Clave By Pinging a Filter with an Envelope
This is an 808 inspired clave patch. It’s pretty simple. It’s just a pinged filter tuned to a high pitch.
1: Turn down the synth’s output level dial (protect your ears).
2: Set the filter to mode to LPF 1, 2, or 4.
3: Raise the filter resonance (Q) to maximum. It should start self-oscillating.
4: 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.
5: Lower filter resonance until it stops self-oscillating.
6: Turn Filter FM1 down.
7: Raise the synth’s output level dial back up.
8: Patch ENV-B to audio in.
9: Set ENV-B rise, fall, and shape to 0.
10: Fire the trigger while adjusting ENV-B fall and shape to taste.
11: Try unpatching ENV-B from filter audio in and raising filter FM1.
12: Try different filter types; LP1, LP2, LP4, BP4.
13: When Q is so high, the filter can have some noise if it’s patched directly to the main out. Instead, leave the filter routed through VCA-A, and use ENV-A to shape the sound and remove unwanted noise after the tail of the ping.
14: Try it with and without soft clipping on the drive.
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.