# WMD SSF — Crater - [Manual PDF](../../manuals/Kick_Manual.pdf) --- [Manual PDF](attachment) # WMD Crater — using it for melodic components Based on the attached manual, **Crater** is primarily a **hybrid kick drum voice**, but it can absolutely contribute to **melodic material** in a Eurorack patch when treated as a **pitched oscillator/percussive bass voice** rather than only a drum. ## What in the manual suggests melodic use A few features make Crater useful beyond simple kick duties: - **PITCH** ranges from **5 Hz to 100 Hz** - **1V/OCT input** is present - **SUSTAIN** allows the sound to hold while the **TRIGGER remains high** - The manual explicitly says: > “Hit those dirty deep kick drum basslines by setting the sustain level and sending a gate to the TRIGGER input. Make it even hotter by sending a sequence to the 1V/OCT input.” - **Pitch envelope amount and decay** can be controlled, which lets you move from a stable bass note to more tom-like, expressive transients - **Saturation** and **clipping** can turn a plain low sine-like body into something harmonically richer and easier to hear as a note in a mix So while this is not a conventional full-range melodic oscillator, it is very usable for: - **basslines** - **tuned kick melodies** - **acid-adjacent low-end riffs** - **tom-like tuned percussion** - **drone/sub notes with attack** - **accented rhythmic melodic motifs** --- ## Core melodic behaviors of Crater ## 1. Tuned bass voice The clearest melodic use is as a **monophonic bass synth voice**. ### Patch idea - Send a **pitch sequencer** to **1V/OCT** - Send a **gate sequence** to **TRIGGER** - Raise **SUSTAIN** - Adjust **DECAY** so notes either pluck or hold - Set **PITCH DECAY AMOUNT** low for more stable pitch - Use **PITCH DECAY** short if you want punch without obvious pitch dive ### Result This gives you a bass voice with: - strong transient - deep fundamental - built-in drive options - expressive gate-length response Because the oscillator sustains while the trigger is high, **gate length matters**, which is very useful for actual note phrasing. --- ## 2. Tuned toms / melodic percussion The pitch envelope section is ideal for making **pitched percussion lines**. ### Patch idea - Sequence **1V/OCT** - Use shorter **DECAY** - Set **SUSTAIN** low or off - Increase **PITCH ENVELOPE AMOUNT** - Tune **PITCH DECAY** to taste ### Result You can get: - disco toms - electro tuned drum riffs - tribal melodic percussion - short “doof” notes that still carry pitch This is especially effective if the sequence repeats a tonal center, because the ear hears the drum hits as melodic events. --- ## 3. Distorted sub-leads Crater includes both **SATURATION CV** and a **3-position clipping section**: - left: clipping off - middle: restricted clipping that fades to cleaner as amplitude decays - right: full clipping ### Why this matters melodically A pure low kick fundamental can be hard to perceive as a note on small speakers. Distortion adds upper harmonics, which makes the pitch more audible. ### Patch idea - Sequence **1V/OCT** - Open **SUSTAIN** - Use medium **DECAY** - Apply some **SATURATION** - Set **CLIPPING** to middle or full - Keep **CLICK LEVEL** lower if you want a more synth-like note ### Result You get: - gritty basslines - gabber-style tuned low-end riffs - distorted one-note drones with rhythmic articulation The middle clipping mode is especially musical because the attack is more distorted and the tail cleans up. --- ## 4. Click-based pseudo-melodic articulations Crater has: - **14 sampled clicks** - **CLICK TIMBRE** - **CLICK DECAY** - **CLICK LEVEL** The click is not “pitched” in the same sense as the body oscillator, but it changes note articulation a lot. Different click choices can make repeated notes sound like separate melodic phrases. ### Patch idea Use the kick body for the actual pitch, and shape melody perception by: - changing **CLICK TIMBRE** - changing **CLICK DECAY** - using accents on selected notes ### Result Even a simple two-note bassline can sound more musical because each note has a distinct front edge. This is great for: - techno bass hooks - syncopated low-end motifs - call-and-response between accented and unaccented notes --- ## 5. Accent as melodic emphasis The module has separate **TRIGGER** and **ACCENT** behavior: - normal trigger for standard hit - accent to “beef up” the hit - plugging into **ACCENT only** always triggers accented kick ### Melodic use Accent is not pitch, but it is a major part of phrasing. In melodic sequencing, emphasis often matters as much as note choice. ### Patch idea - Main gate stream to **TRIGGER** - A second rhythmic lane to **ACCENT** - Pitch CV to **1V/OCT** ### Result This creates: - emphasized notes in a bassline - pseudo-acid phrasing - rhythmic variation inside repetitive tonal patterns --- # Best melodic patch strategies ## A. Simple bassline patch **Connections** - Sequencer pitch CV → **1V/OCT** - Sequencer gate → **TRIGGER** - Crater **OUTPUT** → mixer / filter / VCA / effects **Settings** - **PITCH** around low-mid region - **SUSTAIN** at 10–2 o’clock - **DECAY** medium - **PITCH ENV AMOUNT** low - **PITCH DECAY** short - **CLICK LEVEL** low-medium - **CLIPPING** off or middle **Use** - Deep techno bass - EBM bass sequence - industrial low-end line --- ## B. Tuned kick melody patch **Connections** - Pitch sequence → **1V/OCT** - Trigger pattern → **TRIGGER** - Occasional accents → **ACCENT** **Settings** - **SUSTAIN** low - **DECAY** short-medium - **PITCH ENV AMOUNT** medium-high - **PITCH DECAY** medium - **CLICK LEVEL** medium - **CLICK TIMBRE** chosen for attack character **Use** - melodic tom runs - percussive riffs - classic drum-synth tuned fills --- ## C. Sustained drone/sub patch **Connections** - Quantized CV source → **1V/OCT** - Long gate or manual gate → **TRIGGER** - Slow CV → **SATURATION** if available **Settings** - **SUSTAIN** high - **DECAY** medium-long - **CLICK LEVEL** very low - **PITCH ENV AMOUNT** very low - **CLIPPING** middle or off **Use** - held root notes - sub drones under melodies - dark ambient low fundamentals --- ## D. Aggressive gabber bass sequence **Connections** - Sequencer → **1V/OCT** - Trigger pattern → **ACCENT** or **TRIGGER** - Optional modulation → **SATURATION** **Settings** - **SUSTAIN** medium - **DECAY** medium - **PITCH ENV AMOUNT** medium - **PITCH DECAY** short - **SATURATION** up - **CLIPPING** full/right position **Use** - hardcore/gabber riffs - distorted industrial bass - overdriven mono hooks --- # How it combines with other modules in a Eurorack system Since only this manual is attached, I can’t describe specific interactions with additional modules from other manuals. But in a typical system, Crater pairs especially well with the following categories to create melodic components: ## 1. Sequencers and quantizers Crater becomes melodic as soon as you feed its **1V/OCT** from: - step sequencers - keyboard controllers - quantized random voltages - arpeggiators A quantizer is especially helpful because Crater is naturally a drum voice; quantized pitch CV pushes it into clearer tonal use. ## 2. Filters Even though Crater already has tone-shaping via saturation, clipping, and click controls, a **low-pass or band-pass filter** can help transform it from “kick” into “bass synth.” Use a filter to: - tame click brightness - emphasize a note’s fundamental - create movement with envelope or LFO modulation ## 3. VCAs and envelopes If you want more standard synth-note articulation than the built-in drum envelope provides, send Crater through an external VCA. This helps with: - tighter note lengths - dynamic shaping - sidechain-like arrangements - better integration with melodic voices ## 4. Distortion / wavefolding / saturation Crater already distorts internally, but external processing can make it read more like a lead or bass synth. Useful for: - bringing out harmonics - making pitch more audible - fitting into dense arrangements ## 5. Delay and reverb Short delay or reverb can turn tuned percussion into a melodic texture. Best for: - dubby tom phrases - atmospheric kick melodies - sparse low-end motifs in ambient or experimental work --- # Musical roles Crater can fill ## Bassline voice Probably the most straightforward non-drum use. ## Root-note anchor It can reinforce the tonic or root beneath more complex melodic voices. ## Melodic percussion Excellent for tuned toms and note-like drum phrases. ## Riff generator With sequencing and accenting, it can create memorable low-register hooks. ## Transitional fills Pitch-sequenced fills between phrases are a strong use case. --- # Practical tips - **Lower click level** if you want the ear to hear “note” instead of “drum.” - Use **some sustain** and **longer gates** for actual bassline phrasing. - Keep **pitch envelope amount modest** when tracking melodies; too much can obscure note center. - Use **middle clipping** for a more musical distorted contour. - Use **accent rhythmically**, not constantly, to create phrase structure. - If tracking across a wider range, test pitch response practically; as a kick voice, it may be most convincing over a focused low register rather than as a full melodic lead. --- # Bottom line **Crater is not a traditional melodic oscillator, but it is definitely capable of melodic work**—especially in the roles of: - **tuned kick bass** - **sustained sub bass** - **melodic tom percussion** - **distorted low-end riffs** Its most important melodic features are the **1V/OCT input**, **sustain behavior**, **pitch envelope controls**, and **harmonic enhancement via saturation/clipping**. In a Eurorack system, that makes it a strong choice for **bass-driven melodic content**, especially in techno, electro, industrial, EBM, hardcore, and experimental patches. [Generated With Eurorack Processor](https://github.com/nstarke/eurorack-processor)