http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/improvisation-20111227.mp3

This is a piece with a fixed rhythm but also some degree of randomness put into 6 “instrument” voices (done with resonating BBDs).

First, we have a simple bassdrum (A-121 Multimode Filter / lowpass out through an A-131 VCA, both controlled by an A-142 VC Decay) and a simple snaredrum (white noise from an A-118 Noise Generator through an A-106-5 SEM filter in highpass mode, both controlled by another A-142 VC Decay). The snare’s decay time is contrtolled by an A-149 Quantized  Random Generator. Each Decay Generator is triggered by an A-155 Sequencer in 16-Step mode (with A-154 Controller and A-150 Switch).

Then we have 6 more or less “tonal” voices:

An A-188-1D sent through an A-101-3 Vactrol Phaser and an A-105 SSM lowpass filter.

An A-188-1C sent through said A-101-3 Phaser (other half of the module, i.e. 6 stage phaser) and an A-102 Diode lowpass filter.

An A-188-1B sent through an A-187-1 VC DSP (chorus & delay mode, right channel) and an A-106-1 Xtreme filter (lowpass mode only).

An A-188-1A sent through the left channel of said A-187-1 and another A-106-1 (lowpass mode, too).

An A-188-1Y sent through an A-189-1 VC Bit Modifier (modes 13 and 14) and an A-107 Multitype filter (no morphing, just filter mode 9 which is a broad bandpass with a narrow notch at the center frequency).

And finally an A-188-1X sent through an A-188-2 Tapped BBD and an A-106-6 XP filter (2H1L mode).

Each of the BBDs gets some noise as input: digital noise from an A-117 or (manually switched via A-182-1 switched multiple) colored noise from an A-118. The noise is processed by six VCAs: three A-132-3 dual VCA modules controlled by six A-140 ADSR generators. The triggers for each ADSR are created with individual outputs of an A-149-2 digital random module. The frequencies of the BBDs are synchronized (the A-188-1X is used as master BBD clock) and are manually controlled with a quantized ribbon controller.

The random triggers as well as the two A-155 sequencers are controlled by an A-146 LFO as a master clock source. To make it “swing”, the pulse output of the LFO is split into two triggers for rising and falling edge  with an A-165 Trigger Modifier.

Have fun,

Andreas

http://patchpierre.blogspot.com/

The blog is dedicated to analog synthesis and Doepfer A-100. Lots of module reviews and other useful information!

Andreas

Nach vielen Monaten Arbeit freue ich mich, hier ausnahmsweise ein “kommerzielles” Projekt ankündigen zu können: Mein Buch zum Doepfer A-100 Synthesizer wird ab Ende 2011 erhältlich sein. Aufgrund der überschaubaren Zielgruppe wird das Buch voraussichtlich nicht im Buchhandel zu finden sein, sondern ausschließlich über den kompetenten Fachhandel vertrieben werden. Mehr dazu:

www.ideenhase.de

Viel Spaß damit!

http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/improvisation-20110613.mp3

This piece of music will take 28:38 of your patience. 

We start with two sequence lines (panned left and right), driven random notes quantized to G major chord notes. We soon hear a drone sound (somewhere at center position with some added stereo rotation) with some sweeps through distorted delay feedback loops.

Around 7:30, the sequence lines are faded out, leaving some space for a “drone solo” in heavy feedback and finally some juicy filter modulation.

Then (beginning at 12:10) we hear something that could be another two sequencer voices. Actually, these are ultra low frequency singnals of Oscillators triggering two delay circuits. As octaves are increased (around 13:30), the sharp signals are transformed into another two drone voices (panned left and right). Changing delay times reveal some complex beauties here. I like the part between 16:20 and 17:00 very much.

At 17:10, I’m starting some doodeling improvisation with an Arturia CS-80V (everything else you hear is a Doepfer A-100).

Around 19:50, the two (pseudo-)sequence voices from the very beginning reappear. Some more CS-80V melody. The sequence voices are modulated, become sharper and more distinct. More modulation and sound changes, later on also including the background drone.

At 26:25, sequence voices are stopped, everything else will fade out slowly (with a final “eruption” between 27:30 and 28:00).

Technical details:

Left sequence voice: A-111-1 (sawtooth) VCO through an A-137-1 VC Wave Multiplier I, an A-102 Diode Ladder filter, an A-101-3 Phaser and an a-126 Frequency Shifter. “Down” and “Up” outputs into two A-132-3 VCAs.

Right Sequence voice: A-111-1 (pw modulated pulse) therough an A-127 VC Resonance filter, an A-105 SSM filter, an A-188-2 Tapped BBD and an A-132-3 VCA.

The two “sequence” voices are controlled via A-149-1 Random Generator sent through two A-156 Quantizers. Triggers for ADSR, random generator and quantizers are generated with an A-154 Sequencer Controller, two A-155 Sequencers (manual changing of trigger switches) and an A-113 Subharmonic Generator (”mis”used here again as programmable clock divider).

Center drone: A-111-5 Mini Synthesizer Voice through an A-137-2 VC Wave Multiplier II, mixed with white noise from an A-118 and the original A-111-5 signal (A-138 Mixer) and then put into an A-106-5 SEM filter, an A-188-1D BBD and (coupled with the BBD CV) an A-106-6 XP VCF.

Left drone: three A-110 VCOs (sawtooth waves) mixed with digital noise from an A-117 and sent into an A-188-1X BBD and (coupled with the BBD CV) an A-108 VCF.

Right drone: another three A-110 VCOs (pw modulated pulses) mixed with colored noise from an A-118 and sent into an A-188-1A BBD and (coupled with the BBD CV) another A-108 VCF.

Have fun!

Andreas

http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/improvisation-20110529a.mp3

Track length is 14:18. Instruments used: Doepfer A-100, Arturia CS80V, GForce Minimonsta. No Overdubs.

I’m starting with two bass sequences (spread left/right in stereo) and a bassdrum. After ca. 48 seconds, the left bass seems to get out of rhythm, at 1:07 the right one as well. What happened? I’m reducing the length of both sequences while the bass drum keeps on doing its quarter rhythm. Each of the two bass lines is made of three A-110 VCOs (2 x sawtooth and a triangle wave 1 oct below), an A-138 Mixer, an A-108 Ladder Filter (24dB mode). Then we go into BBDs (left bass: A-188-1X, right bass: A-188-1A, both will be used later for some flanging), A-131 VCAs and into the two sections of an A-101-3 Vactrol Phaser. The bassdrum is some noise from an A-117 put into an A-101-2 Lowpass Gate (LP mode) and an A-188-1D BBD. Phaser and all BBDs are modulated by LFOs, and we have some A-140 ADSRs (used for both VCA and VCF).

At 1:25, a fast sequence (mainly repetitions of the same note starts). This is an A-111-5 Minisynth module, sent into an A-188-2 BBD. Later on (around 4:00), there will be some colored noise from an A-118 mixed into the audio input of the A-111-5.

Around 1:55, two high-pitched pad voices appear (panned slightly to left and right): An A-111-1 VCO (sawtooth) sent into an A-137-2 Wave Multiplier (modulated by an A-143-9 QLFO),  an A-102 Diode Filter and an A-132-3 VCA (left voice). An A-111-1 VCO (pulse) sent into an A-127 Triple Resonance Filter, an A-106-6 VCF (4Pole LP mode) and an A-132-3 VCA (right voice).

At 2:10, I start playing some cheesy strings on an Arturia CS80V. Keyboard ist split up, so I can transpose the analog synth sequences with my left hand.

At 2:40, a few notes on a GForce Minimonsta are added (more later), played on a second keyboard (I misused my MS20 Replica controller for this …)

Starting at 4:26, the two bass sequence’s BBDs are slowly driven into self resonance.

Around 5:05 a strange, quite distorted sound is faded in: this is done with four of the VCOs mentioned above (one from each of the left and right bass, left and right pad, only sine wave outs are used), sent into an A-172 Max/Min and both outputs (”max” and “min”) sent into two A-106-1 Xtreme filters (with some LFO modulation). Until 6:10, I’m having fun creating some heavy metal chaos. Then everything is reduced to bassdrum and the fast sequence (now only colored noise, the A-111-5 VCO is switched off), the bass lines slowly reappear.

At 6:50, the A-101-2 LPG modulation intensity is increased, resulting in a bass drum with more presence. The A-111-5 filter cutoff is modulated manually. Some Minimonsta doodeling around 7:20. At 8:55 the CS80V strings reappear.

Around 10:00, everything is reduced to basses and high-pitched sequence (and some filter fun). Bass sequences are in random mode now (i.e. notes were selected by chance, rhythm of the sequences thus is random as well). Sequences are created with two A-155/154/156/150 combinations, together with an A-113 (for master clock divisions), an A-162 Trigger Delay, an A-149-1/2 Random Generator (for the two pad voices) and an A-151 Sequential Switch.

Have fun,

Andreas

You may, however, use two or more audio sources as input signals - this little unit will create two different output signals with combined waveforms: one output will only use the higher, the other one only the lower parts of both waves. And these parts will change dynamically, if your audio sources are slightly detuned.

Technical details can be found on Doepfer’s homepage:

http://www.doepfer.de/A172.htm

For my little audio example, I’m using two A-110 VCOs: one with its sawtooth, the other with its pulse output, both VCOs are sent directly into the Max / Min. The two “Max” and “Min” outputs of the A-172 are spread left and right in stereo. No filters, no VCA. I’m starting with 100% pulse, and decrease pulsewidth slowly by hand. Then I start detuning the two VCOs a little. Here we go:

http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/A-172.mp3

Have fun,

Andreas

Instruments used: Doepfer A-100.

Right from the beginning, we hear two voices spread in stereo: both are controlled by two independent A-155/154/156/150 Sequencers (Sequencer, Controller, Quantizer and Switch for 16-Step mode). Clock frequencies have been manually adjusted and will drift during the piece. Both voices are quite similar, each one is based on three A-110 VCOs (all VCOs: individually modulated pulse waves, same ocatve), mixed (A-138b) and put into two different filters: An A-105 SSM Lowpass for the voice panned more left and an A-102 Diode Lowpass (with its beautiful “crystal” overtones) for the voice on the right side. Both go through A-131 VCAs, and finally into an A-138m Matrix Mixer. VCAs and filters are controlled by A-140 ADSRs, triggered by the (active) sequencer steps and by another A-140s, triggered when the sequencer switches from steps 9-16 back to steps 1-9 (using the resp. Sequencer Controller trigger and inverting it).

After a while, I’m adding some slight BBD delays to both voices - done with an A-188-1D and an A-108 for the left side and an A-188-2 and an A-108 for the right side (the A-108s are used to filter the BBD-internal clock noise which is quite audible with low clock frequencies as used here). Delays are mixed to the opposite pan position (left voce’s delay will appear on the right side) via A-138m.

If you already know some of my music, it will be no surprise that “music” will start after no less than two minutes: I’m adding additional sequencer steps. As soon as I do this, there’s some additional percussion: it is triggered only when the Quantizers (used for the sequencers) begin to detect different notes. I’m using both rising and falling edge of the A-156 Gate signal (via A-165 Trigger Modifier). Again, we have a percussion voice connected to the sequence panned left and one for the sequence panned right. Left: an A-117 Digital Noise put through an A-106-5 SEM Filter (LP mode), an A-188-1X (for some flanging) and an A-132-3 VCA. Filter and VCA are controlled by an A-140 ADSR. Right: an A-118 Noise (colored) put through an A-124 Wasp Filter (HP mode), an A-189-1 VC Bit Modifier and an A-132-2 VCA (also with A-140).

Finally, we hear some pad-alike sounds (again separate voices for left/right). Left: An A-111-1 VCO through an A-137-1 Wave Multiplier I (modulated by an A-143 Quadrature LFO), an A-101-3 Vactrol Phaser (12 Stages used with two different LFOs), an A-106-6 XP Filter (2 pole LP mode) and an A-132-3 VCA. Right: An A-111-1 VCO through an A-137-2 Wave Multiplier II (modulated by another A-143 Quadrature LFO), an A-127 Triple Resonance Filter, an A-121 Multimode Filter (LP mode) and an A-132-3 VCA. Here, I’m using two A-142 VC Decays put through an A-170 Slew Limiter (since I wanted to have long attack phases even with very short gate signals) as VCF and VCA envelopes. Triggers are created by some logic AND operations of left and right side sequencers (A-166 Logic, A-152 and A-160/161 Clock Sequencers as well as manual gate length adjustment via A-162 Trigger Delay are used for this). Pitch of the pad voices is created by two random generators in an A-149-1 RCV module sent through the two Quantizers mentioned above (internal jumpers are set for similar operation of both quantizer channels - thus I’m using “minor chords” quantisation for all four pitch control voltages).

The rest are variations on sequencer lines (with increasing complexity), expanding tonal ranges, some fooling around with BBD delay times, etc.

Here we go:

 http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/improvisation-20110418a.mp3

Track length: 16:21.

Have fun,

Andreas

Technical details on the A-102 can be found on Doepfer’s Homepage:

http://www.doepfer.de/a102.htm

• We start with comparably low input level, no resonance and cutoff frequency at minimum. Then I manually increase cutoff frequecy up to maximum and back to zero.
• Starting around 0:35 same procedure, but with medium resonance (value ca. 3)
• From 1:10 on: full resonance.
• Then back to zero resonance, but from 1:50 on maximum input level.
• Starting at 2:25 we hear medium resonance again (full input level).
• Finally, around 3:05 we have max resonance and max input level.

Here we go:

http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/A-102.mp3

Have Fun, 

Andreas

http://www.doepfer.de/A1115.htm

I’m using an A-155 Sequencer together with an A-156 Quanzizer to tonally control both VCO as well as VCF of the A-111-5. So we have some kind of “twovoice synthesizer” in that little box. I start with the pure filter sound (self-oscillating), then I add the VCO (pulse wave) and later some LFO modulations of VCO / VCF). Finally, filter resonance is reduced until we only hear the VCO. No additional processing was necessary. Here we go:

http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/A-111-5-twovoice.mp3

Have fun, 

Andreas

http://www.doepfer.de/a121.htm 

I have used three A-110 VCOs (sawtooh, one A-110 is 1 octave below), driven by an A-155 sequencer and put into the filter with high audio level. Filter out is then sent into an A-132-3 VCA (controlled by an A-140 ADSR).

We start with Notch mode (0:00-1:22), then Highpass mode (1:22-2:53), Bandpass mode (2:53-4:30) and Lowpass mode (4:30-6:17). Within each mode, I start with no resonance and filter frequency only being modulated by a very slow LFO. Then I slowly increase resonance up to maximum, add ADSR modulation of filter frequency, decrease resonance back to zero and finally fade out.

Here we go:

 http://www.andreaskrebs.de/assets/media/A-121.mp3

Have fun,

Andreas