Peeling the layers of D16’s Sigmund Part 2

In our last tutorial, we talked about D16 Sigmund’s Filter, Overdrive and Time components, and how you could use them creatively to enhance a synth track and drum loop. This tutorial will be a continuation of the previous one as we will be building on the effects that we have already created. If you missed the last tutorial, catch it here.

This week, we will focus and break down the Modulation and Routing components of Sigmund and its features.

1. Modulation Component

sigmund-modulation2sigmund-modulation

Info: The modulation component consists of the modulators (top) and the Modulation subsection (below). In Sigmund, you are given two modulators that can be either be a LFO, Envelope or Peak follower. In LFO mode, you have the choice of 5 different oscillator waves such as triangle, sine, square, falling sawtooth, smoothed sample and hold wave. In Sigmund, one can modulate the Cutoff of the delay filter, Tremolo of the output amp and the delay time in either a linear or logarithmic scale. For purposes of this project, we will be looking at modulating using the LFO type on the cutoff and tremolo parameters.

Application: Starting off from where we left off, I decided to create some movement in the “delay trail”. By using Modulator 1, synced to the BPM, using a sawtooth wave at a quarter note frequency, i decided to modulate the cutoff frequency of the delay line. Furthermore, by shifting the phase on the modulator, I was able to achieve a panning effect that you can hear in the project.

2. Routing Component

sigmund-routing

Info: In Sigmund, delay lines can be routed in a variety of ways. This gives you flexibility to create sounds that are unique and different. Till now, we have been using Sigmund in parallel routing configuration where the source signal is duplicated into each delay line before summing together at the output. The routing component provides 9 different routing configurations ranging from parallel, serial, tapped serial to various combinations of mixed routing. For this final example, I decided to choose the serial routing configuration where the signal gets passed on from the first delay line to the second, the third, then the fourth hence each sound would affect the sound before.

Application: I was going for a sound that’s a little more processed and “dirty”. Using the first delay line, my goal was to dull the bright synth by using the filter section and applying a high pass filter at 100hz with a resonance of 65%. I chose to modulate the cutoff with a 25% value using an eighth note square wave. The second delay line was used as just a pure delay, delaying both channels by a dotted eighth note. At this point, the synth was sounding a little too dull and to spice things up a little bit, I decided to overdrive the signal using the third delay line. The preamp overdrive setting is set at 1.3db while the color setting at +72% (so that i “color” more of the high frequencies). Lastly, to add a some movement, I chose to modulate 75% of the tremolo using a sawtooth waveform at 3.3hz on the LFO.

Sigmund is an inexpensive tool that can help bolster and add creativity to your music. If you are interested in buying it, check it out on Splice Plugins here.

December 11, 2015

Reuben Raman Product Marketing Manager at Splice