Like the title says, I’m going to provide you with a 45-minute video / blog tutorial on how to create an entire Kong 16-Pad design, using nothing more than a Rex file and some imagination. This is the A to Z of Kong drum design. And lots of tips along the way. Don’t miss it!
Like the title says, I’m going to provide you with a 45-minute video / blog tutorial on how to create an entire Kong 16-Patch design, using nothing more than a Rex file and some imagination.
Those familiar with the methods for my tutorials know that I usually provide the project files along with the technique. Nope. Not this time. Instead, I’m providing the rex file I used to create most of these drums. That way you can try it out yourself and follow along with the tutorial. Give a man a fish, they say, and he’ll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he’ll never go hungry. So here’s the single Rex in a zip file: trails-rex
This method starts off with a Combinator, then two 6:2 Mixers, a spider audio/merger, and the obvious Kong Drum Designer. Then I go into how to set up the drums one at a time, starting with the Kick Drum. Using the Nurse Rex player, you load the rex file (and this can be any rex file, and start copying/pasting the rex loop one at a time into the first 8 pads. That gives you enough room to work creating all the drums you need, such as the Kick, a few toms, some snares, an open and closed hi hat, and even a reverse drum, and some other more off-the wall sounds.
After you do this, I’ll show you how you can set up the top 4 pads in Kong to trigger other devices (in this case Thor, but you can trigger any other device in Reason that accepts a Gate trigger, which is just about everything).
Finally, I go into programming the Combinator and adding some extra global Effects to play around with the tone and reverb of your drums as a whole. So check out the videos below for a complete tutorial on how to mess around with Kong and create some kick butt drums!
So that’s how you do it, or at least one of a million ways in which you can design a few drums in a Kong patch. What’s your favorite new Kong trick, and do you have any other suggestions or ideas? Please share them and let us all know.
In this second part, I’m going to provide even more quick tips that can be used as food for thought while you develop your tracks. These aren’t earth-shattering or advanced. They are just some easy tips to help out with some problems you might have or tips that show you a few capabilities you may have missed.
In this second part, I’m going to provide even more quick tips that can be used as food for thought while you develop your tracks. These aren’t earth-shattering or advanced. They are just some easy tips to help out with some problems you might have or tips that show you a few capabilities you may have missed. So let’s jump in.
Tip #1: Did you know this could be Automated? I didn’t.
This is probably the simplest of tips. While I learned about a year ago that you can assign the Destination and Scale Amount parameters from Thor’s Modulation Bus Routing System (MBRS) to a rotary on a Combinator, I completely neglected to realize that you can indeed automate any of the “Amount” parameters directly in Thor. So for example, if you setup a Vibrato in Thor, it would look something like this:
LFO2: 25 > Osc1 Pitch: 100 > ModWheel (Read Thor’s back panel — this is your basic Vibrato).
Great, but now, let’s automate that LFO2 amount so that the vibrato increases or decreases the pitch over time. Easy as easy can be. Simply right-click over the amount parameter on the front of Thor in the MBRS and select “Edit Automation.” Now you can automate the amount directly in the Sequencer. Pretty cool right?
The Amount settings in Thor's MBRS can also be automated
Tip #2: Stealing unused CV from devices that are already there.
This is a great tip, and it’s one I use all the time. Let’s say you have most of the sound sources set up in your track. Now you want to modulate and automate parameters. Instead of creating new devices like the Subtractor, Malstrom, Matrix, etc. to modulate those destinations, why not steal modulation sources from the devices that are already in your track. This saves on CPU, and it means you ultimately have a less cluttered rack with less devices. The only thing you need to be careful about is making things overly complex, as it can get confusing quickly. But this is another trick I use all the time.
For example, if you have a Thor as one of your devices in your rack, you have access to a multitude of CV sources you can use to modulate other parameters and devices. Here’s just a few:
Curve 1 in the Step Sequencer
Curve 2 in the Step Sequencer
LFO 1
LFO 2
Mod Envelope
Amp Envelope
So if any of these are not currently being tapped for use by the Thor sound itself (and even if they are, you can still use them for other purposes), you can enlist them for CV duty anywhere else in your rack. Simply create the CV connection from the back of Thor to the destination CV input in the other device location. If you are using LFO2 or the Global Envelope outputs, then all you need to do is set up the LFO 2 or Global Envelope parameters on the front of Thor and you’re done. If you are using LFO 1 or the Amp envelope, you’ll have to set these up using the CV outputs on the back of Thor, and then setting them up in the MBRS. If using the Curves in the Step Sequencer, you can route the CV from the Curve CV outputs on the back of Thor.
You literally have an amazing supply of CV modulation sources all from one Thor device. So much so, that this may be all you need. You might not need to use the LFO from another Subtractor or the Mod A and B from a Malstrom, and you may not need to add a bunch of Matrix units. With Thor, you can keep everything contained in one location. And chances are that you probably already have a Thor unit in your track already. So save yourself some CPU. That reminds me to put together a tutorial on all the CV possibilities of Thor. hmmm. Perhaps in a tutorial down the road. More to come on this. . .
Tip #3: Add a Scream to shape your sound.
I have to say that this came out of watching Hydlide run through some videos about my latest refill. He had a really solid idea to turn pretty much any drum sound into a punchier kick sound. But this is also a nice trick to try out variations on your own sound and is kind of like the tip I showed you where we added a unison to give things a wider thicker sound. This time however, let’s add a Scream device after any sound source and just play with the settings until it shapes into a sound you like. Something a little beefier or meatier. And it only takes a minute or so.
The other added benefit to doing this is that you have access to a 3-band EQ using the “Cut” section. While this isn’t as powerful as the M-Class EQ, it does a great job for quickly sculpting the sound. So when you’re in a rut, try out a Unison on those thinner synth sounds, but try out a Scream as well, to sclupt your drum and bass sounds.
The Scream can be inserted anywhere as a great sound sculpting tool
Tip #4: Turn your Combinator buttons into Radio buttons.
This tip came out of a request on the PUF (Propellerhead User Forum) where the original poster wanted to convert the Combinator buttons into Radio buttons. If you don’t know what a Radio button is, it’s ok. You’ve used them everyday in all kinds of software. Here’s a quick rundown: Radio Buttons.
You can download the template for this trick here: radio-buttons. The zip file contains the RNS file (and Combinator) which turns your Combinator buttons into radio buttons. Don’t pay too much attention to the synths at work here. They are just put there at random to highlight the difference in sound when selecting each of the buttons. I didn’t choose them for their stunning sound quality when played together (reset).
Now as all of you know, you can’t change the way the buttons work. They are toggle buttons by design, turning something on or off. So to turn them into a radio button is like taking a two-dimensional object and turning it into a one-dimensional object. It’s going backwards slightly. But there’s a good reason behind it.
To start, you probably want to have the buttons trigger something. In this case, I’ll take something very basic like 4 synths tied to each of the 4 buttons. Pressing one button will trigger its corresponding synth. Pressing another button will trigger the next synth, and so on. So first create a Combinator, and inside create four 6:2 line mixers and four synth devices. And then tie each of the synths to its own line mixer by sending the audio output to channel 1 on each of the four line mixers. Then open up the Combinator programmer, and program the following:
Line Mixer 1:
Rotary 1: Master Level: 100 / 100
Button 1: Master Level: 100 / 100
Button 2: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 3: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 4: Master Level: 0 / 0
Line Mixer 2:
Rotary 1: Master Level: 100 / 100
Button 1: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 2: Master Level: 100 / 100
Button 3: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 4: Master Level: 0 / 0
Line Mixer 3:
Rotary 1: Master Level: 100 / 100
Button 1: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 2: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 3: Master Level: 100 / 100
Button 4: Master Level: 0 / 0
Line Mixer 4:
Rotary 1: Master Level: 100 / 100
Button 1: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 2: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 3: Master Level: 0 / 0
Button 4: Master Level: 100 / 100
You’re pretty much done. Now, the buttons act as rotaries. However, you’ll have to disregard the fact that they light up at all. The fact that they are enabled or disabled means nothing. The only thing that means anything is if you switch from one button to the next. Remember our analogy: we’re taking a 2-dimensional object and turning it into a one-dimensional object. There’s no toggling. It’s a straightforward button to button switch.
The front of the Combinator showing the Programmer and the Line Mixers. The Synths are stacked underneath.
Also, Rotary 1 acts as a “Reset” button. Turning this rotary to any location will turn all four attached synths on at the same time. The reason I did this is due to the fact that when you start pressing buttons you will only be able to hear one synth at any given time and there was no way to “go back” to having all of the synths on at once. So I programmed the rotary to do this. As any good programmer knows, you should always provide a way to get back to the default. So this was my “Default” — however, if you don’t need it, you can remove the programming behind Rotary 1 if you really want to.
As always, I hope you enjoyed some of these quick tips. They are definitely fun to figure out and dream up. So keep the questions coming, and share some of your favorite tips with the rest of us. Happy Reasoning!
Inspired from FM synthesis discussions lately, here’s a method to build a complete Mono 4-Operator FM Modular Synth within reason using a few Combinators which are tied together. Also learn how FM Synthesis works inside Reason. This is the discussion of the day.
This was inspired from all the discussion about FM synthesis lately. Lots of this discussion surrounded the Yamaha DX7, which has the capability of 6-operator polyphonic FM synthesis. So what exactly does that mean, and how does this apply to Reason. This will be the discussion of the day.
A Brief Intro to FM Synthesis
FM Synthesis is not a difficult concept. It works similar to a Vocoder in that there is a carrier and a modulator. The modulator affects the carrier and the carrier is then sent to the output. But what is modulated and what is carried? In FM Synthesis, there is an “Operator” which is another word for “Oscillator.” The Carrier and Modulator are nothing more than Oscillators. In a simple setup, you would have Oscillator A (Modulator) affecting Oscillator B (Carrier). The crucial idea however, is in what is being modulated: Frequency. The audio output of Oscillator A modulates the frequency of Oscillator B. That’s all it is. It’s not hard to understand at all. And it’s super easy to implement in Reason. However, there are a few caveats which I’ll go over.
Download the project files here: FM-4-Op-Synth-System. There is one Combinator patch which outline the basic technique for creating an algorithm within a single Combinator. There is also an .rns file included with an 8-algorithm, 4-Operator Modular Monophonic FM Synthesis system in which you can explore the various sounds and shape them to your hearts’ content. The jpg image of the 8 Algorithms is also included. Note that in order for the FM Synthesis to work, you must have the same notes triggered on all four operators (Combinators 1-4) at the same time in the sequencer. There is a sample C3 note triggered a few times inside a clip to give you an idea of how this works. If you want to go further with this idea, there’s a 6-op FM synth included in my Generations ReFill.
The other thing that makes FM a bit more mysterious and makes things look harder than they seem is the use of several operators tied together in various ways. Each set of Operators (modulators/Carriers) is termed an “Algorithm” and anyone used to programming will immediately understand the concept. You can have several modulators and several carriers working together to create a single unique sound. This is what makes FM Synthesis so interesting and varied. By plugging different Oscillators together and having them modulate each other, you can create a huge variety of possibilities. For example, the Yamaha DX7 had 32 different polyphonic algorithms and each of those algorithms used 6 Operators. That’s a lot of possibilities.
Finally, the icing on the cake when it comes to most of the Yamaha algorithms is the usage of Self-Oscillation. Usually, in most Algorithms, one of the operators was oscillating itself. This means a feedback is created whereby Oscillator A is fed back into itself and Modulates its own frequency. This too, can be recreated in Reason.
Now that we have a basic understanding of how FM Synthesis works, let’s take a look at some simple 4-Operator Algorithms and see how close we can come to recreating them in Reason:
Eight Algorithms forming the base for a 4-Operator FM Synthesis system
To read each algorithm it’s important to understand the visuals. Each number is an Operator, which we learned was the same as an Oscillator. The Operators are linked to each other from top to bottom. The Bottom-most Operators on the bottom line are the Carriers. The Operators above them are all Modulators. The line that circles around Operator 4 in all the above algorithms denotes the feedback loop (Self-Oscillation). Once we understand this visualization, we can work it out inside Reason. Here’s how we do this:
Translating the Algorithms into Reason
We’ll start out by creating a Combinator with a 6:2 line mixer and four Thor devices, one for each operator. Ensure no cables are routed yet. We’ll get to that shortly.
The reason we have separate Thors for each Oscillator is because we need to have each Oscillator running through its own Amp Envelope and then feed this signal into a second Thor and have the signal Frequency Modulate the second Oscillator, and so on. You can’t do the same thing by having a single Thor with three Oscillators, because they do not have their individual Amp Envelopes, and part of the fun is adjusting the Amp Envelope for all of the operators individually.
So now that we have our 4 Thor devices, rename them from top to bottom as shown in the algorithm image: 4 at the top, then 3 underneath, then 2 under that, and finally 1 at the bottom. We’re going to recreate algorithm #2 shown in the image above, because this provides a few interesting concepts, such as 2 modulators (3 & 4) Frequency Modulating the same Operator (2) and then Operator 2 modulating the Carrier (Operator 1).
Flip the rack around to the back and start routing the cables. Here, we’ll try out Algorithm #2 (which was included in the project files above). Also, all the cable routings between the Thors are going to be Mono, so only plug in the left cables here. Start at the top by routing Audio out from Thor Operator 4 and have that cable go into the Audio In of Thor Operator 2. Then take the Audio Out of Thor Operator 3 and plug that into the Thor Operator 2 Audio In2. Next, take Audio Out of Thor Operator 2 and plug that into the Audio In of Thor Operator 1. Lastly, route the Audio Out from Thor Operator 1 and send that to the line mixer. Then send the main output of the line mixer to the “From Devices” on the Combinator. The back of the rack should look like the following:
The back of the rack showing the routing between Thor Operators
Once this is done, flip the rack around and start work on setting up the Operators. For all the Thors, it’s best to start out with a clean slate. I have a file set up which turns everything in Thor off completely so that I’m starting from scratch. Anytime I want to start clean, I load this file into Thor and start from the ground up. So assuming you’ve done that, in the Top global section, you want to have the pitch range zero, polyphony and release polyphony set to “1” and the Trigger set to “Midi”. In the voice section, you will want to have an analog oscillator in slot 1, routed through the amp envelope which is turned on. Turn the Oct knob on the analog oscillator all the way down (we’re going to tie the pitch to a Combinator Rotary in a minute). Here is what the front of Operator four looks like:
The front of the Thor Operator #4. Note the setup in the modulation routing section as well.
Note: the reason we set up the Polyphony and Release Polyphony to “1” is because this is a monophonic algorithm (all FM algorithms built inside Reason this way are monophonic). Since Thor can only produce a single voice, it is important to limit the amount of keys that can be used to a single one. While this type of system can’t be used to produce chords, it’s use as a lead instrument can still open it up to a world of possibilities. Also, see one of the notes below about creating polyphonic FM synthesis in Reason. It can be done. However, it can get very bulky. But if you have the stomach for it, give it a shot.
Set up all the Thors in exactly the same way. Once you have this done, it’s time to set up the modulation sections (MBRS). We already got a glimpse of this in Operator 4 above. Here it is again:
Osc1: 100 > Osc1 FM: 100 > Rotary 2
Rotary1: 100 > Osc1 Pitch
The first line sets up the feedback loop and makes it adjustable with Thor’s Rotary 2. The second line allows you to adjust the Pitch of the Oscillator with Rotary 1. Again, we’re going to tie both of these to Combinator Rotaries in a second.
The following images show how to set up the other Operators:
The Thor Operator 3 setup in the MBRSThe Thor Operator 2 MBRS setup.The Thor Operator 1 MBRS setup.
Operator 3 has no audio input, so we only need to have the ability to change the pitch of the oscillator. For Operator 2, there are 2 other modulator operators that are frequency modulating its oscillator, and so we need to have individual lines for Audio In 1 and Audio In 2. The Mod Wheel is used to adjust the amount of FM modulation on the operator. If the mod wheel is left at its default position, the FM Amount is fully modulating the Oscillator. If the mod wheel is turned up however, the FM amount applied to the oscillator is decreased. It’s a nice clever way to apply some control to the FM parameter. Operator 1 should be fairly self-explanatory at this point, so let’s move on to our Combinator assignments.
Open up the Combinator’s programmer. Enter the following settings shown below. Operator 4 is exactly the same as the others, except for the fact that Thor Rotary 2 is assigned to the Combinator Rotary 4. In this way, you can control the feedback of Operator four.
Thor Operator 4 (Left) and all other Operators (Right)
Modulation Routing for all Thor Operators:
Rotary 1 > Rotary 1: 0 / 127
Rotary 2 > Amp Env Attack: 0 / 127
Rotary 3 > Amp Env Decay: 0 / 127
Button 1 > Osc 1 Analog Wave: 3 / 0
Pitch Bend > Osc 1 Tune: -50 / 50
Additional Modulation Routing for Thor Operator #4:
Rotary 4 > Rotary 2: 0 / 127
In this way, Rotary 1 becomes the “Global Pitch” change for all the Operators. Rotary 2 and 3 are set to control the Amp envelope. If you wish, you could use the knobs to control Sustain and Release or any combination. The point being that after the Pitch of the Oscillators (which controls the Frequency), the Amp is the next most important element to control, as it affects the application and duration of the sound over time. So these Rotaries help to control that time element.
Button 1 provides an added bonus by switching between a sine and saw wave form. You can, of course, select any two waveforms you like.
The 8-Algorithm, 4-Operator Monophonic FM Synthesis System
Included in the project files is an 8-Algorithm, 4-Operator Monophonic FM Synthesis system that I developed which allows you to switch between all the algorithms on the fly. A little explanation might be in order. But first, a look at it from the front:
My 8-Algorithm, 4-Operator Monophonic FM Synthesis Modular System (ain’t that a mouthful?!)
To get started with this system, you’ll have to press play and visually tune your eyes to the Mixer at the top while you switch around the “FM Sequencer’s” first Rotary. This will switch between the 8 different algorithms dynamically. I’ve added a simple C3 note played out a few times in a loop to give you an idea of how the process works.
In the “FM Sequencer” Combinator there is also a Compressor and Maximizer/Limiter which is adjustable from the various knobs and buttons. I found when experimenting with different FM settings using this system, often times levels got quite hot and far too loud. This should help to tame the levels. If needed, you can enable the Compressor and/or the Limiter via buttons 2 and 4, respectively. The other parameters should be self-evident.
Each of the four Combinators below the FM Sequencer is tied to an individual Operator, and each Combinator has 8 Thors within, all doing the same thing at the same time. All four Combinator/Operators work essentially the same way. The parameters affect 2 main areas: Pitch and Amp Envelope. The first Rotary affects the overall Pitch of the Operator, and the Pitch Wheel affects the fine tuning of the Oscillator. Button 1 affects the wave form used (sine or saw). The rest of the Rotaries (and button 2) affect the Amp Envelope. Finally, the Mod Wheel affects the amount of FM applied to the current Operator by the previous Operator. This functions the same as I’ve explained before, whereby moving the mod wheel upward reduces the FM amount.
A notable exception is Operator four. Where this operator differs is in the fact that it can be fed back into itself (self-oscillation or feedback). I have tied Rotary 4 from this Combinator to adjust the feedback amount, so even self-oscillation is fully controllable. This also means that the Amp Envelope Decay parameter had to take a back seat and I therefore applied the Decay to a button so you at least have the option of two different decay states.
Note that while you don’t HAVE TO have the same note/clip data on all the Combinator tracks in the sequencer, this is the proper way to use the system and this is the only way to fire off all the Operators at the same time (short of programming a matrix to control all the operators at once). But again, nothing is stopping you from experimenting with only firing one or two Operators. If you do this, however, you may not get very good results. Just warning you about this.
With this system, you have complete control over all Operators’ pitch and amp envelope parameters. You can set up each operator individually or even automate any parameter, all from the front of the rack. So enter at your own risk. It can turn into many hours of fun.
Where do you go from here:
This tutorial explains use of Analog Oscillators in Thor. However, you don’t have to use the analog oscillator at all. You can use any of Thor’s Oscillator types (though admittedly, the Noise Oscillator will probably not take you very far). If you use the FM Oscillator, you already have a built-in pair of Mod/Carrier, so you’re already working with 2 operators. The only difference is that they are internally tied together and can’t be separated the way you can separate things between different Thors. But that’s not to say they are not useful.
Have a good look at the 4-Operator Mono FM Synthesis System I designed which allows you to switch between all 8 algorithms. This can open up a whole new world of FM synthesis for you which you may not have previously known about. I certainly hope it gets your mind flowing with some new ideas.
Keep in mind the more operators added to the mix, the more complex things become, and the more the output will move towards a sound very similar to a noise oscillator. Also, the more erratic and unpredictable the outcome will be. You can still find lots of interesting uses for these sounds, but you’ll have to give some serious experimentation time to come upon some useful sounds. And you’ll have to be willing to accept the erratic nature of FM synthesis in general.
Always remember that Thor is monophonic. It can only produce a single voice. Therefore, any FM synthesis system you build inside Reason is going to be monophonic. There is a way to circumvent this issue and add polyphony, but it’s not an easy process. It’s quite cumbersome and involves you duplicating the Combinator setup multiple times. Each instance that you duplicate becomes an additional voice you can program. However, if you have a large setup like the 8-algorithm 4-Op FM system setup I have, duplicating this whole system multiple times becomes slightly more than a hassle. Until we have true polyphonic FM synthesis in Reason however, it will have to do as a workaround.
Some further reading: Thor demystified 9: An introduction to FM Synthesis – part 1: A great introduction to the world of FM synthesis in Reason by Gordon Reid. Also check out the great tutorial series put on by Hydlide here: Fm Synthesis in Reason 4 part 1. He’s also got some great video tutorials on how to put FM synthesis into action in Reason. Highly recommended material!
I hope this sparks some creative sound mangling for you. And if you have any comments or questions, please post them here. Also, if you have any further ideas related to FM synthesis in Reason, I’d welcome them. All my best for now.
Split an audio signal into multiple parallel audio signals, send them to various effects, and then merge them back together. You control the mix level of all 3 effects and the original signal. As an example, we’ll create a Dynamic Effects processor (Compressors / Equalizers) to apply to your bass sounds.
In this tutorial, I’m going to show you how to split an audio signal into multiple parallel audio signals, send them to various effects, and then merge them back together. You control the mix level of all 3 effects and the original signal. As an example, we’ll create a Dynamic Effects processor (Compressors / Equalizers) to apply to your bass sounds. The Combinator knobs will be used as the basis to sculpt your sounds. Add some additional effects to the buttons and you have yourself some very powerful sound development indeed.
The inspiration for this tutorial came from a procedure I had read about in which the Kick drum is compressed and then the original Kick is mixed back in with this compressed Kick drum to give a beefier sound. So I thought, if you could do this with a Kick drum, how about doing it with other sounds such as a Bass, and then allowing you to mix in not only the original sound, but also different compression schemes. With the Combinator allowing you to utilize 4 knobs, you can actually create 3 different compression/EQ schemes (each tied to their own Rotary on the Combinator), and then tie the original mix to the fourth Rotary. This way, you can have some fun adjusting the balance of all 3 compressions as well as the original to create your final sound. This opens up a huge array of sound possibilities.
Once I show you the method to do this, you’ll be able to parallel process any kind of effect you can create in Reason or Record. For example, we can take 3 variations on a Chorus, and tie each variation to their own Rotary, then have some fun mixing them together. This turns your Combinator into a very flexible Chorus machine.
The project files can be downloaded here: parallel-effects-processing The zip file contains 1 Combinator inside an .rns file and a Combinator template. The .rns file contains the Parallel Processor which we’ll create here. You can use it to process your bass sounds. Different Bass tones and cabinet models are packed inside the Combinator. The template file can be used to start you off creating your own effects. You won’t have to enter any settings in the Combinator’s Modulation Routing, unless you tie some effects to the buttons. Otherwise, have at it building your own Parallel processing effects.
Here’s the basic Combinator setup:
First, Create a new Reason document and then create a 14:2 Mixer. Next, create a sound module, such as a Bass sound. You can find great bass sounds under the Factory Sound Bank (FSB) or you can create one of your own using a Thor, Mal, or Sub. You can even create a sampled Bass sound using the NN-19 or NN-XT. It’s up to you, but since we’re going to create a Combinator effect unit, you’ll need some kind of sound which is to be affected.
Next, create a Combinator under the sound source and in the Combinator hold down shift and create in the following order two Audio Spiders/Mergers, two 6:2 Line Mixers, 3 sets of M-Class Equalizer/M-Class Compressor devices, and 3 Scream devices.
Label the first Audio Spider/ Merger “Clean Split” and label the second Spider/Merger “Tone Splits.” Label the first 6:2 Mixer “Tone Submix” and the second 6:2 mixer “Clean Bypass.” Label each set of EQ/Compressor as follows: Tone EQ 1/Tone Comp 1, Tone EQ 2/Tone Comp 2, and Tone EQ 3/Tone Comp 3. Finally, label the 3 Scream devices “Cab 1,” “Cab 2,” and “Cab 3.” These will be our cabinet emulations. This is how we will refer to each device for the remainder of the tutorial.
Flip the rack around to the back as it’s time to do some serious routing. Note that all the routings below are Left/Right stereo pairs. Move the Audio outputs from the sound device to the Combinator inputs, and then move the Combinator audio outputs to the Main 14:2 Mixer’s Channel 1 inputs. Route the “To Devices” cables from the Combinator to the main inputs on the splitter side of the “Clean Split” Spider device.
Send one of the splits from the “Clean Split” device to Channel 1 input of the “Tone Submix” mixer, another split to Channel 1 of the “Clean Bypass” mixer, and a third split to Main inputs on the splitter side of the “Tone Splits” Spider device.
The back of the rack for the Template file. I'm jumping ahead a little. But this shows the basic routing before setting up any of the Effect devices.
Send one split from the “Tone Splits” Spider to the “Tone EQ 1” inputs. Send a second split to the “Tone EQ 2” inputs. Send a third split to the “Tone EQ 3” inputs. Then send the audio outputs from each of the EQ devices to the audio inputs of their respective Compressor devices. Then send the outputs of each of the Compressor devices into Channels 2, 3, and 4 of the “Tone Submix” mixer device.
Next, send the Master output of the “Tone Submix” mixer to the input of the “Cab 1” scream device. The “Cab 1” output goes to the “Cab 2” input, the “Cab 2” output goes to the “Cab 3 input,” and finally the “Cab 3” output goes back into the Merge side input of the “Tone Splits” Spider device. Also send the Master output of the “Clean Bypass” mixer device to another merge input on the “Tone Splits” Spider device.
Last but not least, send the Merged output from the “Tone Splits” Spider device to the “From Devices” input on the main Combinator panel. I know this all looks really messy, but sometimes you just have to get in there and get dirty to get what you want out of Reason.
The back of the rack when finished routing
The front of the rack
Now let’s flip the rack around to the front and work on the Combinator Modulation Routing section. Click the “Show Programmer” button on the Combinator. Enter the following settings:
For the “Tone Submix” mixer device:
Rotary 1 > Channel 2 Level: 0 / 100
Rotary 2 > Channel 3 Level: 0 / 100
Rotary 3 > Channel 4 Level: 0 / 100
Rotary 4 > Channel 1 Level: 0 / 100
Button 4 > Channel 1 Mute: 1 / 0
Button 4 > Channel 2 Mute: 1 / 0
Button 4 > Channel 3 Mute: 1 / 0
Button 4 > Channel 4 Mute: 1 / 0
For the “Clean Bypass” mixer device:
Button 4 > Channel 1 Mute: 0 / 1
For each the “Cab 1” Scream device (note, each Cab device has the same settings, except Cab 2 is tied to Button 2 and Cab 3 is tied to Button 3):
Button 1 > Damage On/Off: 0 / 1
Button 1 > Cut On/Off: 0 / 1
Button 1 > Body On/Off: 0 / 1
Combinator Modulation routing for the two Mixers
Here’s what is happening:
Button 4 is used as a bypass switch. When this button is turned off, the original sound will travel through the Combinator untouched. When Button 4 is turned on, you can use the 4 Rotaries to create a custom mix between all the sets of effects. Rotary 4 is a “special” rotary, in that it allows you to mix the original audio back into the mix. It’s important to note that this original audio is separate from the audio that goes through the Combinator when button 4 is off. Hence the need for two different mixers inside the Combinator. This way you can have the original mix work as though it were just another tone alongside the others, and when you switch back to a “clean” signal, a separate “original audio” is piped through the Combinator.
Buttons 1, 2, and 3 are your different Cabinet emulations. Those with Record are even luckier in that they can add in a few Line 6 Cabinet modeling devices and use those instead of the Scream. But with Reason, you can still get some amazing cabinet models by using the “Body” setting of the Scream unit (in conjunction with a little distortion and EQ cutting if you wish).
Another thing to keep in mind is that the Tones attached to the Rotaries are independent of the Cabinet models. You can dial in Tones without ever having to use the Cabinet models. However, button 4 must be turned on or enabled for you to hear any of the Tones or Cabinet models. In addition, you can have two Cabinet models used in series (note however, that this was not really the intended purpose — my thinking was that you can use each Cab model individually, and not together, but if you want to use them together, go for it).
Now as a final step, you will need to enter individual settings in the Equalizer / Compressor and Scream units. I won’t go into all the settings you can enter, but rather, you should build your own settings within these devices to your taste. However, take a look at my own settings to see what I used for Bass processing. The idea is to create each set of Equalizer/Compressor settings separately. So, for instance, turn rotary 1 all the way right and turn down all other rotaries to zero (fully left). Now listen to your sound source going through the device, and adjust the “Tone EQ 1” and “Tone Comp 1” devices until you hit on a nice bass processing setting.
Next, turn Rotary 1 all the way down and turn Rotary 2 all the way up. Now work on the second set of EQ/Comp devices to get an entirely new bass processing outcome from the devices. Once that’s done, repeat this for the final set of EQ/Comp devices.
Note: If you want to cheat a little bit, select your sound source, and then right-click and select “Create Effect.” Open up the Factory Sound Bank and look under the ALL Effects Patches > Dynamics > Basses folder and open up one of the bass Combinator patches that you like. Now be sure to adjust the settings on the front of this Combinator patch until you find the sound you’re looking for. Then click the “Show Devices” button on the Combinator, and copy/paste the devices from this Bass patch into your parallel processing Combinator. Delete the (now empty) bass Combinator. In the parallel processing Combinator, you will need to do a little routing to set things up as I have (routing into the main inputs of the first device, and routing the outputs from the last device). But once you do, you can then repeat this process two more times choosing different Combinator patches to copy from in the FSB.
Here’s a 2-part video series that expands upon this idea. It doesn’t always come out exactly the way you expect. But that’s the fun of trying out the technique. You may find something worth keeping, and then you can save the Combinator as a patch and use it in your own compositions.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Now for your cabinet models (Scream devices) you would go through the same process.
Note: When working with the Scream devices, in order to balance the volume level between the Original sound / Tones (using Button 4), you will need to raise all the Scream device Master volume settings up to 100. In this way, if you use Button 4 to switch between the Original volume on Rotary 4 and the volume of the clean bypass (being sent to the “Clean Bypass” mixer), the volume levels will match. So first raise all the master levels for all Scream units to 100.
Listen to the bass sound going only through Rotary 1 and with Button 1 enabled. Then enter a proper Cab setting in the “Cab 1” Scream device. When you have something that sounds nice, test it out with the other Tones on the other Rotaries individually. Note that you may need to put a limiter (M Class Compressor) after the Scream device to tame the sound if it gets too crazy.
Why I feel this setup is so powerful
This type of setup can be very flexible and powerful. Instead of using a single effects processor (one EQ and one Compressor) you can create any kind of mix between three different EQ/Compressor setups. Add to that the Cab models and you end up with some very powerful audio processing.
Another reason I feel this setup is powerful is because you end up with a processor that is greater than the sum of its individual parts. It’s also a handy way to store three setups (plus the original mix) in a single Combinator.
So what are your thoughts? Does this open up some new possibilities for you? Have you used this technique before in other areas or with other devices? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Thanks for reading. Now go out there and make some amazing music!
Turn a Combinator into a 61-synth drum kit that spans the range of the Matrix pattern sequencer so you can use the Matrix to trigger your drum hits. Yes it’s massive. Yes it’s crazy. And yes, you should try it out! Why? Because apart from being time consuming, it’s dead easy to accomplish. And it doesn’t have to break the CPU bank.
This project was a real blast to put together. Essentially it involves turning a Combinator into a 61-synth drum kit that spans the range of the Matrix pattern sequencer so you can use the Matrix to trigger your drum hits. Yes it’s massive. Yes it’s crazy. And yes, you should try it out! Why? Because apart from being time consuming, it’s dead easy to accomplish. And it doesn’t have to break the CPU bank.
Download the project file here: minimal-super-kit. This zip file contains my Minimal Super Drum Kit Combinator with 61 synth sounds that can be played by the Matrix. I’ve added 32 random patterns in the Matrix which is assigned to a Rotary knob so you can dial in a pattern you like. Also, you can turn the matrix off using button 1, so that you can play the drum kit with your keyboard controller if you wish. This is a great flexible way to show off your drum kit creation chops. So enjoy! And when you’ve had it with my own drum sounds, try your hand at creating your own. Read on to find out how.
There’s also a few extra devices in the Combinator, and assignments on the other Rotaries / Buttons which affect the drums globally. Feel free to explore their routings as well if you’re interested. The focus here, however, is turning your Combinator into a massive drum kit which can be sequenced using the Matrix.
Back to Basics: Setting things up
Open up a new document with a 14:2 Mixer and then create a new Combinator. Inside the combinator, create five 14:2 mixers all in succession so that they are all chained one after the other.
The five 14:2 Mixers are chained together.
Create 61 Synths. Yes, that’s right. 61 Synths. These can be any combination of Thors, Malstroms, or Subtractors. one trick before you go nuts copying and pasting is to create one instance of Thor, one Subtractor, and one Malstrom, and then initialize all 3. This way, only one oscillator or graintable is used and it will be light on the CPU. Once you’ve done that, copy and paste so you have 61 different synths and connect them each to their own mixer channel.
Each of the synths are connected to their own Mixer channel.
Now this is the trickiest part of the whole tutorial. Click the “Show programmer” button on the front of the Combinator, and select the first synth in the list at the top. Notice in the Key Mapping area on the left part of the Combinator screen, the key range for this synth spans the entire keyboard range. If you look at the bottom of the Key Mapping area, the value under Key Range is C-2 (Lo) to G8 (Hi). We’re going to change these values so that both read C1. The easiest way to do this is to click and drag upward over the “Key Range Lo” field until it reads “C1.” Once you’ve done that, you can click and drag down all the way on the “Key Range Hi” field. This means that the synth will only be triggered by pressing C1 on your keyboard controller.
The first Synth selected in Key Mapping. See that the range listed is C1 (Lo) to C1 (Hi)
Sweet! Now do this for each subsequent synth, but incrementing each one by one note value upward on the scale. So, for example, the next synth is only triggered by C#1 and the one following that by D1, and so on up the scale until you have the last synth in place at C6. Ta da! Now each synth can only be triggered and played from it’s corresponding note on the keyboard controller. And taken as a whole, the entire kit ranges the same 5-octave span of the Matrix (from C1 to C6).
The last Synth selected in Key Mapping. See that the range listed is C6 (Lo) to C6 (Hi).
Now comes the really fun (but tedious) part. Go through each synth one at a time and sculpt your drum sounds. Go wild. Enter some amazing Kicks, Snares, Toms, Hi Hats, Rim shots, glitch mayhem, or whatever sounds you really enjoy listening to through Reason. Don’t be shy. Jump in and have some fun. And if you’re really hard pressed for some ideas, sift through the Factory Soundbank (FSB) for some inspiration. There are plenty of synth ideas in there.
Note: audition your sounds using your keyboard controller. This way you can hear each note triggering each synth. If you forget your place on the keyboard, minimize your entire stack of synths by holding down Alt as you press on the minimize arrow of one of the devices. This will automatically minimize all devices within the Combinator. Now press a key on your controller and look for the “Note On” light as you press. This “Note On” light will show you which synth is triggered by the note you are playing. Since each synth is tied to an individual note on the keyboard, only a single “Note On” light will flash when you press a single key. Trust me, this is a great time saver when working with so many devices.
Add a Matrix under everything, flip the rack around, and tie the “Note/Gate CV out” cables from the back of thedevice into the Sequencer Control “Note/Gate CV in” on the Combinator. Flip back around to the front again and start dialing in some Note/Gate patterns into the Matrix pattern banks. Or use the right-click context menu to select some random patterns for the various Matrix pattern banks.
Connecting CV cables from the Matrix to the Combi's Sequencer Control section.
Finally, go back to the Combinator’s Modulation Routing section and with the Matrix device selected, enter the following settings:
Rotary 1 > Pattern Select: 0 / 31 (assuming you’ve entered patterns in all 32 pattern banks of the Matrix)
Button 1 > Pattern Enable: 0 / 1
Entering the Matrix Sequencer Parameters in the Combi's Modulation Routing Section.
Keeping Button 1 off means that you can play the Combinator in a “live” situation, accessing the drums to be played in real time and ignoring the Matrix. Turning on Button 1 automates the drums and plays the drums according to what is programmed in the Matrix. Spinning the Rotary 1 knob will select from the 32 Matrix pattern banks. You can also automate pattern changes for the Matrix in the Sequencer if you create a sequencer track for the Matrix.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this little exploration of what can be done with a bunch of synths and a Matrix inside a Combinator. You can create some gigantic kits using this technique. And it can be an alternative to using the NN-XT for a sample-based drum kit.
As with any method, there are pros and cons to this approach. I like it because it can be much easier to tweak the sounds later if you want to adjust any of the synth parameters for your various hits. Personally, I feel this can give you more flexibility than storing your kit in an NN-XT. That being said, the downside is that it’s not quite as compact, takes some time to load up in your song, and it’s not sample-based so it’s not as “organic” as samples in an NN-XT can be. Both approaches, however, are valid. It all depends what you’re after.
If you have any other ideas or unique ways in which you’ve created your own kits please share them with us. I’d love to know some new techniques that I may not have thought about before.
Until next time, I hope this inspires you to build some kick-ass drum kits. Good luck!
Learn how to switch between 2 CV sources that control a single destination. This method can expand the number of patterns you use in a Matrix (from 32 to 64) to control a single destination. It can also allow you to switch between two RPG-8 Arp devices or any two CV sources anywhere in Reason and Record for that matter.
At some point when working with CV, you end up wondering if you can expand beyond the limits. For example, if you have a Matrix loaded with 32 pattern banks, you’re going to wonder if you can push it to 64. If you have an Arp applied to an instrument, you’re going to wonder if you can have two Arps applied to the same instrument. I know that’s what I was wondering a few nights ago. And that’s the subject of this article. How to expand upon CV connections by switching between these CV devices in real-time.
You can download the project files in the following zip file: cv-switching. These project files include 2 Combinators that show you how to switch between two matrixes or two Arps on the fly. Both Combinators are connected to the same mixer, so to hear each one separately, just mute/solo each one and press play on the Transport bar.
Switching between 2 Matrixes
First open up a new document, and first place a 14-2 Mixer at the top (if you are in Record, you won’t need the mixer, because everything gets tied to your BIG mixer).
Now, open up a Combinator and holding Shift down, place a sound source at the top (for example, a Subtractor), a Thor underneath that, and then two Matrixes underneath the Thor.
Next, flip the rack around and let’s route the audio up. Route the Left Audio output from the Combinator to Channel 1 on the mixer. Then Route the Audio out of the Subtractor to the Left audio In of the Combinator (From Devices).
Now for the CV routings. Route the CV 1 and CV 2 Modulation outputs from the Thor to the Gate and CV Sequencer Control section of the Subtractor, respectively. Take the Note and Gate CV of Matrix “A” and route them to the CV 1 and CV 2 Modulation inputs of the Thor, respectively. Finally, route the Note and Gate CV of Matrix “B” to the CV 3 and CV 4 Modulation inputs of the Thor, respectively.
Proper CV routings for the Thor and Matrix A & B devices
Flip the rack around. On the Subtractor, select a patch you like, or program in some patch parameters that you want to hear. Alternately, leave the default init patch as it is.
On the Thor, completely initialize the patch by turning Oscillator 1 Off, Bypassing Filter 1, turning off the Mod/Filter/Amp/Global envelopes, and reducing the Range, Polyphony, and Release Polyphony down to zero (0) in the Global section. We’re using Thor purely as a CV switcher between the two Matrixes.
In the Modulation Matrix area of Thor, enter the following:
CV In1 : 0 > CV Out 1
CV In2 : 0 > CV Out 2
CV In3 : 0 > CV Out 1
CV In4 : 0 > CV Out 2
A completely initialized thor, with the proper routings in the Modulation Bus Routing Section (MBRS)
In the Matrix A, fill up all 32 of your pattern banks with random patterns or midi patterns that you want to use to play the Subtractor. Random patterns are just quicker for the purposes of this exercise.
In the Matrix B, do the same. However, note that in the example file I have not loaded any patterns into Matrix B. This is so that you can hear the difference when you swtich between Matrix A and Matrix B. But for practical purposes you’ll want to load up all 32 pattern banks with more patterns with which to play the Subtractor sound source.
In the Combinator’s Programmer, select the Thor device (I call it the CV Switcher) and enter the following settings for the Modulation Routing:
Button 1 > Mod 1 Dest Amount : 100 / 0
Button 1 > Mod 2 Dest Amount : 100 / 0
Button 1 > Mod 3 Dest Amount : 0 / 100
Button 1 > Mod 4 Dest Amount : 0 / 100
The Combinator's Modulation Routings for the Thor device (CV Switcher)
For the Matrix A and Matrix B devices, enter the following programmer modulation (for both Matrixes):
Rotary 1 > Pattern Select : 0 / 31
Now, when you press the play button on the Transport, both matrixes will engage, but only one will be used to play the Subtractor, depending on the on/off state of the first button on the Combinator. This first button determines which Matrix is used (if off, Matrix A is used. If on, Matrix B is used). The first Rotary on the Combinator moves through all 32 pattern banks of both Matrixes, thus allowing you access to 64 pattern banks to apply to your Subtractor sound source.
Everything gets switched using the Thor. And the beauty of this type of setup is that you don’t need to worry about Matrix delay problems. Since both Matrixes are always running, and the Thor is used to switch between them, the switching is done completely in real-time with no latency whatsoever.
Ramping it up with an Arp
I won’t go into too much detail about applying this same technique to an Arp. You have the sample file, and you can open this up and see how it’s done. But basically, instead of two Matrixes, you have two Arps that are going through two Thors (one Thor controls the Note / Gate CVs, and the other Thor controls the Pitch/Mod wheel CVs).
One other difference is that you will need a separate Matrix to play the Combinator (ie: the Matrix Note / Gate CV will be sent to the Combinator’s Sequencer Control). This is to ensure something is triggering your sound source, whereas in the previous Matrix example, the matrix units themselves were triggering the sound source.
Alternately, if you don’t want to trigger your sound source via the Matrix, you can set up two sequencer tracks (one for each Arp device) and add your midi note clips there. If you want to switch between both Arps and have them both playing the same part exactly, just duplicate the note clips on both Arp tracks so they are identical. Or have some fun switching up the notes. Experiment with this one.
Proper routings on the back of the rack for the Arp Switcher Combinator
Where do I go from here?
Using this method you can switch between any two CV sources going to the same destination CV input. So let your mind wander and try it out using a Scream or RV7000 or any filter envelope. Anywhere you use CV, this method hopefully inspires you to try playing around with CV and using it more creatively when working on your songs.
Did you find this tutorial useful or beneficial? Let me know. And as always, if you have other ideas related to CV switching, please share them with all of us.
In a previous tutorial I spoke about how you can create frequency-based FX and divide your FX, sending different delays or phasers or any combination of FX to different frequencies in your mix. This time we’re going to send those same FX to different locations in your mix: Front, Back, Left and Right. This way, we’ll create different FX for 4 different corners of your mix.
In a previous tutorial I spoke about how you can create frequency-based FX and divide your FX, sending different delays or phasers or any combination of FX to different frequencies in your mix. This time we’re going to send those same FX to different locations in your mix: Front, Back, Left and Right. This way, we’ll create different FX for 4 different corners of your mix.
The tutorial files can be downloaded here: 4-corner-spatial-fx This zip file contains 2 Combinators: 4-corner delay FX and 4-corner phaser FX.
Starting of creating the Front and Back sections
First, the video:
First, we’ll start in Reason, and start by opening a new document with all the usual suspects. Create a main mixer, and a sound source (an initialized Thor would do just fine).
Next, create a Combinator under the sound source. Inside the Combinator, hold down shift and create a Unison device (UN-16), Audio Merger/Splitter, 6:2 Line Mixer, Stereo Imager, RV7000, and for our FX device, let’s create a Phaser (PH-90).
Now holding shift down, select the Stereo Imager, RV7000, and PH-90 Phaser, then right click and select “Duplicate Devices and Tracks.”
Routing time (note that all the audio routings we’re going to create here are in Stereo pairs): Flip the rack around, and move the Thor Audio outputs into the Combinator Audio inputs. Send the Combinator outputs to Channel 1 on the main mixer. Send the Combinator To Devices outputs into the Unison inputs. Then send the Unison outputs to the Audio Splitter inputs. Send 1 split into the first Stereo Imager’s inputs (we’ll call this the Front Imager), and the second split into the second Stereo Imager’s inputs (we’ll call this the Back Imager).
Continuing with our routing, send the Imager outputs to the RV7000 Inputs (do this for both front and back imagers). Then send the RV7000 outputs to the Phaser inputs (both front and back). Then send the front and back Phaser outputs to Channels 1 and 3 on the 6:2 line mixer. Finally, send the Mixer’s master output to the “From Devices” inputs on the Combinator.
The Routings on the back of the rack. Looks complicated, but it's really pretty straightforward.
Flip the rack around to the front. Now it’s time to set up some parameters. On the Front Imager, send both the Lo and Hi bands fully Mono (fully left). On the Back Stereo Imager, send both the Lo and Hi bands fully Wide (fully right).
Open up the Remote Programmer on both the front and back RV7000 Reverbs. The Hall algorithms are the default and these are fine for now. On the front Reverb, reduce the size fully (to 13.2 m) and reduce the Global decay to around 50. Increase the HF Dampening to around 84. On the back Reverb increase the size fully (to 39.6 m) and increase the decay to around 98. Also leave the default HF Dampening at around 28. Finally, decrease the Dry/Wet knob on both reverbs to around 30-40 or thereabouts.
Open up the Combinator’s Programmer, select the 6:2 Line Mixer and enter these settings:
Rotary 1 > Channel 1 Level: 0/85
Rotary 3 > Channel 3 Level: 0/85
Now, the First Rotary controls the Front Mix, and the third Rotary controls the back mix. If you play your sound source through this FX Combinator, you’ll hear the front and back sounds by adjusting the Rotaries. But what makes things more interesting is if you apply different settings to your two Phaser devices. Even some subtle changes to the Frequency and Width parameters can provide a much more rich soundscape which makes even Thor’s initialized patch sound pretty interesting.
You can also leave things as they are, or you can move on and create two more spatial corners in our mix by adding both Left and Right panning. In this way, you create a 4-Corner FX split for Front Left, Front Right, Back Left, and Back Right.
Moving from side to side
Now, for the second part in the Video Series:
So let’s continue on our journey and create a split for left and right.
First thing we’ll have to do is hold the shift key down and create two other phasers; one next to the front phaser and another next to the back phaser. Then select the front RV7000 and holding shift down, create a Spider Audio Merger/Splitter. Do the same for the back by holding down the back RV7000 and creating another Spider Audio Merger/Splitter.
Flip to the back of the rack and let’s set up some new routings. Move the cables from the inputs on both Phasers and move these cables to their respective Spider Splitters (in the main Split). Then send one split to the Front Phaser 1 (let’s call this left) and send another split to the Front Phaser 2 (let’s call this right). Then send the outputs from the two new phasers to Channel 3 and 4 respectively.
Flip to the front of the rack and on the 6:2 Line Mixer set the panning for Channels 1 and 3 to about -22 (left) and Channels 2 and 4 to +22 (right). How far left or right you set the panning is really a matter of taste. With this all set up, the 6:2 Line Mixer will be set up as follows:
Channel 1: Front Left Phaser
Channel 2: Front Right Phaser
Channel 3: Back Left Phaser
Channel 4: Back Right Phaser
Open up the Combinator Programmer, and assign the 6:2 Line Mixer Channel 2 and Channel 4 to Rotary 2 and 4 respectively as follows:
Rotary 2 > Channel 2 Level: 0/85
Rotary 4 > Channel 4 Level: 0/85
Now you can provide labels for all 4 rotaries as follows:
Rotary 1: Front Left
Rotary 2: Front Right
Rotary 3: Back Left
Rotary 4: Back Right
And there you have it. A 4-corner mix with different FX for each corner. You don’t have to restrict yourself to Phasers. With some ingenuity you can assign any FX to any location, or any combination of FX to any of these 4 locations, and all of those with different parameters too. The only thing left is to adjust the Phasers to have different settings as you see fit.
Here’s a video showing you some of the things you can do to modulate the Phasers:
A few other notes:
The reason we set up a Unison device in front of the mix is because this ensures that the signal sent into both the imagers is in Stereo. This is needed for the Stereo Imager to function as it should. It won’t work with a Mono signal. It means that even if you use a Subtractor, for example (which is mono), it can still be sent into the Imagers and the Imagers can work their magic.
Using the Width / Mono setting on the Imager bands helps to create the illusion of front and back audio locations. Used in conjunction with the Reverbs, you can create some sophisticated positioning not only with your FX, but also audio of any kind. When you move towards Mono, the sound appears to come from the front of the mix. By widening the bands, the sound becomes more spread out and appears to come from the back.
Just as with the Imagers, changing the space size and decays on the Reverbs helps the illusion along. Smaller sizes and shorter decays means a tighter reverb space which appears as though the sound is closer. For the back Reverb, the opposite is in effect. By creating a wider space with a longer tail reverb, you end up with a sound that is pressed further back. Keeping the same algorithm type still binds the two reverb spaces together. However, there’s nothing preventing you from trying to use different algorithms altogether (for example, a Small Space reverb for the front and an Arena reverb for the back).
Ever look at those Escher drawings where the staircases keep looping back into themselves? They are impossible pictures. Well, the same can be achieved with sound. You can create some really weird effects by creating an impossible space. Try switching the Reverbs around but keeping the Imagers as they are. The Imagers will tell your ears that the sound should be coming from the front and back, but the reverbs will be telling you the reverse. It can be a disturbing effect. But in the virtual world, you can create these “Impossible” sounds easily. Try that one out.
As always I’d love to hear what you think? Show some love and drop me some feedback or any questions you might have. Until next time, good luck in all your musical endeavors.
Layered Synth Patches to celebrate the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. A creative way to present some sound themes in Reason and Record.
This is going to be a little different from my past tutorials. Since this is just as much a forum for creativity as it is a forum for ways in which you can get the most out of Reason and Record, I wanted to take a little time out to offer up an idea I had the other day while watching the Olympics.
Download the project files here: olympic-patches. There is one Reason (.rns) file which contains 5 Combinators. The matrixes that are attached to each of the Combinators are there to preview the sounds. You can mute/unmute the Mixer channel to hear the proper Combinator. They are not meant to be played with each other. Though if you can find a creative way to do this, have at it!
I thought to myself, what about creating a themed set of Combinators, which are based solely on layered synths. The idea came as I was watching the speed skating competition and I started getting some ideas for sounds running through my head. So while I had Record opened, I started working on creating what I felt was the sound of skaters. This further led to the thought: Why not create a series of patches based on the sounds of the Olympics. Now, there’s 15 different events in the Olympics, and that means a lot of Combinators and a lot of programming. So before I go completely nuts with this idea, I decided to first offer up 5 patches for 5 different events.
Here’s a few sound samples using the “Speed Skaters,” “Curling,” and “Alpine Ski” patches:
And here are a few more sound samples showcasing the “Hockey,” and “Biathlon” patches:
Olympic Patches - A tribute to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games
The main premise was to create Combinator patches that encourage you to explore the rotaries and buttons without any preconceived notion of how they are planned out or mapped to the devices inside. So for that reason, I’m not going to go into detail on how things are routed. Rather, I’d prefer if you gave them all a listen and use your ears to explore the types of sounds these patches can generate. So try them out, and give them a whirl. Let your ears be your guide as you make adjustments. And once you’ve done that, then feel free to take a look and see how they are programmed.
I have to say I felt a little sense of pride putting these together, since I’m originally from Canada, and Canada was putting on this year’s Olympic games. The feather in the cap however, was when Canada won the Gold Medal in the last Olympic event yesterday: Men’s Hockey. I have to say, that made my night.
Do you have any Layered Synth ideas of your own that you would like to share here? Do you like these patches? Anything you would do differently. Please feel free to start up a discussion about them. Do they inspire you to create your own themes? What kind of theme would you create? What do you turn to for inspiration? I’m curious.
In this project, I’m going to create a few Glitch Boxes, and show you some techniques to get a little more glitch out of Reason. Though Reason isn’t built to be a glitch plugin, there are several ways you can connect things up to get some glitch mayhem from the devices.
In this project, I’m going to create a few Glitch Boxes, and show you some techniques to get a little more glitch out of Reason. Though Reason isn’t built to be a glitch plugin, there are several ways you can connect things up to get some glitch mayhem from the devices. When you then combine them all, you can have yourself a field day playing around with the knobs, wheels and buttons and work them into your own compositions.
So here I’m going to provide 3 different Glitch Boxes (incidentally they are color-coded just for fun), and go over some of the techniques that I think make them unique. Before I start, let me point out that I’m not going to go through the process of creating the Combinators from start to finish. Rather, I’m going to use the technique I outlined in the “Creative Redrum” tutorial series, where I added 10 synths and used gate triggering from the redrum to play these synths. The synths are the main glitch sounds, and these can be anything you like. The point is how you can use those sounds inside the combinator, and how you can add stylistic effects to get more out of them.
So let’s start our glitch journey in Reason.
The file for this tutorial can be found here: Glitch Boxes. The zip file contains 3 Combinators inside an .RNS file, each of which is attached to a mixer. To hear one of the combinators, just mute the other ones on the mixer. They weren’t designed to be played together, however, this was the easiest way to provide them to you all at once. Feel free to save them as Combinator patches and/or use them as templates where you can add in your own sounds into each of the 10 different synths in each of the Combinators. Also, don’t forget that you’re not only getting access to 3 patches, but you’re getting access to 30 synth glitch sounds as well. Enjoy!
Glitch Box 1 (Blue – Thors)
This Glitch Box uses 10 Thors to generate 10 different Glitch sounds, which are triggered by the Redrum Sequencer. The Redrum in turn has 32 patterns which are 64 steps each for a maximum Glitch mayhem. The interesting part of this patch is the way the Auto-sequencer is setup. By pressing the fourth button on the Combinator, the Auto-Sequencer kicks in and takes control to provide a very random output. It’s very easy to set this up. You just need to create a few Matrixes, and then send the Curve (or Note or Gate) CV into the Combinator CV inputs to control the overall playback of the Combi, or else any one of the Rotaries or Pitch/Mod wheels.
The rest of the Combinator patch is similar to the Creative Redrums 2 and Creative Redrums 3 tutorials, so I’m not going to delve into that right now. Please feel free to read through those tutorial in order to get familiar with the methods used to put together these patches.
Here is a rundown of how this Combinator’s Rotaries and Buttons work:
Pitch Wheel: This raises or lowers the pitch of the 10 Glitch sounds at once by +/- 7 semitones.
Mod Wheel: This dampens the sound of the Higher pitched Glitch sounds, essentially making things a little less sibilant.
Rotary 1: Vocoder Filter – This Rotary affects the Thor Vocoder Modulation Filter. Use this knob to change the affect the filter has on the Vocoder. Basically, use this knob to dial in a sound filtering that appeals to you.
Rotary 2: Shift – This Rotary is used to raise or lower the “Shift” parameter of the Vocoder. Again, you’ll have to experiment with this knob to see what sounds best for you. You can also use it to create some interesting sweeps.
Rotary 3: Pattern Sequencer – This knob allows you to select from 32 different Glitch patterns (all with 64 steps each). If you want to turn the patterns off, you can by turing the Rotary completely left (at zero). This turns off the patterns entirely so no sound signal will get generated.
Rotary 4: Master Level – This is the Main Mixer’s master level. It allows you to fine-tune the volume of the overall mix.
Button 1: Doubler – This essentially doubles the Glitch sounds. Beware, it can add a ton of beats. But if you mute a few of the glitch sounds on the Mixer or Redrum devices, you can have some fun using this button to thicken up and beef up your beats by automatically doubling them.
Button 2: Alternate Filter – This adds a different filtered sound to the Glitch Box. It can be used to extend the Box to a whole new range of sounds. Experiment to see what you can do with this filter.
Button 3: Master Bypass – This Button will bypass the Vocoder FX as well as the Mastering devices. If you want a very raw sound, this is the button to press.
Button 4: Auto-Sequence – This button applies a random auto-sequenced element to the Glitch box. It not only acts as the note/gate CV for the Combinator, but also randomizes the first two Rotaries (the Vocoder Filter and Vocoder Shift parameters).
Glitch Box 2 (Red – Malstroms)
This Glitch Box uses 10 Malstroms to generate 10 different Glitch sounds, which are triggered by the Redrum Sequencer. The Redrum in turn has 32 patterns which are 64 steps each for a maximum Glitch mayhem. The interesting part of this patch is the way in which there are multiple Delay and Phaser units attached to the audio signal at the end. This creates a multi-tap delay effect which can be applied selectively.
Multi-Tap Delay setup (with Phasers)
Here is a rundown of how the Combinator Rotaries and Buttons work:
Pitch Wheel: This raises or lowers the pitch of the 10 Glitch sounds at once by +/- 7 semitones.
Mod Wheel: This completely changes the type of sounds produced by the Glitch devices. Each Malstrom device was programmed to generate something totally wacky and off-the-wall when the Mod Wheel was used. So here is the result. Have at it!
Rotary 1: Vocoder Filter – This Rotary affects the Thor Vocoder Modulation Filter. Use this knob to change the affect the filter has on the Vocoder. Basically, use this knob to dial in a sound filtering that appeals to you.
Rotary 2: Shift – This Rotary is used to raise or lower the “Shift” parameter of the Vocoder. Again, you’ll have to experiment with this knob to see what sounds best for you. You can also use it to create some interesting sweeps.
Rotary 3: Pattern Sequencer – This knob allows you to select from 32 different Glitch patterns (all with 64 steps each). If you want to turn the patterns off, you can by turing the Rotary completely left (at zero). This turns off the patterns entirely so no sound signal will get generated.
Rotary 4: Multi-Tap Delay – This adds some multi-tap delay effect to the glitch sounds. The Rotary acts as a dry/wet knob, so turning it fully left turns the delay off (dry), and turning it fully right turns it fully on (wet). Be careful as it’s easy to overdo it, and sometimes if other parameters are turned on (like Booster), the delay can get pretty loud. Though I’ve tried to limit the loudness of the delays with a Maximizer device. Just be careful not to overuse. 😉
Button 1: Filter Type A/B – This changes the Thor Vocoder Modulation Filter from a simple Noise Oscillator to a different type of Noise Oscillator, and then adds in a Mixed sine Wavetable Oscillator into the mix. Try it out to change the sound entirely.
Button 2: Bands 4/32 – This switches the Vocoder Band count from 4 (not pressed) to 32 (pressed in). Use this to keep the sound thin with 4 bands, or thicken it up with 32 bands.
Button 3: Hold – This triggers the Hold button on the Vocoder. This can add some interesting unpredictible outcomes if pressed every so often. Or create a stutter effect by programming it to hold every bar, beat, or at random throughout your track.
Button 4: Booster – This adds some emphasis and warmth to the sound via a Scream device.
Glitch Box 3 (Green – Subtractors)
This Glitch Box uses 10 Subtractors to generate 10 different Glitch sounds, which are triggered by the Redrum Sequencer, just like the other Glitch Boxes above. There’s 32 patterns which are 64 steps long, again like the other Boxes. There are a few interesting things happening in this patch, which I’ll go through one at a time.
First, there are Scream Distortion units attached to each of the 10 sounds. The Screams are randomly sequenced to switch using the Matrix “FX Sequencer.” The Curve CV is cabled from this matrix to Rotary 4, which in turn is set to program all the Scream units to various degrees.
Second, there are two Digital Delay units attached to each of the glitch sounds. One unit is set up for the left, and the other for the right. Then they are merged together and sent back to the mixer. By changing the steps associated with each of these devices, you can set up some very complex delay patterns, which in turn enhances the “Glitch” element for each of the sounds.
The anatomy of a single Subtractor Glitch sound with Scream and Left/Right Delay FX
Third, Auto-Sequencing is set up so that there is an even more random element added to the box. Here, a matrix is set up for each Rotary as well as the Mod Wheel.
Auto-Sequencing the Mod Wheel and first 3 Rotaries. The fourth is controlled by the Matrix FX Sequencer.The 4 Matrixes controlling the Mod Wheel, Pattern, Delay, and Scream Damage
Fourth, there are a few other effects added into the Mix. If you’ve read some of the other articles, you’ll no doubt be familiar with ways in which the audio can be routed through Thor, and thereby use Thor’s filters on the audio signal chain. So I’ve added an alternate filter using this method. In addition, there are two Reverbs set up at the end of the signal chain in order to add a bit of room where the glitch sounds can feel at home.
Routing the Audio through a Thor Filter, as well as the 2 Reverbs
Fifth, and finally, The P1 and P2 parameters on the Scream devices are controlled via CV by a Thor device. The setup is that LFO1 controls P1, and LFO2 controls P2. So if you want to control these two parameters on every Scream device simultaneously, all you have to do is make changes to the LFO1 and 2 parameters in the Thor “P1 & P2 CV” device. This can help add some further Glitchy fun with the sound (especially when the Damage Type keeps changing randomly).
Here is a rundown of how the Combinator Rotaries and Buttons work:
Pitch Wheel: This raises or lowers the pitch of the 10 Glitch sounds at once by +/- 4 semitones.
Mod Wheel: This affects a few of the Glitch sounds, but not too much. It’s pretty much unassigned.
Rotary 1: Drum Pattern – This knob allows you to select from 32 different Glitch patterns (all with 64 steps each). If you want to turn the patterns off, you can by turing the Rotary completely left (at zero). This turns off the patterns entirely so no sound signal will get generated.
Rotary 2: Delay Dry/Wet – This Rotary allows you to apply Delay to the Glitch sounds in a very random way (depending on how the steps are set up in each of your DDL devices. I can only recommend that you play around with the settings in these units, especially varying the steps on each unit). The Rotary acts as a dry/wet knob, so turning it fully left turns the delay off (dry), and turning it fully right turns it fully on (wet).
Rotary 3: Damage Dry/Wet – This works the same way as the delay does (Dry/Wet), but this time the Scream’s damage knob is affected for all the Scream units. Be careful not to go too far overboard as you can end up making the sound pretty loud. I tried to limit it already a little bit by cutting off the amount of damage that can be applied, but it can still cause pretty loud signals. So just use it cautiously and always be on the lookout for your levels and clipping.
Rotary 4: Glitch Hi <-> Lo – This essentially will turn off the amount of randomness applied to the Scream devices “Damage Type.” The way the Screams are set up, the matrix controls the damage type and randomly shifts from one type to another using CV to control this knob. If you keep it fully left, the Screams are at their most random; receiving switching cues from the matrix. When the knob is turned fully right, the damage type will not change at all and will stay fixed. So this Rotary controls how much randomness is applied to the Scream Damage Type, or rather how much switching between Damage Types will take place.
Button 1: Spring Verb – This applies a spring reverb to the entire mix. Feel free to change the RV 7000 patch to anything that you feel suits this sound.
Button 2: Tight Verb – This applies a tight reverb to the entire mix. Feel free to change the RV 7000 patch to anything that you feel suits this sound.
Button 3: Comb Filter – This adds a comb filter to the entire mix to quickly change the Glitch sound. Feel free to change this in the Thor “Filter” device, if you like. It’s in the “Filter 3” slot.
Button 4: Auto Sequence – This button applies a random auto-sequenced element to the Glitch box. It randomizes the Mod Wheel, and first 3 Rotaries (Drum Pattern, Delay, and Damage).
I hope this article provides a few new ways you can add to your Glitch fun in Reason. There’s probably a million different ways you can add Glitch into your tracks. I know Ed from EditEd4TV fame has just come up with a beat repeater that is quite amazing and interesting to look at. Visit the PUF (Propellerhead User Forum) for more information. And if you have any other ideas for ways in which you can make Glitch come to life in reason, please let me know. I’m always interested to hear about your techniques. Don’t be shy. Share them! And until my next installment, have fun in Reason and Record.
In this Tutorial, I’m going to show you a few other innovative things you can do with a Redrum device and a little imagination. First, we’ll build upon the drum kit we created in Part 2, and then branch out to show how you can chain your drums together and layer them to give a richer thicker sound. Finally, I’ll point out a few other quick and easy tricks, just to get your inspiration flowing.
In the first Part of this series, I showed you how to punch up your factory soundbank drums, and in the second, I showed you how you can create your own synth drum kit and trigger each drum via the Redrum device. In this Tutorial, I’m going to show you a few other innovative things you can do with a Redrum device and a little imagination. First, we’ll build upon the drum kit we created in Part 2, and then branch out to show how you can chain your drums together and layer them to give a richer thicker sound. Finally, I’ll point out a few other quick and easy tricks, just to get your inspiration flowing.
You can download the project files here: creative-redrums-3 The file contains two rns files with each of the Combinator setups outlined below.
Expanding on the “Electro Drums Combinator”
If you haven’t already, read Part 2 in the Redrum tutorials. After you’ve done that, you can start by downloading the Combinator I created or you can start with a Combinator that you’ve created yourself, because I know you want to stamp your name on your own sounds right?
If you’ve done everything according to spec, you’ll have a pretty expansive drum kit which is filtered through a Vocoder. Now we’re going to change a few of the routings and Combinator mod matrix settings in order to put a new spin on that drum setup.
Open up the Combinator and create a 6:2 Line Mixer at the top of the stack. Reroute the Vocoder Carrier outputs to the second channel of the Line Mixer. This is going to be our “Wet” signal. At the same time, connect the Left and Right Audio Out cables from the Line Mixer, and feed them into the Compressor’s Left and Right Audio inputs. Then connect the Left and Right Audio outputs from the Maximizer into the Left and Right Audio inputs on the Combinator (From Devices). So the signal path goes from the dry signal through the Vocoder, then into the Main Line Mixer, then into the Mastering devices, and finally out of the Combinator.
Next, we’re going to add a “Dry” drum submix which can in turn be mixed in with the wet submix. To do this and also to have full control, we’ll need to create a whole new secondary mix. The easiest way to do this is to duplicate the 14:2 Drum Submixer, and holding Shift down, create 10 Audio Merger/Splitters underneath. Flip the rack around and connect each of the Synth Drum outputs (the Thors) into the Splitter inputs. Then use one split to go to the Wet Drum Submix channels, and a second split to go to the Dry submix channels. This is a bit of a process but it’s an important one as you’ll see in a minute.
Routings from the back of the two Submixers
Now route the entire “Dry” Submix (Left and Right outputs) to the first channel in the main Line Mixer (Left and Right inputs). Flip the rack around and click the “Show Programmer” button on the Combinator. In the Modulation Matrix, remove the “Master Level” settings we previously mapped to Rotary 4. Instead, select the “Main Line Mixer” on the left, and enter the following settings:
Rotary 4 > Channel 1 Level: 0 / 127
Now when Rotary 4 is fully left, the signal is fully wet. When the Rotary is fully right, the dry signal is mixed in with the wet signal. Furthermore, if you want to fine-tune the levels of either the Wet or the Dry drums individually, you can set that up using the levels on either submixer, giving you total control over both your wet and dry drums’ attenuation. If you want to automate the process, create a sequencer track for both the Dry and Wet Submixer and go ahead and automate the levels to your heart’s content.
Rack devices in the Combinator above the main synth drums
Note: In the Combinator I created inside the Project files, I also added an “Instant Glitch” and “Bass Boost” button which can be used to give the drums a completely new feel. I wouldn’t use them together, but separately they can open up a whole new way to play this patch. Also, there’s some other modifications I made to the original drums. I added a Vocoder Bypass switch on button 4, so if you are bypassing the Vocoder, there’s no need to mix in the dry signal, as the signal is already completely dry. So if bypassing the Vocoder, keep Rotary 4 fully left. Otherwise you’ll be doubling the dry signal which may not be desired. And lastly, I mapped Rotary 1 to the Stereo Width, so turn it fully left to create a pseudo-mono effect, and fully right to widen up the stereo field.
The front Combinator Controls
Chaining 2 or More Redrums Together
Another thing you can do with Redrums that can amplify and expand your drum programming is to Layer your drums by chaining them together. Whether you use Redrum patches for your drum sounds, or create a sample-based drum kit and have the Redrums trigger the synths, you can still create layered drum Combinators very easily. Here’s one method to do this.
First create a Combinator and holding Shift down, create the following devices in sequence: M Class Compressor, M Class Equilizer, M Class Stereo Imager, M Class Maximizer, RV 7000 Reverb, 14:2 Line Mixer, 3 Redrums, and 2 DDL-1 Delay units.
Flip to the back of the rack, and Connect the Left and Right Mixer outputs to the Compressor’s Left and Right Inputs. Then chain the Compressor to the Equilizer to the Stereo Imager to the Maximizer to the RV 7000 and then out to the Left and Right Combinator inputs (From Devices). That essentially sets up the Drum Mastering.
Routing for the Mastering in the Combinator
Connect the Left and Right Outputs from the first Redrum to the first channel on the Mixer. Connect the second Redrum’s Left and Right Output through the first DDL-1 unit and then to the second channnel on the Mixer. Connect the third Redrum’s Left and Right Outputs through the second DDL-1 unit and then to the third channel on the Mixer. This sets up our Redrum Audio channels.
Lastly, send the Gate Out CV for the first Redrum’s first channel to the Gate In CV on the second Redrum’s first channel. Then send the Gate Out CV on the Second Redrum’s first channel to the Gate In CV on the third Redrum’s first channel. Repeat this process for all 10 Redrums’ channels. This way, the first Redrum acts as the “Master” Gate triggering the other two “Slave” Redrums in Parallel (actually this is in series, but the effect is that all three Redrums trigger at exactly the same time, which is why we’ve inserted a Delay unit between the last two Redrums and the Mixer).
CV routing between the "Master" (Gate Out) and "Slave" (Gate In) Redrum
Flip the rack around to the front. Bypass all the M Class devices as well as the Reverb and Delay devices for now. Add patches into the three Redrum devices so that you have different drum kits in all three. Then disable the pattern section on the two Redrum Slaves (last two Redrums). Add a pattern into the Redrum Master (the first Redrum — simply select the device, and click Ctrl+R to get a random pattern entered). Then press the Play button and you’ll hear all three Drum kits working the same pattern at the same time. This is your basic setup.
Next, turn On the Delay units and enter some step sequence that sounds good for the second and third drum kits. This is a matter of taste, but if you look at my Combinator file, you’ll see I have the second Redrum’s delay set to 3 steps and the third Redrum set to 6 steps. I also adjusted the levels and Panning of all three drum kits in the Mixer so that it didn’t shatter my speakers and start giving me that beautifully annoying red clip light (Note that I also added a Scream 4 unit between the third drum kit and its associated Delay line. That’s because the drums from the third drum kit sounded a little lacking). By delaying two of the three drum kits you end up with a much fuller sound. However, this can be a bit of overkill as well. If you like, try tuning the Dry/Wet knobs on the delays so that the delay is a little more subtle. Again, it’s all a matter of personal taste.
Finally, adjust your Compression, EQ, Stereo Imaging, and Maximizing using the M Class Devices. What’s more, you should experiment by using separate M-Class devices for each of the Redrum kits and adjust them independantly. In this way, you can have a greater degree of control over the final sound. In fact, if you want to go all out, you should create four sets of M Class devices; 1 for each of the drum kits, and one for an overall mixdown of the three drums together. This can help to really bring the drum mixes together.
The whole idea here is to choose drum kits that work well together and don’t clash. They should compliment each other. Some ways to ensure they are complimentary is to choose drum patches in the same or similar vein (all Dub kits or all Electronic kits). Another way is to EQ each drum kit so that it has its own place in terms of frequency. A third way is to pan them and mix their stereo width so that they also have their own space within the stereo field. This, of course is beyond the scope of the tutorial, but it’s all a matter of your own personal taste. Keep experimenting!
If you look at the Combinator Mod Matrix, you’ll see that I’ve mapped the second rotary to the pitch of all 30 drums in the 3 Redrum devices. This is a great way to quickly change the pitch of all the drums in the Combinator. The downside is that since you use 10 routings per device in the Mod Matrix, you lose the ability to map anything else from the Redrum devices to the Combinator. So I’ve opted to show you how to map the pitch to the rotary instead of mapping the pattern sequencer to a Rotary control. However, if you want to automate the Pattern Sequencer from the first Redrum, simply create a sequencer track for the Redrum, then automate your patterns directly in Reason or Record’s main sequencer. A few more clicks, but it’s still fairly easy to program.
Where do you go from here?
This is definitely not the end-all-be-all when it comes to the Redrum. There’s a lot more you can explore, such as mapping some of the other parameters to the Rotaries, for example the drum level knobs, or the main Resolution knob. You can also automate pretty much every element of the Redrums in the main Sequencer. In addition, you can layer your own synth sounds on top of each other to create some pretty massive synth drum kits. Hopefully this at least gives you a few new ideas when it comes to programming your drums. I know after 3 tutorials on the subject I’m done working on the Redrum for a while. Time to get back to working on some synths again.
So do you find these setups useful? Do you have any setups that you’d like to share? I’d love to hear about them. Feel free to comment and let me know. And thanks for taking the time to read these tutorials. Your feedback and comments are very much appreciated.
