Expeditions in Space and Time

Using a Quantizer to create Polyrythms

So this must be quite obvious to anyone with a music theory backround, but I figured that you can use the same harmonic ratios that chords / intervals have to create polyrythhms if you just transpose them down to LFO rates. So if you assume that your fundamental frequency is quarter notes, then an octave above it will be eighth notes, a perfect fifth will be quarter note triplets, and a perfect fourth would be dotted eighth notes. I haven’t figuring out the rest though.

This only works if your quantizer is set to Just intonation. Things get a bit messy with more than 2 notes(rhythms) playing, so would advise using a clock divider or bernouli gate.

Here is the Strip file if you want to play around with the theory: Quantizer Rythm.vcvss (17.4 KB)

And here is a short demo:

Have fun

  • Auret
2 Likes

Thank Auret for continuing to develop these sequencer set ups, do you know if you can sequence delay to work on certain steps of a sequence. Something I have been thinking of but not yet achieved. Not even sure it is possible or what it would sound like.

Hi Ady, yes it’s something I enjoy doing often. I’m sure there are better ways, but this is what I do. Heres a very simple patch:

Only steps 3 and 7 will have delay on. Basically all I’m doing is running the last ADSR in the chain polyphonically, (the constant clock, and the delay steps) and then send them to 2 VCAs. One goes straight to the mixer and the other first to a delay. This setup ensures that any modifications you make to the last ADSR (the one which controls the gain)is the same for both VCAs.

Here’s a different example:

I’ve swapped out the Seq3 with a different sequencer, and the bernouli gate determines which step will have delay on, making it more random. You can replace the bernouli gate with any gate sequencer, a euclidian sequencer or clock divider will give you very interesting results.

Hope this helps.

Thank you Auret, I have a week off, so looks like I’m going to be busy playing with these two methods. Much appreciated.

Here is my submission for this years Day of the Dead

Here is the patch: Desolation.vcv (52.7 KB)

3 Likes

This piece was actually composed for acoustic guitars and bass, but I was curious to hear what it would sound like in VCV Rack. I thought I’d share it.

5 Likes

Warped Tape Effect

So if you want a warped tape effect, run your audio through a delay (chronoblob is perfect, but VCV Delay works well too), 0 Feedback, 100% Wet, and “Bump” the timing every now and then.

Like This:

Warped Tape

I really like the sound. Kind of nostalgic. Reminds me of being a kid listening to my overplayed cassettes.

Heres an example:

The only problem with this though, is that if you are playing live, everything will be delayed.

Enjoy though,

Auret

5 Likes

I was about to create a “why isn’t this working?” post regarding my unsuccessful attempt to achieve this effect. Your solution was much better than mine, so thanks (all these months later)! It does appear that your example no longer works in V2 - not just because of the missing stoermelder modules, but it also seems that the VCV Delay doesn’t work quite the same as it did (?). In fact, it would appear that there’s a lot of variability in how delay modules interpret CV to their feedback params. With a little experimentation, the principle you demonstrated can still be applied to at least some of them though, & that’s what I was after today. :+1:t2:

Thanks @augment . Yes, I suppose I should update these patches sometime for V2. If its the “constantly moving delay” patch you are referring to, the idea is pretty simple, just 2 delays (one left one right) with the same delay time but different feedback settings. The rest of the patch is just for automating the feedback amounts with one knob. I haven’t used the V2 delay much yet, so don’t know if its much different. Besides the fact that it can now be synced. Which is great.

Here is an early Nine Inch Nails inspired intro.

A work in progress that probably wont progress. But I’ll share it anyway.

7 Likes

Risset Rhythm

So I think I have kind of figured out a way to create a Risset Rhythm in VCV:

R2_38_Rissett1.vcv (5.5 KB)

So how does it work?

The first CLKD creates the initial BPM (I don’t know if this works, I haven’t played around with it, its set to 120). The BPM CV is sent to a sawtooth LFO and attenuated with a LOG2 function (this was the trick), and gradually changes the BPM of the second CLKD, 0 to 1V (one octave). The 3 subdivisions of the clock is switched using 3 sequential switches.

So you get 3 tracks, increasing in tempo, but in phase with one another.

The volume LFOs work the same way but simpler. I think that rather using a Bernouli Gate instead of volume could give some interesting results.

If you want the tempo to decrease instead of increase, you would need to invert the Time LFO.

Please let me know if there are any issues with the patch. I would love to know if anyone has some suggestions to improve it.

Have fun

2 Likes

I started watching some of your posts early on, but then lost track. Lots of cool/sophisticated ideas mixed with some nice music. I need to follow more closely.

Hopefully I will get a chance and remember to explore some of your rhythmic ideas. My problem is my brain already feels constipated - too much to explore in this world of VCV!

1 Like

Thank you Dave. That means alot to me.

Hello, like it, is the patch available to use on Patch storage or on here? Thanks, much appreciated

Hi Ady. You can download the patch above. It’s under the Video.

Ady was referring to the NIN inspired video. I would like to have that patch as well.

Even better, I would love to have the “Acoustic” patch for the guitar/bass piece. I’d like to pair it with some flute!

Ok cool, that will be great. I will have to dig through a bunch of old patches to find them, but they should be here somewhere.

1 Like

Do you perhaps know which is the best way to share a patch that uses audio samples? Surely they aren’t saved with the patch?

I have yet to work with samples, so I really don’t know. I have seen other patches where they publish the samples separately from the patch, so I think you are correct, it does not typically travel with the patch.

On Patchstorage you can put the sample in a WinZip file with the patch. Omri does it a lot. Thanks.

1 Like