Patch challenge #24 bread and butter.

Are you allowed to use a mixer ... maybe even a matrix mixer?

The way I circumvented the use of a mixer module (i needed one to mix the two voices together) was to route the VCA out of one of the two voices into a VCA that is kept open by routing 5v from the MASTER I/O into the VCA's CV input turning it into a crude mixer channel (that can be controlled by the LVL pot of the VCA) that I sum with the output of the other voice by patching the VCA's output into the VCA output of the other voice (a trick I picked up somewhere in the forum but I can't remember who mentioned it first).

All in all I found it interesting to see how 6 ENVelopes and 4 VCAs could create 2 voices and a sequencer for those two voices + some pitch and volume modulation for one of the voices.

So I guess more ENVs could add more possibilities. However a thing to point out is that the ENVelopes must be able to loop otherwise there will be no sound and no sequencing. I know the ENVelopes in the 2ENV are loopable as is the ADSR module but the envelope in the MODULATORS module for example can not be looped sine it lack a END trigger output. 

This looks more complicated because you have to use ENVelopes and VCAs in a less conventional way but once you understand that it's quite simple.

Here are some of observations so far.

1) If you patch the END trigger of an envelope into its GaTe input it will loop (when the ENV is switched into A/D mode).

2) A looping an envelope can produce lfo like signals (from saw to triangle and every shape in between) which can reach audio levels so it can also be used as a VCO.

3) The END trigger of a looping ENV can be used as a clock signal (you fork it via the MULT of a VCA) to do some crude sequencing.

4) The control voltages can be used to modulate the Attack and/or Decay of the ENVelope changing its waveshape (see point 2) and pitch (in an inverted way, i.e. the higher the voltage the slower the loop the thus the lower the rate).

5) You can also generate constant voltages of different levels by routing a 5V in both inputs of a vca turning it effectively into an attenuator that produces a constant voltage between 0 - 5v.

6) VCAs can be summed together like a crude mixer by patching the out of one VCA into the out of another VCA.

...

As you see all the building block are there to sequence sounds with just a handful of ENVelopes and VCAs, which confirms the mantra

"You can never have enough VCAs and ENVelopes in your modular system".


But patch challenges are boring so let's make another thread about the modules that are missing in the AE universe instead despite not fully understanding the possibilities of all the modules we currently have in our racks. 
 

Here's my entry, one 2env for the "beat" (controlling the gate and pitch, attenuated in 4attmix) and the other one to actually generate the sound and gates. And another pair of looping envelopes from O&C for the main voice. Their duration is modulated by a 2CVtool (that I use to perform here) and mixed in the 4attmix. Finally all goes to MultiFX for a bit of reverb to glue everything together (it goes to a Delay first but I didn't like the sound of it so its Dry/Wet knob is set to fully dry 😉).
It was a fun challenge and a bit of a departure from the things I usually produce, thanks for the idea 😁

These are awesome patches.

After the meetup, i decided to start over with all the patch challenges and to record them.

So far i have done patch challenge #1. Took some time as i fist had to get recording with my iPhone working.

Hope to have something to show this weekend.

Really need some kind of camera stand for my phone :-)

Mikael

also had a Jon Hopkins feel about it too mathias

I hope I am not too late (as the next challenge #25 already started) - here is my attempt


First I was confused how this should work. Only ENVelopes and VCAs? But then I remembered that Carsten showed how to trigger the ENV so that it can be used as an oscillator in one of his Youtube videos.

The first ENV is used as the oscillator. The second ENV drives the VCA and the parameter 1 of the DUAL DLY in the MULTIFX.
That was fun! Thank you for this challenge idea!

Sounds good 👍 One of the sounds I like the most is an accelerating / decelerating envelope or LFO chopping up a voice, it's somehow very pleasing to my ears.

Sorry to be a pain, but where can I find that video please? I've been looking for it but no joy, and I'd love to try experimenting with this idea a bit.

Exactemundo.

Thank you so much, that's really helpful. I'll be giving this a go tonight. Thanks also to Kyaa and pt3r!