MOTM

Hey,

After I sent the post about my 410-heavy track, I was thinking about another
new track I have up, "Bug Oscillation." (http://www.mp3.com/baldbastard) I
think it's pretty neat, but that's beside the point. I find that a lot of my
tracks are really simple (I'm sure a lot of you do too ;) ) and they're even
simpler in execution. So I've decided to tell the story of this track for
those who like hearing about how others' modulars are used.

Event 1: A near-mint KPR-77 (old Korg analog drum machine, somewhat similar
to the Roland TR-606) showed up in the mail for me. It even had the original
carrying bag. I used to have one of these, but it was really beat up (it
used to belong to a popular, gigging techno musician). This new one is
nearly perfect and is very easy to program (no key bounces like the old
one).

Event 2: I remember that the KPR runs at 48ppqn, unlike Roland's sync24
(24ppqn). Instead of reprogramming the 77, I let the 303 run at double-speed
with a 16th (now 32nd) note pattern, one note with slight variation in
rhythm at the end of the measure.

Event 3: I send the 303 (via headphone output) into the modular. Routing's
through a couple of 420s, modulated by a 320 LFO. The first 420 is in HP,
the second LP. Both have resonance set to about 7, just where you can really
start to hear the effect. The 303 is also going into the mixer independently
via the "regular" output.

Event 4: I trigger an EG via one of the KPR-77's trigger outputs. Like many
drum machines, the triggers are from the toms, so you can hear the effect
quite clearly in the track if you're listening for it. The EG modulates the
VCA, out of which the 303 finally comes. So it's this quick-vibrato-type
sound that hits simultaneously with the high tom.

Event 5: I bring the 303 in on the mixer in its full pattern form. No one
I've played this for realizes that it's the same thing that's coming out of
the modular.

So one note and one drum machine pattern were used in the creation. Some
might say it's boring, but others might be kind and call it "minimal techno"
or something.

I really love using one sequence to spawn many distinctly different events.
I'm hoping that the lag processor will really open things up for me in this
respect. I'd also be interested in something that can delay a trigger... can
an analog delay be used to delay voltage triggers? Or do I need something
like a string of capacitors?

David.
http://www.mp3.com/baldbastard
http://www.mp3.com/stations/baldbastard