Dotcom Dubstep

This is a fairly close approximation of a “Dubstep” effect using these modules.

3-Q106 Oscillators and for this instance we will call them Q106A, Q106B and Q106C.
2-Q108 Amplifiers A and B as with the oscillators.
2-Q109 Envelope Generators A and B likewise.
1-Q107 State Variable Filter.
1-Q150 Transistor Ladder Filter.
1-Q130 Clipper/Rectifier
1-Q125 Signal Processor
1-Q174 Midi Interface
1-Q124 Multiples or 2 depending on your synth setup.

PATCH

1)Patch PITCH from the Q174 to the 1V/OCT INPUTS of Q107 and Q150 as well as the 
first two oscillators Q106A and Q106B with whatever Q124 Multiples you may have.

2)Patch GATE from the Q174 to the GATE INPUT of both Q109A and Q109B by way of Q124 Multiples.

3)Patch CC1 from Q174 to Q108A CONTROL IN #1.

4)Patch RAMP from Q106A to Q150 SIGNAL INPUT.

5)Patch TRIANGLE from Q106B to Q108A SIGNAL IN #1.

6)Patch TRIANGLE from Q106C to Q130 CLIP LEVEL INPUT.

7)Patch Q150 OUTPUT to Q107 SIGNAL INPUT (level).

8)Patch Q107 LOWPASS to Q125 Signal Processor (upper) INPUT.

9)Patch Q125 (upper) OUTPUT to Q130 CLIPPER INPUT.

10)Patch Q130 CLIPPER OUTPUT to Q130 RECTIFIER INPUT.

11)Patch Q130 RECTIFIER  +OUTPUT to Q108B SIGNAL IN #1.

12)Patch Q109A OUTPUT to Q106A LINEAR FREQUENCY LEVEL and Q150 FREQUENCY LEVEL (right)
By way of Q124 Multiples.

13)Patch Q109B OUTPUT to Q108B CONTROL IN #2.

14)Patch Q108A  -OUTPUT to Q108B CONTROL IN #1.

15)Patch Q108A  +OUTPUT to Q150 FREQUENCY LEVEL (left).

16)Patch Q108B  +OUTPUT to Main Sound System or Mixer etc.

CONTROL KNOBS & SWITCH’S

Adjust the knobs as follows as close as possible because this is very crucial in achieving  the “Dubstep” sound:

Q174    =    MODE 3            GATE MULTIPLE         PRIORITY LOW

Q106A   =   RANGE 32’          FREQ 0 (center)         LINEAR FREQ LEVEL 2.4 

Q106B   =    RANGE LOW           FREQ  +3.1
  
Q106C   =    RANGE LOW            FREQ  (negative)-1

Q130    =    CLIP LEVEL 5          AMOUNT 10            CLIP (-)(negative)

Q125    =    GAIN 200%              OFFSET  -2

Q108A   =    RESPONSE LIN             GAIN  0            CONTROL LEVEL  10

Q108B   =    RESPONSE EXP             GAIN  4             CONTROL LEVEL  10

Q109A   =    ATTACK .5         DECAY .5         SUSTAIN 3         RELEASE 2

Q109B   =    ATTACK  0         DECAY  2         SUSTAIN 5         RELEASE 0

Q107    =    FREQUENCY 5           RESONANCE 5

Q150    =    FREQUENCY 4              RESONANCE 6.5            SLOPE -24dB

Q150    =    FREQUENCY LEVEL (left) -3        FREQUENCY LEVEL (right)  1

Q150    =    SIGNAL INPUT LEVEL 8.2

Performance Tips

 Since the Oscillator Q106A is the only audio source and the RANGE is set at 32’
it will be at it’s lowest pitch setting and likewise your Keyboard Controller should
be played at the lowest octaves for this “Bass” like “Dubstep” effect.

What we are looking for here is a tight but pleasant distorted bass sound but melodic.
As the modulation wheel is increased also the “Dubstep” effect begins and gets more pronounced till the wheel is at it’s extent, this is not the speed of the effect just the strength.
Be sure and don’t leave the wheel all the way up because the dubstep warble seems to bleed into the audio all the time if you do.(still trying to figure that out)
The speed is controlled by the position you play on the keyboard, in other words the lower you play the slower, the higher you play on the keyboard the faster the “Dubstep” effect, this is why Oscillator Q106B which is the primary control oscillator is tracked by the keyboard or vice versa by way of pitch 1V/OCT, thus the dubstep warble.

Use the pitch bend wheel to also facilitate a more dubstep feel or even employ the Q105 Slew Limiter.
                                                    CONT.
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Dubstep fans are sure to get the drift once the patch is set just experiment.

Also playing in the upper registers has a nice lead sound possibility and if you add 

just a tiny bit of mod wheel it creates a nice distortion.

I’m not that much into Dubstep music but I wanted to see if the Dotcom was capable of getting close to that type of sound since it seems to be able to do almost anything, so I did, and it did too, way to go Dotcom!

                                      MARCH 15, 2014
                                      Cynthia Graham