Beep-boop go the dual-feedback oscillators

Self-Feedback Sequence by DarwinGrosse

Here's a little ditty created with the modular, using two oscillators feeding back with each other, a little sequencer control, a state variable filter (controlled by S&H noise) and an odd rhythm driven by a mix of two LFO's.

Enjoy (or not)!

[ddg]

The second cab is in...!

Earlier this week I got my second modular cabinet and loaded it up. Everything is "for real use" mods except for the banana jack interface in the left cabinet. I split my setup into two halves: the left half, with the sequencer, is for sequencing play. It has a two-oscillator synth voice with a state variable filter. The right half is my "playing out" case, with another two-oscillator synth voice and a bunch of modulation sources. Most of this is dotcom (synthesizers.com) modules, although I have the Moon Modular 565/565e quantizer and a Megaohm dual LFO.

You'll also notice in the rack that I've got some critical pieces: my beloved Wiard joystick controller (with the ultra-helpful voltage meter), a MOTU 828 mkIII (which gives me unparalleled interface between computer and synth), a 1/4" patchbay and a power strip. All stuff to make my life easier.

Much, much fun.

[ddg]

Obsession and Respect

My children have introduced me to Internet Crack in the cloak of a game: Bloons Tower Defense. I've cranked away at it until I got the gold in all three free levels, and was feeling pretty good. But it just didn't get me the household respect I needed. So, when my new iPad came in on Friday, I immediately downloaded Bloons TD (the iPad version, name changed to protect the innocent or something) and got to work.

Now, the next paragraph is going to sound pretty stupid to most adults, but if you have a kid in elementary school, feed them this statement and see if they aren't blown away:

"Today, I got to level 107 on the hard level of one of the paid Bloons levels. I lost 41 lives in level 37 - the first M.O.A.B. level - but didn't lose another one until the end. I was able to get to level 107 by getting rid of everything and buying tons of Super Monkeys. In the end, my level had 60 Super Monkeys upgraded to Plasma Vision and Epic Range. I didn't get defeated until the game sent over 100 M.O.A.B.'s in a row, which overloaded everything and caused the loss. But by the end, I had kids from around the neighborhood all huddled around my machine as we wiped out level after level of attackers."

OK - back to work now. Thanks for listening!

[ddg]

When I press a special key...

QuantMelody by DarwinGrosse

... it plays a little melody.

Here's a little modular goodness where I let the modular do the composing. This is using a S&H on a white noise source, then feeding that to a Moon Modular 565 Quantizer. This takes the random stuff of white noise and turns it into notes. I've got a 565E Expander, so I set it up to quantize to a simple pentatonic scale, and the notes are made.

Quantizers just rock.

The sound is two triangle waves (32' and 4') mixed then pumped through the Q150 ladder filter. Really simple, but oh so pretty.

[ddg]

Fun With Modular (Filter Excursion #1)

FilterExcursion #1 by DarwinGrosse

Here's a little track I made with the modular this afternoon - there was some curiosity about how "phat" the dotcom Q-150 Transistor Ladder Filter is; I'm thinking it is about phat enough for me. This is a pretty simple patch; more information about the track is available on my SoundCloud page for the track.

Things I like: The Boss RE-20 effects, the built-in control mixer on the filter, the snappiness of the envelopes, the downright killer sound of the filter.

Things I don't like: I'm not finding a slew limiter setting above 1 that is musically useful at all, the output of this modular is HOT, HOT, HOT.

Overall fun, though. Recorded in Logic, MP3'd with Peak, not much technology though. And, before you comment, I know that the same lick gets boring after 7+ minutes. So sue me - this is a filter demo, not the gushing of my soul to the masses...

[ddg]