# 2hp — Kick - [Manual PDF](../../manuals/2hp_Kick.pdf) --- [Manual PDF](#) # Using the 2hp Kick for Melodic Components The attached manual appears to cover a single module: - **2hp Kick** — bass drum synthesizer / percussive voice with **1V/Oct tracking across five octaves** Even though it’s presented as a drum module, **Kick can absolutely be used melodically** because it has: - **V/Oct input** - **Pitch control** - **Long decay times** up to **15 seconds** - **Tone shaping** that moves from clean sine-based hits to more aggressive, overdriven timbres That combination makes it more than a drum voice: it can function as a **pitched percussion voice**, **bass synth**, **sub voice**, or even a **minimal lead/pluck source**. --- ## What the module does musically ## 2hp Kick as a melodic voice From the manual: - **Trig** accepts gate signals to fire the sound - **Tone** changes timbre and pitch modulation behavior - **Decay** ranges from **80 ms to 15 s** - **V/Oct** tracks pitch over **five octaves** - **Pitch** sets base frequency - **Out** is **10 Vpp** This means the module can be patched like a compact synthesized oscillator/voice that is internally shaped into a percussive envelope. --- # Best melodic use cases ## 1. Tuned kick basslines This is the most obvious melodic application. ### Patch idea - Send a **sequencer pitch CV** to **V/Oct** - Send the sequencer’s **gate/trigger** to **Trig** - Set **Decay** medium to long - Use **Pitch** to place the sequence in bass range - Keep **Tone** near center for a cleaner, more sine-like low end ### Result You get: - tuned kick notes - 808-style basslines - electro and hip-hop sub patterns - acid-adjacent percussive bass if sequenced tightly Because the decay can get very long, notes can blur into a sustained low-end line rather than isolated drum hits. --- ## 2. 808-style gliding sub melodies Since the module responds to **1V/Oct**, you can program melodic movement instead of just drum transients. ### Patch idea - Sequence pitch into **V/Oct** - Trigger every note with **Trig** - Set **Decay** fairly long - Tune **Pitch** low - Use **Tone** around center or slightly right for cleaner body - If your sequencer or CV source supports it, use **slewed pitch CV** before the **V/Oct** input for glide ### Result This creates: - singing sub bass - trap/808 melodic lines - legato-feeling descending bass phrases - tonal kick patterns that sit between percussion and bass synth Even without true internal portamento, slewed incoming pitch can create a gliding effect between triggered notes. --- ## 3. Pitched toms and melodic percussion Because it tracks well over a wide pitch range, Kick can behave like a **tuned drum synth**. ### Patch idea - Sequence notes into **V/Oct** - Trigger with rhythmic patterns - Use shorter **Decay** - Move **Pitch** into low-mid or mid range - Sweep **Tone** left or right for different drum colors ### Result You can create: - tuned tom lines - melodic percussive riffs - IDM-style pitch-bouncing drums - marimba-like synthetic thuds at shorter settings This is especially strong for music where drums carry harmonic motion. --- ## 4. Sine-pluck melodies The manual says that at the middle position of **Tone**, the source is a **clean sine wave** with minimum pitch modulation. That is very useful for tonal work. ### Patch idea - Put **Tone** at center - Set **Decay** short-to-medium - Send melodic CV to **V/Oct** - Trigger from a clocked sequence - Tune **Pitch** up into mid range ### Result You get: - soft sine plucks - minimal techno bleeps - rounded mallet-like phrases - simple melodic motifs that stay very clean This is probably the most “musical note” application if you want recognizable pitches instead of obvious kick drums. --- ## 5. Distorted mono lead or industrial melody Moving **Tone** left introduces **overdrive** and increased pitch modulation. That makes the module more aggressive and less purely sinusoidal. ### Patch idea - Sequence **V/Oct** melodically - Use rapid triggers for repeated notes - Set **Decay** medium - Push **Tone** left for overdriven character - Raise **Pitch** into upper bass / low-mid / mid range ### Result You can get: - distorted plucked leads - industrial bass stabs - EBM-style mono riffs - noisy melodic percussion Because the waveform gets more complex, this use is especially good when you want the line to cut through a mix. --- # How to think about the controls melodically ## Trig This is the articulation input. For melodic use: - use a **trigger sequencer** for rhythmic note events - use a **gate sequencer** if the module responds happily to longer pulses - experiment with sparse triggers for bass punctuation or dense triggers for riffs The trigger pattern defines phrasing as much as the note CV does. --- ## Tone This is the key timbral macro. ### Center - cleanest - most sine-like - best for tonal bass and plucks ### Right - still clean sine source - more pitch modulation - more snap/impact - useful for punchy melodic bass ### Left - overdriven source - maximum modulation - rougher harmonics - useful for aggressive melodic percussion and distorted bass For melodic clarity, start at **center** and then move outward until you get enough character. --- ## Decay This strongly affects whether the module reads as a drum or a note. ### Short decay - clicky - tom-like - percussive melodic use - better for busy patterns ### Medium decay - bass plucks - 808-like notes - good note separation ### Long decay - sustained subs - droning low melodies - pseudo-legato bass - can overlap into harmonic texture A very long decay combined with slow sequences can create a surprisingly lyrical bass voice. --- ## V/Oct + Pitch These together determine musical pitch. - **Pitch** sets the base register - **V/Oct** adds accurate note control from your sequencer, keyboard, or quantizer A good workflow: 1. Put **Tone** around center 2. Set **Decay** to medium 3. Tune **Pitch** by ear into the desired octave 4. Send quantized melodic CV into **V/Oct** 5. Refine the register with the **Pitch** knob Because the manual states tracking over five octaves, the module should be usable for more than just sub-bass. --- # Practical melodic patch recipes ## Patch 1: 808 bassline **Goal:** classic melodic sub bass - Sequencer pitch CV → **V/Oct** - Sequencer gate/trigger → **Trig** - **Pitch**: low - **Decay**: medium-long - **Tone**: center to slightly right - **Out** → mixer / VCA / saturation / compressor **Musical effect:** deep, tuned kick-bass notes with strong fundamental. --- ## Patch 2: Minimal sine melody **Goal:** soft tuned plucks - Quantized CV → **V/Oct** - Trigger pattern → **Trig** - **Pitch**: mid range - **Tone**: center - **Decay**: short-medium **Musical effect:** simple pure-tone phrases, great for minimal techno, ambient pulses, or interlocking melodic percussion. --- ## Patch 3: Melodic tom sequence **Goal:** drum line with pitch content - Sequencer CV → **V/Oct** - Euclidean or stepped trigger pattern → **Trig** - **Pitch**: low-mid - **Decay**: short - **Tone**: left or right depending on brightness/aggression **Musical effect:** tuned drum riffs that carry both rhythm and melody. --- ## Patch 4: Distorted bass riff **Goal:** aggressive mono bass - Bass sequence CV → **V/Oct** - Gate/trigger sequence → **Trig** - **Pitch**: bass range - **Decay**: medium - **Tone**: left - Optional external filtering after output **Musical effect:** gritty bass stabs with strong attack and character. --- ## Patch 5: Drone pulses **Goal:** sparse tonal low-end atmosphere - Slow sequencer or random quantized CV → **V/Oct** - Slow clock triggers → **Trig** - **Decay**: very long - **Tone**: center - **Pitch**: low to mid-low **Musical effect:** resonant sub pulses that imply harmony with very little patching. --- # How it works in a larger melodic Eurorack system Even though only one module is shown in the provided manual, here’s how it integrates with common melodic utilities. ## With a sequencer A pitch sequencer turns Kick into: - bassline voice - tuned percussion voice - simple mono lead Best pairing: - quantized CV for tonal accuracy - trigger lane for articulation --- ## With a quantizer If your pitch source is random or unquantized: - random CV → quantizer → **V/Oct** - trigger source → **Trig** This gives musically scaled percussive melodies. --- ## With a slew limiter Put slew before **V/Oct** for: - glides - sliding 808 lines - more vocal melodic movement --- ## With a VCA or LPG after the output Although Kick has its own internal decay contour, external amplitude shaping can: - shorten long tails - add dynamics - help it sit more like a synth voice --- ## With filters Filtering the output is very effective. ### Low-pass filter - smoother bass - removes click/high transient - emphasizes sub ### Band-pass or resonant filter - turns it into a more tonal midrange percussion voice - useful for melodic riffs ### High-pass - thinner plucks and synthetic toms --- ## With distortion/saturation/compression Since the output is **10 Vpp**, it is healthy and strong. Further processing can make it: - more present in a mix - more sustained - more harmonically rich - more “record-like” for bass music Compression especially helps long-decay 808-style melodic lines. --- # Strengths for melodic composition ## Why this module works well melodically - **True V/Oct input** - **Wide pitch tracking** - **Very long decay** - **Clean sine option** - **Overdriven option** - **Compact size** So despite being labeled a kick drum module, it is really a **compact synth voice specialized for percussive articulation**. --- # Limitations to keep in mind ## It is still a drum-oriented voice Compared to a full oscillator + envelope + VCA voice, melodic use is somewhat specialized. Potential limitations: - articulation is always based on its internal drum envelope behavior - no separate waveform outputs - no separate envelope outputs - timbre is macro-controlled rather than deeply patch-programmable - melodic phrasing may always retain some percussive identity But that “limitation” is also its charm: it excels at **pitched, punchy, memorable melodic lines** that ordinary subtractive voices don’t naturally produce. --- # Best musical roles for this module If you’re writing melodic music, the 2hp Kick is especially strong for: - **808/sub basslines** - **tuned kicks** - **pitched tom sequences** - **sine plucks** - **industrial bass stabs** - **IDM percussive melodies** - **minimal techno tonal percussion** --- # Bottom line The **2hp Kick** can be used as a melodic module by treating it as a **triggered, pitch-trackable synth voice** rather than only a drum. Its most useful melodic approaches are: 1. **Tuned kick basslines** 2. **808-style sub melodies** 3. **Pitched tom and percussive sequences** 4. **Clean sine plucks** 5. **Overdriven bass and lead stabs** The key controls for melody are: - **V/Oct** for note pitch - **Pitch** for register - **Decay** for note length - **Tone** for timbral identity - **Trig** for phrasing and rhythm So if you pair it with a sequencer, quantizer, and optionally slew/filter/saturation, this module can contribute real melodic content—not just rhythm. --- [Generated With Eurorack Processor](https://github.com/nstarke/eurorack-processor)