0-Coast: Basic Ambient Patches

In this video I set up a few basic ambient patches on the Make Noise 0-Coast. I wanted to do it as a self-contained thing - so no additional MIDI control or sequencers - just generative sounds driven by the Stepped Random Voltage feature on the synth, and then sounds going out the Walrus Audio Slo reverb (set to Dream mode: longish decay, medium vibrato rate, medium vibrato depth, and about 50/50 wet/dry). Lastly, at the end of the video I do a similar sort of patch on the Korg Volca Modular, as a reference point for the general concepts.
TIMELINE
00:00 STARTER: Extra LFO Patch
This patch uses the 0-Coast's extra LFO feature that sends a signal out the MIDI B gate and cv jacks when the functionality is changed in the settings menus. Drop a comment if you want to know more about the details of this patch.
00:34 INTRO
I tried using some natural light here but didn't catch the sunset fast enough.
01:53 PATCH 1 - Brass Duo
This one's the simplest and also my favorite. Doing a video on generative music is strange - you can try to build up, grow in complexity - but it's really the randomness that has the most to say about how it sounds, ultimately. I can't help it that one of my favorite things I've ever done on this channel just sort of sprouted out of the end of this part - it takes some luck.
PATCH NOTES: CLOCK -- GATE, Stepped Random Voltage -- Utility (top right, needs a stacking cable), Utility (bottom right) -- 1v/Oct, Utility (top right, into stacking cable) -- TIME, SLOPE (cycle on) -- Balance In, unconnected -- MLTPL (to remove the LFO frequency from the Overtone/Multiply section). Set the Slope fast enough to get a tone. Set the Contour (and tempo) long enough to really hear the notes. You can get parallel motion with the Utility attenuverter set positive, contrary motion with it set negative (and the pitch bias probably needs to be changed between these cases).
19:45 PATCH 2 - Beat Frequencies
I play the Mbira a little at the beginning of this part. Getting better at playing the Mbira, Kalimba, also hand drumming and fingerdrumming - these are some goals. Random ambient space reverb tones are great - but they are like a very specific food that needs some sort of other food to contrast it.
PATCH NOTES: From PATCH 1, remove the Utility (top right) -- TIME cable. Add a cable from the Oscillator (Triangle Wave Out) to the Dynamic input. Note: I was a little off in the video about how this breaks the normal (but put some overlay titles in to clarify). Then also add a cable from Contour to MLTPL, set the Multiply attenuverter positive for some nice "phasing" effects.
25:59 PATCH 3 - Voyager
A couple of the last hits of this patch are really nice. You could probably tune it up to make those happen a lot more often.
PATCH NOTES: Add the Utility (top right) -- TIME cable back to PATCH 2. Then switch from the triangle to the square wave coming out of the Oscillator.
30:57 VOLCA MODULAR
Our cat Lola. I'm putting a funnier clip from this shot onto Instagram (dr_nim2014). The cats are synthcats here - they know that they can power down for a good nap when I'm making the sounds and won't be doing something rude like leaving the house. The Volca Modular is an obvious choice to try for some similar sounds - it's dressed up to look like a Buchla synth, standard of West Coast synthesis - and so linked in a way to the 0-Coast. I've put two steps into the sequencer (1 and 9) to trigger Function 1 and the Woggle, but the actual sequence notes are getting added to by the stepped Woggle. Long gate and stochastic modes are on, no motion sequencing (but that could be cool). Note: I also tried to do this sort of thing with the Kastle 1.5. See my "Deep Sea Vents" post on Instagram.
PATCH NOTES:
ratio, fold, mod all minimum. attack near max, release at 3:30, shape at 12:00, time at 11:00. LPG1 cuttoff is max, LPG2 cuttoff 2:00, a smidge of Space FX. The C parameter is varied (11:00-2:00). Modulation oscillator -- LPG1 in, Function 2 trigger out -- Function 2 trigger in, Function 2 plus -- LPG2 in, Function 1 minus -- LPG2 gate in, Woggle Stepped -- B, A+BxC -- note in, A-BxC -- Function 2 time.

[@qwerwerterytrtyutyuiyuiouiop]

This is a really, really good demo, thanks so much! I am picking up an 0-Coast tomorrow and am grateful to collect some tips from you to help get me started :)

[@undulations]

@@qwerwerterytrtyutyuiyuiouiop Glad to hear that it's helpful! Thanks a lot for checking it out! Enjoy your 0-Coast👍🏻!

[@thealmightycommenter]

Hiya undulations, always love how you make every machine sound like you. You seem to have a magical creative spirit that keeps digging the best out of certain bits of gear 🥰 thanks for the content and keep it up

[@debaserNYC]

thanks for taking the time to do patch notes, very helpful as a starting point to experimentation.

[@undulations]

You're welcome, very glad to hear that! Thanks for checking out the video🙏🏼!

[@PainaFactory]

The explanation was very clear and helpful. You are a great teacher! Thank you very much😊

[@undulations]

You're welcome! Thanks very much for the kind feedback🙏🏼!

[@tonysharp1615]

Wonderful presentation. Your tutoring is helping my understanding of the 0 Coast enormously. 😃👍🏻👍🏻

[@undulations]

Thank you very much🙏🏼! Glad to hear that!

[@stevecurcuru]

Excellent patches and explanation - been exploring the 0-Coast for years and still learned some new things here, subscribed!

[@undulations]

That is great to hear! Thanks a lot for the feedback🙏🏼!

[@mifflinfinity]

This was a REALLY good explanation of the signal path of the synth. Thank you so much for taking the time to explain this to us and for sharing your passion for synthesis!

[@undulations]

Absolutely! It's still such a personal favorite synth; I'm very glad that I made the video. Thanks for watching🙏🏼!

[@reazallykhan8614]

Very educational...thank you for your explanation....couldn’t be more clearer...I’m definitely keeping my ocoast now....I need to explore it more ... a lot more...

[@undulations]

Thanks very much! I appreciate the feedback🙏🏼!

[@m0osebeard]

Space madness ha! -super job with this. Gonna try these myself. Thanks for your patient explanations.

[@undulations]

Hey, thanks a lot for checking it out🙏🏼! ps I did a couple of follow-up patches on Instagram (dr_nim2014) that explore using feedback for some really low drum-like sounds under a main random melody, different from this video, harsher, but kind of an interesting 0coast mode👍🏻.

[@davidlarrad2565]

This is the best O Coast tutorial on KZbin by far, it's allowed me to understand it much better! Thank you very much.

[@undulations]

Thank you for the feedback🙏🏼 I'm glad to hear that it was helpful.

[@christeeter303]

Thanks very much for this clear and thorough explanation of the O-Coast. You rescued me from my frustration with it! Subscribed!!

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for checking out this video and subscribing🙏🏼! It's always great to hear that a video has been helpful😀!

[@fern6956]

Thanx, nice patching and making use of the 0-coast in such clever way

[@undulations]

Thank you very much🙏🏼!

[@Victor-lo6dg]

Very nice and detailed tutorial! Enjoyed it a lot

[@undulations]

Thanks very much🙏🏼!

[@MM-ib6qh]

Wow, nice. I learned a TON from this. Thank you! Time to break out my o-coast again!

[@undulations]

Glad to hear it was helpful! Thanks a lot for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@Softlol]

This was just what I was looking for, thanks for the great tutorial. I also really need to listen to some acoustic instruments after all the alien like sounds the 0-COAST tend to make. You seem to make just the type of content I’m after! Great stuff! Subscribed!

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for subscribing! I always liked how this video turned out. Nice to get feedback about it!

[@I.O.M.]

Comes to life with the reverb. Thanks for sharing!

[@undulations]

You're very welcome! Thanks a lot for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@hummingrhizomes]

Many thanks for this clear and concise tutorial. Great patches, too!

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for watching! I look back on a couple of clips from this video, was very happy with how they turned out. I feel like random setups like these patches can sometimes give back a lot more than is put into them. Thanks again!

[@hummingrhizomes]

​@@undulations Many thanks. I am enjoying the other videos on your channel, too. All the best

[@niloben659]

Great to see the master back. More 0 coast videos please.

[@undulations]

🙏🙏🙏 I appreciate that! Already working on an 0-Coast thing that I'd like to share in the near future!

[@Jin-Hu]

This is just amazing, thank you for these ideas, and for calling out the space madness, really made me laugh. Thank you

[@undulations]

Thank you🙏🏼! You're very welcome! Yeah, people talk about listening to a kickdrum sound 5k-10k times, surely draining, but endless random (slightly atonal) sequences with reverb = 😱. Thanks for checking it out!

[@FawazK]

Dr. Nim, you create the best tutorials on YT. They're very enjoyable and explained thoroughly. A treasure for a guy like me who's a hobbyist and not a professional synthesis wizard. I appreciate your efforts and time! I hope you'll be grabbing a Strega and experiment with that as well :)

[@undulations]

You're welcome! Thank you very much for the kind words and encouragement🙏🏼 - it means a lot! As for the Strega? Yes! It looks great, and I hope to be sharing explorations of it in the coming months. Thanks again!

[@arteasoundVolterra]

Indeed, I agree: best tutorials. Thank you very much. It is so educating and pleasant to see this type of instruction without so much equipment connected; equipment that many of us don't have and mainly care about what type of sounds one can produce with the intended piece of hardware in question or demonstration. Very nicely explained and in detail. We are lucky to have you. Thanks again. (From Italy)

[@undulations]

Thank you very much for the kind feedback🙏🏼! I always make the videos with the hope that they will be helpful to people - now or at some point in the future. I always feel lucky when somebody takes the time to let me know. Thanks again🙏🏼! ps Venice is my favorite city.

[@arteasoundVolterra]

@@undulations Also you should see Volterra (PI), if you haven't. Thanks.

[@undulations]

@@arteasoundVolterra Okay, will check that out👍🏻

[@Lohbado]

thanks. really enjoyed it. it inspired me to get out the 0 coast and explore it some more.

[@undulations]

Awesome! Glad to hear that! Thanks a lot for checking out the video🙏🏼

[@djcuvcuv]

wow so darn cool. great video and walkthrough!

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@djformalin]

The best o coast tutorial ever...thx a lot ! Subbed & liked .

[@undulations]

High praise! Thanks very much checking it out🙏🏼!

[@NRG____]

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for the feedback🙏🏼!

[@NRG____]

@@undulations thanks for your time in making this video. It is super thorough and really nicely presented. I learned a lot!

[@petdoe8938]

Thank you , absolutely brilliant ,thank you

[@undulations]

You're welcome! Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback!

[@distortiontruthBOS-RP]

Excellent tutorial.

[@undulations]

Thank you🙏🏼!

[@chuckwalksdogs]

The combination of your voice and the sounds you're making in this video put me into a zen state. It also inspired me to put an offer on a used 0-Coast I've been watching for a while. I need to buy a kalimba.

[@undulations]

Well, I don't think you'll regret either one! The immediacy of a kalimba is so nice, especially when we're used to limitations like monophony, tempo grids, bootup times, etc. The 0-Coast has always been a favorite since the day I got it; I think you'll be impressed with the in-person sound quality. Thanks very much for checking out the video🙏🏼!

[@johntbd]

Thanks for this post. I will attempt tomorrow.

[@undulations]

Let me know how it goes. Not sure if you do Instagram, but around the time of this video I posted quite a few other 0-Coast patches that might be of interest. Thanks for checking this one out🙏🏼

[@MD_is_me]

The most interesting demo about the O-Coast that I've seen. Playing to it's strengths instead of trying putting square stuff into round stuff. The Volca at the end does beg the question, "Is the O-Coast worth the extra dosh?" Or, "Would two VMs be a better choice for the same price as an O-Coast?" This VM vs OC thing does imply strictly standalone use; no Eurorack integration.

[@undulations]

Thank you very much🙏🏼! To be fair, the VM does have a CV-In jack for two potential euro signals, but you're definitely right that it takes a lot more effort to get anything close the the compatability of the 0-Coast. As for a general comparison? I'd say that the overall modular functionality and the sequencer make the VM a really great choice for the money, especially if you don't have any other modular gear. And you certainly _can_ get a ton of great sounds out of it (particularly when paired with an external effect, maybe the Korg NTS-1 - but that is tacking on cost though). BUT, the sound coming out of the 0-Coast is of incredible quality, and there are a lot of different types of sound from it as well. It doesn't have a built-in sequencer but it does have midi-in (which the VM doesn't). So, pairing with a daw (via midi 2x2 box) or maybe an Elektron device gives a ton of control. I guess ultimately I feel like it comes down to goals and the gear you already have (and of course $). Make sense? It's a valid and interesting question. Thanks again for checking out the video!

[@noiseentropy]

Interesting ambient patches. I will try some of these on my O-Coast

[@undulations]

Cool, best of luck with it👍🏻! Thanks a lot for watching!

[@walrtbstudios5430]

It goes somewhat against the ‘in-house’ ethos here, but I must confess to quantising this kind of 0-Coast noodling- it makes it easier to listen to and- if I post it- easier to relate to. Some great explanations of a truly fascinating little synth though- thanks!

[@MonitorSmith]

Good stuff, and I must get one of these.

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@xorthontech]

Very nice!

[@undulations]

Thanks for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@sveintoreeskilt9572]

Brilliant!!!

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@maximilianpfisterer]

Great Tutorial, really like your soothing voice too :)))

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for checking it out!

[@maximilianpfisterer]

@@undulations Channel subscribed!

[@undulations]

@@maximilianpfisterer Thanks!

[@maon0118]

0coast wonderful

[@undulations]

Yes!

[@marcwav]

Fantastic. Patch 1 gave me Apocalypse Now vibes.

[@undulations]

Thanks very much🙏🏼! Wow, so long since I watched that🤔. I will check out the soundtrack.

[@marcwav]

@@undulations There's also an alternative soundtrack that didn't get used which is entirely synths. It's by a guy called David Shire. I think you'd love it.

[@undulations]

@@marcwav Ahhh, got it👍🏻! Thank you for the info🙏🏼

[@chrisliddiard725]

Liked your opening 'Krell' Music - refrence c/o that classic scifi 'Forbiden Planet'. Ambient before there was ambient ;-)

[@undulations]

Big fan of the Krell here! Love the FP soundtrack👍🏻. Thanks for checking out the video🙏🏼!

[@rainerd9890]

Another fascinating exploration, clearly presented with patch notes. Loved the mbira interlude - ya i get space wet-brain too when editing these kinds of sounds for hours on end on headphones. Check out Bela Fleck's Doc, 'Throw down your heart' for some traditional african instruments and music. I kept waiting for you to connect the O-Coast's LFO to the balance input.

[@undulations]

Hey, thanks a lot for the feedback🙏🏼! I'll check out the documentary, sounds great👍🏻! As for the LFO? You can get the Slope up to audio rate, also the Contour, but not sure about the "extra" LFO (where the external CV and Gate come out). I guess I always thought that was a tap tempo feature (albeit that can get quite fast if you try). Maybe there is a midi CC way to set that rate, but I have not tried it? Anyway, 0-Coast is always great to work with!

[@rainerd9890]

@@undulations I just thought to slowly sweep the balance in patch 1 with a triangle or square wave LFO as you were doing manually. i figured one could just tap in the LFO rate? great visual presentation as well - looks like a lot of work to post these videos. thanks.

[@undulations]

@@rainerd9890 Ahh, understood. I used them for pitch in the opening shot, but you're right, sweeping or flipping the balance would be nice. Thanks very much re: the presentation - this one was mostly planning out a path through the patches and editing the main shot. Thanks again for watching🙏🏼!

[@soundinmind]

Fancy kalimba. Cool patching

[@undulations]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@not_in_sync5758]

Like your approach for exploring the synth would you like to make a tutorial of your way using the korg sq 1 together with the o coast?

[@undulations]

I think that's a great idea for a video👍🏻 Making a note of it. Meanwhile, I think my most recent clip of the combo was on IG (Jan 6), which was also mentioned/shown in the "Jamuary 2021 #1" video on here, also the ending of my "Defamiliarizing the SQ-1" video on here is based on that combo (if you haven't already seen), Thanks a lot for watching and for the suggestion🙏🏼!

[@PrudenChris]

hero

[@undulations]

🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@sekorsky9671]

Cool

[@undulations]

Thank you🙏🏼!

[@andrewnancarrow]

Great video, clarifies a lot about the basic signal path of the 0-coast. I did hit a snag however. In the step around 11:50 where you patch the clock into the gate, I don’t get any pulsing of the signal from the contour section. No matter how I have the knobs turned. The green square light next to Decay is flashing as is the yellow circle light just to 2:00 of the Gate input. But the drone remains a solid uninterrupted drone. I can’t figure out how to get the contour to modulate the signal

[@andrewnancarrow]

Nevermind I forgot to unplug the dynamic input

[@undulations]

Hmmm... I'm not exactly sure. At that point in the video I'm relying on the "normalled" routing of the Contour envelope to the input of the Dynamics. Now, if your Dynamics knob is set too low then you probably wouldn't hear anything. But that normalled connection is broken if anything is plugged into the Dynamics _input_ jack. But then there would need to be a voltage to hear anything, so I guess I'm wondering if the attenuverter output is hooked to the Dynamics? I could have this totally wrong though. I think the patch notes are in the video description, that might shed some light. Anyway, I appreciate you watching. Just let me know if any of what I've said here helped. If not, feel free to give your exact patch and settings, I can set up here and let you know. Thanks again🙏🏼!

[@undulations]

@@andrewnancarrow excellent! comments crossed paths. glad you got it going!

[@andrewnancarrow]

It must be my severe case if space madness

[@undulations]

@@andrewnancarrow It certainly happens👽.

[@glass.tapper]

Space... MaDnEsS!

[@undulations]

Lol, so true! All starships come with a kalimba as standard, as basic as seatbelts and a coffee maker😂.