Modular Pod Exploration

This video shows 7 different patches in my 48 HP modular pod (from 4MS). Sounds will be coming from Mutable Instruments Plaits, TipTop Audio ONE, Make Noise ST0, and Akemie's Taiko from ALM. Control coming from the Noise Engineering Horologic Solum, Lifeforms Micro Sequence from Pittsburgh Modular, the Korg SQ-1, the EG envelope from 2HP, Make Noise Pressure Points, and also from the ONE itself. I rely heavily on the Intellijel uVCF for filtering; one of those modules that I can't think of anything I'd change about it. I'm using several of the Erica Synths Pico modules, which are great for this case size. I start with the Hologram Microcosm as the main effect, but then switch over to the Walrus Audio Slo reverb. For each patch there is: overview, detailed setup, and a demo. Some of the demos are better than others, and that's one of the points I'm trying to make in the video - you just keep putting one foot in front of the other, learn and experiment. Thanks for watching!
NOTE: I think I might have swapped the L/R plugs coming out of the fx/mixer - sorry if some of the demos are flipped from what's expected.
TIMELINE
00:00 STARTER
Plaits running in Harmonic Oscillator synthesis mode.
00:43 INTRO
An overall discussion about getting into modular synthesis and the merits of a smaller format.
06:25 PATCH 1
Plaits playing along with a sample of Plaits, playing on the ONE, a sample-playing module. Going out through the Microcosm set to Mosaic mode.
11:48 PATCH 2
Plaits with a different sample and setup (sample is from Video 1 on this channel). This one is in stereo.
15:10 PATCH 3
Same as Patch 2 except the output is mono going into the Microcosm. Makes quite a big difference.
16:54 PATCH 4
One of my favorites. The ONE is using a sine wave .wav, being looped, and serving as a low-frequency oscillator of the Plaits synthesis model type. It sounds pretty complex, and I love the visual of the model light moving! At the beginning I put a single loop from the Plaits sequence into the Microcosm's looper buffer. The Microcosm is a super pedal - I'm not saying much about it because I need to learn it better (and it needs a video of its own).
19:43 PATCH 5
Leaving out Horologic Solum and Branches (but I think they're both great) in favor of the Make Noise ST0. Also, with the Microcosm it can be hard to tell what the modular itself is doing: so, opting to use the Slo for a couple of these. This is probably my favorite setup (even though it doesn't even use the Lifeforms Micro Sequence or the ONE) - I really like switching sequencing modes on the fly with the Korg SQ-1, getting a musical effect from that. This clip/demo sounds sort of New Age to me (a genre that I've listened to a ton, btw).
26:42 PATCH 6
This is the longest demo but it was also the most tempting to just leave out. Not happy with a lot of what I'm doing with the high-hat settings (but it's certainly my fault, not Plaits). Yet, to me, the concept of taking an issue (that the SQ-1 gate out doesn't seem to trigger the Lifeforms clock, so syncing is problematic), solving it with what I already had in the pod (the EG envelope does get triggered by the SQ-1, and then its envelope out can trigger the Lifeforms), and then figuring out a musical application of the setup (increase the EG release time to get rid of the triggering edge and it freezes the Lifeforms sequence, holding a note and changing the relative phase of the two sequences) - this was more important than worrying about the end result too much.
35:06 OUTRO
I discuss the setup for Patch 7 here.
37:03 PATCH 7
This is the pod, standalone with no external support. I'm using the Erica Synths Pico DSP for the effect (reverb). I'm using the amazing Akemie's Taiko from ALM Busy Circuits for the only voice. I'm using Pressure Points from Make Noise as an on-board controller - a very basic foray into "instrument design" of sorts.

[@briancassidy6678]

Inspirational. Learned quite a bit. Looking forward to experimenting with my own skiff.

[@undulations]

Thanks🙏🏼 Glad to hear that!

[@cuerampart2886]

Loving the modular world.. My favorite synth teacher by far.. Nice KASTLE!

[@undulations]

Thanks🙏🏼! and thanks for checking out the video😀. Not sure if you saw my "floating kastle" post on IG, maybe 6 weeks ago, it turned out pretty nice.

[@cold_fashioned]

Glad you posted this up! I just started building up an intellijel plette case, so I'm totally into these small modular setups! Thanks!

[@undulations]

That sounds great! Best of luck with it and thanks for checking out the video🙏🏼!

[@MrCarlosfong]

Awe-inspiring. Thank you

[@undulations]

Many thanks🙏🏼! Best wishes!

[@Str0mb3rg]

The second patch was great. As always, great content.

[@undulations]

Thanks very much🙏🏼 I really appreciate the feedback!

[@psmaulehlien]

Always appreciate your approach. Thanks for another great video.

[@undulations]

Thank you🙏🏼!

[@Arc-nh1ef]

Great video! Loved the depth of each construction.

[@undulations]

Thanks very much for the feedback🙏🏼!

[@snorrevonflake]

Nice, love the last one, thank you. Did not keep me from wanting to buy many many modules though... ;-)

[@undulations]

That's just how it goes🥲. The enticing thing about doubling down with more modules is that it really _does_ change what you already have, in some senses. But I thinks the good news is that any setup probably always has more new paths to explore, as is. Thanks very much for watching🙏🏼!

[@ShawnBrandon888]

Patch 5 gorgeous, with a drum beat wow, I like the musicality, it would be interesting to hear you sing over these patches, lol

[@undulations]

Thank you very much! I like the thought of adding drums! That switch between 2x8 vs. 1x16 sequences rarely works out in such a satisfying way (to my ears at least). I can't remember the last time I sang with anybody other than family or friends? Basically never! I don't really perform live much, maybe late night jam with a neighbor or my brother (plays guitar). I walked on somewhere, years ago, to play harmonica with a band😀. I'd like to do more, had a friend recently invite me to play in a bar somewhere. If I do I'll be sure to include some footage.

[@ShawnBrandon888]

@@undulations You're examples are the best . Sometimes I hear a pop song underneath these technically advanced examples in all your videos. I wish you would extend some of the patches to be 3 or 4 minutes long. Too bad they only last 25 seconds or so. Stretch these examples out, I'd buy the album.

[@undulations]

@@ShawnBrandon888 I appreciate that. I've already been planning to start uploading more of the "Delta Waves" videos, typically 5-10 minute shots focused on one or two pieces of gear or a particular concept. I'll talk more about it in the next video. In this current video, long story but the short clips made sense for what I had originally planned (just a brief setup of the patch, then the clip). Actually showing the patches sort of unbalanced things but I decided it was worth it to get that information across. Ideally I could have re-shot (or at least re-edited) the clips, but I always end up wishing I hadn't. Something hard to re-capture about this type of thing. I had the same sort of issue with the second Kastle Drum video (which is why there was a sort of video 1.5). Anyway, I'm going to think more about albums or such in the near future. I appreciate the encouragement!

[@dariusmorgan8302]

Awesome! Happy to see the modules you like to use and how. Also, I noticed a lot of your knobs are set around 10 o'clock and was curious, 'Why so late?'..:)

[@undulations]

😂😂😂 Thanks a lot for checking it out🙏🏼!

[@psmaulehlien]

What is the brand of those right angle cables you're using?

[@undulations]

Well the brightly colored ones are ExcelValley and the black thin ones are from Tendrils. Both have been great; easy, durable, no issues (but using all one color like in one of the shots can be sort of frustrating to experiment with when the cables have a lot of slack, harder to trace and keep track. But they look nice once set, sort of cyberpunk🤔.). Lots of advantages (but they don't always fit in some situations). Thanks for checking out the video!

[@adams.555]

Before connecting to microcosm did you have to change any settings on microcosm?

[@undulations]

I think it may default to being mono, as-shipped, changed to stereo. That's all I remember changing. It's got so many different sounds, and I really haven't explored it very much. I need to sit down with it, and manual, play some live keys into it (feel like that - or live guitar - is one of the best ways to grasp what a pedal like this can do).

[@comres7070]

Very dope content as always Can we sample some of these and use in our own beats?

[@undulations]

Hey, thanks a lot for checking it out🙏🏼! Sure, use whatever you want👍🏻

[@brokenscart7989]

Urge to buy modular - rising

[@undulations]

Well, please use your powers for good if you do 😀