How do you use your Doepfer LPG (A-101-2) ?

440hz · Post by **440hz** » Tue May 28, 2013 2:16 pm

Sometimes, I see in this forum that a LPG should produce its distinctive sound by just putting a gate as CV input. Tried that in CV1 and CV2 of the Doepfer LPG : nothing interesting.

How (which path) do you achieve this "natural attack sound" through a Doepfer LPG? Is there a secret?

Or have I a problem with mine?

rjungemann · Post by **rjungemann** » Tue May 28, 2013 2:22 pm

Try a quick envelope instead. LPGs with shorter decay times sound better with a quick envelope going through them.

Post by **Rigo** » Tue May 28, 2013 2:26 pm

Don't forget that there is quite some variation in vactrol behaviour, so don't be surprised that you cannot get exactly the same as somebody else is getting.
And if you have some spare random gates available: use the G1 and G2 inputs with the switch in the middle position to randomly change the behavior (LPG/VCA/Both) ... I don't think there is another LPG that allows you to do this.

440hz · Post by **440hz** » Tue May 28, 2013 2:30 pm

rjungemann wrote:Try a quick envelope instead. LPGs with shorter decay times sound better with a quick envelope going through them.

Thanks!

Have you got an example on how it sounds on yours?

jtmmorrow · Post by **jtmmorrow** » Tue May 28, 2013 2:33 pm

Sine in audio, just about any gate in cv2, works for me.

exper · Post by **exper** » Tue May 28, 2013 2:34 pm

The fact is, the a-101-2 has the fastest vactrol response I've ever heard. It's almost non-existent. So you really still need to use an envelope with it. Contrast it with an optomix or Borg 1, both of which have a much slower vactrol sound. A trigger into either of those creates a nice long, natural sounding decay or ring.

poppinger · Post by **poppinger** » Tue May 28, 2013 6:50 pm

Yeah the A-101-2 response is quite quick. I have a A-142-4 Quad Decay sitting right next to mine which I find to be a perfect companion. If I get a chance I'll try and record a bit tomorrow.

John Noble · Post by **John Noble** » Tue May 28, 2013 7:55 pm

exper wrote:The fact is, the a-101-2 has the fastest vactrol response I've ever heard. It's almost non-existent. So you really still need to use an envelope with it. Contrast it with an optomix or Borg 1, both of which have a much slower vactrol sound. A trigger into either of those creates a nice long, natural sounding decay or ring.

Interesting, I find the subjective "speed" of my Optomix to be "faster" than any of my three A-101-2s in "both" mode. I think the Optomix opens the filter sooner or something, but it definitely feels snappier.

Edit: to the OP, almost everything in my Soundcloud tracks was done with A-101-2s. Only the last couple of tracks have some Optomix in them.

exper · Post by **exper** » Tue May 28, 2013 8:30 pm

Well, attacks can vary, but to be, most of the characteristics of a LPG is in the decay. The natural slew that happens to a trigger input. Fast-USB attack, slow decay.

John Noble · Post by **John Noble** » Tue May 28, 2013 9:41 pm

exper wrote:Well, attacks can vary, but to be, most of the characteristics of a LPG is in the decay. The natural slew that happens to a trigger input. Fast-USB attack, slow decay.

Yes, I mean on both sides of the peak.

exper · Post by **exper** » Wed May 29, 2013 6:13 am

I agree with you. In fact. That's why I just ordered the new dual Borg. The Optomix almost has a harsh attack. Sometimes it even clicks unless you dial in your envelope attack.

oisin · Post by **oisin** » Wed May 29, 2013 7:37 am

440hz wrote:Sometimes, I see in this forum that a LPG should produce its distinctive sound by just putting a gate as CV input. Tried that in CV1 and CV2 of the Doepfer LPG : nothing interesting.

How (which path) do you achieve this "natural attack sound" through a Doepfer LPG? Is there a secret?

Or have I a problem with mine?

just to make sure - do you have it on LP function with the resonance cranked up? sometimes i have to fiddle with the F/A range too to get it to really sing.

felixer · Post by **felixer** » Wed May 29, 2013 10:56 am

jtmmorrow wrote:Sine in audio, just about any gate in cv2, works for me.

+1

it's more of a woodblock than a bongo. nice, 'ploppy' sound. to me the attack is prob more importent then the decay. that i can easily simulate with an env. but the sound of the attack ...

res@max
random gate to switch between gate/lpg

440hz · Post by **440hz** » Wed May 29, 2013 2:54 pm

jtmmorrow wrote:Sine in audio, just about any gate in cv2, works for me.

This is a sine in the Audio-In
F/A : 0
CV 2 : connected to an enveloppe with no attack
CV 2 pot : put to 10 and decreased in the demo

Do you have something similar?

jtmmorrow · Post by **jtmmorrow** » Wed May 29, 2013 6:09 pm

Mine is more like woodblock, as felixer notes above. Maybe a shorter gate/pulse width would help. I usually use Rene or Pamela' Workout, without an envelope.

I am away from modular and computer for a bit. Good luck.

proturboplus · Post by **proturboplus** » Thu May 30, 2013 3:24 am

poppinger wrote:Yeah the A-101-2 response is quite quick. I have a A-142-4 Quad Decay sitting right next to mine which I find to be a perfect companion. If I get a chance I'll try and record a bit tomorrow.

Hi,
as I wrote in another thread, I'm very interested whether the doepfer lpg can produce bass drum like sounds (I guess so if the response of the vactrol is faster than other lpgs).

If you could include these sounds in your demo it would be awesome! :-)

Etan · Post by **Etan** » Thu May 30, 2013 11:00 am

^^
Yes, a-101-2 is capable of producing very wide range of bass drum like sounds. It is not always easy to get there instantly, you have to tweak the knobs for a while since the sound is very dependant on resonance and freq settings, cv modulation intensity and the type and level of the input signal.

Also the trick I like to use is to feed envelope into audio input, low frequency value and then tweak the resonance knob until it "rings" in the low end.

440hz · Post by **440hz** » Thu May 30, 2013 3:04 pm

Etan wrote:
Also the trick I like to use is to feed envelope into audio input, low frequency value and then tweak the resonance knob until it "rings" in the low end.

Envelope into audio input?

felixer · Post by **felixer** » Thu May 30, 2013 9:43 pm

proturboplus wrote:whether the doepfer lpg can produce bass drum like sounds

ooohhh yes. and bloody loud too

John Noble · Post by **John Noble** » Thu May 30, 2013 11:36 pm

felixer wrote:
proturboplus wrote:whether the doepfer lpg can produce bass drum like sounds
ooohhh yes. and bloody loud too

Etan · Post by **Etan** » Fri May 31, 2013 1:10 am

440hz wrote:
Etan wrote:
Also the trick I like to use is to feed envelope into audio input, low frequency value and then tweak the resonance knob until it "rings" in the low end.
Envelope into audio input?

Is that so weird? It has to be a very short envelope, no sustain and no release, just attack for transient adjustment and decay for length, we are talking about very low values. Similar to pinging the filter with triggers. Try it out, also with some other filters, you can get some cool drum sounds.

proturboplus · Post by **proturboplus** » Fri May 31, 2013 2:41 am

John Noble wrote:
felixer wrote:
proturboplus wrote:whether the doepfer lpg can produce bass drum like sounds
ooohhh yes. and bloody loud too

Great - that's exactly what I wanted to hear!

Still... any examples, someone?

poppinger · Post by **poppinger** » Fri May 31, 2013 4:11 am

Gates through a sequential switch swapping between LP/Both/VCA mode-- Around 13 seconds in, I change the switch to 3 steps instead of 4 so it plays against the 4/4 sequence. It's a great way to subtly change it up and make it sound more polyrhythmic without changing the timbre all that much.
http://soundcloud.com/poppinger/a-101-2-blips

Basic kickdrum patch with A-101-2 as the sole sound source:
http://soundcloud.com/poppinger/a-101-2-kickdrum1

12u spaghetti kickdrum patch with A-101-2 as final LPG:
http://soundcloud.com/poppinger/a-101-2-kickdrum2

southphillysynths · Post by **southphillysynths** » Fri May 31, 2013 5:17 am

Raul did a pretty extensive series on the Doepfer LPG. Goes into lots of different uses!

proturboplus · Post by **proturboplus** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:00 am

Hi poppinger,
thank you so much for your demos, they sound great! I think I am convinced.

However, I've noticed that quite some modules are involved in creating these bass drum sounds. My question now would be, is it possible to great bass drum sounds by just using the lpg and maybe an envelope or better just a trigger?

I was thinking about adding a TTA BD808 to my setup, but the lpg seems way more interesting/versatile (of course not only for bass drums)...

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER

How do you use your Doepfer LPG (A-101-2) ?

How do you use your Doepfer LPG (A-101-2) ?

Re: How do you use your Doepfer LPG (A-101-2) ?