Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Building some feedback loops in the digital domain using Symbolic Sound's Kyma 7.
In audio feedback loops, the output of the system is fed back into an input. We're probably most familiar with this when we put a microphone in front of a speaker and we get the "howling" sound. Here, though, I'm intentionally building digital feedback loops in order to explore the sonic possibilities of these rather unpredictable systems.
In order to keep my feedback loop interesting, though, I need to keep it from dying away to silence, or blowing up into white noise. By considering the different processes we apply to the audio in the loop (are they adding spectral complexity or removing it?), we can try to make feedback patches that are dynamic and interesting over time.
0:00 The Continuum of Spectral Complexity
3:13 Staring with an Sine Wave in Kyma
4:45 Delay with Feedback
5:49 Building Feedback Loops Manually
8:40 Ring-Modulating the Feedback
11:20 Gain and Saturation
14:22 Exploring the Sound
16:16 Filter Bank
19:05 Jamming with the Patch
22:18 Thinking about Control
23:25 Performing the Sound
26:34 Feedback Loop with Reverb
28:10 Making it into IDM with the Chopper
29:22 So What? Next Steps
More Kyma videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6HKGAY2WXAqZRW4ocsAb8DA
More audio cybernetics and feedback: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6GtdiwZLSrDL3BhBjZngMKa
Dr. Jeffrey Stolet’s beginner book on Kyma (affiliate link): amzn.to/3SAhYei
Check out my album of Eurorack cybernetic music here: simonhutchinson.bandcamp.com/album/cybernetics-feedback
LINKS:
Subscribe: youtube.com/user/SimonHutc/?sub_confirmation=1
Official Website - simonhutchinson.com
bandcamp (lots of free music!): simonhutchinson.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Sign up for my mailing list: eepurl.com/hVs7bT
Buy my old gear on Reverb (affiliate link): reverb.grsm.io/simon
Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/simonhutchinson
My VoiceOver gear (affiliate links)
Aston Microphones Origin (amazon): amzn.to/40wQ7Og
dbx 286s Channel Strip (amazon): amzn.to/3QxZDvN
* I provide affiliate links for some products that I use and enjoy. If you end up buying something through these external links, I may earn a small commission (while the price for you remains the same).
#kyma #kyma7 #SoundSynthesis #SoundDesign #ExperimentalMusic #symbolicsound #feedback #feedbackloops #cyberneticmusic #musicproduction
Building some feedback loops in the digital domain using Symbolic Sound's Kyma 7.
In audio feedback loops, the output of the system is fed back into an input. We're probably most familiar with this when we put a microphone in front of a speaker and we get the "howling" sound. Here, though, I'm intentionally building digital feedback loops in order to explore the sonic possibilities of these rather unpredictable systems.
In order to keep my feedback loop interesting, though, I need to keep it from dying away to silence, or blowing up into white noise. By considering the different processes we apply to the audio in the loop (are they adding spectral complexity or removing it?), we can try to make feedback patches that are dynamic and interesting over time.
0:00 The Continuum of Spectral Complexity
3:13 Staring with an Sine Wave in Kyma
4:45 Delay with Feedback
5:49 Building Feedback Loops Manually
8:40 Ring-Modulating the Feedback
11:20 Gain and Saturation
14:22 Exploring the Sound
16:16 Filter Bank
19:05 Jamming with the Patch
22:18 Thinking about Control
23:25 Performing the Sound
26:34 Feedback Loop with Reverb
28:10 Making it into IDM with the Chopper
29:22 So What? Next Steps
More Kyma videos: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6HKGAY2WXAqZRW4ocsAb8DA
More audio cybernetics and feedback: youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7w4cOVVxL6GtdiwZLSrDL3BhBjZngMKa
Dr. Jeffrey Stolet’s beginner book on Kyma (affiliate link): amzn.to/3SAhYei
Check out my album of Eurorack cybernetic music here: simonhutchinson.bandcamp.com/album/cybernetics-feedback
LINKS:
Subscribe: youtube.com/user/SimonHutc/?sub_confirmation=1
Official Website - simonhutchinson.com
bandcamp (lots of free music!): simonhutchinson.bandcamp.com/follow_me
Sign up for my mailing list: eepurl.com/hVs7bT
Buy my old gear on Reverb (affiliate link): reverb.grsm.io/simon
Buy me a coffee: ko-fi.com/simonhutchinson
My VoiceOver gear (affiliate links)
Aston Microphones Origin (amazon): amzn.to/40wQ7Og
dbx 286s Channel Strip (amazon): amzn.to/3QxZDvN
* I provide affiliate links for some products that I use and enjoy. If you end up buying something through these external links, I may earn a small commission (while the price for you remains the same).
#kyma #kyma7 #SoundSynthesis #SoundDesign #ExperimentalMusic #symbolicsound #feedback #feedbackloops #cyberneticmusic #musicproduction
