How to use sample & hold in a eurorack modular system - with Doepfer A-148

Sample & Hold is a common ingredient in synthesis. Not just in modular synths, but also semi-modular and stand alone synths. Its often thought of as a random stepped signal, but it’s actually a function. And within a modular you have the possibility to customize the results of that function.
In this video I explain how a Sample & Hold module works and then we dive into a series of patches. From some uses for the basic stepped random signal, to more creative patches with a variety of sample and trigger inputs. Finally we also use the Sample & Hold as a trigger generator, and a sample rate reducer.
Timetable:
00:00 - Intro
00:50 - Sample & Hold
02:07 - Doepfer A-148
02:38 - Stepped random
05:05 - Input variations
07:35 - Clock variations
08:50 - Gates and triggers
10:04 - Sample rate reduction
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#eurorack #sampleandhold #techtalk

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

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

[@Arttander]

Your videos are super helpful for learning all the different functions in modular synthesis. A sincere thank you from a modular newbie!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hi there! Thank you, thats really nice to hear! All the best :)

[@Sinesquares]

Your videos are pure gold for modular synth beginners!! Thank you! ⚡️⚡️

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

You're very welcome, thanks for watching!

[@Larry30102]

For a relative newbie, this is an important (vital!) vid. Incredible😎

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad to hear you liked it, enjoy!

[@HanjoSynth]

super clear and helpful, thanks for sharing!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you liked it! And thanks for watching :)

[@michaelkonomos]

Your videos are so helpful. Really good instruction. I feel like I am taking a class with a great teacher.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hey, thanks for the nice comment! I love to think of myself as a teacher here, but with an online audience around the world :) Glad you're part of it!

[@jgrzinich]

Another super helpful gem. Keep up the great work.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Much appreciated! And will do, little video on track & hold should come out friday :)

[@tonymitchell1461]

another v. useful session. Really appreciate the time you put into the videos with the clear patch diagrams and careful presentation of ideas. Great resource.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you like them!

[@__divmod__]

I just became a patreon to support your work. Great schematics, perfect pace, audio examples of all patch ideas. While most stuff is not new for me, I still get tons of ideas for new patches while watching your videos (similar to revisiting the manuals of my modules every now and then).

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hey there, thats wonderful to hear! I'm verry happy to get these positive comments, from people who are just looking into modular, to more more experienced users like yourself. And thank you so much for joining Patreon! All the best.

[@AdiGoldsteinComposer]

Perfect explanation! Thank you so much for sharing

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad to hear it, thanks for watching!

[@fallprecauxionsmusic]

I just love your lessons, man. bravo!! & thank you very much!!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Happy to hear that! All the best!

[@christophermadec2651]

Hey! I've just started to get into the modular synths (I haven't bought anything yet I'm trying to look at my needs) and the videos you make are very interesting and well done. Thanks a lot!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hey there! Glad to hear it! I stil planning to do a full "modular 101" series of videos at some point. Enjoy the exploring! :)

[@Limbic1000]

Best informative tutorials.. Thx so much Monotrail 🙆🏻‍♂️👌

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thank you for watching! :)

[@vonehrenheim]

Thank you for this!! Very timely video as I just got a 2hp S+H and need some ideas on how to use it! Really appreciate all your videos though as they are so informative and inspirational! 😄 Keep up the good work! ❤️

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Good timing indeed! And glad to hear you like the series :) Enjoy your experiments!

[@EserKaraca]

Great tips! 🖤

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Glad you like them! Cheers :)

[@holgerdieffendahl]

Great explanation. Thanks 🙏

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

You are very welcome. Cheers!

[@GZHN27]

Great tips!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks! :)

[@cooksoni.a]

youre a genius, sir

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Haha, thank you!

[@tiefklang]

Geil. Danke, du machst das echt gut, schon viel gelernt!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Danke! Alles gute :)

[@IanWaugh]

Nice. I like the idea of using it to add random offsets to signals. You could do this with just about anything :-)

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hey, thats a good one indeed. It's lovely to be able to mix signals within a modular like that. :)

[@mentaluntildawn2412]

I had no idea that it could be used for sample rate reduction. That adds a whole other level of complex texture control. I need to try this out.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Yes, do! I't quite fun, also try it on drums or percussive sounds for sure :)

[@______BS______]

this is awesome, like the other videos on your channel. subscribed:)

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks for joining the team! Im a bit swamped in work, but will get back to making more videos asap! All the best :)

[@fakshen1973]

Logic modules with OR functions are great for cleaning varying gate or trigger voltages. As long as the voltage exceeds a minimum value, the logic module will output a full level gate. This can be useful if you have a module that gets a little finnicky with gate levels.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Indeed, you can even just feed them something like a smooth a random voltage, and get a clean gate signal.

[@shpe78]

I tried many ways last night to listen to the function of the A-148 S&H.. But I couldn't. Cellz Chips A-130-2 VAC A-140-1 ADSR A-162 TDEL A-110-2 VCO A-180-2 Multiple this is my current system. Thanks for your feedback.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hello! Start with a simple patch to test the S&H. You could take a sine or noise wave output from the Chips to the Sample input of the 148. Then take a gate output from the Cellz to the Trigger input of the 148. That should give a holded value every time you hit the Cellz. USe the 148 output to modulate something, like the filter of the second Chips voice.

[@shpe78]

@@MonotrailTechTalk super

[@whereisboo]

Great content, thanks. I noticed what I think is an error at 1:27. You have a sign wave coming from the box, but the box title is noise. Maybe I'm wrong, but it confused me, so I thought I'd mention.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

You're welcome! And indeed! Should have been LFO with the sine wave, and than fade out and be replaced by noise allong with the sine and noise visualization a bit later, I missed that, sorry! :/

[@whereisboo]

@@MonotrailTechTalk thanks for confirming. I'm pleased I noticed, because I'm still learning. Your PDF / diagrams are very useful and help learning. Thank you.

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Very happy to hear it!

[@youngs_cl]

Amazing work man. Could you do some minimal/dub style videos? Thanks a lot!

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks! I'm focusing on sythesis techniques on this channel. For music you can have a look at my other channel kzbin.info

[@flourfree2K]

I have a channel focused (mostly) on minimal generative patches. They are made in vcv rack, a free software i use to try my patches before i make them real. You will find an awful lot of patches on a single row of modules (roughly 84 hp - but you can happily not consider the oscilloscope and the audio output), using just BASIC modules.

[@youngs_cl]

Thanks!

[@slowscape]

_looks at module graveyard, carefully pulls out the S&H and dusts it off._

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Oh no! A module graveyard? What else is in there ;)

[@slowscape]

@@MonotrailTechTalk Basically anything related to utility lol! I gave up on it for midi controllers. But lately I've been wanting to revisit it all and try midi-less modular. Thanks for the videos!

[@manuelsteinmair]

Like, watch, comment, edit later ;-) Now is later: Great video! Explaining what S&H does feels easier than coming up with good uses for it. And... what about T&H?

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Thanks! I'll get to T&H in another video :)

[@joseph.nicolaus]

thanx again ... ... can I have a request? :) ... I didn't find a video about Doepfer A183-4 anywhere ... I think it is a very useful module also for adapting manuality to accuracy ...

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Requests are always welcome! Unfortunately I don't own the A183-4, but also have to say it seems like a module with a very specific clear function? I'll have a look at it.

[@dawvideokanal7369]

I know sample&hold since many years and many synth has it, but one thing I dont understand: why it is necessary with a gate input? the gate input for its own is a complete signal, so why using sample&hold in this case? It is just a 1D value (on/off), but what changes with sample&hold?

[@MonotrailTechTalk]

Hi there! I hope this video explains that well enough. A sample and hold circuit needs two signals to work. An input signal, which is the one being sampled. And a gate input is needed as a clock or trigger for the sample & hold to know 'when' to sample a new value.