Uploaded July 2018 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago
A musical piece performed on mostly Sputnik Modular equipment.
Borderlands Patch Notes
OK, this is a pretty giant patch. Took me a while to get up the gumption to write it down!
Acronyms:
West Coast Random Source (WCRS)
Dual Oscillator (DO)
Quad Function & Trigger Source (QFTS)
5-Step Voltage Source (5SVS)
Quad VCF/VCA (QVV)
Multitouch Keyboard/Controller (MKC)
Drone/Lead
==========
Simple: DO with Harmonics/Symmetry and Timbre modulated by Intellijel 1U Noise Tools. Hand-played using main frequency knob and some wiggling of the modulation index.
I sat on this patch for a very long time not sure what to do with it. Finally I thought, "let's just see if I can 'play' the DO" by hand as a kind of a wailing drone voice". I liked it enough to record.
Bass
====
Oscillator #1 Waveshape output sequenced by Ornament & Crime in Quantermain mode, quantized to pentatonic minor. Waveshape modulated by QFTS. Output to QVV in LPG mode, trigger to both QFTS and QVV from 2hp Div.
“Hats”
=====
White noise from 1U Intellijel Noise Tools into Valve Multiplier (VCA), with envelope controlled by a channel of QFTS, with decay modulated by WCRS Fluctuating Random Voltage. Timing for envelope was derived by “halving” the gates from the 5SVS in WCRS pulse splitter, and ORing that with step 2 gate from 5SVS.
Main “Rhythm” Voice (good god)
==========================
Got fancy with sequencing here, and used ratcheting and reset to make things more interesting. Oscillator #2 v/oct driven by 5SVS channel A, mixed with WCRS Quantized Random Voltages and then Quantized again with 2hp Tune set to minor pentatonic. Mixing the voltages before the quantizer allows the sequence to be varied along the way. My idea was to turn up the QRV ordinal as the piece progressed, but I think I forgot, so the sequence was probably really just quantized random, practically-speaking :-\. Aaaaand, Tune’s “Bias” parameter was controlled by MKC’s Location Sensor, which allowed for easy transpositions, like playing a chord organ ;-)
Ratcheting controlled by 5SVS channel D, the voltage of which was sent to 2hp Div to cause higher multiples for higher knob settings. Div’s multiplied pulse was sent to LxD -6db channel strike input. Blippety-blip.
Reset was triggered by step 4 of 5SVS, but indirectly via WMD Tool-Box’ VC switch, so the reset was timed quite slowly. The switch was triggered by another 2hp Div channel set to a slow division. There was probably a more elegant way to do this, like just a really slow Division ;-).
The oscillator’s waveshaping parameter was modulated by channel B of 5SVS mixed with WCRS Fluctuating Random Voltage and the waveshape output was rectified (via WMD Tool-Box) before being sent to the -6db channel of LxD.
LxD was CV’d by QFTS envelope, with the decay of the envelope controlled by another cycling channel of QFTS, attenuated via 1U Quadratt. During the performance I turned up the attenuverter, which caused more “squelchy” sounds to be produced by this combo. The final output was sent through a QVV in filter mode with CV provided by 5SVS channel C.
Whew!
Bass Drum / Toms / Percussion
==========================
This voice was derived from the sub output of the main rhythm voice, sent into LxD -6db channel, and from there into QVV in filter mode. Triggering by a pulse from another channel of 2hp Div (I have two of them here) with rate being modulated by WCRS Stored Random Voltages. During the performance I occasionally turn up the frequency knob on the QVV until the drums have quite a bit of bite.
These last two voices were mixed and sent to Disting in ping-pong delay mode. During the course of the performance I kept turning up the feedback a little at a time. In the chaotic “climax” section, it’s up pretty darn high!
Production Notes
==============
Main mixing was done in Sputnik 6-channel mixer. Stereo outs from the mixer sent through 2hp Verb, and on to 1U Intellijel Buffered Multiple and from there sent to the headphone out (for monitoring) and to 1U Intellijel I/O module for recording. The I/O module interfaces to the case-mounted 1/4” jacks, which were sent to my Sony PCMD50.
Video shot with Sony A6000 mounting a Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 single-coated lens (M-mount).
A musical piece performed on mostly Sputnik Modular equipment.
Borderlands Patch Notes
OK, this is a pretty giant patch. Took me a while to get up the gumption to write it down!
Acronyms:
West Coast Random Source (WCRS)
Dual Oscillator (DO)
Quad Function & Trigger Source (QFTS)
5-Step Voltage Source (5SVS)
Quad VCF/VCA (QVV)
Multitouch Keyboard/Controller (MKC)
Drone/Lead
==========
Simple: DO with Harmonics/Symmetry and Timbre modulated by Intellijel 1U Noise Tools. Hand-played using main frequency knob and some wiggling of the modulation index.
I sat on this patch for a very long time not sure what to do with it. Finally I thought, "let's just see if I can 'play' the DO" by hand as a kind of a wailing drone voice". I liked it enough to record.
Bass
====
Oscillator #1 Waveshape output sequenced by Ornament & Crime in Quantermain mode, quantized to pentatonic minor. Waveshape modulated by QFTS. Output to QVV in LPG mode, trigger to both QFTS and QVV from 2hp Div.
“Hats”
=====
White noise from 1U Intellijel Noise Tools into Valve Multiplier (VCA), with envelope controlled by a channel of QFTS, with decay modulated by WCRS Fluctuating Random Voltage. Timing for envelope was derived by “halving” the gates from the 5SVS in WCRS pulse splitter, and ORing that with step 2 gate from 5SVS.
Main “Rhythm” Voice (good god)
==========================
Got fancy with sequencing here, and used ratcheting and reset to make things more interesting. Oscillator #2 v/oct driven by 5SVS channel A, mixed with WCRS Quantized Random Voltages and then Quantized again with 2hp Tune set to minor pentatonic. Mixing the voltages before the quantizer allows the sequence to be varied along the way. My idea was to turn up the QRV ordinal as the piece progressed, but I think I forgot, so the sequence was probably really just quantized random, practically-speaking :-\. Aaaaand, Tune’s “Bias” parameter was controlled by MKC’s Location Sensor, which allowed for easy transpositions, like playing a chord organ ;-)
Ratcheting controlled by 5SVS channel D, the voltage of which was sent to 2hp Div to cause higher multiples for higher knob settings. Div’s multiplied pulse was sent to LxD -6db channel strike input. Blippety-blip.
Reset was triggered by step 4 of 5SVS, but indirectly via WMD Tool-Box’ VC switch, so the reset was timed quite slowly. The switch was triggered by another 2hp Div channel set to a slow division. There was probably a more elegant way to do this, like just a really slow Division ;-).
The oscillator’s waveshaping parameter was modulated by channel B of 5SVS mixed with WCRS Fluctuating Random Voltage and the waveshape output was rectified (via WMD Tool-Box) before being sent to the -6db channel of LxD.
LxD was CV’d by QFTS envelope, with the decay of the envelope controlled by another cycling channel of QFTS, attenuated via 1U Quadratt. During the performance I turned up the attenuverter, which caused more “squelchy” sounds to be produced by this combo. The final output was sent through a QVV in filter mode with CV provided by 5SVS channel C.
Whew!
Bass Drum / Toms / Percussion
==========================
This voice was derived from the sub output of the main rhythm voice, sent into LxD -6db channel, and from there into QVV in filter mode. Triggering by a pulse from another channel of 2hp Div (I have two of them here) with rate being modulated by WCRS Stored Random Voltages. During the performance I occasionally turn up the frequency knob on the QVV until the drums have quite a bit of bite.
These last two voices were mixed and sent to Disting in ping-pong delay mode. During the course of the performance I kept turning up the feedback a little at a time. In the chaotic “climax” section, it’s up pretty darn high!
Production Notes
==============
Main mixing was done in Sputnik 6-channel mixer. Stereo outs from the mixer sent through 2hp Verb, and on to 1U Intellijel Buffered Multiple and from there sent to the headphone out (for monitoring) and to 1U Intellijel I/O module for recording. The I/O module interfaces to the case-mounted 1/4” jacks, which were sent to my Sony PCMD50.
Video shot with Sony A6000 mounting a Voigtlander 35mm f/1.4 single-coated lens (M-mount).
