Make a Eurorack drum machine in minutes | Jasmine & Olive Trees Traffic

This video is about Traffic, by Jasmine & Olive Trees, a new maker from Barcelona. Traffic is a trigger-based CV controller that makes it really simple to set up three different drum or percussion sounds in a macro-oscillator like Mutable Instruments’ Plaits or Noise Engineering’s Basimilus Iteritas Alter, and then control them with individual triggers from a sequencer. But it’s definitely not limited to those modules, and in this video I’ll show you a few ways I’ve been using it with other sound sources.
This video isn’t sponsored; I bought the module myself and have no affiliation with Jasmine & Olive Trees. You can find out more about it at jasmineandolivetrees.com/prod...
More stuff from me:
tomchurchill.bandcamp.com/
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro and patch previews
01:42 Overview and operating principles
04:14 Basic drum models on Plaits
07:26 Filter ping percussion with Serge VCFQ
11:22 Instant techno looping fun with Plaits
14:14 Tuned percussion with New Systems HSO
17:06 Preset switching with Ziqal Dimension

[@jasmineandolivetrees]

Thank you so much for featuring Traffic in one of your videos 😊 You explained in detail way better than I did. The patches sounded great. My favourite is the one pinging the Serge!

[@TomChurchill]

You’re very welcome! It’s such a cool module, I’m still coming up with ideas for things to do with it and I haven’t even tried Water yet 😀 Congrats on selling out so fast again, there seems to be a great buzz about it 👍

[@itsbruxyall]

This module really is so clever & I want to find room in my rig for it. I'm especially excited about the idea of being able to process the cvs out of say, B & C to get more variations of those two models in plaits, for instance.

[@boydw1]

I can think of one feature that might be a worthwhile addition to this module - a CV trigger input that allows you to re-generate the random/groove values.

[@echoplucks-hn6bs]

This module really adds to the drum section of my portable rack! Using the ABC triggers on IDUM > Tree > Leaves is really interesting, and I also use a Zularic Repetitor for the three input triggers on Traffic!

[@DumblyDorr]

It's a really great concept! Of course - you're limited to linear drumming, but sometimes that's all you need. Especially for a smaller setup, this is quite the value proposition!

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

I had to see this one again....My favorite Eurorack wizard ! 😮 You Constantly blow my mind ! thanks ..i think...😂

[@PaulBoos]

Great explanation of what appears to be a way fun module… I really loved how you showed it off.

[@Emustall]

This is a great demo of Traffic. Wow!!

[@modularbias]

Verrry smart design and great demo video 🔥

[@pawnotdaw4559]

Nice simple useful module. Another great demo too.

[@TheMachinesWon]

This VCFQ demo really has my spider senses tingling. Great video, traffic seems really awesome as well!

[@allhandsmusic]

Thanks, Tom! I've been sort of doing this kind of thing with Endorphines Total Recall, but this seems a lot more straightforward, and the built in trigger control is a great idea.

[@Syncopator]

Nice demo. I've seen a couple of other vids on this module which were producing some nice sounds, but they didn't do a very good job of communicating what the module was actually doing. Your description is very clear and it all makes perfect sense to me now. So much so I just ordered one-- it'll go good with my Beatstep Pro or Varigate 4+ and Plaits or BIA, thanks!

[@CinematicLaboratory]

This is going to do magic with the Morphagene too.

[@jaygregory8219]

Great demo of a fun module!! Thanks for sharing!

[@TomChurchill]

Cheers Jay!

[@andreasschmelas]

Really nice module! I have a 245t ... the random switch is a nice twist ❤

[@geusensdriesmusic]

Very cool! Interesting module 👍

[@dennisrochat7747]

Your videos are great. Keep em coming!!😊

[@TomChurchill]

Thank you! Will do 😀

[@MichaelFurtak]

Great timing! I just got my order in today 🙏

[@defjeff2907]

Great video! Now I want one to use with Bastl Pizza. Their Water module also looks fun too. Thanks!

[@mod.3x]

awesome showcase :-) Really could use one of those for my NE Alia Modules

[@mit136speichenumdiewelt]

Very clever the module much cleverer you serve ;-)

[@pixelatedbeatz]

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! very helpful. looking forward to your take on WATER

[@MartinDoudoroffLLC]

Nice demo, as usual. I luckily got one of the first batch. Looking forward to your video on Water, because I haven’t gotten around to trying it yet, either! 😆

[@TomChurchill]

Cheers Martin! Glad you’re enjoying yours too 😀

[@elektrenai219]

Smart that Tom

[@lordundhimself1310]

14:18 I need that “Attenuate!” blank panel more than I’ve needed anything

[@TomChurchill]

It can be yours! www.signalsounds.com/markt-modular-attenuate-eurorack-blanking-panel-black-gold

[@AllThatsGone]

Harmonic Oscillator really shines here

[@TomChurchill]

Yeah, I really love the sound of it through Optomix - something very organic about it

[@josbouten]

Nice video! This module would make a good use case for those angled (90 degrees) jacks so that the knobs could be reached more easily.

[@boydw1]

That's a really cool module! I was hoping you'd try combining it with the Zularic Repetitor (which you did). Erfurt/Lipsk could also be an interesting trigger source.

[@TomChurchill]

Yeah, I'm looking forward to using it with Erfurt/Lipsk too!

[@mcolville]

Oh but also Plonk?? Wow, what a cool idea!

[@mcolville]

Jesus Noise Engineering should ship one of these with each BIA.

[@LeoPerantoni]

Tried to buy one on the first batch but they don't ship to my country :( Second batch sold out in an hour as well. I want one so bad :(((

[@TomChurchill]

Aw man, that’s a shame! Hope you get hold of it one day! 🤞

[@chrisbarrick3084]

Thanks for the great video and I was inspired to get one. It's a lot of fun but just have one minor gripe. You described it as inexpensive but unfortunately it didn't work out that way for me. Jasmine and olive trees quotes £134 but then there's vat and shipping which brought it up in to £160s. I then got hit with £45 import tax. I understand this has more to do with Brexit and my own naivety but I thought people should be aware. I know £200 is not expensive in Eurorack world but it still took me by surprise. Please don't take my comment as a criticism of you or Jasmine and Olive Trees. Just a gripe about buying abroad.

[@corticallarvae]

Seems interesting for hp and firmware updates changes etc

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

Awesome ....you have slowly but surely become my favorite guru in modular , -....you and DivKid ! (Make a collab with DivKid asap) 😮👍......😅

[@TomChurchill]

Haha, cheers Mikkel, thanks for the support and glad you’re enjoying the videos!

[@Hikove]

You can consider the Vaski Embedded: ECS-4, it is expensive than Traffic but with most options for modulation purpose.

[@Gmartin4049]

Have you tried the easter egg with both switches up? I cant find any info yet. Just got ours, loving it.

[@Gmartin4049]

also wanted to say loving your last release. keep it up.

[@TomChurchill]

Thanks! I don’t think my hardware version supports that firmware unfortunately - apparently it’s only on rev6 and up, and I bought one of the first batch. There’s some (rather cryptic!) info about it at the bottom of here: jasmineandolivetrees.com/pages/traffic-manual

[@Gmartin4049]

Cheers Tom. Working on it today, Easter egg is very hard to work out. Will keep trying. So far worked out that first two rows are drum triggers and the third is volt per oct that you set. No CV in for it. So basically a 2 channel drum trigger with one cv with 3 steps of cv.

[@Gmartin4049]

cracked it. with reset you get Bayesian drum patterns like on marbles or branches. Turning each of the first two rows of knobs you get different variations. Its quite fun but hard to find sweet spots. PHEW

[@Chris-qq7mt]

I patch it exactly the same way but I get random models when the trig input is patched in. I have the behringer brains but it should be the same. Is there a way to turn off sample and hold on the trig input?

[@TomChurchill]

Not sure what you mean about turning off sample and hold…? If you’ve patched it the same then the pots should just let you dial in a specific CV value for each trigger. Is your mode switch definitely in the ‘base’ position? That’s the only thing I can think of that would cause random values to be sent…

[@TomChurchill]

Actually think it might be an issue with Brains - noticed some discussion about it here… www.modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3933987#p3933987

[@desnou]

I know that's an old question, but the answer is that what you get is not random - model input in Brains is lagging behind the trigger. Moreover, the change if the model is not only not instantaneous, it has a speed to it - the further you want to jump, the longer it takes to switch, so what you get seems to be random, but actually it's a model in between. The solution is to use two gates per sound and something like BeatStep's negative shift on your model gate to happen a bit before the beat. This method has limits though, because you can obly jump so far within your BPM grid. But it works.

[@spencebarton2947]

Mr. Churchill, I have learned a great deal from your very musical demonstrations. I subscribed because you're one of the two or three most creative and clear presenters of eurorack technique on u teub. I'm begging you, though, P L E A S E, P L E A S E , for god's sake, P L E A S E loose the lame-ass 4 on the floor base drum. All these wonderful sounds and rhythms and you stuff that threadbare leftover from the 1980s disco era into EVERYTHING. I hated in the 80s and it hasn't worn well since. It's forty fricken years since that drum pattern sounded even a tiny bit fresh. It's unimaginative, boring and lame. It doesn't ever create a feeling of forward motion. It makes the music sound like there's a 2x4 in a place it shouldn't be. Like putting the engine from a 1920 ford into a Ferrari. I started playing in public in 1967 and if any drummer I EVER played with came up with that base drum part they'd be fired before we got to the chorus. The one thing you can say for a 4 on the floor bass drum part: it is Euro. It's not hard to do better.

[@TomChurchill]

LOL! In my defence there's only a lame-ass four-to-the-floor kick drum in one of the five patches in this video, and that was specifically to give an example of a techno-type patch. I do try and include a variety of rhythms and tempos in the videos, but it's hard to avoid 4/4 kicks altogether when they're such in integral part of so much electronic music. (And I suspect not everyone shares your severe aversion!)

[@spencebarton2947]

@@TomChurchill Thanks for the response. It IS unfair of me to pick on you. But I see promise in your videos. ;-). There are many, many, er... many, many people defaulting to that bass drum "pattern" without a thought. I started playing music to dance to in 1967 and given half a chance people will gyrate to (and be inspired to lust by) more interesting and compelling bass drum patterns. I think the whole "lowest common denominator" policy in popular music is a bad one. My point is that there are millions of forward moving, interesting rhythms for kick drums that AREN'T 4 on the floor that could propel techno forward. Otherwise a whole very popular genre of music is crippled. Most people realize that putting a snare somewhere besides 2 and 4 can really bring energy interest and (wow) surprise to a techno beat. High hats aren't always on a 16th note "drone". But somehow that damn bass drum part just can't be seen as an area for creative growth. "Nah, mate I'm not interested in anything interesting - just mash that bass drum the same way every time or I won't know it's techno. I love a good rant and appreciate the opportunity AND as I said your videos are extremely musical, educational, interesting and FUN. Thanks for every one of them.

[@MikkelGrumBovin]

@@TomChurchill i love the 80'es , dont you loose that 4 anywhere eSPECIALLY on the floor !

[@al.cavalu]

At 4:00 he mentions "a sequencer with multiple CV lanes and selectable stages". Anyone could explain what the "selectable stages" means? 😊 I have the Korg SQ-1 and the Behringer 1027 sequencers. Would any of these help? If not, what am I missing? I'm trying to wrap my head around what exactly is happening here, but I am obviously missing something...

[@TomChurchill]

I meant a sequencer with several tracks of CV, where you can select each individual step using a dedicated trigger input. For example the Buchla 245t has four tracks, and there’s a dedicated ‘stage select’ input for each of its five stages. These let you jump directly to a particular stage and therefore select a specific combination of CV values on the four outputs, which is basically what’s happening in Traffic. You can’t do this with the SQ-1 or 1027.

[@al.cavalu]

@@TomChurchill Thank you very much for the explanation!

[@ThMntnst]

Ah, a bit like the Vaski ECS-4, it's nice to see some manufacturers pick up the general concept with certain differences, still :)

[@beppebagordo]

cool module. pity it's not available😆

[@beppebagordo]

if anybody knows an alternative (a module to convert trigs to cv) please let me know!

[@TomChurchill]

It will be available again soon, but if you can’t wait then Xodes do a 4-channel module that’s quite similar - www.xodes.net/product/pv44-eurorack-4x4-preset-voltages

[@zyxyuv1650]

I'm looking for modules that can easily be modded to remove the knobs and sliders because I'm tired of the knobs and sliders holding back the music. I'm just thinking how the 9 knobs could be removed from this one without messing up the layout. Possibly I could replace them when some jacks for inserting resistor-short plugs.

[@corticallarvae]

So is it shift register … (acting as a rungler with less probability but more room voltage wise) with a sequential switch acting as an nurmerically ordered isolated mixer…. It’s digital I would see if it pairs with idum from mystic circuits in any bizzare ways because it is trigger abuse at its finest)…. Let me know if I missed the boat entirely somehow…. I guess the Turing machine is a better illustration than the rungler…an oscilloscope would have helped illustrate this …..

[@TomChurchill]

No, it’s not a shift register, rungler or Turing Machine. If anything it’s more like a three-channel, three-stage sequencer, but instead of advancing through the stages with a clock, there are trigger inputs to select the individual stages. Not sure how an oscilloscope would make anything clearer, tbh. The Water firmware is closer to a shift register - three eight-step phase-shifted outputs of a nine-step sequence - but that’s something for another video!

[@corticallarvae]

@@TomChurchill thank you that was concise and helpful… the oscilloscope is helpful even with triggers to see what is happening on the bipolar voltage front … it’s just a prefence

[@ivan007230]

This module appears to be doing exactly the same thing Dnipro Modular “Metamorph” already does. It js a much older module in a slightly bigger format with few additional functions.

[@nakamomo2009]

Nice review. You speed up when you're familiar with something, compare with some instructional video that works for you

[@SnakeOilJohnson]

DECAF!!!!!!

[@erichutchinsws]

Lol!

[@TR-707]

cant you just do this with a beat step

[@TomChurchill]

Not exactly, no. How would you control 3 parameters via CV on each step?

[@TR-707]

@@TomChurchill pitch, velocity and another sequence with pitch. or just use an ornament and crime then. i dont have a beat step because its so basic.

[@TomChurchill]

@@TR-707 I mean sure, you could use multiple sequences to achieve similar end results. The whole point of this module though is that you only need three triggers to generate three unique combinations of three CV values, so you can dial in three drum sounds from one module and then treat them as individual sounds to be triggered with a drum sequencer. But whatever - this is just one possible solution, no one's claiming it's the only/best way to do anything!

[@oldmossystone]

Feckin micro trimmer knobs... I won't be buying this!