Clave From a Self-oscillating LPF

Here’s a patch that makes a clave out of the LPF.

User ‘The Real MC’ on Modwiggler figured out how to turn Cascadia’s non-resonant LPF into a resonant filter here. I’ve modified that to make the LPF self-oscillate. You can tune it using the LPF CV amount knob. You can modulate its pitch by patching into the LPF CV in, but it doesn’t track V/Oct.

To make the LPF self-oscillate, create an amplified feedback loop:

1: Turn the output volume down and protect your ears when playing with feedback.

2: Turn the VCA-B/LPF control switch down.

3: Patch LPF out to a mult in.

4: Patch mult out 1 to VCA-A audio in.

5: Patch mult out 2 to the mixuverter main in (the one on the left).

6: Turn the mixuverter x2 switch up.

7: Turn the mixuverter polarity switch down (bipolar).

8: Turn the mixuverter knob fully counter-clockwise.

9: Patch the mixuverter out to the LPF audio in.

10: The LPF should start self-oscillating. Tune it using the LPF CV amount knob.

11: ENV-B to VCA-A level in.

12: Set ENV-B rise to 0 (immediate attack). Adjust fall and shape to taste.

Adjust drive to taste.

Try it with and without soft clipping.

For some alternate sounds: try patching a copy of ENV-B to the LPF CV in. There are a lot of nice plonks and zaps in here.

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Further Reading

Synthesizing Cowbells & Claves (SOS)

Gordon Reid explains how to reproduce classic cowbell and clave sounds. Scroll down to get to the clave.

808 Service Manual

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).

808 Clave Synthesis

A short blog post on the 808 Clave.

EDU DIY SYNTH VCF Part 2: Active Filters & Resonance

Moritz Klein has a good explanation of how to add resonance to a filter in this video.

EDU DIY VCF

Scroll down to download the manual and read page 15.

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808 Rimshot

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Basic 808 Claves