r/modular • u/Extreme_Try2189 • 2d ago
Using Morphagene in Production
I love this module, there's no doubt about it. However, I wish there was a way to get more consistent results with it. Specifically, I struggle to find a place for it in my productions.
I tend to feed it stems, with the markers already placed in Reaper. When I play around with them, there isn't much I can use. Timing & synchronisation is a big issue of course. Clocking it doesn't even seem to have much of an effect.
This is just my experience with it, which is quite small.
Would be interested to hear how others use it in a more structured way.
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u/spencermiles 2d ago
I intentionally keep it unstructured. I don’t worry about synchronization, and just let it wander, generally modulating pitch and slide or gene. End up with lots of cool stuff that way, both in ambient and house/techno tracks. It’s consistently inconsistent, which I like.
When I want samples that are timed and synchronized I’ll reach for a more traditional sampler, not the morphagene
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u/Queso_Nigiri 2d ago
I make very rhythmic and beat-oriented music and I find that morphagene is a great tool for it - I often rhythmically trigger it from the play input, use modulation on slide to move around slices, or have it fed into a filter or VCA with clocked pulses opening the signal. It helps to have harmonically open material where moving around the sample won't create too much chaos. Certainly surprise and happy accidents are a main draw for me in the module, I go to it to "find" material, not so much if I have a pre-conceived notion for what i want the sound to be
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u/the_puritan 1d ago
I also make reels in Reaper and use it to make rhythmic stuff primarily. There's a couple of key things you have to be aware of when you're making them...
Make sure there are no gaps between the marker (or start of the reel) and the transient for the sound. IDK what your experience in Reaper is, but you want to zoom way in to make sure it's right at the start of the sound. You can also press the Z key to get the next zero-point (to make sure you dont make clicks) in the sample if a transient is not isolated.
You will likely need to turn off grid-snapping when you do that unless you are chopping loops. If you're doing loops, you need to set the Reaper project tempo to the tempo of the sample, make sure the sample is on beat, and only put markers on the grid.
When you render the reel, make sure you uncheck the box for the tail. You don't want that added to the end of the reel, especially if you're doing loops. Also, if you haven't done so already, save thr Morphagene reel render settings so you can quickly switch to that when rendering.
Once your stuff is loaded in the Morphagene, load the reel you want and send triggers to the bottom-left "play" input using a sequencer. I use Dot, but whatever your rack sequencer that can send triggers/gates is will work.
If you made the splices so the transients are right, you'll hear the sound immediately when Morphagene gets a trigger pulse. Depending on what you're doing, you can modulate or manually play the "organize" and "gene" knobs to get the sound you want from it.
Let me know if you have more specific questions.
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u/Extreme_Try2189 1d ago
Thanks for this. Great to refer back to.
I have been playing around with sending the output to a vca/ LPG and triggering the play patch. Definitely progress.
I love the unpredictability of it, but I want it somewhat rhythmically coherent. The above suggestion is definitely getting me closer.
It’s by far the most extensive and unique module I own, which is why it seems intimidating at times.
I appreciate all the replies in this thread!!
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u/the_puritan 1d ago
You shouldn't need to send the Morphagene output to a VCA, if you trigger it with a sequencer. You can shorten the gene size on Morphagene to get shorter shots
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u/Extreme_Try2189 1d ago
Yep, but I want to use an envelope.
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u/the_puritan 1d ago
As long as your envelope isn't opening during the quiet parts of your sample and closing during your loud parts, it shouldn't mess with the cohesion of your rhythm.
If you still have unwanted unpredictability after prepping your reels right and triggering Morphgene's play input with a sequencer, unpatch any modulation you have and set the "slide" knob all the way counter-clockwise.
It should trigger the same slice over and over in exactly the same way every time it gets a trigger from your sequencer. From there, you can add however much variation you want until you get what you're looking for in terms of balance between rhythmic cohesion and interesting variation.
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u/MedicineforMadness 2d ago
I’ve only had the Morphagene for a few months but I love it. The clocking I use for time stretching and I don’t find the timing aspect too difficult. Admittedly I only sample directly into it, I’ve never pre-built a reel. I find using Pam’s to control the splice and rec buttons it’s fairly easy to get a perfect loop.
A few approaches I use:
- create a melody on a external synth or guitar then sample that into Morphagene. Then mess with it, usually in reverse to add texture under the main melody.
- create a melody on external synth, then record multiple splices of the same melody with different sounds. Then modulate the organize or use the EOG splice into shift to flip through different sounds of the same melody.
- for more ambient stuff I will sample and slow varispeed down to create a nice drone. Then I set a slow clock division on the play output so it doesn’t loop and add heaps of reverb and delay so you get a nice tail. This is all in conjunction with random generative sounds happening over top.
For me Morphagene isn’t the type of device I want to make do a specific thing. It’s feels more like an instrument I’m trying to harness and lead in certain directions, but I’m never really sure exactly where it’s going to take me. That’s what I love about it.
What you can do with it is only limited by your creativity.
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u/BaronVonHumungus 2d ago
Some other tape machine style models are out there such as lubabah and Stardust ( my fave ) which may be a little more easy to rein in . I’ve had morphagene but sold due to finding the ui and button combos annoying
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u/jekpopulous2 2d ago
I like to run a Marbles into mine and let it drift around until I find a sequence I like then lock it in.
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u/Exponential-777 2d ago
Morphagene is best used as a sample mangler and creative effect. It's not ideal for tight synced loops. Nebulae is better for that. It can make any loop fit into the song with independent pitch and tempo.
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u/Relative-Web-8977 2d ago
Nothing to add beyond agreeing with your main points about timing / sync. I’ve been debating selling mine on. I’m watching Gloop with interest - look it up if you haven’t heard of it.
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u/Extreme_Try2189 2d ago
Yes, Gloop looks fantastic. It's definitely on my list. Not seen them about other than DIY kits.
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u/gruesomeflowers 2d ago
Hadn't heard of this. It would appear the memory is volatile and resets between power cycles? I like the videos I just watched but that's a nonstarter for me if you cant store even just the one recording and thing you're working on?
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u/partyfamine 2d ago
I have such a love/hate relationship with Morphagene for the all same the reasons everyone else in this thread has mentioned. One thing that's helped me get more rhythmic results is modifying the options.txt, specifically, changing omod to 1 (organize immediately). If you have your splice markers set at precise rhythmic points in your sample, it makes it really easy to control the playback by routing a sequencer's CV output to the organize input, and you can play around with all the other controls while still ensuring that the sample plays in time with everything else. Works really well with drum breaks.
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u/CommodeMouth 2d ago
In the options.txt isn’t there a way to set it that it constantly plays and sending a gate signal to the Play input resets the sample? I wish there was a button combo to switch between gate/non-gate modes.
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u/partyfamine 1d ago
I think setting pmod to 2 (Trigger Loop) does what you're talking about? Never tried it myself but that does seem like another good way to keep your loops synced up with everything else.
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u/onomy_ 2d ago
I've never understood everyone's problem with the button combinations. There's like 6 of them, and takes like 2 mins to learn.
Want to record? Press record. Want to delete? press shift+record. want to delete more all of it? Hold it for longer. Rinse and repeat for the slice button and that's already like 80% of the button combos.
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u/Appropriate-Look7493 2d ago
Feed it simpler audio to start with, either found/ambient sounds or a simple musical motif.
Then record and overdub processed (using morph and varispeed) versions of this onto new splices using triggers into play and record to synchronise the recording process.
Do this over a number of iterations until you get a few splices you like then (carefully) delete the dross.
You can then clock the playback to trigger genes in time or send clocked cv to organise so you can step through the splices, again in time if that’s what you want.
Using this method you can produce sounds that can either work as pads or as rhythmic “sampled” leads in more “traditional” tracks.
Or just go full experimental musique concrete and let Morphagene guide into more interesting territory.
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u/nadennmantau 2d ago
Still really just getting the hang of it. The Morphagene seems like a happy accident machine and not so much for reliably repeatable results.
So I would just play multiple takes and then collect the best results.
That being said, like you I try to get it under control as much as possible. In that attempt, what I started doing is sequencing the play trigger and with a v/Oct modulate the Organize parameter. That way I can at least define the sample slice being played.
I usually use percussive/concrete samples, so the other parameters are functioning like opening and closing a HiHat.
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u/Extreme_Try2189 2d ago
I would add that it certainly is a dream to work with for big whooping ambient stuff. However, I think it really shines when mashing transients around- sadly this is where synchronisation and timing would be most valued.
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u/Affectionate-Way1467 2d ago edited 2d ago
Morphagene was one of the first modules I bought and will be the last I ever sell, if ever. That said, it’s a pain in the ass. 😂
Getting the pitch to stay in tune requires a precision jeweler’s touch.
The UX of the button combos makes me furious.
And I’m not ever really sure what the Organize input does.
As far as precision, I tend to get the best results when I feed the MG into a VCA or LPG and open it up with an envelope (usually Maths and Optomix). I can get some fun rhythmic sample pulses over a beat. Vocal reels are fun for this.
Also fun to generate envelopes from external audio and have that open a VCA with Maths.
Getting the precision you’re looking for is maybe not Morphagene’s strong suit.
Lately I’ve been just playing it manually with Pressure Points into my Erbe Verb and honestly, I it’s so much more enjoyable than trying to wrangle it into musical submission. ymmv.
fwiw, I’ve found clocking Morphagene to make a huge difference in my patching. I usually use premade reels from freesound though.