The Official Sequential/Oberheim Forum

SEQUENTIAL/DSI => Pro 2 => Topic started by: Sarah on January 03, 2017, 02:17:33 AM

Title: Deep Drones, Endless Modulation!!!!
Post by: Sarah on January 03, 2017, 02:17:33 AM
Hello fellow Pro-2ers!

I'm posting to share some techniques I've been playing around with for making deep evolving drones on this masterful instrument. Hopefully some of you will find this interesting!

Instead of using the hold function, I decided to try using the sequencer. I programmed in a single note, which I tied for 16 steps. I then set the bpm and clock divide at their lowest / slowest setting, and set an appropriate attack / release for a smooth loop. Pressing play gives you the basic drone, which is pretty long due to the bpm and clock divide settings.

From here, I started with a kind of vector synthesis approach by fading in and out the individual oscillators on different sequencer tracks. If you program each step with full slew, you get smooth transitions. Bear in mind though that the slow bpm and clock setting mean that all changes and modulations are slow (even single steps!) - I think for drones, this is fine. So, using this technique, even before modulation, you already have an evolving base to work from (assuming of course that you use different oscillator shapes and / or pitches).

Next comes modulation, and the possibilities here are just amazing when you think that you have 11 sequencer tracks left (use slew for smooth transitions between steps), three envelopes (I set filter envelope and envelopes 3 and 4 to loop), 4 LFO's and your full mod matrix!!! Modulation heaven!!!

Finally some stereo spread using the delay's and some trippy BBD action and you have a gorgeous long, constantly evolving drone.

Depending upon your modulation choices it might get noisy (distortion, feedback, character section), or stay tasteful with gentle wavetable and filter action... the world is your oyster!! Also, using different lengths for your sequencer tracks means that everything will evolve endlessly.

Obviously it's not going to be playable, but it's a drone! Just press play to start the drone, and stop to end it. I had a lot of fun experimenting with this technique and the results were pretty crazy!!

I hope this is useful!

Sarah  :)
Title: Re: Deep Drones, Endless Modulation!!!!
Post by: Sarah on January 03, 2017, 03:22:12 PM
Added some examples:

https://soundcloud.com/sazb30/sh-drone

https://soundcloud.com/sazb30/alien-fm-drone

https://soundcloud.com/sazb30/noisy-drone
Title: Re: Deep Drones, Endless Modulation!!!!
Post by: Paul Dither on January 04, 2017, 05:34:49 AM
Thanks for sharing these files and your suggestions, Sarah!

Very good points on how to create slowly evolving patterns with the Pro 2 and about not using the Pro 2's sequencer as a MIDI sequencer, but as the powerful modulation source it actually is.
Title: Re: Deep Drones, Endless Modulation!!!!
Post by: Sarah on January 04, 2017, 12:44:50 PM
Thanks for checking them out Paul! Yes, the modulation on the Pro-2 is awesome. The more I get to know this synth, the more I love it.

I'll try to share other cool stuff as I continue my explorations..  :)
Title: Re: Deep Drones, Endless Modulation!!!!
Post by: Paul Dither on January 04, 2017, 02:12:53 PM
Bring it on! We could definitely need some more Pro 2 user experiences, demos, and tips on here.