Wiardgroup

..., volume 1:

"Creating a three-dimensional timbre matrix"

Ingredients:

1 Waveform City,
1 Sequantizer,
1 Omni Filter,
1 Mixolator,
1 Joystick (MAY be replaced by any two DC offset sources, such as 
modwheels, but shame on you).

If I correctly understand the functionality of the modules, this 
patch will use the Sequantizer as an NLT board, and the Omni Filter 
as a processor/ generator changeling.

Instructions:

0. Patch the the same pitch control to the 1v/oct inputs of the OMNI 
and the WC VCO.

1. Patch the sine wave output from the WC to the multiple, and from 
there,
2. patch one sine wave to the WC's VCA,
3. patch the VCA output to the WC's NLT,
4. select an NLT function that folds a sine wave in the classic 
Buchla/ Serge way,
5. patch another sine wave to the SEQ stage select input,
6. use the square wave from the WC to trigger the SEQ,
7. patch the EG from the WC to both the VCA CV input and the SEQ's 
transpose input,
8. set the EG to slope times slow enough to make the foldover-
induced timbral sweep in the WC NLT plentifully relishable (= 
looong! ;-),
9. set the SEQ's stages to arbitrary, preferrably large intervals 
(at least two stages should be fully down/ up),
10. patch the SEQ 10v output and the NLT ouput to the OMNI and mix 
them to equal volumes.

Interruption: at this point, there should be two rich sounding waves 
in the filter input, each of which hardly resembles classic analog 
sounds, and is further dynamically varied by the EG. Since one phase 
on the SEQ will take eight times longer to cycle than one phase in 
the WC NLT, the two waves are three octaves apart. (By using the SEQ 
reset input, a two octave spread can be had, but at the cost of four 
SEQ stages, which will make the sound only half as detailed.)

The less linear and the "wilder" the selected WC NLT function, the 
larger the perceived timbral and pitch difference between the two 
SEQ and NLT outputs. By twiddling the SEQ stages and searching for 
similar and relatively linear functions on the WC, the sounds can be 
made approximate each other. In the most extreme case, a PPG Wave 
like sound can be achieved. Also, by applying some lag (glide) on 
the SEQ, its sound can be smoothened. (I don't know if the lag is 
linear or exponential? The latter would be better here since the 
smoothening would be independent from pitch.)

Now if the two sounds ARE spread widely, the OMNI voltage controlled 
mode morphing can be used to discriminate between them like this:

11. Set the OMNI frequency to the middle between the frequencies of 
the two input sounds; temporarily introducing self oscillation will 
help to adjust the relations precisely, but it will be best to use 
your ears rather than sticking to mathematical ratio.
12. Set mode to bandpass,
13. attenuate the X output of the joystick to 3/4 the full range 
(7.5 volts) with one of the MIXOLATOR sections,
14. patch the attenuated X voltage to the OMNI mode morph input.

Using the joystick over the entire X axis will now sweep between 
lowpass and hipass, and the 24db/oct cutoff should now clearly 
attenuate either of the two inputs in either mode.

Now a third dimension (= another direction to "morph into") is 
introduced:

15. Patch the third sine wave from the WC multiple to the second MIX 
section in VCA mode,
16. patch the joystick's Y-axis to the multiple on the OMNI, and 
from there,
17. use one Y voltage to control attenuation of the sine wave on MIX 
2,
16. use a second Y voltage to control the Q amount on the OMNI (with 
full index);
17. now patch the output from MIX 2 to the OMNI's linear FM input.

As you move up the Y axis, the filter will start to self oscillate, 
the filtered signal will cease to pass - the filtered NLT timbre 
morphs into a two operator FM timbre.

Optionally, if you want to have the VCF frequency envelope swept in 
the two "filter the two NLT sounds" modes:
23. attenuate the envelope with a VCA whose attenuation is 
controlled by the inverse of the control source that you previously 
applied to the FM index and the Q.
This is just to make sure the FM sound will produce keyboard-
compatible pitches, but if that's not desired and the results should 
instead be less foreseeable, it can be left out of course.

I didn't include gating, the sound at this point is just an endless 
drone - mostly of interest for examination of the morphing sweeps. 
But there are more reasons to add the Classic VCO to the patch than 
just making use of its VCA and EG for gating the drone sound; 
actually The patch is just a basic configuration to start from, and 
points to begin modifying could be:

Using the Classic VCO for the SEQ NLT sound; with now freely 
definable octave spread/ slight detune/ individual vibrato settings/ 
etc etc, this will allow really PPG-like sounds....

Controlling SEQ trigger and select inputs from different VCOs, which 
Gary Chang described as a method to generate "ultra hard synch" like 
sounds....

...And so forth. If someone actually tries out this patch, or 
already has before, I would appreciate to receive critical feedback. 
I've patched it up in my mind, not a real Wiard (order is running 
and I'm patiently waiting for my turn... but then, can making up 
abstract patches be called "patience"? ;-). Could well be that it 
all does't make sense because I'm not acquainted with the actual 
sonic details of the instrument! Particularly my idea of using the 
SEQ as an NLT board, is it correct?? Anyway, I hope it inspires some 
fun for owners of even small Wiard systems, and perhaps initiates 
some musically focussed discussion.

Sebastian Kuehnl