moog music inc. matriarch exploration patchbook
TRANSCRIPT
MOOG MUSIC INC.MATRIARCH EXPLORATION PATCHBOOK
8 patches
PATC H ES D ES I G N ED BY
LIGHTBATH
Synthesize Love
COMPOSER AND IMPROVISER BRYAN NOLL EXPLORES THE SUBTLETIES OF
EMOTION, MEMORY, AND TIME WITH HIS MUSICAL PROJECT, LIGHTBATH.
TAKING INSPIRATION FROM BRIAN ENO’S VIEW OF COMPOSERS AS
GARDENERS, NOLL PLANTS MUSICAL SEEDS WITH HIS SYNTHESIZERS
AND, THROUGH IMPROVISATION, GUIDES THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND
GROWTH INTO PIECES THAT UNFOLD IN THE PRESENT MOMENT.
This patch sets each VCO to a different octave so that chords get surprise voicings and notes end up in unexpected registers. The tone is a heavily filtered SAW with NOISE with a touch of woozy pitch modulation when the MOD WHEEL is set to about halfway. The delay is a slapback just to add some space and
chorusing to the wooze. The filter movement is another complex modulation zone that uses the primary MODULATION to slightly alter the rate of the LFO that is then sent to the CUTOFF. Try really leaning into the keys and hear how it opens up the filter just a bit.
PRESET: CHORDS OF CANADA
EXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
EXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
This is the patch I used for the piece Morphic Resonance, which can be seen on Moog’s YouTube channel. I tapped in a slow tempo and latched a chord structure on the keyboard to feed the random ARP and used the MOD wheel to bring in a little bit of PITCH and CUTOFFF modulation. I then played with the
CUTOFF, RESONANCE 2, and NOISE knobs while constantly adjusting the main RATE/DIV knob. And this, combined with a GRANDMOTHER and a DFAM (and plenty of extra reverb) made for some Morphic Resonance that I hope Rupert Sheldrake would be proud of.
PRESET: MORPHIC RESONANCE
EXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
Use your ear to tune OSCILLATORS 2 and 4 to 5ths. Then engage the ARP (in Round Robin Mode) and watch your footing because the floor isn’t stable. Remember the MOD WHEEL and adjust the CUTOFF/SPACING and ENVELOPES to taste. Really, adjust it all to taste. This one is a fun house mirror.
PRESET: A DIP IN THE FLOOREXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
Engage the ARP in this patch (using Round Robin Mode) and dig the counterpoint. Adjust the MODULATION RATE and DELAY TIME to get different kinds of sync and swing. Try removing one or more of the OSCILLATORS to create rhythmic variation, or change the OCTAVE of some of the OSCILLATORS.
Use a non-random ARP DIRECTION for more repetition when making changes to the four OSCILLATORS.
PRESET: MATRIARPEXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
This patch is an Arpeggiator variation of Chewy Chordbath that is less chewy and more arpy. Engage the ARP (in Round Robin Mode) and find the MODULATION and DELAY settings that make for a nice swing. Use the filter SPACING control to reduce the bass and get in the bandpass zone. Change the VCO
octaves and waveforms for variation. Play with the ATTENUATORS and MOD WHEEL to monopolize the zones.
EXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
PRESET: BOARDWALK & PARK PLACE (REQUIRES ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL MULTIPLE)
EXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
This patch uses stackable cables or passive mults to send modulation to multiple sources after the two on-board mults have been used. It also uses The Expression Pedal input for some subtle volume expression. To make the pedal work as a full 0-100% volume pedal, apply a negative DC offset to the
EXP CV OUT before multing to the two VCA ins. Engage the ARP as desired (in Round Robin Mode) and be free with the delay settings. Another feature of this patch is complex modulation achieved by modulating the TRI LFO RATE with the smooth random from the MODULATION section.
PRESET: CHEWY CHORDBATH (REQUIRES AN EXPRESSION PEDAL + ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL MULTIPLE)
In the spirit of author Brené Brown and her work with courage and vulnerability, I invite you to practice leaning into the discomfort with this patch. Keyboard Aftertouch is set up to introduce some wild pitch modulation, so lean into those keys to hear what I mean. It’s also set up so that the RATE knob in the
main modulation section oscillates at audio rate to match a certain note. Play a C note on the keyboard and precisely tune the RATE knob to match. Now, as you play around the keyboard, that C note will be omnipresent. It’s also set up with my favorite little volume pedal trick with the EXP Pedal.
PRESET: LEAN INTO THE DISCOMFORT (REQUIRES AN EXPRESSION PEDAL + ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL MULTIPLE)EXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
EXP CV OUTMOD WHL OUT
This is a variation on the patch I used during my #SynthesizeLive performance on Moog’s Instagram. During the set I would switch between the standard AMP ENV VCA MODE and the DRONE VCA MODE to run the droning Matriarch into Mutable Instruments’ Clouds module (via Matriarch’s EURO outputs)
for pitch and rhythmic effects. Although I had originally used an external Eurorack module to add a negative DC offset to the EXP PEDAL output so that it would close the VCAs all the way, this version of the patch achieves that all on-board. Watch the video at youtube.com/lightbath and Moog’s IGTV.
PRESET: SYNTHESIZE LIVE (REQUIRES AN EXPRESSION PEDAL + ADDITIONAL EXTERNAL MULTIPLE)
