Demodulating signals with modDemix

[@brettnaucke]

the subliminal messages in this :)

[@JubileeGiggles]

I was running voice recordings from my phone through my moddemix, but needed to refresh my info on how to use it. So now I am watching this video on my phone with the audio run through the moddemix and into headphones, and I think it's freaking awesome. Modception

[@CaptainAhorn]

This is a really good re-creation of the Star Wars radio communication effect heard in the Death Star attack. The effect was created by transmitting audio over single-sideband radio.

[@LaymensLament]

okay, this is a version of vocalsynth i can get behind. thanks for the great and clear explanation.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Glad you enjoyed it!!

[@blaythessteuer]

so cool. this only further solidifies my stance that people that buy a shared system and then take the moddemix out to free up some HP are missing some cool stuff

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

I often tell people I think it's our "most underrated" module, whatever that means

[@jacobstern2150]

When I was ordering my first batch of Eurorack modules I threw in a ModDemix because I was like, well it's not super expensive or space consuming and I guess I can use it as a VCA. Little did I know how much value I would find in that thing...

[@andrewleonard2678]

@@jacobstern2150 -- same here, it was in my first stack of module purchases just last month, originally as a VCA+... I love finding new uses for it.

[@CatFish107]

You just showed me how they did a lot of the vocal fx in the original starwars movies. Super recognizable. Thanks for the "aha!" moment.

[@Flohr]

Missed this one when it first posted but the KZbin algo blessed me with it today. Great stuff Walker! And I agree with all the comments, ModDemix is amazing! One of my favorite Eurorack modules from any manufacturer.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Glad you dug, Eric!

[@ryanpage4006]

I just sold my moddemod and replaced it with a moddemix, it took me a while to build a clone of the original moddemod that had the same tone of the original. Even with a minuscule number of parts (two basic components repeated throughout), it's amazing how much variation can occur. I'm glad that moddemix can reproduce some of the qualities that I loved about the original, but... the clone I built is not leaving my home system anytime soon. Tony really has an ear for interesting sounds.

[@Oxix52]

Great video! I have often felt that the modDemix was a very underrated and underused(by me) module. It’s really cool that you used some of the images from that old moddemod video from 12 years ago.

[@thomas_ad]

Absolutely genius piece marking the dawn of post-post-Modular infotube

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Are we already two "posts" in? Oh my how time flies... :P

[@kokain1922]

Walker has that very particular gleam in his eye which only someone who spends as much time around a modular synth like he does would have and it borders on a welcomed aura of the best kind of insanity....Or maybe it`s just me idk

[@MisterNiles]

I see it too. I suspect it may also have something to do with listening to many hours of lectures from the archives of Naropa Institute and Esselin. Maybe I'm only projecting. It's going around a lot these days.

[@kokain1922]

@@MisterNiles Surely that mixed with some quarantine side effects hah

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

my background is mostly in "continental" philosophy. but i think you might just be picking up vibes from my left eyebrow, which curls up like Dali's mustache no matter what I do.

[@theproblembelief7549]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC My background is in applied philosophy aka sociology. It is surprising how often I notice links between synth technology/music and e.g. Deleuze and Guattari!

[@theproblembelief7549]

This is such a good video. I have a Moddemix and it is such a powerful and essential model for me!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@insoul8]

I can recognize so many vocal effects in movies that were doing just this effect.

[@SpongeLab]

Great stuff, I really must get a shared system the possibilities are endless, fantastic!!!!

[@BrunoWiebelt]

this videos are really good , because I learn something every time

[@jaredmaly5161]

this is great! Would love to see more modDemix videos!

[@sweepstakes]

Thanks for waiting for me to buy a ModDemix before releasing this video 😁

[@galenbaby]

My palete must be expanding, because this hit the spot tonight.

[@CinematicLaboratory]

Totally awesome video. I know it's described in the manual but for some weird reason I did not get it - even though it's so obvious when you see this video. This doesn't mean the manual is bad, it just needs audio :). Thanks a lot!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

The manual may describe using a single sine for both inputs, or maybe inverting it for one of them. I think the dual sine as shown here is quite more interesting :)

[@paulkomada1917]

Finally I got the contact :) Thanks for the message

[@woodlandcritterpunch]

Man I've been away from euro and syntha in general for a bit now to work on visual stuff but I think you might have just put the spark back in me. Great as usual

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Glad to hear it! Happy patching :)

[@MartinDoudoroffLLC]

Fun and splendidly educational!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Thank you!

[@mimcri]

so cool ... i stilllovethemodDemix

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Me too!!

[@vibe010]

Mind blown!

[@rodrigoperez-segnini5704]

Haha, so I just bought a modDemix, thanks for the inspiration!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Awesome, happy patching!

[@rodrigoperez-segnini5704]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC I'll share videos once it gets here.

[@NutritionalZero]

Due to the pandemic and cutting my own hair for months, my hair accidentally looks exactly like Walker’s now. I’m very happy and will continue cutting my own hair.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Haha, nice! I got this -do when i requested something "bed-head proof" and I've stuck with it for the last 4 years or so -W

[@LeonTrimble]

Do you also look like your own zoom recorder?

[@db_illin]

Awesome video!

[@dwightpeters]

Such a great video! You did prove, though, the other uses other than fun by getting so many unique tones and textures

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Haha, good point. Thanks for watching!

[@alexbarn]

Another great video!!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Glad you like them!

[@apparently_sonam]

Knowledge! Walker's glasses are definitely off! Pow!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Once I figure out how to speak animatedly without the lighting setup reflecting off them in a distracting way, they may return...

[@disastrousrobots]

Cool, I'm live sampling radio signals into my mixes using my amateur radio gear! Hope to share a few videos of this

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Please do! Link in these comments!

[@disastrousrobots]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC fab, here's an example of where I headed kzbin.info/www/bejne/fJyvkol4r5V-o8U

[@KeithCanisius]

Love this stuff

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Thanks for watching!

[@h.r.terror9421]

Damn you guys. Just ordered the moddemix 2014.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Hope you enjoy! Happy patching :)

[@h.r.terror9421]

MAKEN0ISE I wasn’t expecting to have GAS today. 😜

[@midirausch]

This was awesome thanks

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Thanks for watching!

[@p07a]

Great video. You can hear some side bands in there which sounds like frequency-shifting. I wonder if it’s possible to emulate the Bode filter/freq shift with the system.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

i've wondered the same myself. It requires waves that are phase shifted in quadrature and if I recall correctly, fairly precise tuning. Allen Strange has a number of interesting applications of frequency shifters that I hope to explore in video someday.

[@p07a]

MAKEN0ISE I look forward to it if it ever happens!

[@ateb213]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC please that would be great!

[@studio48nl]

@3:09, shouldn't you demodulate with an inverted signal? How does it work?

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Yes, probably technically should but I didn't want to slow down the runtime too much, and the difference is actually pretty minimal.

[@studio48nl]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC aha, thanks. 👌🏼👍🏼

[@RioRoye]

Beautiful examples! Are you running the output of the zoom through a preamp before patching it into the system? Sounds like it's at a modular volume level already.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Yes, it is being run through the preamp at the left end of the CV Bus.

[@RioRoye]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC ahhh ok. Thanks for clarifying!

[@kenschestok9515]

... and I have another module to add to the “really need to get” list!

[@kenschestok9515]

2 years later from my original comment, I have picked one up and am rewatching this to make sure I'm not missing anything on using it.... love the subliminal splice @1:02 mark!

[@jimmy_jamesjams_a_lot4171]

I ALWAYS wondered how George Lucas got those funky radio sounds in his early student film, ‘THX 1138 EB, Electronic Labyrinth’! I always thought they were just using actual radio receivers somehow and adjusting the tuner slightly. These crazy radio effects can do a lot to add some spunky character to sounds. THANKS FOR SHARING!!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Yes, this is really fun to explore on almost any sound! Thanks for watching and commenting :)

[@edjwise]

I am loving the at home series. I am sure that you have a lot of ideas, but I wanted to ask if you can revisit trainlet synthesis?

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Yeah, that'd be fun! The last time I did those I think it was mostly in mono, so going deeper could be a good time :D

[@oldsoulsound]

Hey curious are you just going from the zoom straight into the ModDeMix? Great demo by the way.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

I boosted the signal with the preamp in the CV Bus.

[@kilo_llama]

I don't think I understand how demodulation works here. If the top and bottom sections are the same, how does multiplying by the carrier a second time produce the original signal?

[@geraldgoodiii6993]

The modemix can also be made to self oscillate with a feedback loop. So can the OPTOMIX .. funny thing is for something to get stuck in a feedback loop there needs to be something to FEED BACK.. but in these cases there isn’t .. ghosts in the machines I guess. Shared System is just a lot of ghosts in a box. I’ve had mine for like 4-5 years now . I don’t crack it out as much as I used to or have time for (deadlines on releases and life stuff).. but it’s always a treat still to this day. I’m still rockin the original CV Bus one. I added the Erbeverb (yup.. didn’t come with back then), MMG, and an additional function generator (Function).. why do I never see people adding that third function generator ?

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Well, there's no such thing as total silence and "no-input" feedback methods are a great way to exploit this :)

[@Valeofthesilent]

Arite Walk, wheres my morphagene reel with the offset modulated voice part? It’s absolutely relevant to my interests.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Here ya go freesound.org/people/makenoisemusic/sounds/528156/

[@Valeofthesilent]

MAKEN0ISE Aaaaaw man thanks a lot, feels so good knowing one can always count on you, pure genius!

[@MisterNiles]

was that a young Patti Smith or was it Sad Barrett? What were you saying about radios? AM something?

[@juliantaylor5956]

I immediately thought about Star Wars Republic Commando

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

haven't played it, is it a particular sound or phrase that reminds you of it?

[@juliantaylor5956]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC Yeah there's this part in the beginning of the game's intro cut scene where you're in a republic gunship and there's radio chatter and it sounds exactly like the first moment you used the mic. I have no doubt the created it through similar means. In fact most of comms sound design probably used similar modulation, which is cool because it adds some realism in a way

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

@@juliantaylor5956 this is interesting to me because one of my favorite podcasts (Dev Game Club) is hosted by Brett Douville, the lead designer of that game. -W

[@juliantaylor5956]

MAKEN0ISE Oh wow! Small world haha. It’s definitely one of my favorite games so props to the devs! I might check out that podcast too, it sounds interesting

[@fancylad22]

Isn’t the carrier the signal that is being modulated/demodulated?

[@KF7IJZ]

No one thought the Cybermen from Doctor Who???

[@TRaddcliff]

the pay attention subliminal message distracted ha ha ha. it caused me to lose you. ad Jodi Foster

[@Odihmantich]

Is there a way to make the modulator signal not bleed into the resulting sound? thanks

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

If you demodulate using a multed copy of the modulator, instead of a second oscillator tuned to the same frequency, then you will hear what “accurate” demodulation would sound like. This will have less apparent presence of the demodulator in the sound, but may also not be as sonically interesting.

[@Odihmantich]

No, I mean at 2:38 as soon as you begin monitoring the output, as I understand we hear the modulator signal even before your voice is introduced. Is there a way to avoid that? Like so that there would be silence between your spoken words.

[@pugix]

Walker, now let's hear what modulation/demodulation with FM sounds like!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

That might be trickier. How would you do it, Richard?

[@ModArch]

@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC FM modulation is covered in all Oscillators with FM inputs, right? And if I remember my classes on comms engineering correctly, a crude FM demodulation can be achieved by using a PLL circuit tuned to the carrier frequency. Phase and frequency offsets between mod and demod carrier might yield some interesting sounds.

[@pavolw4560]

hello, im courious...can moddemix handle audio signal from external gear? or is external input module needed?

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

modDemix does not amplify the signal, you will usually need some kind of preamp if you want to get a modular level signal out of it.

[@sfiche]

not sure what I’d do if my boss asked me to “say it in tune with the carrier waveform.” does that mean emulating the waveform with your voice?

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

the modulating VCOs are tuned to a frequency, so singing a word in tune with that frequency will have a different effect from normal speech. the voices in that clip were from 2008, when Tony was the sole employee of Make Noise - Kelly, the other voice, is now the CEO so nobody's anybody's boss in that soundbite, FYI :)

[@jangbi08]

I’m I the only one thinking of ‘Prince of Darkness’? “This is not a dream... We are using your brain's electrical system as a receiver”

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Haven't seen it but I will now!

[@jangbi08]

MAKEN0ISE kzbin.info/www/bejne/d2W7ZZ6aeKyLg5I it also features a decent synth heavy soundtrack!!

[@levkamenev3904]

OMG I love that movie!!! Its one of my favorite background films when I'm working on recording!

[@fakshen1973]

All Star Wars radio communications.

[@Headforthehillsmusic]

100% my first thought.

[@FelipeTellez]

!?!? cool!!!!

[@danwomack8523]

Those subliminal messages make me want to club baby seals. #MakeNoiseControlsMyThoughts

[@JubileeGiggles]

rebel fleet

[@blush_response]

Contact!!!!!!!!!!

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

good eye ;)

[@Boneless_Chuck]

"Chapstick"

[@jeanfatale]

I still don't get this. :D

[@Frozen_Smoke1972]

Nothing but Oof! as far as the eye can see.

[@ourworld215]

pay attention its a satellite no a tesla tower no harp ahhh its all fuzzy ...fuzzier

[@alanc6752]

Pay attention...lol

[@alanc6752]

Excellent video.

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Thanks!

[@LarcTald]

Malcom X

[@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC]

Flattered, even if I’m not sure I see the connection ⚡️

[@LarcTald]

​@@MAKEN0ISEMUSIC Haha! That's what I hear in the intro -)

[@HyrimBot]

lol

[@BrunoWiebelt]

PAY ATTENTION lol