Mutable Instruments Marbles - VCV Rack Tutorial

Want to learn Modular Synthesis? have a look here - bit.ly/learnmodular
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Patching techniques and ideas document - bit.ly/3o1Q3Sg
Here are some of the instruments I'm using - redir.love/thocf/n78qmvw2lm
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Marbles, AKA Random Sampler, is a great source for random gates and cv, adding lots of movement and uncertainty to your patches, but also has the ability, just like the Turing Machine, to repeat a certain sequence, while slowly introducing new material or processing the information it already has, giving an organic feel to the sound. In this video, I go through all its different features, demonstrating its functions with patches built from scratch. I start with the T section, the Gates Generator, I then move on to the X section, the S&H, then I go quickly through the Deja Vu section, and finally, I take a closer look at how to use Marbles with external voltages, also at audio rate, and also how to use Marbles as an oscillator.
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Also on Bandcamp - omricohencomposer.bandcamp.co...
Here are all the different patches - patchstorage.com/mutable-insr...
Here are some Timestamp links to different parts of the video:
Intro - 00:39
The T section (gates generator) - 03:29
The X section (sample and hold) - 15:34
The Deja Vu section - 31:49
Using Marbles with external voltages
-----------------------------------------------------
Control Voltage - 36:53
Audio-Rate signals - 39:42
Using Marbles as an oscillator - 42:10
Here you can find my music - omricohencomposer.bandcamp.com
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Big thanks to Carbonic Acid for helping me out with creating my own blank modules! - bit.ly/2y2amXe
You can get them here - bit.ly/2PNxgJx
And Big thanks to Xavier Belmont for helping me out with the various graphics - bit.ly/2ItJQL2
/ xbimages
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[@lanoctambulephotos]

You know that feeling when you’re reading a manual, you think you’re getting it but can’t quite imagine how you’d use it in a patch? Then you see an Omri Cohen tutorial and the bells go off in your head. Now I’ve built like 7 patches since watching this yesterday, and the possibilities seem endless. Omri, you’re the Guyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, I'm happy you enjoyed it :)

[@allmyoscillators938]

Just wanted to say I've watched a bunch of your videos recently and they are nothing short of spectacular. I've learnt so much from them as I try to learn how to use my eurorack and vcv rack together. Marbles in particular has been a struggle to master. It's especially impressive how you manage to patch interesting and ambient sounds that could be turned into full songs just by demonstrating the functions of different modules. Thank you for your work. Looking forward to more especially when vcv 1.0 and 2.0 drop.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, wow, thank you so much! I'm really glad that you enjoy what I do, and that you find it useful. I have a lot of fun making these videos, and it's great to hear that other people also enjoy them. Thank you!

[@alanaranda8890]

You became my fav YT channel.Thank you so much!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much!

[@TH-gu4wj]

This is an incredibly good tutorial/demonstration. Can't thank you enough for making this.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much! I'm happy you found it useful ☺

[@pureeschaap]

Absolutely... !!!!

[@Hennesg]

You can also have 3 oscillating voices from the X outputs, just go really fast clock rate and lock the X. Every time you reactivate X-lock you get 3 new waveforms

[@efeyektakaya]

So glad that I found this channel

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much

[@fearfeasog]

Thanks for taking the time to explain things so patiently and clearly. 🙌🎶🎆🎇

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@danielmcanulty1562]

Such a great video, I got a new favorite personal recording out of it as I followed along, and the audio rate stuff at the end blew my mind, I was not expecting that! Took me three days to make it through this one, but each day was rewarding.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, great! I'm glad you found it useful!

[@user-vh6gd6mb3i]

Best intro ever!

[@jemmahooper7415]

Thanks Omri! Awesome walkthrough. I especially liked the signoff line.. "Kiss your social life goodbye!" I may have snort-laughed. :D

[@OmriCohen-Music]

It's all true :) Cheers!

[@jemmahooper7415]

@@OmriCohen-Music I've been aware of VCVRack for a week and a bit. I've probably already spend 60+ hours messing with it. Your vids have really helped me see what's possible on the platform!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@jemmahooper7415 that's great 🙂 I wish you many more hours of fun patching!

[@NilsKullberg]

Definitely the best introduction to Marbles I've seen. Big thanks!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much!

[@hypoidsound]

New to VCV and thankfully found this channel! Yours are the best demonstrations and guides I've found, thanks for the great sounds and explanations :-D

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much man! And welcome to the Rack world :) I'm happy you like what I do, and if you have any questions don't hesitate to write!

[@brianreilly6545]

Thx so much for this. You helped me understand a key element that the manual doesn’t even mention. Your awesome🙌🏻

[@OmriCohen-Music]

That's great! Thanks!

[@bengalinsky4300]

Not just the best ref for vcv and mirack, but hands down your channel is the best mus tech ref on yt right now. Congrats.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I really appreciate that, thanks so much!

[@draconianrhythms]

Every time you say “oh yeah” I’m like “100% agree sir 😂”. This is a wonderful exploration of Marbles. I’ve learned many new tricks and am inspired. If only I could just add more of them IRL as easy as you do here 😆 … cheers dude

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I appreciate it :) Have fun!

[@MikeUIibarri]

31:15 Very, very nice. I enjoy your videos on many different levels. I can not keep up, but this is good stuff. I salute you, Sir. Well done.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much!

[@snoopyoverthehills]

omri. you're just the best. by far the best tutorial on marbles!!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much! It's a beautiful module...

[@marcoose777]

The marbles module is truly diverse and flexible. Thanks for another great walk through you're a gent

[@OmriCohen-Music]

It really is, and all of this in a very intuitive package. It's a beauty :) I'm glad you enjoyed this! Cheers!

[@sal9371]

all this power in one module, great!! thanks for this tutorial Omri :)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad liked it :) Thanks!

[@unitejazz1470]

cool ! i'm new in this word and I like your tutorials, many thanks.

[@FMTolstoevsky]

Excellent video, nice examples and explanation, Omri - many thanks! Keep on your work :)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm really glad you found it useful! Thanks and cheers!

[@liquidacoustics8329]

This is a beast of a module and hell of an overview man. I still haven't completely understood the X section but I will watch that part of the video again. I just had to say that this was a real top notch video mate,. It's well thought out and really shows off a deep module step by step. Thanks once again for making these videos so newbies like myself can get to grips with complex modules like this one. Cheers Bro and Keep up the quality work. Bye

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey man, thanks so much! It means a lot! If you have any questions feel free to ask :) I'm glad you found it useful! Cheers!

[@alejandromontanez2977]

This is my new favorite module! Super helpful vid

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks, Alejandro! It's a beautiful module, no doubt about it...

[@nathanbryers]

Wow Omri! Thank you so much for continuing these videos. I’m using MiRack for iPad so, many but not all modules are there. But your videos are a ‘God send’. Really helping me become enthusiastic rather than being so baffled by this. Ive found the odd tutorial around, mostly very basic. You are the leader in this scene - I really appreciate your videos Much love. I hope your channel really kicks off & starts returning you some serious coin 👍🏼 I’m always recommending you to my music buddies 🎶

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, thanks so much! I'm happy you enjoy my work :) Cheers!

[@cosinussangoma4983]

finally a very good and useful video for marbles which i can use on the hardware aswell , both thumbs up for your great work !

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ablaut]

awesome tutorial once again! and such a rich and powerful module

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers, Ben! It's a truly beautiful module :)

[@ScottLHines]

Thank you for this most informative video. You cleared up a lot of confusion.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you found it useful, thank you!

[@allorgansnobody]

This is a beautiful module.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Indeed!

[@giuliomaresca]

The best tutorial on Marbles, now I know it's the next module to buy, thank you!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, thanks! I wish you many hours of fun with it :)

[@giuliomaresca]

@@OmriCohen-Music thank you!

[@LarsBjerregaard]

Nice tutorial Omri! Man, that Marbles is a deep and varied module. Will take a few years to master :-) Wonderful stuff.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much, Lars! Yes, Marbles is a marvel ;)

[@amar_paul]

Thank you Omri! ❤🙏🏻

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@TheDjsequeira]

I'm far from an impulsive buyer when it comes to Eurorack. But just watched this because it was suggested and ended up buying the actual module. Great video!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cool :) I wish you many hours of fun with it!

[@user-df8bd7oj6j]

Awesome tutorial, thank you!👍

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@thenarproject7186]

Just Genius! Utter Genius! Thanks So Much

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it helped!

[@ElectronisoundsAudio]

Thanks, Omri! This is so useful! 😀 👊

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@faremissound]

Thank you again and again!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@jexmartinez9343]

maaannn this is gold. Thank you

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers!

[@Audhentik]

i'm just uploading my first try with the random sampler...i should have watched this video before, really helpful, thanks! :)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

It's a beauty... I'm happy you enjoyed it 😀

[@dinosaursr]

I really appreciate your informative tutorials. I’m actually a guitarist but am curious about modular synths. I’ll be able to get my Rack.app running now!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, nice, I'm happy I could help 🙂

[@lucienmarcel4880]

" Merci beaucoup " for this really good tutorial !!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you liked it, thanks!

[@CO5MA]

Amazing tutorial!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm happy you enjoyed it, thank you!

[@MichaelVictory]

Very Nice!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks!

[@zkx40]

You teach me so much i wanna thanks you a lot !!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad to hear that!

[@GlebLaskin]

Thanks! A lot of information)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Glad it was helpful!

[@7177YT]

brilliant, thanks!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks so much!

[@donaldmetz8586]

Awesome!!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks!!

[@tonizamboni7362]

i've been reading the online manuals for the mutable instruments modules but honestly i'd rather just watch you explain how everything works, i feel like i understand better by following along

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm really happy to hear that, thank you!

[@pureeschaap]

Combining them is even better :) But basics and advanced practical stuff? One name: Omri Cohen ;)

[@joshuajohns5254]

Omri these are great, thank you.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you enjoy them :) Thanks!

[@joshuajohns5254]

Do you know of a Make Noise similar pack for VCV? Maths and the like?@@OmriCohen-Music

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Well, there is this - gumroad.com/l/floats but I didn't seem to find anything else...

[@xTheOxx]

If there were Omri bingo cards, you'd think the center square would be "hey guyyyyyyzzzzzzz", but it could just as easily be "turn down the attack so that it's nice and snappy".

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Haha, so cool! Cheers 🙂

[@wired-up5677]

"Oh yeah"

[@cubalibre023ify]

Very nice I learn alot 😁 thx

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you liked it, thank you!

[@mimijin]

VERY NICE

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks!

[@whitenoisefromelectronicto1728]

Thank you so much

[@OmriCohen-Music]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@zacwhyte]

Marble Madness! Awesome.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks! It's a beautiful module :)

[@antonelse]

super OMRI

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Cheers! :)

[@freqout5847]

Great video... now dying to get a hardware Marbles!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you! Oh yes, it can be a great addition, contributing interesting rhythms and modulation sources.

[@MattPursley]

@omricohen Thanks for all your tutorials. They are always super informative and sound beautiful too! (Quick "common English" note. I noticed you often say, "let's check this setting shortly, before moving on" but the common way to say that in (US) English is "let's check this setting quickly, before moving on". I'm not sure if using shortly is more common in British English, like that? Beyond little things like that your English is quite good, as I imagined you didn't learn it as a young child. :) Anyway, not a big thing just a quick note. ) Please do keep posting these tutorial videos! I often listen to them over published music/records, as I can enjoy the beautiful music and learn something about synthesis/music theory at them same time! :)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi Matt! Thank you so much! Yeah, I'm far from being a native speaker :) I appreciate the feedback, thank you!

[@richarquis]

@@OmriCohen-Music Ah, or as we say, "Thank you very beacoup."

[@teenageoperator7246]

hmmm I wanna try using marbles as an oscillator like you did at the end but try the T1 and T2 outputs, especially in the dividing mode I think that’d be cool, but honestly I’m just waiting for Tides 2 to get ported 😅 thanks as always for the helpful vid!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yeah, I'm also excited using the new Tides soon... Thanks!

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

I sure hope that someone makes Clouds again- sad it is no longer made.

[@danielszwimer1747]

Hey guuuuyyyzzzzzzz

[@paultyrrell8060]

HI Omri - Love the tutorial. Wonder if you could do a tutorial on rainmaker?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks, Paul! Do you mean the actual module or Portland Weather?

[@LaurentLaborde]

1:56 : red means recording :D

[@cryptout]

Nice demo, the begin sounds like church music :P

[@OmriCohen-Music]

haha, yes :) Thanks!

[@GuitarsAndSynths]

Excellent tutorial, so is Marbles the equivalent of Make Noise Maths or are they completely different purposes? Love how Marbles can make generative patches. Very educational for me to understand modular systems.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thank you! Well, Marbles and Maths are not really the same, no. Marbles will generate gates and stepped CV, while Maths will create smooth CV\oscillations and cycled functions.

[@richarquis]

I think (and I say think, because I just ordered my first case and modules online a few hours ago, they will arrive sometime later this week, I am just basing my comment on watching YT and reading forums right now) that Stages is more like Maths. They both deal with envelope generation, slope, looping cycles, and so on. In a few months time, I will add Maths to my rack, but for now, that's how I see it. Marbles seems to deal with Sample and Hold functions, not envelopes.

[@3str]

Awesome video - learning so much here, thanks! Can I just give some constructive criticism re. the production? Raise the audio level of VCV, your voice-over is overpowering it a little bit. And when working with percussive signals like the hihat part in the beginning, a less reverb would be great. Just for the sake of clarity. Keep up the good work, and thanks again!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks, Michael! I really appreciate the feedback also, thank you! I hope that in the recent videos the sound is better...

[@CroixMedia]

Can you explain what the third mode on the t side is doing? I don't understand how Grids or Topograph relates to this or why the pattern generated equates to a "kick-snare pattern." Thanks!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Well, this mode is based on Grids and the kick snare idea is that you have certain triggers for the kick and others for the snare so, for example, the kick will play on 1 and 3 and the snare on 2 and 4 so one output will output triggers as to trigger a bass drum on the 1 and 3, and the other output will output triggers as to trigger a snare on the 2 and 4. You can of course also change the patterns with the Bias knob. This us also how Grids work and Topograph is a VCV module built after Grids. Does this make sense?

[@blackdownAV]

Wow I wish I’d seen this before I sold marbles in frustration!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

It's such a nice module...

[@blackdownAV]

@@OmriCohen-Music at least I can use the virtual version now with my new hybrid setup!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@blackdownAV Oh yes, it's so much fun!

[@pureeschaap]

Didn't you read the manual? :)

[@AntonyBailey77]

@@pureeschaap because mutable manuals are known for their inspiring content 🤔 there’s no creative inspiration in manuals generally speaking. Unlike Omri’s videos… which is why we are all here I would imagine.

[@kinderobi]

Hello Omri! Hope this message finds you in good health and situation :) As always thank you so much for your amazing videos! I´ve been trying to load external sequences into Marbles and for some reason my sequences are being transformed into weird intervals, is not that the sequence is running on random mode because it loops but the intervals of the original sequence are being modified. It is like marbles is no getting the external CV information right, do you know why this could be happening? I am sending the sequence from Impromtu´s Foundry. Thank you in advance!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hey, thanks so much! Well, can you send me the patch you have issues with? You can send it here - [e-mail]

[@kinderobi]

@@OmriCohen-Music hey! I just did :) Subject is: Marbles External Sequence for Omri

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@kinderobi Perfect! I will have a look :)

[@booobazzzz2867]

Hi there ! Thanks for all your videos as they all are very usefull to me ! That's the second video i'm looknig at where you are using the Palm Loop which seams very nice. But actually ( september 10th 2019 ) the Palm loop seams not to be available anymore through the : " Library => Manage plugins ". By this i mean that there is no [ + Free ] button in order to add it to my Module collection. Any tricks available ? Cheers !

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi! I'm really glad you enjoy my work, thank you! Unfortunately, the 21kHz collection is still not available (officially) for VCV Rack 1.0, but here is an unofficial Windows build you can use - github.com/stefansebik/21kHz-rack-plugins/blob/master/dist/21kHz-1.0.0-win.zip?fbclid=IwAR1LWtu-t_tjHnzCTxZPpK6rMSJCCnn3BKv1SGi6XY6d8c0selHW8bsu9_w Let me know if you're on Mac or Linux and I will try to find a solution. Cheers!

[@booobazzzz2867]

@@OmriCohen-Music Actually i'm on PC and i downloaded the zip. I took what's in the " Component " folder and put it in the " ComponentLibrary " folder in VCV rack. Anything else to do ?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

All you have to do is put the Zip file in the plugins folder and it should work. Let me know.

[@booobazzzz2867]

@@OmriCohen-Music My very bad ! I was putting the Zip file at the wrong place. In : C: Programes > VCV > Rack ( bad ), instead of : User > Documents > Rack ( good ! ) Thank you very much !!!!!

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@booobazzzz2867 Excellent! I'm happy it works :)

[@TRaddcliff]

on the physical module you can set gate length by holding down the gate mode button and turning bias. how can gate length be changed on the VCV module? and the length button in the middle....what is that for? It just seems to hold the gate. thanks

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yeah, unfortunately, it's not implemented in the VCV version. You can use an external module for that, something like Dgate from BogAudioo.

[@TRaddcliff]

@@OmriCohen-Music thanks

[@omarbrown2696]

Proper

[@dreamakah]

This is probably a stupid question but does anyone know how to switch the module browser to how it looks in this video? (no graphic previews)

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Well, the VCV version in this video is the old one so there is no really way to change this...

[@ursbasteck]

A wonder- and powerful module but I somewhat wonder... well, where my Nanokontrol is, basically. Or, how those knobs scream to be turned in a performance, with your fingers, seems to occupy at least one of the Top 10 reasons to have an actual Eurorack.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yes, it's a totally different experience, I agree.

[@ShanevsDCsniperr]

does anyone know of another module that replicates the "jitter" knob from marbles?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Hi! Have a look at the Burst Generator from Repelzen. It has also a Jitter function, you can sync it with a clock, and it can also act as a sequencer.

[@cardboardmusic]

I don't know if something changed, but the Grid Sequencer doesn't look the same anymore, with the result that trying to produce your patch - in my case - gives very different results :-(. Thanks for the tutorials, always interesting.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Yeah, there was an update to the sequencer but the basic functionality should work the same, more or less.

[@cardboardmusic]

@@OmriCohen-Music I'll have another go, but I see in your version that the CV out of Grid Seq outputs quite often (hence all the nice pretty notes). In my version, it seems that the CV out reacts hardly at all. The result is quite static pattern of (mostly) repeated notes in quite glitchy rhythm.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@cardboardmusic Oh ok... Can you send me the patch? I will have a look. You can send it here - [e-mail]

[@cardboardmusic]

@@OmriCohen-Music Thanks Omri, it's on its way.

[@liquiddiction7854]

So you can't change octaves in real life Marbles, I'd have to use the external quantizer for that? and how do you initialize the module? what's the shortcut? greta video btw

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Thanks! And yeah, something like a precision adder can help you with changing octaves on the fly. And I'm not so sure there's a shortcut for resetting Marbles...

[@liquiddiction7854]

@@OmriCohen-Music I meant resetting the module to default after copying it.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@@liquiddiction7854 Oh ok, that's in the right click menu or ctrl+i

[@jeffgreenlee1226]

Not a big deal.. but I thought I would just mention.. Your section near the beginning with the hihat... I can hear your voice .. but ... no audible hi-hat! Was this intentional?

[@OmriCohen-Music]

That's weird... i just listened to it again and it sounds just fine... I do have side chaining going on, but you should still hear the hihat a bit, and especially when I don't talk.

[@OmriCohen-Music]

@doksan I have no idea, I can also hear the hihats...

[@ChaitanyaBhagwatChai]

i ttook me 50 minutes to get to minute the 2nd part about the right section, pausing the video and playing around after every new element

[@OmriCohen-Music]

Oh nice! Marbles is so much fun!

[@ChaitanyaBhagwatChai]

@@OmriCohen-Music i found out about VCV 2 days ago. i have exams in 2 weeks. typical :D

[@jodymcdougle8810]

Happy new year, guys! I've only just discovered your channel this afternoon! Can you give any introductory tips regarding VCV? If any of you guys would like to do a split, mix, chat, or just have fun making music and sounds; here is a link to the channel the kids & i work on from time to time: Soundcloud.com/jodymcdougle