
>gritty, trippy and strange.
>
>Thanks!
>
>- chris
>
>
>
>
>

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Brewster [mailto:pugix@...]
> Sent: Tuesday, July 20, 2004 6:36 PM
> To: Chris Walcott
> Cc: MOTM List
> Subject: Re: [motm] self running patches
>
> All my patches are self running. (If I could figure how to make them
> self-patching, too, I wouldn't have anything left to do except solder!)
>
> For a self-running patch to be musically interesting it has to be
> capable of evolving patterns, while keeping enough character to be
> thematic. I set up patterns of change along several vectors, the most
> important being note/chord sequences and timbre variations. Rhythmic
> changes are also interesting, but are hard to do well without seeming
> disruptive. Syncopations are not too difficult with syncable LFOs (like
> the MOTM-320) or a switch like the MOTM-700. I strive for a complex
> patch that has several voices, sometimes running poly-rhythmically. If
> you are not as concerned with live, real-time sound, you can record
> multiple tracks and mix them together.
>
> The heart of my self running patches is always the Sample and Holds. I
> seem to be growing a collection of them. In addition to the MOTM-101, I
> use two Oakley S&H's, a CGS Infinite Melody (a type of digital S&H), and
> two CGS Analog Shift Registers (each with 3 internal S&H's). And I have
> more random modules in the works. If you get hooked on the self-running
> patch thing, expect to need more "sources of uncertainty" modules.
>
> My process is playful. I start out with a basic idea and patch
> something up. Then it grows. Once I have a good patch it can still
> take hours of tweaking the pots before I feel it is musically
> interesting. The range of variation by pot settings in one of these
> patches is vast.
>
> With your setup, Chris, a good starting point is just to make a classic
> random note walk. Use an LFO pulse wave as a tempo clock to trigger the
> 101 S&H and both EGs. You might trigger one EG from an inverted version
> of the clock. The output of the S&H can control the pitch of both VCOs
> (not with 1V/oct, but with FM inputs). The VCOs can go through
> different filters. You might also patch the S&H output to control a
> filter frequency. Use one EG to modulate a filter, the other for the
> VCA. A second LFO can add vibrato to a VCO or a VCF. Without a
> quantizer to make scale pitches it will sound trippy and strange
> alright. Get the white or pink noise into the mix too. Play around
> with it and don't get discouraged if it sounds awfully silly at first.
> This type of patch takes experimentation. Once you get it just right,
> then you'll have to decide if you want to just enjoy it or fire up the
> recording equipment. Because the next time, you will never be able to
> repeat it. You might get close, but I've found it's hard to get the
> same sound a month later from an old patch diagram. That doesn't bother
> me, because I look at these patches as "happenings" that may never be
> repeated. You enjoy the moment. Then it's gone. You let go (aka
> un-patching). But there's always the next patch.
>
> -Richard Brewster
>
> Chris Walcott wrote:
>
> >Hey everyone, I want to start playing around with the self running
> >patch concept and I was wondering if anyone has any advice, tips or
> >tricks they could pass on to me.
> >
> >My rig consists of a 300, 310, 2 LFO's, 101, 3 filters, 2ea 190 & 800,
> >and a mult panel. I also have a voyager with the breakout box. I'll
> >probably use a mackie 1204 mixer for all the various outputs.
> >
> >I'm looking for a wide range of sounds. nice, sweet, bubbly, dark and
> >gritty, trippy and strange.
> >
> >Thanks!
> >
> >- chris
> >
> >

> All my patches are self running. (If I could figure how to make them
> self-patching, too, I wouldn't have anything left to do except
> solder!)

On Jul 20, 2004, at 5:14 PM, John Loffink wrote:
> My methodology involves what could be called chaos synthesis.

Thanks Richard and John, this looks like a really good starting point.
I'm starting to get more comfortable with the rig, at least with the
simple patches. This is where it's going to get really interesting.

Besides more S&H modules, what else should I be thinking about adding?
I have a Mini-Wave on the table about to be worked on. I have another
300 on order plus a 120, an 820 a couple more filters (gotta have at
least one of each!). I was thinking about the 700 at some point. I
don't have any of the new 500 series modules on order but I'll probably
consider that as well.

In any case, that's for the future. Right now I have a lot of stuff to
play with. I'll let you know how it goes.

- chris