Hi all — I am four years in on my modular journey, having a blast, and am really really happy with my current build, BUT. I feel like I have hit a new roadblock in terms of how to take my patches to the next level, and I could really use some advice on what is missing from my setup.
The goal: my goal / north star from the beginning has been to build a system focused on generative music, with a diverse sonic palate, including a mix of organic and electronic sounds, the potential to build self-playing patches that are able to be engaging and interesting without a human at the helm, but also have the ability to build in performative elements for playing out (or streaming). Before I show what I currently have gear-wise, I'll lay out what my current challenges are / what I think is missing from a functional standpoint:
Missing thing #1 "sections"
Although I've gotten to a point where I feel like I can put together patches with some very diverse sonic palates without just making it sound more busy and complicated (through a combination of sound design, and pacing timing of different elements), I haven't figured out how to build generative patches that have "sections" to them. Not as literal as verse, bridge, chorus, but just the feeling that it "goes somewhere" instead of staying in the same place with lots of variation in that one place… if that makes any sense.
Missing thing #2 "complex modulation"
Between øchd and Batumi I have a decent amount LFOs, and with the amount of VCOs I have, I also have enough extras to do some audio rate modulation, but in general I'm a bit lost in terms of how I can develop more interesting CV that goes beyond simple LFOs, envelopes, or random voltages.
Missing thing #3 "rhythmic glitches and diversity"
Broadly speaking, I'm a big fan of a sort subtle twitchy polyrhythms, that tread that delicate line between randomness and just enough consistency that you can bob your head to it ala Ryoji Ikeda, Alva Noto, or of course our lord and savior Richard D. James![:hail:]( "we're not worthy")
. The closest I've come to that I think is setting up two very sparse clicks/pops panned left and right with two slightly different euclidian patterns — it feels like a start, but it's too consistent and sort of like my description of "sections", it doesn't really go anywhere. I feel like what I am missing from a percussive standpoint is a bit more variation in pattern/randomness, as well as for lack a better term, a few different "glitch" states. The snare on "4", the intro track to Aphex's "Richard D. James Album" is the most straightforward example of what I mean by that — the ability to take a percussive element and have it occasionally fly off the handle, but them come back to center.
I feel like this recent patch is the perfect encapsulation of the wall that I am hitting… it feels like the closest to what I am hearing in my head, but even after spending hours trying to improve on it, I'm coming against those three roadblocks I've described above.
So, with all of that in mind, I am sharing my current rig below, and I would love to hear some thoughts / advice on what tools I am lacking that would facilitate getting past those roadblocks I've described. Sky is the limit, no need to consider HP limitations or price — of course neither are infinite, but I'm interested in hearing sort of unrestrained blue sky thinking in terms of potential additions. Thanks so much for any guidance!
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The goal: my goal / north star from the beginning has been to build a system focused on generative music, with a diverse sonic palate, including a mix of organic and electronic sounds, the potential to build self-playing patches that are able to be engaging and interesting without a human at the helm, but also have the ability to build in performative elements for playing out (or streaming). Before I show what I currently have gear-wise, I'll lay out what my current challenges are / what I think is missing from a functional standpoint:
Missing thing #1 "sections"
Although I've gotten to a point where I feel like I can put together patches with some very diverse sonic palates without just making it sound more busy and complicated (through a combination of sound design, and pacing timing of different elements), I haven't figured out how to build generative patches that have "sections" to them. Not as literal as verse, bridge, chorus, but just the feeling that it "goes somewhere" instead of staying in the same place with lots of variation in that one place… if that makes any sense.
Missing thing #2 "complex modulation"
Between øchd and Batumi I have a decent amount LFOs, and with the amount of VCOs I have, I also have enough extras to do some audio rate modulation, but in general I'm a bit lost in terms of how I can develop more interesting CV that goes beyond simple LFOs, envelopes, or random voltages.
Missing thing #3 "rhythmic glitches and diversity"
Broadly speaking, I'm a big fan of a sort subtle twitchy polyrhythms, that tread that delicate line between randomness and just enough consistency that you can bob your head to it ala Ryoji Ikeda, Alva Noto, or of course our lord and savior Richard D. James
. The closest I've come to that I think is setting up two very sparse clicks/pops panned left and right with two slightly different euclidian patterns — it feels like a start, but it's too consistent and sort of like my description of "sections", it doesn't really go anywhere. I feel like what I am missing from a percussive standpoint is a bit more variation in pattern/randomness, as well as for lack a better term, a few different "glitch" states. The snare on "4", the intro track to Aphex's "Richard D. James Album" is the most straightforward example of what I mean by that — the ability to take a percussive element and have it occasionally fly off the handle, but them come back to center.I feel like this recent patch is the perfect encapsulation of the wall that I am hitting… it feels like the closest to what I am hearing in my head, but even after spending hours trying to improve on it, I'm coming against those three roadblocks I've described above.
So, with all of that in mind, I am sharing my current rig below, and I would love to hear some thoughts / advice on what tools I am lacking that would facilitate getting past those roadblocks I've described. Sky is the limit, no need to consider HP limitations or price — of course neither are infinite, but I'm interested in hearing sort of unrestrained blue sky thinking in terms of potential additions. Thanks so much for any guidance!
Statistics: Posted by wavlab — Mon Mar 11, 2024 8:20 am — Replies 0 — Views 15