NANO Modules QUART // quad envelopes or LFOs - Eurorack demo & patch tips 

Thank you very much

Good stuff, I haven't tried that one but I definitely intend every video to be a set of ideas for the functions and applied with anything. Glad to hear that's the case here.

Thanks Paul, appreciate that. Hoping to check out the new Serra soon too and the case which looks great!

@@DivKid Just ordered it along with an After Later Audio Quarks, they are going to be fun. Again thanks

Hi Andrew, there's no offset control (an offset is a static voltage you set more on that below*) or attenuation (to reduce the range of modulation, more on that below**). *You can use an offset voltage when mixed with modulation to take the modulation further into the positive or negative voltages. So if an envelope or LFO was say 0 to 5V adding a 1V offset would make it 1 to 6V. Adding -3V would make it -3 to 2V. **Attenuation is a range or depth control. It reduces the voltage range of your modulation. Going with that 0 to 5V example you could attenuate to 0 to 2V for example. You want a mix of offset and attenuation to make your examples of 3 to 7V or 5 to 8V. With a 0 to 5V modulation source you'd need reduce the range with attenuation to 0 to 4V and then offset by 3V to get 3 to 7V as the range the modulation works within. This brings us to how your modules that you want to modulate work ... If it's just a CV input with no direct knob to control it and no attenuation or attenuversion (attenuation an inversion) control for the CV input (an example would be a VCA like the Abstract Data 3x VCA). Then all of the above will need altering externally (attenuation and offsets etc) and then just plug the modulation in. If the module has an attenuator then bare in mind that any attenuation of the modulation will also attenuate any offset you add. So if you had a 0 to 5V modulation source and you offset that by 2V so it's a signal moving between 2V and 7V, then attenuating that on a CV input control you'll be reducing the overall level but also that bottom 2V. Lots of modules have controls that are set with a pot/knob. Think of those as offsets. Take a filter cut off, you want it to dance around it's mid position and a bit higher. So set the knob at mid way and use your modulation to add to that. Some controls change from manual offset controls to attenuators when you plug a CV signal in to control them which then needs you to offset the modulation externally and then adjust the modulation attenuation and now the modules own attenuation. Hope that's helpful, if it's not clear let me know with more questions.

Wow! That explanation was amazing, and I totally appreciate the time you took to explain that to me in detail. I do actually now think I understand what you are saying. So take my FSS TG3 Filter for example. It has 2 CV inputs for Frequency- CV1 is straight in and CV2 passes through a -10/+10 depth attenuator. So if I want to modulate the frequency around the middle of the dial from say 11:00 to 1:00, I plug an LFO into the CV2, and then set the Frequency knob to 11:00 and then adjust the CV2 depth attenuator knob to like -3V or something like that? That way the attention is essentially restricting the incoming voltage of the LFO by -7V, causing its sweep to not fully “turn” the knob the full 10 volts? Wait maybe now that I say that I might not quite get it. Well anyway, on the topic- if I’m trying to build a small 48hp rack around the TG modules (2,3,4) what types of other modules do you recommend to get biggest modulation bang for my buck? I’m trying to make a portable little Gristelizer rhythm machine that can spit out gnarly, gristly beats and sick evolving droning voltages. Not sure if I need EGs, LFOs, Sequencers, or what. I’m basically trying to make a TG version of a DFAM.

Hello again, ok good to have actual modules as working examples. So with the TG3 Filter if you wanted a LFO (a bipolar, meaning positive and negative going voltages) to modulate the cut off between saw 11 and 1 (talking clock face) then I would set the knob to 12 (in the middle) and then add the LFO to CV 2 and open up the attenuator a little bit so it felt like it was swinging back and fourth around the 12 o clock position to about 11 and 1. Note I say ABOUT 11 and 1. Precision doesn't really come into it, it's also not that important in nearly all cases. If you set the filter to a tone you like and enjoy the sound just a bit above and below that then using the on board CV attenuator to just bring in a bit of modulation until it sounds good. It's all about the sound and using your ears to guide these things. It might "technically" be going 10.30-1.30 or your frequency knob is offset so you're going from 10-12.30 but if sounds good, it is good. If the modulation was unipolar (meaning positive only voltages like an envelope) then I'd set the knob to 11 and open the attenuator until it felt/sounded like it was going from 11 to about 1 ... presuming 11-1 o clock is the general range we want to be in. But again, I'd use my ears to guide. The markings around the knobs 0 to 10 on the CV attenuator ... don't mean specific values as it's dependent on the signal you plug in. If you plugged in a 1V static offset voltage 0 would 0V, 1 on the dial would be 0.1V and so on up to 9 meaning 0.9V and 10 meaning 1V. Again think of the general broad strokes you're making, fine tune with attenuation where needed and tweak while listening. I don't know what you mean by "That way the attention is essentially restricting the incoming voltage of the LFO by -7V, causing its sweep to not fully “turn” the knob the full 10 volts? " - if you mean -7 on the CV2 attenuverter that means it's inverted at 7/10ths of the full level of the modulation. An LFO is bipolar, so the voltage is still swinging positive and negative. Whether that fully opens the full range of the cut off frequency or not depends on the external modulation level (what levels does the LFO module put out?) and the position of the main frequency knob. RE making a small modules ... both beats and drones with all the TG modules in only 48HP, that's a difficult task. Where are the beats coming from? Are you wanting drum modules to run through them? Are you wanting to synthesise and making your own unique drums by sculpting voltages and using the TG modules as a key part of it. If you're wanting to make a TG based DFAM I would look at the elements of the synthesiser that is the DFAM and look at which bits of that the TG modules can replace. Break the DFAM down into it's oscillators, noise source, filter, VCA, two 8 step sequencers etc ... cheapest way to do it will be buying a DFAM and patching it through the TG modules.

Wow again! Yea you really are a wealth of knowledge as well as a genuinely helpful person. I totally appreciate all your insight. So if expanded my Gristelizer idea to 60hp, and using the same Moog cases as my Subharmonicon and DDAM which I do own. I can’t believe your idea about running them through didn’t dawn on me. So that’s definitely something I will do. I obviously will still need some LFO/EG modules, because in addition to using the beats and sequences from the little 60hp Moog synths, I definitely want to sculpt and create my own unique TG sounding “percussion” and rhythms using voltages within the TG modules themselves. I’m seriously considering the QUART as one of my modulation sources. I was also looking at smaller like the 2hp stuff. And looking at the Erica synths PICO stuff. The key for me though is to be able to set up patches then be able to gradually change them over time but manual knob turning as well as CV voltage “automation”. I do also like the idea of that 2hp Turing machine as well. What would I need to make that TM work within the little 60hp TG rig I’m making? Do I need a clock? Or anything else? As for levels, yes I agree it’s all about the sound and feeling it out. I guess my original concern about it comes from me using the LFO that’s built in to my Moog Grandmother. Within the GM if I apply the LFO to the Cutoff using the Mod wheel all the way up, it swings the sound way down to a super low cutoff frequency, which with a longer LFO “sweep” it stays too low for too long in my opinion. So if I dial back the Mod wheel to 50% or so, more of the unmodified sound bleeds through making the bottom end of the LFO sweep not be completely silent, if you know what I mean. And I’ve tried patching the GM LFO to a filter on the DFAM and the mod wheel has no control over it there. Not sure if I explained that well. But basically bottom line is I want to be able to vary the LFO modulation so it produces more or less effect on the parameter (cutoff or whatever) that I’m trying to modulate. For me the great sounds are all about the knob turning and I really want more hands essentially, and to be able to control how much the knob is being turned, and where on the knob the start and end of the knob turn occurs. Does that make sense? Anyway, looking forward to your reply! Thanks again.

@@DivKidI do own a DFAM. How would you recommend patching it? Feed the TG oscillator and filter into the DFAM or the other way round. My head is spinning. Just when I think I get this stuff my head explodes

Let me rephrase: does this module allow me to retrigger the envelopes during attack?

@@ipatchphd Would like to know this too!

@@Nachtdwaler It re-triggers if the envelope is in fall phase, not in rise phase :)

Hello, no they don't work that way. They loop with no input and work as EGs with an input. Lot of modulation in the space still though.

@@DivKid Thanks for the quick response and feedback. Happy new year

no worries and Happy New Year to you too.