Basic 808 Claves
This is an 808 inspired clave patch. It’s pretty simple. It’s just a filter pinged by a trigger.
1: Turn down the synth’s output level dial (protect your ears).
2: Turn the filter input level fully counter-clockwise. This will prevent sound from the mixer being passed through the filter.
3: Set the filter to mode to BP2.
5: Tune the filter frequency to D#7. The D#7 tuning comes from the 808 clave. The specific note isn’t important, just keep it a high pitch.
6: Lower filter resonance until it stops self-oscillating.
7: Raise the synth’s output level dial back up.
8: Patch MIDI trigger to filter FM1.
9: Raise the filter FM1 amount slider.
10: Patch the filter out to Main out 1.
Try it with different filter modes.
Try it with and without soft clipping.
Try pinging the filter’s audio in.
Turn FM1 down so ENV-B has no control over the filter.
Patch MIDI trigger to the filter’s audio in.
Further Reading
Synthesizing Cowbells & Claves (SOS)
Gordon Reid explains how to reproduce classic cowbell and clave sounds. Scroll down to get to the clave.
Pg. 6 has a brief description of the combined clave/rimshot circuit (RS/CL).
Pg. 7 has a block diagram (top right, under the BD).
Pg. 9 the circuit (bottom right).
Pg. 14 has a chart displaying the frequency, and decay time (C).
A short blog post on the 808 Clave.