Musical 'Tricks' for Generative Patches

Here is the series of videos about the different building blocks of modular - bit.ly/modularbasics
Consider joining me on Patreon - / omricohen
Patching techniques and ideas - bit.ly/3o1Q3Sg
Here is the final patch - patchstorage.com/musical-tric...
00:00 - Introduction
00:15 - Adding stability
04:25 - Creating chords
06:05 - Adding more voices
07:46 - Counter-Point
09:32 - Adding bass
11:42 - Rhythmic variations
I'm using DistroKid to distribute my music to Spotify, iTunes, Apple Music, and more. By signing up through this link you will get 7% off and will support this channel :) - distrokid.com/vip/omri
Consider subscribing - bit.ly/2OljOPN
You can find all of my VCV Rack patches here - patchstorage.com/author/omri_...
And all sorts of extra patches here - www.patreon.com/omricohen?fil...[tag]=Extra%20Patches
You can get VCV Rack here - vcvrack.com/
You can find all of my stuff here - linktr.ee/omri.musicohen
** HERE IS WHAT I USE (affiliate links) **
- Computer: Intel Core i7-7700K CPU @ 4.20GHz, 4200 Mhz, 4 Cores,
8 Logical Processor(s), 32Gb RAM, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
- Laptop: Intel Core i7-9700K, 8x 3.6HHz, 12MB L3 Cache, 32Gb RAM, NVIDIA RTX 2060
- ZOOM Recorder H6
- M-Audio Midisport Midi Interface
- Make Noise O Coast
- Behringer Neutron
- Arturia DrumBrute
- Arturia MiniBrute 2S - www.thomann.de
/de/arturia_minibrute_2s.htm?partner_id=15091
- Arturia Keystep - www.thomann.de/de/arturia_key...
- Arturia Keystep Pro - www.thomann.de/de/arturia_key...
- Arturia BeatStep Pro - www.thomann.de/de/arturia_bea...
- Arturia MicroFreak - www.thomann.de/de/arturia_mic...
- Arturia RackBrute 3U - www.thomann.de/de/arturia_rac...
- Midilar Midi Modules + the Minilar controller
- Sensel Morph - www.thomann.de/de/sensel_morp...
- Intellijel 7U case 104 HP - www.thomann.de/de/intellijel_...
- With these modules - cdn.modulargrid.net/img/racks...
- Nektar Impact LX88+
- Korg nanoKontrol 2
- Focal Alpha 65 Monitors
- Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pro Headphones - www.thomann.de/de/beyerdynami...
- Motu UltraLite mk4 Audio Interface
- Steinberg UR242 Audio Interface
- Shure SM7B - www.thomann.de/de/shure_sm_7b...
- Flute Mic t.bone Ovid System
- Reaper is my DAW
- Izotope Neutron 3, Ozone 8, RX-8
#vcvrack #modularsynth #eurorack #synthesis

[@bakedcreations8985]

I'm a simple man. I see an Omri video I hit the like button.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks :)

[@coltranius]

Every video share is either stunningly beautiful music, eye opening tutorials, or both. Thank you!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it, thanks so much!

[@james_44]

Omri you're a bad man. You've made me realise rather than spending ungodly sums of money on new modules and HP I need to save for a new Mac and get obsessed with VCV rack. You've helped my wallet (in the long run at least), but possibly not my mental health.

[@Almanacs]

I always admire the creative way you use every module, even the most "basic" ones.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you!

[@DeepAmbientDrone]

Wow Omri, your videos make learning VCV Rack really fun. The setup is easy to understand, relatively small so you can quickly try it out and rebuild it yourself, and it sounds incredibly good too. Tank you very much.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm really happy you enjoyed it!

[@rennnem]

This is so lovely! I am amazed by your talent and output. Ever video seems to show a different technique and/or idea. Thank you for inspiration in these dark times.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it Mike, thank you!

[@HumanMotives]

Lovely video Omri! Thanks 🙏

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@paolococci2180]

Hey Omnri! Love your videos!! Would love to see more videos about Rhythm generative patches, IDM style.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks! I'll see what I can do :)

[@mageprometheus]

Omri, this was first class and the music so beautiful. Thank you.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you so much!

[@wimve4719]

That was very informative Omri and sound great as well ... cheers for the video!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Jimantronic]

Beautiful. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@raymondjudd5328]

Very grateful for your insights into this platform.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it!

[@djsowari]

Lovely patch - great to have all these different techniques together :)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks :)

[@kevinbesignanomusic5563]

Incredible information as always, thank you Omri!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@digitaIfabric]

Great video. I like how you get right into it and keep a good pace.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it, thank you!

[@rickyphi922]

Outstanding video -- very helpful. Thanks, Omri!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Warsel]

Extremely useful video, thanks for taking the time to put this together.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@SentinelsoftheArctic]

Most helpful, and inspiring. Thank you, as always!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@spontex.merlin]

very nice and as always, randomness is life :) I'm happy to see I used some of these techniques in my previous patch. cheers

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@THOOOMEME]

I have watched many of your videos Omri, I wish to say the following, Thank You Sir!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you so much!

[@joeneoj]

All of your videos are amazin, informative and super inspiring! Really really like it

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it!

[@IceLocus]

Awesome video Omri!!! 👏👏👏 I'm gonna try some of these in my patches for sure.👍

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Let me know how it goes :)

[@Don_Inkshot]

This video helped me a lot to improve a semi-generative patch i'm working on. Thank you so much !

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it helped!

[@hibitsounds9755]

Top man! Bless🙏

[@MaxiCrows]

I think that this is the best essential tutorial that i see, its simply awsome, you are admirable thanks

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much!

[@deathbydesire9832]

Amazing! I love how you get on point when explaining. Not too complex not too abstract. nice

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it, thanks so much!

[@chrisnewman9693]

beautiful! Thank you Omri

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@tyleredwards2097]

Love your tricks. these are so helpful and fun to play around with! than k you so much!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much!

[@AvSpify]

In case this might help someone else. To control the octave range of the Random Pitch generator, Right Click on module--->Normal Range---> Choose voltage range. Cheers!

[@nodz007]

thanks this was driving me mad- I was looking for it on plaits like the hardware

[@chumprock]

Thanks from two years later.

[@HpBeck_Fieldrecordings]

Very helpfull***Thx Omri.......The journey continues.....simple and clear, less is more✌

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@musictreeproductions5994]

Wow, it's incredible what you can do with one simple sequence! 🤯 Thank you for sharing!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad you like it!

[@mosesve1]

Really inspiring! Thanks

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@marcotronic]

Thanks a lot for another awesome video. Yours are the best by far. ❤️. I wish I had more time to dive deeper into VCV Rack. There are soooo many modules to explore and I always tend to forget most of what I learned in one video after a couple of days.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yeah, it's a huge universe... Limitations are your friends though :) Cheers!

[@seazenbones6945]

Your explanations are wonderful. Your channel is a great resource for me. Having spent some time going through your videos and patching modules in VCV rack,; going back to my iPad and composing in AUM and Cubasis, has been a joy. Thank you Omri. 🙏

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I really appreciate it, thanks so much!

[@giorgiomontinari438]

many thanks just what i was looking for.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad I could help

[@soulmaticssoundtherapy4440]

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@arcticnightwolf]

I really like this video, because my generative patches are usually just Marbles so this gives me some clues where to go from there. :D

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@user-dh1go4sq9q]

🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Thanks! Good tutorial 👍🏻

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@dreamdealer]

I click "like" before clicking "skip ad". Thank you for this Omri.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it man, thank you!

[@BeniRoseMusic]

Awww yes, this is my sweet spot. This is why I love modular. I almost don’t want to keep watching because I don’t want to feel unoriginal for using all of these ideas on my next patch 🤦‍♂️

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I guess that there's no such thing as being 100% original, we're all 'inspired' by other people...

[@DennisDJSaklak]

@@OmriCohen-Music J.S. Bach wasn't 😆😆

[@ionicamarian352]

Thanks Omri for this. I've learned a lot from you. You're a modular god :)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate that! Have fun :)

[@aerophylix4790]

really great ideas presented here, and the patch is beautiful.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much!

[@mikenoface]

@@OmriCohen-Music I was gonna say the same. Very beautiful sound for a "how-to" video. :) Nice work, Omri.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@mikenoface I appreciate it, thank you!

[@naspleo2252]

Hey man thanks for another great video Shift register seems like a game changer for making chords with generative music. I've never used it before but am about to right now. Sequential Switch is a nifty little one too, my old way of doing sequential stuff was a little more convoluted sometimes. And lastly, that little trick about just inverting your pitch information, great stuff. Everything else in this video alone will fuel the inspiration for my next couple machines. Happy patching Omri

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, I'm really happy you found this video useful :) Thanks!

[@joostvanbunnik7646]

Loving this

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@binarybrewing]

Thanks for the great video. Inspired me to open up VCV Rack again

[@OmriCohen-Music]

That's great! Thanks!

[@marcelomoura7584]

como sempre se superando, obrigado pela aula, presente professor!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@MrTheakstone]

You Sir, are a legend!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@TheMrBakedPOTato]

Amazing dude

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@blackrazorus]

This is wonderful! I can’t wait to try some of these “tricks” out…

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Have fun!

[@brendanramsey8311]

I think the best part of this video is how everything modulates and changes as you build the patch, it gives it some life when new voices come in. Could you make a video about how you would sequence something like this? Such as adding triggers to have new voices/additions to the patch come in after a couple minutes?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'll see what I can do :)

[@gasdimitriadis8076]

Best talented artist and inspiring teacher.. Make difficult things look so normal and easy. Thank you Omri!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it, thank you!

[@elektr0bath]

Less is more. So simple and so beautiful, greetings!🙏🥂

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@kinderobi]

Hey Omri! Great video as always :) Would like to see a dedicated video on generative rhythms and how to create randomness (while still being able to hang onto something) when it comes to rhythm only

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yep, that's on the list :) Thanks!

[@ShayWhelanOfficial]

Thank you

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@Kwwmm]

Wonderful

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you

[@AstroRaph2013]

Awesome. :)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks!

[@vincentmartineau232]

Thank you Omri, this was very useful. I also find that with VCV it is easy to leave theory aside and find by ear which chords sound good together and what scales overlay well. I like using Hampton for chords but will try your arrangement above. Once more, thank you.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@jasiahbenedict828]

I know Im asking randomly but does someone know a method to log back into an instagram account?? I stupidly lost my account password. I appreciate any tricks you can offer me

[@kylenulises9120]

@Jasiah Benedict instablaster ;)

[@jasiahbenedict828]

@Kylen Ulises Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and im waiting for the hacking stuff atm. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@jasiahbenedict828]

@Kylen Ulises It did the trick and I actually got access to my account again. I'm so happy! Thank you so much you saved my account :D

[@jonathanyoung6397]

This was amazing, Omri is so talented and makes this look so darn easy! I will definitely explore some of these options - most of this made complete sense except for the counterpoint idea. I don’t understand how sending the output from the quantizer to the logic module and then to another quantizer works at all?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much, I appreciate it! About the countpoint, basically, when the signal from the quantizer goes up in voltage, the logic module will invert it and will make it go down. So the main melody plays the same, but the counter melody plays, more or less, the opposite.

[@helmuthanning]

So nice vid again, Omri, thanks. Found it yesterday, and do nothing else in free time but watch it again and again and want to understand how the music evolve, really like the atmosphere. Please instruct me, I have not only one but this question - You tell us at 03:50 you want the lower notes with higher FM and the higher one with less.. (it might be because that setup is less intrusive).. why do you use a second S+H and not the one building that random notes? How can another random sequence interact with the higher/lower notes - is there something I totally missunderstand? Thanks so much!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you liked it :) About the S&H, it's actually a mistake I made because in order to have the same voltage as the pitch, I should have used the pitch and not a different S&H.

[@helmuthanning]

@@OmriCohen-Music Thanks for your reply, now I can jump to the next track in this vid. ;)

[@elm_assembly]

instant Loscil. 🧡

[@matiasocarez]

Hey Omri how did you do to put labels on the patch like that? Thank you for sharing your knowledge, i started just a week ago and I learned so much already thanks to you!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi! Those are the label modules from Submarine. You can get them here - library.vcvrack.com/plugins?query=submarine&license=&sort=buildTimestamp Just type 202 in the module browser inside VCV and it will pop up. Cheers!

[@raeloonja4832]

Thank you so much for this fascinating video as always.🙏🌄 Even if it's going to take me several viewings, I think!🤪 I'd like to ask you a question: I'm currently working on a generative ambience patch, and one thing is resisting me a little at the moment: finding a simple way to make the whole harmony change in a slightly random way from, for example, C major to G7. I have several quantizers in the patch and small sequencers for all the voices. As well as the zoa app on ipad as an external sequencer. I can't find a good, simple way of synchronizing all this with not just a change of note on a mode, but a change of mode and root note. In hardware, it seems possible to do this with a sinfonion, but on vcv I'm not sure. Maybe it's very simple, but I don't know enough about all the modules.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks! Take a look at the Aaron Static modules. There are a couple of modules that can really help you with transposing and such.

[@deToonNL]

Hey @ 2:28 you use a feature I don't know about. What key do you press/what module do you use to add/dupe another cable from the same output? - This is super useful, I wan't to improve my workflow, this can help :) - Also great video

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi! Well, if you hold ctrl (on Windows at least) you can either grab another cable from the source or from the destination so you don't have to go back and forth between modules.

[@stempek121]

I need at least one hour long recording of this patch. It's stunning. Can you make a counter melody without using a quantizer or its must have for this technique? I really like it.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you enjoyed it :) The quantizer is there just to make sure things stay in a certain scale but if, for example, you sequencer has built-in quantization you can skip this.

[@stempek121]

​@@OmriCohen-Music So let's say if I have sequence going from yarns, then inverted CV will stay in scale? Sounds good, I'll have to try it.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@stempek121 well, not necessarily, no. It depends on the voltage you're inverting...

[@stephengriffiths3009]

Another stunning set of patches and ideas... would love to know what an estimated cost of all of those modular blocks would be?

[@cutyoursoul4398]

All of those? Too much lol

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks! If you don't calculate the mixer and such, it's not so much I guess. I mean, it's still a lot of money, but it's quite a small system.

[@baskingintheafterglo]

Dude!! Seriously, you are such a ba dass!! 😃😃😃

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers man!

[@faruambient]

Hi Omri, great stuff as usual! thank you! what would be some hardware modules of the sequential switch?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi! Glad you enjoyed it 🙂 The Muxlicer is really great for something like this. You have an ALL input, and you can "interrupt " it on each step so you have a stable sequence in the ALL, and random on different steps. Muxlicer is also in VCV so you can give it a try for free.

[@faruambient]

@@OmriCohen-Music ah! amazing, thank you very much! I will try it out. its a bit too big for my case, but I will try it out and others in vcv and see what smaller modules could work.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@faruambient You can actually do something similar with a sequencer and a mixer. You can mix the sequence with something like S&H, but mix in the S&H only on certain steps. You will need a CV mixer though.

[@faruambient]

@@OmriCohen-Music good idea! I will try it out, thanks! I have a cv mixer

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@faruambient Cool! Have a look here, I'm doing something similar - kzbin.info/www/bejne/p5PRimBsn7CUsMk

[@i_hate_this_world]

Salut! Great video again. Curious what is happening with the sequencer, though. The values seem to be attenuated judging from the range of notes being produced by it, but I can't see how you've done it. Could you explain how the notes produced by it seem to be within an octave or two, please? EDIT: Sorry, I've seen there's a range on the right-click menu, just the same as the S&H module. Thanks so much for the videos. Really interesting and useful

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yeah, the range selection in the right click menu is brilliant!

[@i_hate_this_world]

@@OmriCohen-Music Isn't it? Some of these free/open source modules are amazing. Anyway, appreciate the videos. Really helped get me started with Vcv rack. Actually, sometimes you sound apologetic when going into technical details , like maybe it wouldn't be enjoyable for people to watch. For me, it's one of the reasons I like your videos. Understanding the tech helps me understand what's going on. All the best my friend.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yeah, I don't want to scare people off by going into too many details... :) Cheers!

[@RobertCharlesMann]

🖖

[@Gethinm80]

Hi Found your courses on Mod Wiggler. I’m just starting out with modular and want to learn the basics before I delve into proper hardware. Which is the best one on your site for total beginners ? Thanks ! Gethin

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi! Have a look at this one - omricohen.gumroad.com/l/modularbasics It should be helpful :)

[@lajoscsillag6160]

Hello, is possible do this patch with Doepfer A-151 sequential swtich, or is any alternative on that "Sequntial Switch 8 to 1" out there? Thank for your answer!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi! Well, if you meant the switch part of the patch then yes, but with less inputs so only 4 basically, but the results would be more or less the same. You can have 3 stable steps and one step with s&h so every 4th step, you will get a random note.

[@lajoscsillag6160]

@@OmriCohen-Music Thak you so much!

[@pyerbass]

no "hey guys and gals"???? unsuscribe! ;-) Just kidding of course! great video Omri!

[@GeorgeLocke]

My woke detectors found a deficiency of NB inclusion. Unsubscribe.

[@KYNG000]

Are you using VCV or Cherry Audio ??

[@David-mx2jx]

Thanks for all these videos. Got to learn from you! I just face one situation that at times the speakers distort, then have to often restart the vcv rack again, is it a software issue ?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much! I never experienced something like you describe. Maybe it's a cpu issue? Or block size/sample rate? How often does it happen?

[@David-mx2jx]

@@OmriCohen-Music often at time, even i dont undrstnd why. i'm using VCC in my macbook pro, is it CPU issue ? i'm current using 48k, its 44.1kHz at default

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@David-mx2jx did you also change the sample rate under the engine menu?

[@David-mx2jx]

@@OmriCohen-Music Yes, i did it again vlos3d it qnd reopened again. but still it is there.

[@David-mx2jx]

@@OmriCohen-Music if you dont.mind can I have your email address please so i can share it with you qnd you can help me.

[@james_44]

Amazing video! Maybe I'm too late to the party to get an answer but in the second example I'm a bit confused as to the envelope for the chords. It seems like the filter is going straight to the mixer but the chords aren't constant. Am i missing something or is there an envelope someone controlling the chords swelling in and out?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much! The filter is modulated by the 8FO, so when the filter is closed, the chords are not going through.

[@james_44]

@@OmriCohen-Music Ahhhhhh I'm so stupid for not realising this. Thanks a lot for replying so long after the video was uploaded, you're a legend!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@james_44 No worries, I'm happy I can try and help :) Have fun!

[@angelogrieco]

Damn Omri, you make everything look so simple, then i get on vcv and what i get is always the same "song"...

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Try using other modules than me, maybe it will give you other results.

[@SongOfItself]

How does the Shift Register work? If it samples one pitch, how does it generate harmony without a quantizer or a way to specify the scale? (I am very new to VCV, but I've been doing generative music in Bitwig's grid, so I'm at least familiar with the concepts. In Bitwig I created a patch that takes a stream of notes, from a sequencer or any random generator, and creates chords by randomly picking some of the notes it receives, so that the chords, whatever they end up being, always follow the notes being played. But I can't imagine how diatonic chords are created here from only one note being sampled and no further quantization).

[@SongOfItself]

Oh, okay, I read the manual :-) and now I get how it works. So this is pretty much the same thing I built in Bitwig's grid, except I'm sampling notes much more often, to keep the chords more "current" with the notes that the sequencer is generating. I'm basically trying to figure out how similar and how different vcv is from the grid in Bitwig. They are more dissimilar than I expected!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yeah, I think that VCV is more of an emulation of Eurorack and the Grid is modular, but has its own way of working.

[@JiMMy-xd8nu]

I wonder, do you get any mean comments? I don't get the point of hating on extremely helpful educative videos, so I'd be very surprised if you did.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm very thankful for the community I'm a part of :)

[@sebastianmolina6592]

can i make music in vcv rack without a daw?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Well, actually it's mostly possible to work with vcv as stand alone, there's no vst version yet.

[@username3525]

I have a problem with the shift register and the oscillators. For some reason the oscillators sound terribly out of tune with the main melody. The input of the shift register is connected to the out of the quantum...Don't know if someone else is having this problem. Thanks

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi, feel free to email me the patch, and I'll have a look. You can email me here omri.musicohen(at)gmail.com

[@username3525]

@@OmriCohen-Music thanks a lot. I've just sent you an email

[@j.tahtstrauts3049]

Patch 333, братужа?! These are starting to look kabbalah numbers.

[@earlgrey2130]

Weird.. when i build this with the same properties it sounds (a lot) worse and different. I must be missing something -.- The shift register chords get chopped everytime it switches and the chronoblob just sounds like garbage :/ Oh well.. i'll figure it out

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Feel free to send me the patch and I'll have a look :) You can send it here [e-mail]