Midweek Modular: Randomness, sampling and more cowbell
3,0 / 5,0 | 
This week ST Modular gets deep into randomness, Sebsongs Modular does sampling the easy way and Nonlinearcircuits gives us more cowbell than we can handle.
We saw an updated version of the classic Batumi LFO from Xaoc Devices. The Batumi II has absorbed the original expander and has a bunch more features, including the ability to be a 4-channel VCO. Read about it here.
Midweek Modular
In the fog of gear acquisition syndrome, here are the moments of modular clarity that caught my attention this week.
ST Modular Randomness
ST Modular has released a bunch of modules that look to randomisation as the basis of their CV generation.
ISI WREN is a repeatable random gate and CV generator. It can produce an endless series of sequences which can be locked into repeating loops. The length of a sequence can be determined by the Mode knob, while the middle slider controls the amount of randomness. Loops can be created by pushing the slider to the extremes or gated via the RPT input. Lots of interesting stuff in this little Turing Machine-like module. Videos below.
HAPHA is a simpler version of the ISI WREN. Stick in a clock, and it generates synchronised random gates and voltages. You can lock a sequence into a loop with the switch and influence the randomness via the CV inputs.
ST Modular modules
SERIAL is a shift register sequencer which, again, generates random gates and voltages. It can handle loops of up to 8 steps and kick out up to 8 gates simultaneously. The randomness is pulled from an internal noise generator for which there is also an output. When locked to a clock notes can be manually added and taken away from the sequence. You can hit a button to swap between looped and randomised output. Each of the gate outputs offers a different array giving you lots of variations on a theme.
For me, the ISI WREN is the most intriguing and immediately useful. You might need a quantizer if you want to pull it into a musical scale.
Sebsongs Modular Sampler
The Sebsongs Sampler is a 12-bit audio recording and manipulator module for cool and easy sampling. Hold the Sample button to begin recording either through the inbuilt microphone or via the audio input. You can automate the sampling via the Gate input if you prefer.
Once you have your sample you can loop it and mess about with the Start and Length sliders. You can pitch it about, reset the playback, clear and sample again. The recording time is 3.5 seconds although this can be increased by lowering the pitch. You can also mess with the pitch control while sampling to add time-based effects.
Sebsongs Sampler
This is good, simple and effective stuff.
Nonlinearcircuits MORE
We all need more cowbell in our lives, and Nonlinearcircuits are happy to oblige. MORE is a three-channel cowbell module based on the Roland TR-808 cowbell circuit.
You have two oscillators with frequency control that shape the sound. You can replace the second oscillator with an external input for a wider palette. It has an accent input for an occasional boost.
Nonlinear Circuits MORE
MORE was originally a joke module but, apparently, people kept asking for it and so here it is. Available as a rather dense kit. Video below.
Videos
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- ST Modular modules: ST Modular
- Sebsongs Sampler: Sebsongs
- Nonlinear Circuits MORE: NonlinearCircuits
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