Moog Sub 37- Rhythmic and Percussive Looping

The Moog Sub 37 is a wonderful synthesizer that is capable of doing many of the classic Moog sounds but is also capable of going into very different sonic territory. This video explores the use of tempo sync'ed looping envelopes and LFO's to create rich, modulation based, rhythmic material without the use of the sequencer or incoming midi data. You can hear the Sub 37 in many of the tracks on my most recent release- iVardensphere: Fable
The video is made in conjunction with Long and McQuade Music Instruments. If you're in Canada and want to check out a Sub 37, be sure to head down to a L&M near you.

[@AgustinDavidF]

Great demo! I find on internet very few interesting demos of the Sub 37...this one stars to show the potential of this beast. Thank you!

[@DaveBessell]

This rhythmic aspect of the sub37 surprised me. It wasn't necessarily what I expected it to be good at when I bought it but the ability to synch everything easily really opens up interesting areas for exploration. Nice demo.

[@bigdap100]

Dude I am thrilled you made this video. I wanted the Sub 37 so bad for this very reason, for percussion. I fantasizes about it for years, so much so that for some reason today I searched for Moog and percussion and this came up and I immediately clicked it and what I had always imagined came to life in this vid. Thanks man this really made my day, I may buy one now after selling off some over priced mics and pres.

[@iVardensphere]

bigdap100 Oh wow. thanks for the kudos! Yep, I sure love this animal of a synth. ❤

[@colinallcars5239]

Amazingly inspirational. Had NO idea I could do things like this with my Sub. Thanks so much, please make more!

[@iVardensphere]

Colin Allcars You're welcome!

[@madbaldscotsman]

Wait... what?? My Sub 37 can do all that? CRIKEY! I need to get digging

[@iVardensphere]

Rick Elliott Hell y3ah!

[@Xenious]

Lovely demo percussion! I have yet to fully explore mine. As a guitarist who loves some Moogy bass I was drawn to this one for how easy it is to generate ideas without being an amazing piano player.

[@STRAIGHTP]

nice. i have had mine for about a year now and still havent got into this territory. it's really an endless synth. well done

[@dilliot2k]

I see ya Straight P!!

[@STRAIGHTP]

haha, right on mayne. its gunna be a good year for Us Both! i can feel it

[@gregory7572]

jfc, did not even think about using the LFO syncs and envelope loop + sync together. Sub37 makes a fantastic rhythm machine. Neat!

[@sndrcve]

Love coming back to this vid. ♥️

[@sndrcve]

9:24 - the planets align. Excited to get this and the drumbrute working together

[@kuba1985Poland]

Awesome kick!

[@seanhodgson3864]

Dude this video was awesome totally tried some of these tips and tricks and was very pleasantly rewarded :-D

[@imno1157]

I was toying with the idea of selling my sub and getting Two mothers....Not any more. Thanks for opening up my eyes.

[@iVardensphere]

IMNO1 7 Such an amazing synth

[@TranceElevation]

Weak minded man.

[@amazeus1980]

Im thinking of getting Mother and sub 37. Mother is a ''toy'' on its own ;)

[@SunsetRC]

I have the Mother. It sounds amazing but I'm not a fan of the sequencer usability. You really have to work hard to make a cool sequence. Personally my Korg Monologue is more fun to use. But if you really want to start a Semi-mod system then by all means get the Mother.

[@timmbrockmann959]

I think the 3 levels of Rhythmic Modulation, all in sync, is the best feature of the Sub37. In the beginning, I also thought about selling it again, but then I noticed it´s a Modulation Sync monster ;) The Dominion 1 still has the better Oscialltors/Filters I think.. still I don´t use it less often, because it´s less intuitive and quick to dial in.

[@GFonk16BIT]

very glad i clicked on this man, sweet work

[@iVardensphere]

G Fonk Thanks!

[@PnPModular]

just picked one up last night and this has really inspired me thanks!! love the fact you havent even played a note!!! ;-)

[@SleepingbeagleAB]

Love this tutoril/review/creative concept. I look forward to more of these vids!

[@iVardensphere]

Sleepingbeagle Studios Awesome! I'll be doing a whole lot of them coming up. :-)

[@77rgoss]

Damn man. That's pretty a-mAAAAZ-ing. I just got this synth a few weeks ago. Still exploring it. Thanks for showing some of it's less obvious capabilities!

[@trueatfalse]

9:19 there we go! 😍

[@SharedVision333]

The sub 37 is less of a Moog product and more of an Amos product. Great work with bringing out the strong points this little monster

[@iVardensphere]

❤ Amos

[@tonyt303]

Only got mine a week ago...Thanks for this video...Just opened up a whole new thing.

[@earfulaudio5199]

What a player! Thank you ...

[@1nfinitezer0]

I was not aware this synth could do such things without the sequencer. Instant techno! Would be fun to smash this kinda stuff through a sherman too.

[@gregory7572]

I've been rewatching this a couple of times: I think this will pair up nicely with modulating octaves (using one of the LFOs) or modulating ratches in a sequence. Of course, that should be performed separately from the underlying percussive patch as a "rhythmic" buildup.

[@iVardensphere]

Absolutely

[@leyetnin1]

Thank you, very inspirational.

[@nickyp310]

Lots of "Millions Now Living.. / TNT era Tortoise going on here. I quite like it :)

[@vertigev]

That's so sick! I had no idea you could that with a synthesizer.. Add a little reverb and a big kick and 🔥

[@elvinlewis4233]

I never got what the big deal was with synths. Until I heard this one. (other vids too) I've been researching them for months, and I keep coming back here. Hmm, alright Moog, if you try hard enough, I may take Grandma too. Damn that sounds sick. I freakin' love it! I haven't found anything else that sounds that filthy. Not even Moog one.

[@TROGULAR10000]

"here we go... now that what I'm talking about" myself. liked and subscribed

[@cmpretlove]

Great video, this persuaded me to switch from purchasing the Matrixbrute to the Subsequent 37 because this is exactly what I’ve been wanting to experiment with and it’s all down to those amazing envelopes.

[@rambis7012]

Fantastic demo! Thanks!

[@mysteritmodk9572]

Very inspirational - Thanks!

[@ParesisUK]

Great video! I got a Sub37 recently so looking forward to trying out these ideas!

[@rolandkramer]

i am in the market for the Sub 37 especially for how you use it. Awesome job.

[@thedrumunkey8582]

Nice vid! With those tats, I hope you never get bored with synths! 😜

[@portamentouk]

this sounds great man, i got mine last week and love it, great video

[@thiskingbusiness]

That sound after 11 minutes is some dirty neurofunk sounding niceness.

[@XanderEwald]

This is the one video that made me regret selling my Sub 37 and decide to buy a new one. So thanks, I guess :D

[@iVardensphere]

Perhaps you will return to it someday. :)

[@XanderEwald]

iVardensphere Definitely!

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

Hey @Dacci Pucci I remember you saying something about that a while ago. Did you get another one?

[@XanderEwald]

@@RoomAtTheTopStudio I did buy a Subsequent 37 eventually and it will not leave my studio again :)

[@vaspers]

good job. I own a Sub 37 and you've given me some ideas now. you make it sound similar to an MFB Tanzbar at times. nice.

[@GerrlichStudios]

Very nice demonstration

[@manigross3323]

Sound pretty cool👍🤘🔥!

[@resonantanvil7186]

Inspiring. Thanks

[@theimmortalelectrogod4679]

Great video!

[@nakanda]

Beautiful!

[@morganhuggins6367]

Excellent video

[@pdbordelon]

Amazing

[@iVardensphere]

Paul Bordelon Thank you :)

[@zacharybaranek9492]

Pulling the trigger on this..your vid sold me in the end. I need to be able to get shit it out of this with a guitar strapped on, and as a lead vocalist doing metallic hardcore jampunk... REMEMBER WHO COINED THAT GEnRe.

[@iVardensphere]

jaZzy Bushkiss Awwwesome!

[@BlinkyBillz]

Ever tried doing a remake of Jon Hopkins - open eye signal? (bass sound? Would love to see you do that) another great video for sure!

[@ryantakach1478]

Reminds me of the song open eye signal-Jon hopkins

[@iVardensphere]

Ryan Takach I love Hopkins

[@ChristopherYabsley]

That song was done with a Korg MS20, but I thought it was this synth when i first heard it too.

[@fardinermordi]

Love it!

[@fardinermordi]

Hooked up mye vermona drm1 MKIII and my Sub37 and it is sounding so god damn industrial up in this beeeyotch! Thanks for an inspiring video!

[@iVardensphere]

fardinermordi awesome!

[@WABEofc]

Amazing sound!

[@chrisronan]

Whoa! That sound good yo!

[@oldschoolebm666]

industrial machine.... fantastic

[@Hesohi]

Nice One - Inspiring

[@ShadowPilot]

Damn.. nice!

[@freeform144]

Nice

[@juanizquierdo3706]

Esto es la ostia!

[@davidgoodman6663]

great stuff thanks

[@alvarotcnotrvlr9]

duuuude!! the rhythms are so dope! I still might get the Pro 2 tho, since I still want pads

[@PhilippeChanard]

Amazing ! Juste add kick and snare.

[@BetweenBeatsNDreams]

I've been thinking about buying this synth for like a year...gotta do it

[@kingdingaling8709]

7..34 is so creamy. This is inspiring me to get more hands on with this synth

[@Bullyboytattoo]

damn... these videos are so helpfull

[@shane_l8085]

You can get even more complex rhytms by sending an lfo to things like F.eg release, decay etc

[@thedrumunkey8582]

Btw, do another vid where we don't have to imagine the drums! :)

[@MySugarWallz]

awesome

[@alexanderknake4333]

Interesting stuff! May you can create more Pro2 and Sub 37 Tutorials? Thumbs up!

[@richardjames111]

Serious GAS at the minute!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!

[@willbo456ify]

Could you make a sample pack with sounds like this in? Would happily pay $20 for it

[@unsinndj]

9 min. what a sound !!!!!!!!!! fucking love it ... got to get this model !!! its worth every penny ... greate demo film , THANKS!! i think we got similar idea of noise music ;) Good stuff!

[@zygmaszel8376]

😎

[@iVardensphere]

hehe. Why the long face, homie?

[@zygmaszel8376]

@@iVardensphere l have the same problems on my Moog , looking for decent sound . Don't take that personal 😀

[@user-fo5bw6kl4d]

So close to pulling the trigger, chickened out yesterday. Trying to save for a Waldorf iridium but it seems a used subsequent 37 is going take me back to zero £ 🤦🏻 damn my expensive taste They would make a good pair though. Need a new interface and guitar to, it’s seem I’m heading for a GAS explosion

[@SRSmith-pk4yo]

Good Vidy ! ~ thnx

[@liennto]

fucking amazing just got a sub(sequent)37 and i'm wondering what speakers i should be using. regular old near field studio monitors? or a powered PA speaker?

[@leegranger9568]

cool stuff! subd

[@iVardensphere]

lee granger Thank you :)

[@PureAmbientDrone]

The sound is so "wet" and drippy!

[@HarisCupina]

I'm aware that it's 2020, so 4years later can you share in description of video - this patch :)

[@MadelnMachines]

Bad Ass Groove. This makes me want it even more! Do you know of any vst synths/ or modulation plugins with looping latch envelopes so I can try it out? Two possiblities I've found are Sugar Bytes Factory and FXpansion Strobe 2 but they don't mention latching so I don't know if you can. Would you be able to write down your settings?

[@Quodge]

Seriously bro I love your mic sound. Is it just recorded through a camera or something.. or a phone?

[@Quodge]

Vocal*

[@bwest6275]

🤯🙌🏼

[@tomburnell8453]

Fabulous! Other than this and the Pro2, what other synths are good for these sorts of rubbery techno rhythms? Preferably analogue, with good hands on control and patch memory (not modular). Keys optional.

[@iVardensphere]

Tom Burnell I've really enjoyed the Sub 37 and the Avalon Bassline (303 clone but the best)

[@tomburnell8453]

Well - 8 months on and it turns out you ended up costing me a small fortune! I bought a used subsequent 37 on the basis of this video and the guy who was selling it also had 2x mother32 and offered them at a price too hard to refuse. The M32s sat there for a few weeks before I played with them, but once I did, there was no turning back and soon I was buying extra modules to accompany them. Now I have 5 of the 60hp moog euroracks full of modules! They don't call it eurocrack for nothing! Ironic since my post above said 'not modular' :)

[@hjhkjhre454554]

What would be great is the ability to modulate to tempo as on the new DFAM

[@iVardensphere]

Oliver Jones Both LFOs and envelopes sync to tempo on the Sub37. That can be slaved to the internal sequencer tempo or a midi clock

[@user-cn6vn3sv7i]

hi! would you be able to do it with subsequent 25 ????

[@malkytrance]

Lol seq at 9.30 quick get a 4/4 kick and some hats on it, sounds great

[@Gender_Dystopia]

I like to record like 30 min too...

[@amazeus1980]

Really cool @ 09:20. Would this ''sequence'' be playable with the keyboard? Nice demo!

[@iVardensphere]

Ama Zeus You would be able to adjust the pitch of the oscillators to change the tonality but the rhythmic values come entirely from the looping envelopes

[@leenhennekam9906]

It sounds like something from doom eternal lol

[@Hlecktro]

Did you open a VNV Nation show in Winnipeg. I recognize those hand tattoos.

[@iVardensphere]

I sure did. That was the first of 2 tours in did with them

[@Hlecktro]

​@@iVardensphereIt was a good show. Anyways, I have a question, can you tell me what the Industrial scene is like in Canada. We have a small group in the city here. Is it worth it to try and get involved with Metropolis Records / Out of Line. I know, it seems so much bigger in Europe. Something like the VNV nation show was an exception, I probably saw a few hundred people come out of the woodwork. Usual monthly industrial nights bring about 20 people. We have also have a great local act called Ghost Twin. I think their last show maybe 3 people came. How is it out there

[@Yelwah]

Can you explain how to sync via midi with a drum machine? I have a dsi tempest and I'm trying to sync the two but obviously having trouble. Thanks.

[@iVardensphere]

Yelwah Be sure to make sure to hit the sync button in the arp/sequencer section

[@renamandel5446]

General question for all: is it possible to achieve this on the Sub Phatty (just lots of menu diving)?

[@iVardensphere]

Peter Jovic Technically you're supposed to be able to do the majority of the same things on both synths but I can't even begin to image programming this on a sub Phatty

[@renamandel5446]

Thx Thats what I thought. The extra G would be for the panel (as well as in house seq, arp & para)

[@Fishoilification]

This synth sounds phatter than my primary school teacher

[@stubarnett71]

hey guys I have a virus Ti2, i was looking at getting a sub37 instead, the virus is great but to me more of a trance hard dance synth, i wanna make darker atmospheric music like hopkins or bodzin, you recommend the sub37? Is it as easy to setup as Ti2?

[@iVardensphere]

stuart barnett for dark atmospheric stuff I'd probably stick with the virus. It's polyphonic, multitimbral and, ultimately, very flexible. That said, it's a very different machine from the Sub 37. I find the Sub 37 to be more immediate. If you're looking for complex and rich layered atmospheres, the virus would likely be your better option.

[@shieldyourselfmusic8567]

iVardensphere after watching your video I think I want a sub37, the noises you were making were exactly the stuff I wanna make, I do love my virus but I struggle to make anytning like you've made in the video

[@shieldyourselfmusic8567]

iVardensphere like the loops at 9:50 is exactly what I need in my techno tracks... I've got the drums down just need that filthy gritty scary shit

[@iVardensphere]

well yes... If you want filthy, dirty rhythmic awesomeness, look no further! ;-)

[@shieldyourselfmusic8567]

iVardensphere best thing is I can sell my darkstar for £1400 as it's basically brand new and get this for £1300. I've been eyeing up this synth for a while... is there much lag with daw? Best thing about virus is that there is no latency whosoever

[@AnomicCass]

How can I make this loop in sync without having an external midi plugged in?

[@iVardensphere]

In the arp section, hit sync. Then you can also hit sync on the lfo's and the sync buttons on the envelopes. Then when you hit loop, they loop to divisions of internal tempo. The decay and release knobs affect the actual clock division of the looping envelopes.

[@nickangel6596]

and then?

[@niemusic4062]

I've had a sub 37 for the better part of a year now. Thinking of getting a pro 2 also, but I read on some forums that if you have one you don't really need the other. Thoughts?

[@iVardensphere]

Nie Music they are soooooooo different that I would not agree with that statement. I have both machines side by side and thier sound pallets are completely different.

[@amphitheatre]

9:57 10:39

[@marvinkmooneyoz]

did you end up keeping the 37?

[@iVardensphere]

Yep! And a One on the way :-)

[@userfriendlysounds]

Witchcraft!

[@iVardensphere]

Userfriendly Music SORCERY!

[@VanHau5]

you can make some very interesting house music if you hook this thing into ableton 😃😃😃😃😃😃😃😃

[@travisbickle9745]

Hi, awesome video. I got straight into my sub 37 to try this out. One question doe: when you wanna sync this to a drum machine and play the way you did here, how do you handle the clock divide(s)? I guess the arpeggiator clock divide becomes useless (since you don't use the arpeggiator and changing it doesn't seem to effect the looping when I tried it) and you only have to care for FILTER EG and AMP EG (both in the Preset Edit Menu)? or am I mistaken? and what are your settings for these two?

[@iVardensphere]

Jackmaster Adorno When you use the SYNC buttons on the LFO'S and envelopes, they automatically switch to note divisions. Also hit the SYNC buttons in the arpeggios section.

[@iVardensphere]

hmmmm. I remember there being a midi sync function that locks I very thing in. I'm a little fuzzy in that detail. I'll dig into it

[@travisbickle9745]

in the Preset Menu you can change the Clock division for every Sync button on the panel. Except for the LFO Sync division, this one can be changed live on the panel via the LFO Rate Knob of each LFO. As you say yourself in the video, the envelopes start looping in division of notations - and these notations can be changed ( I think standard is 1/8). In my original question I just wanted to know which divisions you changed (if you did?)

[@iVardensphere]

Jackmaster Adorno Yep. In the LFO'S you can use the knobs. you can also use the knobs in the Envelope section. if memory serves, you have to have your sustain and release all the way down and a fast attack. Use the decay to get things going. you can then mess with the envelopes from there.

[@iVardensphere]

Jackmaster Adorno In the video you can see I have a tight envelope and I'm using the RELEASE to adjust divisions.

[@YOGIGER]

How is this looping without the Arpeggiator?

[@iVardensphere]

Mark Sweeney you set the envelopes into both latch and loop mode using the buttons in the associated envelope sections on the panel

[@YOGIGER]

OK, thanks! Not tried that yet and looks interesting!

[@Limpuls]

This video itself is a great sample material for those that can't afford sub37, lol