Get more out of morphing wavetable oscillators - With Erica Synths Black Wavetable VCO

Morphing wavetable oscillators are great for dynamic and complex sounds. Today we’ll have a quick look at the Erica Synths Black Wavetable VCO, but then we’ll dive right into a bunch of patches that can be used with any morphing wavetable VCO. From dark drones to dynamic melodies and crazy self-modulating chaos.
Timetable:
00:00 - Intro
01:08 - Black Wavetable VCO overview
03:10 - Patch-tips
10:00 - Self-modulation
12:13 - Wavefolding
13:48 - Bank modulation
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#eurorack #wavetable #patchtips

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

From now on patch & block diagram illustrations are available to Patrons ;) www.patreon.com/monotrail

[@rorygiven1938]

This is fantastic! Was already sold on the ES module, but even more pumped after watching you unlock its potential!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you liked it! Also made two videos on envelopes recently. They are really aimed at beginners, but I use a small ES setup with this as the only osc, so sounddemos are good there to :) Still one of my favorite oscillators ever, so would say go for it. These are no longer in production though, so, while you can :)

[@lucapleasureable]

Keep making these videos and tutorials man..truly helpful and very well explained! Amazing ;)

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks for the nice comment, and I will! :)

[@wariusgaius]

The self patched results is making my brain melt. I love it.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad to hear it, cheers!

[@JacobSkriver]

I finally came around and purchased the Black Wavetable VCO. This video is a fantastic resource for patch ideas! Thanks 🙏

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you liked it! And think that's a good choice. I really like this one :)

[@markbooth]

Always great tutorials with ideas for everyone

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad to hear you think so! Cheers :)

[@blitzkreiscollective520]

Thanks for your videos! They give great insights and improve my way of patching!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad to hear you get something out of it! All the best!

[@jonaseggen2230]

Thanks for these great tips. You make my modules seem like new

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

You're welcome! And thats nice to hear! Get more out of stuff you have instead of chasing new things :)

[@alanc6752]

Great video and demo of the Erica VCO.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks, glad you liked it!

[@-erikros-]

I started the video and in 3 seconds I already liked it! great stuff!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad to hear it!

[@Banksyyt]

Super helpful. Thank you, again, for doing these!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you like them! Still really enjoying to make these :)

[@LEdHeadW]

I love your videos! I learn so much, you've really helped make things so much clearer and understandable. I have a Neutron which can shift between different waveforms, and combining those two oscillators with my more traditional electrosmith 3440 oscillators with dedicated outputs I now know how to butter use them together to accomplish a lot of what the ES wave table oscillator can do. Very inspiring for new ideas! Thank you so much for making these videos! They're exceptional, and I'll keep coming back!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

So glad to hear it! These inspired comments make it so worth it making these videos! Thanks for letting me know, and enjoy your experiments! All the best :)

[@shawn-singh]

Love your videos, extremely useful even for someone like me that does not have a modular system yet, only using soft synths. Thank you!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hey, thats lovely to hear! Glad you enjoyed it :) Cheers!

[@snorrevonflake]

Awesome ! On top of my wishlist now.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks! and a worthy oscillator for sure :)

[@brianreilly6545]

Luv this osc, great tips thx!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad to hear it, thanks!

[@scamlikely1442]

Dont forget to pickup the upgrade chip (3rd chip) which adds i think 5 more banks for $35

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Yes should probably do that indeed :)

[@emmanuelleroy2915]

@@MonotrailTechTalk how does it work,? Do u have to like add to the motherboard yourself?

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

@@emmanuelleroy2915 There's already a place (chip holder) for the ROM on the back of the module, if that is what you mean? So you can just push the chip into place, no soldering or dificult stuff ;)

[@emmanuelleroy2915]

@@MonotrailTechTalk OMG thank u so much 🙏🏽

[@modularnepl900]

where can I get it?

[@temporoboto]

BRILLIANT...thanks for sharing.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you enjoyed it, cheers!

[@SpiralCoreSaPaMusix]

Nice man!!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you like it!

[@mymodularjourney]

Now I really finish my Electric Druid VCDO based wavetable osc.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Lovely project, good luck with that! :)

[@ComposerMichaelDow]

I always wanted on of these.... Now I REALLY do!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Haha, I have to apologize to more and more bank accounts across the globe I fear. But if you are in the market for a wave-table oscillator, this is a more than excellent candidate for sure! Still really enjoy mine :)

[@risro.O]

awesome video again. definitely going to play with disting ex's wavetable oscillator tonight! thanks for reminding me it has one 🙂

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Ah yeah, I read about that. I have no experience with the Disting EX, but enjoy the experiment!

[@returnofthenative]

Thank you.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

You're welcome!

[@latergarside-244]

Dang the ES Black sounds soooooo good

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Lovely module indeed :)

[@radpix]

Ah selfpatching - now I have to try with the AUX of the plaits using the wavetable model Thanks. and thanks for hints regarding to that @mostlyrandom

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Yes, fun trick that can be interesting with a lot of modules actually :) Enjoy!

[@Robert_Babicz]

super

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks!

[@joseph.nicolaus]

👍👍👍

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks!

[@mr.apartment]

any experience with the expander rom? sounds and how to install? great videos as usual :)

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hey, don't have the rom myself, still feel like the factory rom is offering a lot, but it's pretty affordable, and as easy as plugging it in. So I actually should get one as they are available :)

[@7177YT]

Subscribed! Can we have a video in logic modules pls! (:

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks! And yes! It's the most requested I think, so i soon will grab some Patron money and buy a Doepfer A166 to talk about! Thanks for subbing!

[@andrewFJ]

I wonder why do you prefer Doepfer wasp filter instead of, for example, doepfer A-121-3?

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

The sound! The wasp filter was my first filter, bought it because I realy like the unstable rumbling sounds it makes with high resonance.

[@janmelin7594]

Can Mutable Instruments Plaits ”Wavetable oscillator” be a substitute for the Blacck Wavetable VCO in the patches?

[@BoardgameBaker]

I own Plaits. It’s a very nice module, but it’s not as powerful as the Black VCO when it comes to wavetables. That said, it can do a lot of things, so it is a nice addition to most racks.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

I have no experience with hte Plaits unfortunalty, so I dont know about the wavetables. But a very versatile module for sure.

[@chemicalBR0]

I own both and the answer is yes but the black wavetable sounds WAY better as plaits only has a small number of wave banks to choose from to do it on plaits make sure you have the harmonics knob turned counter clockwise (from fully CCW up till just before 12 O'clock will let you morph the waves, after 12 O'clock the waves will step from one to another) the Timbre knob will select your banks of waves and morph will morph through the selected bank

[@janmelin7594]

@@chemicalBR0 Thanks for the information! Look forward to testing it.

[@JohnSmith-ut9ti]

Does this module constantly output signal? I never see a gate being triggered in any videos ive seen. Thank you

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

In general all modular signal generating modules (like oscillaotrs, LFOs and envelopes) are outputting the strongest signal they can at all times. So in case of the oscillator, it's common to patch a filter and or Voltage Controlled Amplifier after it, to control the volume. There are some exceptions of course, and the ES Black Wavetable is one of them. It has a build in VCA, so it can control it's own output volume. However, if you want to get the most out of that. You would't send it a gate ot trigger, but use a gate ot trigger on an envelope, and send the envelope to the internal VCA on the Black Wavetbale :)

[@JohnSmith-ut9ti]

@@MonotrailTechTalk Thank you for the reply and explanation! Im newer to eurorack!

[@kaustin6969]

Very nice, but the flow charts are not standardized as to signal, control and logic.

[@moinlabs]

What exactly is a "morphing wavetable oscillator", as opposed to a garden variety Wave, Microwave, Evolver etc. wavetable oscillator? I would have thought that the Qubit Scanned is such a thing, but it's something the Erica is not...consider me confused.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hi Moinlabs! Not entirely sure how serious you are, but just in case ;) Morphing wavetables have a series of pre-defined digital waveshapes in a bank or grid. The key is that you can go from one waveshape to another by morphing from one shape to another in a smooth way. That's interesting for modulation, because transitions sound organic. Some synths have wavetables, but not the posibility to morph from one to another, so you just have to pick one and use it as a static wave. If I'm right the Qubit Scanned is something enterely different. It doesn't have banks or a grid with pre-defined waves you can scan through. But a unique way of generating a wavefom from a line, and organicly morphing back to a line. Haha, doesn't sound clear, I know. I have no eperience with it, but it's a different concept.

[@moinlabs]

@@MonotrailTechTalk I guess my question was one of terminology then. I understood your use of "morph" akin to computer animation (i.e. have one static thing and then going to another one and making that appear smooth) as opposed to category theory. In that context, running through a wavetable doesn't do that (but needn't do that, if you want it to sound smooth, you use fitting wavetables). What the Erica thing allows for is to move between wavetables as well, although the brief manual isn't telling how exactly it does that. Considering that the waves are pretty short usually (single-cycle waveforms), it's always pretty "smooth", right? But yes, the Scanned is something different as it somewhat builds the wavetables on the fly using a recursive map (or more colloquially function) which automatically gives it a certain degree of smoothness. (and with that, mathematically speaking, it is a morphism).

[@BoardgameBaker]

My GAS level for this module just went up...

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Sorry about that ;)