Kaona Instruments — Stereo Weaver

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Using Stereoweaver for Densely Rhythmic, Hyper-Complex Percussion

1. Module Context & Approach

The Kaona Stereoweaver is an advanced stereo effects module, not a sound source/voice, so it processes your percussion signals rather than generating them. It excels at spatial manipulation—depth, motion, phase shifting, Haas effect (micro-delays), and dynamic width—using psychoacoustic principles.

To enhance complex, polyrhythmic, or experimental percussion, patch your mono drum/percussion mix, single drum voice, or highly complex trigger-based percussion into Stereoweaver’s input. Its outputs immediately provide a transformed stereo image.

2. Techniques for Dense, Punchy Rhythms

A. CV Animation for Sequence Stereoscopy/Texture

Patch rhythmic/clocked/random/Euclidean CV sequencers or internal triggers to Stereoweaver’s CV inputs:
Depth CV: Use triggers or stepped random signals to accentuate or hollow out the perceived space on every beat or subdivision.
Width CV & Move: Modulate width using Euclidean polyrhythms; have each drum “jump” around the stereo field based on complex trigger/gate patterns.
Phase CV: Modulate on odd-time pulses (5/8, 7/16) so phase relationships are never static; this can create evolving, lively, and slightly "uneasy" spatial textures perfect for intricate percussion.
Motion CV: Animate Leslie/rotary effects with LFOs synced to non-standard clock divisions (e.g., 3 against 4), so swirling spatiality is itself polyrhythmic.

B. Articulation and Percussive Punch

Drive the input HARD for controlled saturation:
Use distortion intentionally on each transient-heavy percussion hit. Adjust input gain until the LED blinks in time—let it overload on strong downbeats for added punch, or modulate gain control voltage with trigger envelopes for hit-by-hit “coloration.”
Exploit the Haas and Micro-Delay:
Push the Haas setting hard, or modulate with a stepped random or variable clock so different hits or pulses have different stereo delays—this creates a tangled, urgent stereo feel, emphasizing intricate rhythms.

C. Chaos and Unpredictability

Animate ‘Move’ at audio rates or with highly irregular gates:
Patch burst generators, logic patterns, or heavily clock-divided clocks to the Motion/Width CVs. In “Move” mode, this swaps L/R unexpectedly, making your patterns feel “glitchy” and kinetic.
Max out Phase + Depth for Micro-Chorus/Phasing:
At extreme settings, your percussive hits can become subtly flanged or phase-shifted. Accent minor notes with these modulations for unique timbral ripples.

3. Patch Ideas

Breakcore/Jungle: Use a trigger sequencer sending triggers on both regular and offgrid pulses to the Width and Phase CVs. Stereo image will jump according to rhythmic density.
Polyrhythmic Techno: Assign clocks from different meters (e.g., 5-step and 7-step) to modulate Haas/Width. Layered drums “dance” around the cycle.
Electroacoustic: Pair with acoustic percussion sounds or foley, let complex envelopes modulate Depth and Phase in conjunction with touch/pressure or sensor-based CV, for gestural spatiality.

4. General Tips

Mult different CV sources (clock divisions, envelope followers, random gates) to several parameters for hyper-complicated, interconnected rhythmic spaces.
Stereo Balance: Use the independent L/R outputs to further process with stereo compressors or spatializers—Stereoweaver can feed parallel effects chains for even more depth.
Visual Feedback: The on-panel LEDs help you “see” when movement or widening is happening, making precise tuning for rhythmic mapping easy.

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