How do I make a dub siren?

Music & Patches
1

Can ANYONE help me make a dub siren with VCV? I get pretty close, but I want a VCV sensei to show me the path.

Thanks N

2

The first rule of dub siren club is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances…

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3

I know I could google it myself but what is a dub siren?

4

I had to google it. I learnt that a dub siren is a specific kind of synthesizer. Extremely basic, it’s cheap and easy to DIY, which probably made it popular among dub pioneers who were creative but had no resources. It makes simple sounds and as far I know it’s usually processed through a delay.

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5

Yeah very simple. Often just a single wave shape with pitch modulated by a slow LFO (sometimes a sine or square) with delay and reverb.

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6

So this shouldn’t be too hard in VCV then? Just a basic VCO kind of deal?

edit to add: something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXmHiGr-7bs?

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7

Exactly!

8

should be fairly easy to build a patch like this one

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9

@Narcoterror maybe you could share (upload here) a .vcv file with what you have now, so people could suggest practical improvements.

Welcome to the forum by the way!

10

Or maybe just upload a screenshot?

11

With Vult Vultari and an LFO you should get a pretty authentic Dub Siren Punk Console. :wink:

12

cheers!

13

here is a try on the siren sound, you can modulate it synced to bpm or free via the manual trigger for the sequential switch and scale the pitch modulation, fx are maybe not needed.

just as a starting idea

dub-siren-01
dub-siren-011057Ă—619 261 KB

here is the patch: 2020_09_26_rsmus7_dub_siren_01.vcv (30.6 KB)

2 Likes
14

Finally! A suggested patch! It’s really my first modular project (if you know what a dub siren is, that should be obvious), other than, you know, using my knowledge of analog synths and music theory and logic to make some effect-heavy weird noises with house drums and often fail elegantly.
Cheers to anyone who’s helped me sort this.

15

Although I’m pretty certain some modules are intentionally complex—spiral sequencers? Maybe more fashion than function, and the aesthetic is cool, but Markov/monte carlo based triggers? F@#$ing math??? I was high in those classes. It’s why I’m a professional musician. Well, and chess coach.

16

Exactly, exactly. If you know what a dub siren is, you will know this is one of my first projects.

17

you are welcome, and may use the patch as a starting point -

maybe you change the oscillatorts or the modulatotors or the fx or …

just do what you like and maybe you might post something of the music you do with it.

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18

This patch is great (and not only because I found out about that Mb plug in), but honestly a bit more complicated than a Dub Siren or Rasta Box. From what I understand, you can build one pretty easily around a couple 555 chips. I mean, your siren has harmony, fer chrisake! It did however give me a bunch of ideas on patches to try, which is awesome.

Thanks again, Josh

1 Like
19

Yup, or a 556, plenty of schematics available on the net. First thing I did when I discovered VCV was make a dub siren & 90% of what I do now is live looped improv dub.

20

Got any links mate?