The second tool in my (very) slowly developing suite of Max CV tools is an octature LFO. Built in gen~ using the guts from this tutorial patch, it offers modulation with simple control that can offer complex results.
This patch fulfils a simple goal: slow modulation of the modular, with several outputs to play with. In classic octature fashion, the patch utilises eight instances of the same LFO, 45 degrees apart in phase.
Patch overview
Global phase subpatcher. Each number corresponds to 45 degrees of phase (e.g. 0.5 = 180 degrees)
I have a variety of waveforms to choose from, including sine, triangle, ramp, and eight sample & hold signals. The ramp/saw signals in particular offer potential in an aspect of drone music I am exploring at the moment: sudden, yet not obvious, changes in texture. When used carefully, these signals can affect a patch on the modular in such a way as to give an impression of the texture ‘slipping’, when their signal jumps from 0 to 1 (or vice versa).
Waveforms L-R: Sine, + ramp, - ramp, triangle, sample & hold
The patch has a number of controls, the first of which being a global phase control. This is interesting but currently not so useful for my applications. More intriguing to me is the ‘spread’ control, added by trial and error. A floating point number between 0 and 1 moves the phase of stages 2 to 8 further from 0 degrees. This offers some elasticity to the phases, and some closer phase relationships than standard, and can even align stages to the same phase.
LFO phases at normal settings
LFO phases at 50% spread
The other addition to the core of the LFO is a ‘drift’ control. An eight channel random signal slowly influences the phase of each stage; a different flavour of ‘slipping’ to simple ramp/saw waves.
Why is this needed, when the spread of the LFO phases can be controlled? To give the LFO a more wayward personality. When the drift control is used, the eight phases are still connected and related, but feel more independent from one another. You could say it adds a sensation of chaos whilst remaining, even though there is no chaos or ‘random’ signal generation occurring. When applied to say, several CV inputs on different filters in the modular, the result could be heard as many hands in action responding to one another.
8 channels of random signal generation for the 'Drift' function
As with the Stochastic Function Generator, I will expand the functionality of the LFO with some CV in from the modular. My recently acquired Expert Sleepers ES-6 will take care of signal conversion (it performs the same function as the ES-3, just in reverse). Otherwise, I’m in a good place with this.
The tutorial that the core of the LFO is taken from has an interesting looking matrix of LFOs, which could be a fruitful area to with which to experiment in the future.