Blade Runner on the Behringer 960 - Transposing Sequences on Analogue Sequencers

[@dirckxd]

Just received the Disting for my 960 sequencer. Love it. You could do the transpose also via input Y on the Disting, but I understand you did it on the oscillator to make things simple and universal to use. Intro with the words of the master himself gave me goosebumps before the track even started.

[@1soto1972]

The voice at the beginning is from an interview of the master himself, Vangelis. But i think he used the Yamaha CS-80 for the sounds.

[@vondoom2876]

Absolutely fantastic

[@fakshen1973]

I like driving sequencers with euclidean patterns and a global reset trigger every so many bars. You can get some nice rhythms for bass or leads. Throw a switch in there and you can use a second sequencer driving a seitch to automate between the three cv outs.

[@ZvookUK]

Yeah, I’ve uploaded a video where I use the Euclidean trigger generator algorithm on the disting mk4 with a 960 sequencer - like you say, it’s an effective way of coming up with interesting gate patterns for sequences as well as drums etc. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sF7diGyhjtCpfZI

[@genesioapretto5077]

for me the most faithful translation of the infinite cosmos 🥀

[@popcycles]

I thought that was the uploaders voice in the beginning, being put through a reverb that sounded like a television. But then I read your description. 😂

[@AppleKid]

Nice sound. Cool transition.

[@TheInterGalacticFederation]

i like the vocal samples at the start!

[@ZvookUK]

Thanks, it’s taken from a BBC interview on the 80s with Vangelis, the composer of the original Blade Runner soundtrack. He talks about being a conduit for the music; allowing the music to write itself.

[@PedalScience]

Great video!

[@Jin-Hu]

Love this, subbed! Thank you

[@Rhythmicons]

This is lovely, man! It will surely get a lot of views. Let Synthtopia pick this up....

[@ZvookUK]

Thanks Eric. Yeah I'll have to get in touch with them. I was just watching/listening to a Wendy Carlos / Clockwork Orange tribute on their blog this morning. I wasn't searching for Synthtopia specifically, I was searching for Clockwork Orange soundtrack videos, and came across a link a couple of pages down.

[@Rhythmicons]

@@ZvookUK I admire the hell out of her work. I'm just a bit upset that it is so expensive to hear and her company throws a hissy fit if one posts it online. I've shared some of the albums before though I know that would infuriate her haha.

[@ZvookUK]

@@Rhythmicons I agree - I stole my dad's Clockwork Orange vinyl as soon as I spotted it in his collection! Love that soundtrack. Much kudos to WC.

[@DALHOPP]

Love it

[@walrtbstudios5430]

Good point about the process of composition- or not. Sometimes I think I just create the conditions in which happy accidents happen…

[@Sulzart]

Hi, how about the right module on the first scene. What is the name or model from this ?

[@ZvookUK]

It's the Expert Sleepers Disting MK4. I've done a video on some of the modes (it has over 100 modes) and it features in my complex 960 patch video. It's an extremely useful module. A proper Swiss army knife. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWrJhKuoerFmbdU

[@Sulzart]

@@ZvookUK I think I have to buy it :)

[@ZvookUK]

@@Sulzart The only thing I regret is not getting the new 'EX' version! (basically two Distings in one with extra features/modes) because you soon realise it would be useful to use a couple of different modes simultaneously in some patches... I'll be getting the EX version next I think!

[@sonicultura]

@@ZvookUK did you get it? This video is very inspiring thanks!

[@stevesynth]

Excellent work 👍 just got one myself but I believe I need the 962 also 🤔

[@ZvookUK]

Only if you want to make longer loops than 8 beats long. Ie 16 beat loops

[@stevesynth]

@@ZvookUK I have a few 16 step sequencers, I thought the 962 was also for ratchets 🤔

[@ZvookUK]

@@stevesynth that it is

[@lyntonfairbourne7408]

Hi, as you helped me in the past I'm hoping you can do so again with a question about the 960. Is it possible to send a Clock signal from it so that I can sync other external gear with it? Thanks.

[@ZvookUK]

Yeah you can - 960 has it’s own oscillator for internal clocking and there’s a osc gate out for clocking external equipment to the 960s internal osc. Or you can sync the 960 to external clock sources via the “shift” input

[@lyntonfairbourne7408]

@@ZvookUK Thank you so much. I'm able to send cv and gate from my 960 to a Neutron without any problem but when I try to add a second gate via a Doepfer 180-2 Passive Multiplier so that I can sync the drum track on a 2nd sequencer, which has a clock in but not a gate in, the drum track plays fine but sound from the Neutron stops. Seems like the 960 is only able to trigger one or the other possibly because the voltage is too low so I was thinking that if I could send a clock from the 960 instead of a gate to the 2nd sequencer then this would work. I can't however see a Clock out on the 960 only a gate.

[@mysticsailor9]

Nicely done.. please, what is that tuner module that you have on the right of the 960? Thx

[@ZvookUK]

That’s the Disting MK4 (sorry for the late reply!)

[@unclemick-synths]

Lack of transposition is the biggest fail with the majority of digital step sequencers. I see how they overlooked it historically because the summing with the keyboard is external to the analog sequencer but to me it's a must-have feature. Cool video BTW.

[@ZvookUK]

Yeah, my Arturia step sequencer's only transpose function is a dial. Which is not much use musically... It was a technique that was used a lot, especially before the advent of midi. It obviously has its limitations, such as set, fixed intervals between notes, but it's just another creative limitation you have to work around, something which dictates the direction you have to take. As Vangelis says in his interview, you act as a conduit for the "system" (or as he later states, "the cosmos").

[@unclemick-synths]

@@ZvookUK Transposed sequences are the foundation of most of the tracks on his Spiral album which is probably why I like the technique. Spiral and Albedo 0.39 are my favourite albums of his. I wish he'd done more albums like those two. Spiral is complete and polished whereas Albedo 0.39 is raw and exciting with soaring solos. China is good too. All three albums are big influences on me alongside Oxygène, Équinoxe, and Autobahn.

[@ZvookUK]

@@unclemick-synths I couldn't figure out which key the main melody was in until I realised that he had to use notes outside the original key due to the set intervals imposed by the transposition of the bassline. But it's these "off" key notes that makes the track so appealing to the ears imo. I find that again and again - the most interesting music often brakes the rules and uses the odd note out of key to the rest of the piece. I don't think I've heard all of Vangelis albums you've mentioned - I'll have to check them out, thanks. I'm very familiar with the JMJ albums - it was one of the things that got me into.synth originally. And the Kraftwerk album of course.

[@markschweter6371]

@@ZvookUK The Beatstep can use MIDI in as a transpose input. I've run my two Beatsteps with a small 25key keyboard. Played live to 'tape' with the Beatsteps doing transposing and playing solo/bridge over the top on additional synths.

[@YesThatDan]

The Intellijel Metropolis (recently superceded by the Metropolix) has a CV-input transpose function that works reasonably well, but I still find myself using a second CV input to the oscillator or adding the sequencer’s CV and the keyboard’s CV with a mixer, or something like the Transient Modules 1F.

[@morn1977]

Well done! liked it! 👍👏👏

[@davidrobertson4301]

Yes

[@PawelMusic]

Great presentation, thanks for sharing. What is the module right to 960 with the note display? (sorry I'm new to modules ;-) )

[@ZvookUK]

Thanks! Expert Sleepers Disting MK4. I've uploaded a vid about it.

[@Ratnaic]

Hi How BPM for this? Great sound, I love Vangelis's music

[@mv1692]

112bpm seq:C-C-D-D#

[@dvamateur]

Isn't it the same concept as changing chords with left hand on an auto-accompaniment Bontempi organ?

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

Novice here. Would it be possible to hook up a 960 with a Crave? The Crave is basically a Mother 32 clone.

[@ZvookUK]

Yes you could - the Crave had CV and trigger ins - it has a lot of CV modular capability with plenty of CV ins and outs

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

@@ZvookUK Thanks, will check it out. The idea is to broaden the Crave's possibilities, so that the sequences sound more interesting.

[@vr4ever645]

Minilogue XD is such a versatile Synth! ❤️

[@ZvookUK]

Yeah, it's a great synth. The digital user VCO & FX combined with the analogue oscillators and filter is genius. There's some great 3rd party VCOs & FX out there. The CV functionality is great too - there's tonnes of scope and flexibility.

[@maurosky0081]

wow

[@MyBichSustained]

What is the module you are using to set each key?

[@ZvookUK]

The quantiser function on Expert sleepers disting mk4

[@MyBichSustained]

@@ZvookUK Damn,that's the name?Damn....Thank you!

[@digita1215]

How did you transpose the sequence from the 960?

[@ZvookUK]

Just plug a Keyboard equipped with CV pitch out into the 2nd CV pitch in on your VCO. The voltage from the keyboard (whichever key you press) will transpose the sequence (as the sequence is running - with the sequencer plugged into the other CV in of your VCO) It’s as simple as that - just like in the video. In the video I use a Komplete Kontrol keyboard which hasn’t got CV, so it’s routed through an expert sleepers ES3 to convert the midi to CV. I used it as it’s my master keyboard, but I guess for the sake of demonstrating it would have been more straightforward to use a Keyboard with CV out such as my minibrute or MS-1.

[@ZvookUK]

To add to Chris's helpful reply, It'd probably be most simple to make the initial sequence in the key of C, then the notes of the keyboard will match the transposition.find out what C is 0 volts on your keyboard, then you'll know where the C of the "original" sequence is and transpose up/down from there. It might take a bit of experimenting with the keyboard.

[@timnordberg7204]

if you're using a quantizer after the sequencer, like in the video, they often have a second input just for this purpose, and can be set to either transpose keys or to do the addition before the quantizer and transpose scale degrees instead.

[@iTautra]

@@timnordberg7204 Ahhh...this is great help for a newbe on analog synths like me!

[@markschweter6371]

@@ZvookUK My biggest disappointment with Eurorack VCOs is most only have one 1/8va input.

[@lyntonfairbourne7408]

As a beginner with modular and owning a 960 and Neutron (as sound source) and keyboard with CV out I'm wondering whether i can achieve this transposition technique with what I have or would I need other modules? Thanks

[@ZvookUK]

Yes you could - but as the Neutron only had one CV in (osc 1+2 in) you'd have to use the sum a + b to combine the CV from the keyboard and the 960, then patch the respective sum out to osc 1+2 in. (tip: it'd be useful to find the 0 volt note on your keyboard then you know how much you're transposing by - eg one note up or down - I forgot to mention this in the video)

[@lyntonfairbourne7408]

@@ZvookUK Great and many thanks for your reply - much appreciated.

[@lyntonfairbourne7408]

@@ZvookUK I've got this working perfectly thanks to your help thanks. Not every note on my keyboard changed the oscillator pitch so that proved interesting but all ok now. Can I ask whether you used Samples for some of the sounds you put into your soundtrack?

[@ZvookUK]

@@lyntonfairbourne7408 Glad it worked out! All sounds in the vid are made by synths apart from the dom-dom-dom-dom bassy drum bit that happens a couple of time. Timpani I think they're called - big orchestral drums.

[@_oakley6896]

@@ZvookUK Wow, the sounds around 3.14 and 4.12 are very reminiscent of JMJ sounds, you've done a great job of creating them on yours synths.