Synthesist Richard Devine shared his latest modular performance video with us, Strum.

The performance is based around a ‘really lush beautiful modular patch, that is made to sound like strumming guitars,’ notes Devine.

Devine also shared detailed patch notes, which are included below.

This was a patch experiment using the new Mutable Instruments Rings/Clouds Modules, and trying to create strumming/plucking guitar like sounds within a patch.

The inspiration came from playing around with the Clouds Parasites 1.3 alternate firmware running in the Resonator mode highlighting the “scatter” (or strum) function. The master clock was the Tiptop Circadian Rhythms module, taking the first 4 outputs into my Nord Drum 2 for the Kick, snare, closed and open hi-hats. From there the clock output from the CR was multiplied and then sent to the Modcan Touch Sequencer.

First row output from the TS was sent to the intellijel Shapeshifter creating a two note baseline sequence that comes in at 1:58. The second sequence Row2 output from the TS was sent to the “ALM Akemie’s Castle” module OSC A output using the chord function, that comes in at 25 seconds. The gates from the modcan where set to a 16th’s pulse sequence. Modulation from the synthesis technology E102 Quad Temporal Shifter output 1 modulating the Multiplier input on Operator 1. The 2, 3 and 4 outputs from the E102 where also modulating the Operator 2, 3, and 4 inputs on the Akemie’s Castle. This was creating the harmonic timbre changing as the sequence was playing.

The slowly evolving sweeping noise textures that come in at 1:09 is from the Music Thing Radio Music module. The sample was a white noise sampled lightly filtered and then sent to the intellijel HexVCA with the amplitude CV control via a Intellijel Dixie modulating from slow to high rates (free running). The Make Noise Rene was being externally clocked from the Circadian Rhythm, and was sending out a quantized output to the Mutable Instruments Clouds pitch input creating the chord guitar sequence. The strum sounds on Clouds was played by the 4ms QCD running in 32th division output into the Trigger input. The freeze input was also triggered by a Ladik R-110 Random clock module. The combination of the two created the trill chord like strums.

The bass guitar tone sound that comes in at 1:24 are from the MakeNoise Mysteron, that is being sequenced by the Modcan Touch Sequencer, Row Output 3 was programmed in the same key but a lower octave. The “Rings” module was creating slow attack soft high pitched chords in reverb that come around 2:50. There was additional processing of the Clouds output that was sent into the Tiptop ZDSP module running the “Halls of Vahalla” card program 8 “Ginnungagap” creating the high pitch octave deep reverb shimmer effects. The harmonic slow swells that come in at 3:30 where created using another intellijel Dixie oscillator sine output running into an Strymon “Big Sky” pedal being harmonically controlled by an intellijel µScale V1.

The output was being played slowly then processed using the “Choral” mode, creating the slow shimmer swells. The entire mix was sent into the Eventide Space pedal using the “Corridors” patch.

You can download the free track via Dropbox.