The 2hp Blur is a spectral processor designed for dynamic timbral manipulation and atmospheric sound design. By leveraging its primary controls—Time, Vibe, and Mix, as well as their respective CV inputs—you can take your patches from subtle shimmer to outlandish sound mangling. Here’s how to exploit this module to design distorted percussive sounds, aggressive basslines, and haunting pads, specifically in genres like dubstep, drum & bass, and cinematic/ambient music.
Patch Ideas: - Input: Use a snare, kick, rimshot, or high-frequency percussion sample (or the output from a sharp synth voice such as 2hp Pluck). - TIME: Set the Time control towards the left for minimal spectral stretching. Use a fast, random or envelope-synced CV to modulate this for glitchy, grainy hits. - CV Tip: Patch an envelope or stepped random CV (like from Make Noise Wogglebug or ALM Pamela’s New Workout) into Time CV. Fast attack/decay envelopes will create a snappy, grain-processed feel, while random will introduce chaotic variation. - VIBE: Sweep the Vibe knob from clean (left) to smeared (right) to taste. For percussive distortion, modulating Vibe with velocity or accent CV from your sequencer can exaggerate timbral shifts. - CV Tip: Patch the accent or a pitch envelope into the Vibe CV input for each hit. - MIX: Blend the dry/wet using Mix or automate with CV for WHIPCRACK-effect smears coming in after the transient.
Bonus: Route the output through a distortion or wavefolder post-Blur for further saturation and edge.
Patch Ideas: - Input: Feed Blur a bass synth voice—preferably a harmonically rich wavetable, saw, or pulse wave—then sequence ground-shaking patterns. - TIME: Use LFOs synced to your groove (fast, rhythmic rates) into Time CV. With Time fully right, Blur stretches your signal x16 for monstrous, gliding bass movement. Modulate from center to right for time-melted, re-pitched growls. - CV Tip: Use a stepped/random or envelope-following LFO to dynamically shift the bass between normal and time-stretched. - VIBE: CV in with crazy envelopes or random S&H to alter the harmonic spread, making your bassline morph between tight and smeared. Try fast, audio-rate modulation for digital crunch and spectral tearing. - MIX: Rapidly automate the Mix for stuttered transitions between clean and processed bass—perfect for rhythmic gating effects.
Pro-stack: After Blur, send into a wavefolder, filter, or even a granular reverb for extra movement before hitting your VCA.
Patch Ideas: - Input: Supply Blur with a lush polyphonic pad, chord, or stacked oscillator voices (like Swarm). - TIME: Set Time past 12 o'clock for heavy time-stretching; modulate slowly with an LFO or the output of a complex envelope (e.g., aftertouch, random voltage, or even audio from another oscillator for slow “dream-state” wow). - VIBE: Use the knob or modulate gently with a slow triangle/sine LFO for evolving harmonic diffusion; drift from recognizable chords into shimmering, spectral clouds. - MIX: Keep mostly wet, but with subtle automated dry return to anchor the pad occasionally. Slow, random modulations impart organic movement.
Luxury pads: Pair Blur with stereo reverb (e.g., 2hp Verb) post-processing for immense spatial depth. Try running two Blurs in parallel (audio in, then stereo out to reverb) for dimensional pads.
Distorted Snare:
2hp Pluck (perc mode) → Blur → Drive/Distortion → Reverb
Dubstep Bassline:
Complex Oscillator → Blur → Filter → VCA
Haunting Pad:
2hp Swarm → Blur → 2hp Verb
Explore more in their official manual PDF.