Clave with One Envelope
This is another 808 inspired clave patch. This one uses the same envelope to ping the filter and shape the VCA.
1: Turn down the synth’s output level dial (protect your ears).
2: Set the filter to mode to BP2.
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 so ENV-B has no control over the filter.
7: Raise the synth’s output level dial back up.
8: Patch ENV-B to a mult, the from the mult out to the filter audio in.
9: You could bypass VCA-A and patch the filter out directly to out Main 1. However, when Q is so high, the filter can have some noise. Instead, patch the other mult to VCA-A level in, and use ENV-B to shape the sound and remove unwanted noise after the tail of the ping.
10: Set ENV-B rise, and shape to 0.
11: Fire the trigger while adjusting ENV-B fall and shape to taste.
Try it with different filter modes.
Try it with and without soft clipping.
Try pinging the filter’s FM in:
Remove the patch going from the mult to the filter’s audio in.
Patch from the mult to the filter’s FM1.
Raise the FM1 slider.
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.