3 Modules #45: Dual Looping Delay, Streams, Branches

Описание: This one's a little clever, if I may say so myself. Here I'm using some of the hidden functions in the DLD to effectively turn it into a dual pulse wave oscillator, complete with "sample and hold" on the pitch CV inputs. And I'm using it to create two interacting generative sequences.

Patch notes:

In order to set the DLD up for this patch I started by tapping in the fastest tempo I could, and then locked it down for both channels ("ping lock" by holding the Hold button and pressing Ping). Setting each channel to the minimum Time division brings their clock outputs well into audio range. And by holding the Hold button while adjusting the Time knob, the Time inputs switch to "V/Oct" mode so that they respond to pitch CV just like a regular oscillator.

Since I have ping lock enabled, I can now freely tap a slower master tempo without ruining the tuning of the "oscillators". Then I use the master clock output to trigger Branches, which in turn passes a certain percentage of triggers to each of Streams' Excite inputs. Streams is in AD envelope filter/VCA mode, controlling the note shape and timbre of the two voices.

In addition to sending the audio signals from Streams to the master output, I'm multing them back into DLD's Time (a.k.a. pitch) inputs, so that the audio output from channel A controls the pitch of channel B and vice versa.

But wait! Using an audio signal as a pitch sequence - how does that work? Wouldn't it just be a garbled, noisy mess?

This is where the final hidden setting on the DLD comes into play. By holding both Reverse buttons and pressing Ping, I've enabled "quantized change mode". This causes changes to Time (and Hold and Reverse) to only happen in sync with the master clock (it's typically used to make rhythmic changes in clock divisions while staying on the beat). Effectively, this is like a sample and hold circuit on each Time input, clocked by the master tempo. It makes stable voltages from the audio signals, where higher amplitude corresponds to higher pitch.

In other words, if voice B triggers while voice A is already playing, it will likely have a higher pitch. And, conversely, when you hear only one voice playing it will tend to stay on its lowest pitched note, as there is no incoming voltage from the opposite voice. Therefore playing with the density, duration and amplitude of notes – by tweaking Branches and Streams' parameters – also leads to changing tendencies in the pitch sequence. Neat!

Note: if you wanna take this patch beyond the three module restriction, try using a quantizer before the DLD Time inputs for more musical sequences!

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