PATCH #10
Earlier this year, Doepfer announced its new Basic System 3 (BS3), the latest in its line of complete, pre-configured Eurorack systems aimed at beginners, experts, explorers and purists alike.
To accompany the system, Doepfer — in collaboration with Stromkult — has designed a comprehensive Patchbook with fourteen different patch ideas for the BS3. Every patch comes with custom-made patch diagrams and a step-by-step-patching manual, making it easy for anyone to recreate and play with these patches.
While the patches were specifically designed for the BS3 and its configuration, most of the patches revolve around basic "building block" modules such as VCOs, VCFs, VCAs, mixers, envelope and LFOs and thus should be able to be recreated on a variety of systems — above all, we hope these patches may inspire you!
You can download the full PDF of the patchbook with all of the patches here (link goes to Google Drive).
Every individual patch is divided into an introductory overview of the patch, a section for the audio path, a section for the control voltage path and a final "play the patch" section with ideas on how the patch could be further tweaked and iterated upon.
PATCH OVERVIEW
This is a hi-hat patch inspired by the way hi-hats are synthesized on the classic TR-808 drum machine. We create a metallic, inharmonic timbre by ring modulating two pulse waves using the A-184-1.
The oscillators are meant to be tuned inharmonically in this patch in order to create a less tonal and more noisy result. A third pulse wave is coming from the A-147-4, which is used at audio rate and serves as a third oscillator in this patch. This creates some fairly dense harmonic content that is then highpass-filtered with the A-121-2, leaving only the metallic, hi-hat like topend we are looking for.
AUDIO PATH
We send a pulse wave from the first A-110-1 oscillator to the “X” input on the A-184-1 ring modulator. A pulse wave from the second oscillator goes to the “Y” input of the A-184-1. The module’s ring modulated “X*Y” output goes to input 1 of the A-138 mixer. The mixer’s second input receives a saw wave from the first oscillator and the third input receives a square wave from the second LFO on the A-147-4.
We then multiple the sine wave output of the first oscillator and send one copy to the “CV” input of the A-147-4’s second LFO, while another copy goes to the “PW CV2” input on the second oscillator.
The A-118-1’s white noise output goes into the A-147-4’s “P” pulse width modulation input, giving its pulse wave output a noisy and random timbre.
The A-138 mixer output goes to the input of the A-121-2 filter. The filter’s highpass output is then sent to the upper row input of the A-132-3 VCA. The VCA’s upper row output then goes to the bottom row’s input, chaining the module’s two VCAs in series. The bottom row output then finally goes to our headphones or speakers.
CONTROL VOLTAGE PATH
The A-147-4 LFO is reset with keyboard/sequencer gate that goes into its “R” input.
The A-171-2 VCS receives keyboard/sequencer gate into its “trig” input. The VCS is acting as a percussive volume envelope in this patch. We send its output to the A-132-3’s top row “CV In” input.
We also send keyboard/sequencer gate to the input of the A-160-2 clock divider. The module’s divided “4/3/3” output goes to the A-138j mixer, so it can be attenuated, and from there it goes to the A-171-2 VCS’ “exp CV” input, modulating the times constants of its attack/decay envelope function.
The A-140-1 ADSR receives keyboard/sequencer gate and sends its output to the A-121-2’s “FCV2” input for a filter envelope.
The A-147-4 LFO’s second sine wave goes to the A-132-3’s bottom row “CV In” input, creating additional amplitude modulation (AM) at audio rate.
"PLAY THE PATCH"
By adjusting the A-121-1’s highpass frequency cutoff, you can define how much low end and midrange energy the hi-hat sound has.
Since the timbre of ring modulation depends on the frequency relation of its two input signals, adjusting the tuning and octave range of the A-110-1 oscillators has a big impact on the sound of this patch.
Additionally, you can send the output of the patch through the A-108 VCF8 filter to add some further sound shaping and filtering to the patch without touching its fundamentals.