Basimilus Iteritas Alia Manual (PDF)
The Noise Engineering Basimilus Iteritas Alia (BIA) is a versatile digital drum and percussion voice, but its flexible sound engine makes it a hidden powerhouse for generating the kind of dynamic movement and development crucial for full-length modular songs. Below, I’ll break down strategies to help move past the "great loop" phase and into rich, evolving compositions with your modular system—centered around the BIA.
BIA can be a drum machine, a melodic voice, or even a bursts/noise source.
- Kick, snare, hi-hat, clap, tom: The manual shows simple patch examples for each, but this is just the start.
- Try using multiple clones, or pairing it with a fast sequencing/modulation system to morph between different drum timbres from a single module, saving rack space.
- Exploit its "melodic" side for basslines or acid-style leads by sequencing the pitch CV and morph/wavefold settings.
Tip: Sample BIA percussive sequences, then repatch to use it for melodic or noise duties in the next section of your song.
Avoid static patches—use control voltage (CV) creatively:
- Rhythm Section Development:
- Send evolving rhythmic triggers/gates from your sequencer, clock divider, or trigger processor to the TRIG and DECAY/ATTACK CV inputs for controlled variation (fills, accents, breakdowns).
- Timbre Morphing:
- Animate parameters like Morph, Fold, Harm, and Spread with sequencers, random generators, or LFOs.
- Use steps, slow ramps, or random modulation to drive the BIA through drastic sonic changes over time (e.g. from tight, clicky sounds to smeared, noisy metallic washes).
- Manual Control for Performance:
- Use hands-on knob turns during recording or live performance to introduce sections, energy shifts, or breakdowns.
Create sections by modulating BIA’s algorithm modes and pitch settings: - S/L/M switch: Swap between Skin (punchy), Liquid (kicks with pitch envelopes), Metal (crazy cymbals or industrial noise) for A/B/C song sections. - B/A/T switch: Instantly transpose the drum voice by two octaves, great for bridges/drops or transitions (e.g., switching a kick into a tom/bass hit for the next phrase). - Use an external sequential switch or voltage-addressed switch to automate mode/pitch transitions, syncing to your sequencer to structure the song into A, B, C parts.
Patch BIA’s envelope output (ENV OUT): - Envelope as Modulator: Use BIA’s envelope to control external VCA, filter, or effect modules on other sound sources, tying percussion articulation to synth parts—they’ll "breathe" with the pulse of your drums. - Sidechaining: Route ENV OUT to duck the amplitude of pads or bass when the drum voice triggers (classic dance/techno trick).
Create progression both within and across sections:
- Envelope Experimentation:
- Automate Attack/Decay for evolution from clicks to lush, boomy drum hits or from short hats to long metallic cymbals.
- Randomness for Movement:
- Add sample & hold, Euclidean sequencing, or logic mixing to gate/CV inputs, making every repetition of a section or every drop just a bit different.
- Automation via External Sequencer/DAW:
- CV inputs give you deep access—capture and playback motion from a DAW or programmable CV source for precise builds/fills/drops.
Layer or resample BIA: - Layer multiple BIA voices or BIA plus other drum modules for richer percussion arrangements. - Record loops or long gestures from BIA, chop them outside the rack (DAW, sampler), and remix them in new, structured ways.
Bored? Swap the firmware! - BIA is part of Noise Engineering’s Alia platform: Use the Noise Engineering firmware portal to transform your module into a different digital synth voice mid-production (e.g. for fresh transitions or breakdowns).