1. Harmonic Oscillator

 
 

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Overview: This patch shows how SYNC can latch onto the pitch of an oscillator and create a harmonic or subharmonic oscillator. The B input is used as a waveshaper on one of the master oscillator outputs.

SYNC: The SYNC input is connected to the square wave output from the oscillator, locking the contour to the oscillator pitch as it changes. Additionally, the B input is connected to the triangle output of the oscillator, creating a waveshaping effect at the output. The ratio CV controls are patched to the sequencer, and the morph CV is modulated by the triangle output of the LFO. The main, signal, and logic outputs are mixed into the filter by the mixer.

Unity: Not used.

Sequencer: The top row controls the pitch of the sound. The second row controls the denominator of SYNC's frequency ratio (decreasing the pitch as a knob is turned clockwise); it also controls the ADSR release time. The bottom row controls the numerator (increasing the pitch with a clockwise turn). The gate from step 1 resets the LFO.

Envelope: The envelope sets the amplitude contour and filter cutoff of the sound.

LFO: The LFO modulates the timbre of the tone produced by SYNC; to emphasize the effect, turn down sliders 2, 3, and 4 on the mixer to isolate the SYNC output.

Top Scope: The triangle output of the oscillator is plotted against against the sync output in X/Y mode. Notice the shape that changes when the ratio changes but is preserved when frequency changes. This visualizes the "syncing" behavior.

MIDI: Not used.

Oscillator: The oscillator sets the main pitch of the sound. Adjust the frequency control to change the register.

Mixer: The mixer routes sound sources from the oscillator and SYNC to the filter. Channel 1 is the main SYNC output, channel 2 is the aux output, channel 3 is the saw from the oscillator, and channel 4 is the logic output.

Filter: Increasing the cutoff brightens the sound, the FREQ CV control affects the amount of timbral articulation from the envelope.

Delay: Increase the mix control and have some fun with the other parameters.

VCAs: The left VCA is unused. The right VCA is applying the envelope to the amplitude of the main sound.

Bottom Scope: Observe the waveform at the output of the mixer, pre and post filter.

Bridge Control: Try clocking the sequencer from your DAW, or replace the gate output and row 1 of the sequencer with the CV and gate of a midi sequence.

2. Arpeggiated Oscillator

 
 

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Overview: This patch shows a much different way of generating a sound source by patching an audio oscillator to the SYNC input. VCO-1 drones at a steady pitch, setting the "key" of the arpeggiated pitches created by scanning the ratio CV inputs. Note how the  Ratio Delta Trigger output is used to trigger the envelope with each new pitch.

SYNC: The contour generator is synced to the frequency of the oscillator, but the LFO is scanning out an arpeggio with the RTO X CV. The arpeggio chord is selected with the sequencer. Each time the ratio changes, the  Ratio Delta Trigger output triggers the envelope. This envelope modulates the timbre with the morph  CV. The RATIO X control changes the way the LFO creates the arpeggio; the RATIO Y control changes the chords selected by the sequencer. morph  brightens the timbre of the sound. B scale changes the amount of the drone frequency from the oscillator present in the output tone.

Unity: Not used.

Sequencer: Row 1 controls the frequency of the LFO. Row 2 controls the key of SYNC's arpeggio. Row 3 controls the release time of the amplitude envelope. The gate from step 1 resets the LFO.

Envelope: The envelope is triggered every time SYNC's ratio changes. It shapes the amplitude of the sound.

LFO: The LFO controls arpeggio speed. The FM 1 CV amount knob controls the variation in frequency per sequencer step.

Top Scope: Like the harmonic oscillator example, the triangle output of the oscillator is plotted against against the sync output in X/Y mode.

MIDI: Not used.

Oscillator: The oscillator sets the root note of the arpeggio. Change the frequency knob to transpose the notes.

Mixer: Set the balance of the main sync output (channel 1) and triangle output (channel 2).

Filter: Not used.

Delay: The delay blends the notes of the arpeggio to create a chord effect. Increase feedback to accentuate this.

VCAs: The left VCA is not used. The right VCA sets applies the envelope the amplitude of the output.

Bottom Scope: Not used.

Bridge Control: Try clocking the sequencer with a note every measure from your daw. You can also reset the LFO with a gate from a note on event to restart the arpeggio.

3. Bohlen-Pierce Modes

 
 

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Overview: Like the last patch, SYNC creates an arpeggiated sound source with the root note set by VCO-1. This time, the Bohlen-Pierce SCALE setting creates a less familiar tonality, and a more complex scan signal makes for a much different arpeggio cadence.

SYNC: RATIO X changes the way the modulation sources scan the available ratios, RATIO Y selects the set of notes in the arpeggio. morph controls the timbre. MOD CV sets the amount of phase modulation from the oscillator; morph CV sets the amount of timbre modulation from the LFO (which provides an effect akin to wavefolding). B scale sets the level of a low-passed version of the triangle output.

Unity: The top half mixes row 1 of the sequencer with the LFO to scan SYNC's RTO X input.

Sequencer: Row 1 selects a note, row 2 transposes SYNC's root frequency. Row 3 controls the LFO frequency. The gate sequence retriggers the envelope. The clock speed is modulated by the LFO. For a more regular sequence, remove that patch cable and speed up the clock to taste.

Envelope: The output shapes the amplitude of the sound. SYNC's RATIO CHANGE output is patched into the gate input, triggering an envelope on every new pitch. The sequencer gate output retriggers the envelope.

LFO: The LFO scans the SYNC arpeggiator, modulates the sequencer clock frequency, and modulates the delay time, creating motion in the patch. Increase the frequency to increase the note density.

Top Scope: As before, the triangle output of the VCO is plotted against SYNC's main output in XY mode.

MIDI: Not used.

Oscillator: The frequency control transposes the sound. Increase the FM CV amount to add an FM feedback loop from SYNC, creating chaotic noise.

Mixer: Adjust the levels of the sound sources in the patch. Channel 1 is the main SYNC output, channel 2 is the triangle output, channel 3 is filtered, delayed version of the triangle.

Filter: With channels 2 and 3 up in the mixer, change the cutoff frequency and resonance to chance the timbre of the delayed version of the triangle (which is being fed by the high pass output).

Delay: Again with channels 2 and 3 up in the mixer, change the parameters to change the pitch-shifting/chorusing effect.

VCAs: The left VCA attenuates the level of the delay output. The right VCA applies the envelope output to the amplitude of the sound.

Bottom Scope: Monitor the main output.

Bridge Control: Try patching clock from your DAW into the external clock input of the sequencer.

4. Modal Quantizer

 
 

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Overview: Again SYNC is used as a sound source and VCO-1 is used to set the "root note" of the pitches it creates, but this time, RTO X is used more like a v/oct input on a traditional oscillator, but with just-intoned quantization.

SYNC: The base frequency is set by the oscillator. Turn RATIO X to change the pitch range of the sequence. Use RATIO Y to adjust the mode of the quantization (dorian, phrygian, etc..). MOD CV sets the amount of phase modulation from the oscillator. morph sets the timbre of the output and morph CV attenuates the timbre modulation from the LFO. The B scale knob is all the way to counterclockwise so that the envelope shapes a bipolar dynamic contour at the output; turning it causes the envelope to bleed through to the output.

Unity: Not used.

Sequencer: Row 1 sets SYNC's (quantized) pitch and the filter cutoff. Row 2 transposes the whole sequence (the effect is not quantized). Row 3 controls the attack and release times of the ADSR. The gate sequence controls the rhythm of the pattern.

Envelope: Adjust the controls to change the amplitude contour of the notes.

LFO: Adjust the frequency to change the motion in the timbre over the sequence.

Top Scope: Not used, but try connecting the triangle output of OSC-1 to X in and SYNC's main output to Y in.

MIDI: Not used.

Oscillator: Change the frequency to transpose the sequence.

Mixer: Not really used, but slider 1 attenuates the sound source.

Filter: Increase the cutoff frequency to brighten the tone of the sound; turn up the frequency CV amount to in crease the amount that the filter tracks the pitch.

Delay: Change the parameters to alter the chorus/pitch shifting effect on the sound.

VCAs: The left VCA sets the amount of delay time modulation. The right VCA is unused.

Bottom Scope: Not used.

5. Sequencer

 
 

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Overview: Switching gears, this patch introduces SYNC's tempo-synced modulation capabilities. The sequencer clock is divided by 4 and then patched into the SYNC input to lock it to the tempo of the patch.

SYNC: Increase the speed of the sequence with a clockwise turn of RATIO X, decrease the speed by turning RATIO Y clockwise. Set the base shape of the sequence with morph. Turn MOD CV clockwise to add an articulation on the second set of the sequencer, turn morph CV clockwise to set the amount that the sequencer modulates SYNC's sequence shape. 

Unity: The bottom half mixes the gates from steps 1 and 4 of the sequence, essentially dividing the clock by 4. This is patched into the SYNC INPUT SYMBOL.

Sequencer: Row 1 controls the pitch of the sound. Row 2 sets the A level for SYNC's sequence; row 3 modulates the shape of the sequence.

Envelope: Use the controls to shape the amplitude of the long tone. Try changing SYNC's logic output parameter to get a faster more rhythmic gate input.

LFO: Change the LFO frequency to change the rate of the chorus effect.

Top Scope: Monitor SYNC's main output and logic output.

MIDI: Not used.

Oscillator: Change the pitch of the sound with the frequency control.

Mixer: Not really used, but you can control the level into the filter.

Filter: Brighten the sound by increasing the filter cutoff, emphasize the cutoff modulation by increasing resonance or FM amount.

Delay: Adjust the chorus effect with the parameters.

VCAs: The left VCA uses SYNC's signal output to set the amount of delay time modulation from the LFO. The right VCA applies the envelope to the amplitude of the filter output. 

Bottom Scope: Monitor the envelope output and main output.


6. Tempo-synced LFO

 
 

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Overview: SYNC again provides a tempo-synced modulation source, but this time a smooth LFO. The rate is animated by modulation from SEQ-3.

SYNC: Turn RATIO X clockwise to increase the LFO speed, turn RATIO Y clockwise to decrease the LFO speed. Adjust the LFO shape with morph. Set the range of filter modulation with the A and B manual controls.

Unity: Not used.

Sequencer: Row 1 controls the pitch of the sound, row 2 controls the speed of the SYNC contour generator (quantized to rhythmic values); row 3 controls the contour shape. The gate sequence clocks SYNC and triggers the envelope.

Envelope: Adjust the parameters to shape the amplitude contour of the sound; bear in mind that decay and sustain are being heavily modulated by SYNC's logic outputs.

LFO: Not used. 

Top Scope: Monitor SYNC's main output and the envelope out.

MIDI: Not used.

Oscillator: Transpose the sequence with the frequency control. Set the amount of pulse width modulation from SYNC with the PWM CV control. 

Mixer: Channel 1 sets the level of the filter's lowpass output, channel 2 sets the level of the highpass output.

Filter: The filter is the main destination for SYNC's contour. Set the base frequency and resonance to adjust the sound.

Delay: Not used.

VCAs: The left VCA is not used. The right VCA applies the envelope the the amplitude of the filter output.

Bottom Scope: Monitor the main output.