# Noise Engineering — Integra Solum - [Manual PDF](../../manuals/Integra Solum Manual - Noise Engineering Documentation.pdf) --- [Manual / Source](https://manuals.noiseengineering.us/is/) # Noise Engineering Integra Solum: modulation ideas for aggressive percussion, basslines, and dark atmospheres Integra Solum is not a sound source by itself; it’s a **dual rotating clock divider / trigger generator**. That means its real power is in how it **animates other modules**: envelopes, LPGs, VCAs, switches, sequential switchers, filters, distortion, sample-and-holds, drum voices, and modulation sources. The module gives you: - **2 independent divider sections** - **8 trigger outputs per side** - **independent or shared clocking/reset** - **Shift/Offset rotation** per side - **3 main modes** - `/2N` = powers-of-two divisions - `N` = sequence of eight - `/2N+1` = odd divisions - **Wack mode** for randomized trigger behavior ## Important behavior to exploit From the manual: - Clock responds to a rising edge around **3.3 V** - One clock can **normal to both sides** - Outputs update with about **70 µs latency** - Reset can be used to **re-align patterns** - Output triggers are about **0–5 V**, triggering around **3.4 V** - **Shift** rotates which jack is considered first in the cycle - **Wack mode** changes the mode behavior: - `/2N` becomes **probabilistic divide by two** - `N` becomes **one random trigger per step** - `/2N+1` makes **each output independently 50% likely** on each clock That means this module excels at: - stable rhythmic scaffolding - rotating accents - bursty probabilistic events - clock-related modulation changes - controlled chaos --- # Core patching mindset Think of Integra Solum as a **rhythm brain** for: - **when a sound happens** - **when a modulation changes** - **when distortion amount jumps** - **when a filter snaps open** - **when a voice changes pitch** - **when a delay or reverb gets hit** For the styles you asked about, the magic is usually: 1. **Use one side for note or drum timing** 2. **Use the other side for modulation timing** 3. Rotate one or both sides with **Shift** 4. Periodically **Reset** for phrase structure 5. Use **Wack mode** selectively for controlled instability --- # 1. Distorted percussive sounds ## A. Rotating industrial kick/snare pattern ### Patch - Master clock into one **Clock** input so both sides run - Side A in **N mode** - Patch several outputs from Side A to: - kick trigger - snare trigger - envelope trigger for a VCA’d noise burst - envelope trigger for a click transient - Side B in `/2N+1` or Wack `/2N+1` - Use Side B outputs to trigger: - distortion CV changes - filter envelope retriggers - wavefolder strike or VCA pings - a sequential switch selecting different percussion sources ### Why it works Side A gives a more structured pulse stream. Side B creates asymmetry and movement. If Side B controls timbre rather than note timing, your percussion sounds like it is being “re-synthesized” each hit. ### Best modulation targets - **filter cutoff CV** - **resonance CV** in tiny amounts - **distortion amount** - **wavefolder symmetry/fold** - **sample rate / bit depth** on a crusher - **decay time** of percussion envelopes - **switches** that alternate between sine/noise/FM transients ### Trick Take one output from Side B and send it to a **very fast decay envelope** controlling VCA level into a distortion. Some hits slam harder, creating uneven clipped transients. That produces very alive, broken-machine percussion. --- ## B. Broken DnB hats with probabilistic fill behavior ### Patch - Fast clock, e.g. 1/16 or faster - Side A in `/2N` - Trigger closed hats from a faster division - Trigger open hats from a slower division - Put Side B in **Wack `/2N`** or **Wack `N`** - Use Side B random triggers for: - extra hat accents - burst generator trigger - short noise stabs - panning modulation envelope ### Sound design tip Send hats/noise through: - HPF - distortion - very short room reverb - compressor/saturator Now use Integra Solum to trigger **different envelope shapes** for the same noise source. That creates metallic, tearing top-end. ### Trick Patch two outputs to a **logic OR** or mixer before a hat trigger input. Then rotate **Shift**. You’ll get changing composite rhythms without repatching. --- ## C. Kick with unstable “speaker-rip” attack ### Patch - Use a kick voice or sine oscillator with pitch envelope - Side A triggers the kick - Side B triggers: - an extra click envelope - a super-short FM envelope to the oscillator pitch or phase modulation input - distortion wet/dry or drive CV ### Best mode - Side A: `/2N` or `N` - Side B: Wack `N` or `/2N+1` ### Why it gets nasty If the attack transient and distortion amount are triggered independently but clock-related, you get those **ripped-cone**, overdriven, neuro-style drum impacts. --- # 2. Dubstep / drum & bass bassline generation Integra Solum won’t generate pitch directly, but it can create the **event structure** for bass modulation. That’s often more important than the actual oscillator. ## A. Reece / neuro bass motion network ### Patch Use one bass voice: - 2 detuned oscillators or a supersaw/reese source - lowpass or bandpass filter - distortion/wavefolder - VCA - maybe phaser/flanger ### Timing architecture - Side A triggers your **main amp envelope** - Side B triggers changes to modulation destinations: - sample-and-hold for filter cutoff - sequential switch for different envelope depths - burst or extra envelope for FM spikes - logic module to combine triggers into growl phrases ### Suggested mode setup - Side A in `N` for regular phrase stepping - Side B in `/2N+1` for uneven modulation accents - Occasionally use **Wack `N`** for random “which step gets movement” ### Great CV chains Use Side B trigger outputs to trigger: - **sample & hold** sampling random voltage for filter cutoff - **track-and-hold** on wavetable position - **sequential switch** choosing one of 4 modulation sources - **envelope generator** with varying decay amounts - **clocked slew** for stepped wobble contours ### Result You get bass notes that remain rhythmically anchored while their tone mutates every few steps: classic **talking / snarling / neuro** movement. --- ## B. Half-time dubstep wobble with rotating accents ### Patch - Slow host clock synced to tempo - Side A in `/2N` - Use one output for note gate / VCA envelope - Use slower outputs for filter plucks and sub drops - Side B in `N` - Patch different Side B outputs to: - LFO reset - envelope retrigger for filter - accent VCA - distortion boost - delay send gate ### Shift strategy Turn **Shift** on Side B during playback. This rotates which trigger output occurs first, so the phrase changes but remains grid-locked. ### Why this is especially good Instead of modulating the bass continuously with one LFO, Integra Solum gives you **discrete rhythmic gestures**. That often sounds more modern and intentional in dubstep. ### Patch extension Use one trigger to **reset the LFO phase** on certain steps only. That creates “wobble that restarts” on selected hits, which is a strong bass design trick. --- ## C. DnB rolling bass with ghost triggers ### Patch - Fast clock from your sequencer or Pam’s-style source - Side A in `/2N+1` - Main bass envelope on one output - Side B in **Wack `/2N`** - Use Side B outputs for: - short muting envelopes to chop the bass - FM spikes - notch filter modulation hits - pitch envelope retriggers for zaps ### Sound design stack - saw/reese source - bandpass into distortion - second filter after distortion - sub sine layered underneath - VCA controlled by Side A - additional “interrupt” VCA controlled by Side B ### Why it sounds DnB The “interrupt” VCA creates those machine-gun internal articulations and ghost syncopations inside a sustained bass phrase. --- ## D. Triggered modulation matrix for basses This is one of the best uses of Integra Solum. ### Patch Take 4–6 outputs and assign each to trigger one event: - sample random cutoff - switch distortion type - retrigger transient envelope - open parallel bandpass - trigger short reverb send burst - switch oscillator sync on/off via VCA or logic Then: - Side A = rhythm skeleton - Side B = modulation decorations The bass becomes **structurally repeatable but timbrally unstable**, which is exactly where a lot of advanced bass music lives. --- # 3. Haunting atmospheric pad sounds Pads benefit less from many triggers directly hitting the audio path, and more from Integra Solum creating **slow structural evolution**. ## A. Triggered pad animation ### Patch Create a pad voice: - 1–3 oscillators or a drone source - long attack/release envelope or sustained gate - lowpass/bandpass filter - chorus/phaser/reverb/delay ### Integra Solum role Use very slow clocking. - Side A in `/2N` - Trigger: - long envelope retriggers - filter contour pulses - VCA swells - reverb send accents - Side B in `N` or Wack `N` - Trigger: - sample-and-hold for subtle pitch drift - random panning changes - wavefolder amount changes - switching among modulation routings ### Why it works Pads become eerie when their changes happen **discretely but infrequently**. Integra Solum can create those phrase-level shifts cleanly. --- ## B. “Breathing haunted choir” patch ### Patch - Very slow master clock - Side A in `N` - Use one output every few clocks to retrigger a **long envelope** - Use another output to briefly increase **filter resonance** - Use another to send a burst to **reverb freeze / shimmer / feedback VCA** - Side B in Wack `N` - Each random trigger step controls: - slight FM amount burst - sample-and-hold on wavetable position - delayed sub-octave swell - noise layer into the pad ### Result The pad seems to inhale, shift tone, and occasionally reveal ghost overtones. --- ## C. Dark evolving drone with reset phrasing ### Patch - Clock Side A and Side B from the same slow clock - Put one side in `/2N`, the other in `/2N+1` - Patch outputs to: - two different envelope generators - one switch selecting filter modes - one strike to a resonator mixed beneath the pad - one trigger to reverse or clock a delay/reverb modulation source if available Then periodically **Reset** both sides manually or from a sequencer phrase reset. ### Why reset matters Without reset, the interaction slowly drifts into long evolving forms. With periodic reset, the atmosphere gets a recurring “haunting motif.” --- # Best mode choices by goal ## For distorted percussion - **`N`**: best for linear, stepped, rotating drum lines - **`/2N+1`**: best for asymmetrical industrial rhythms - **Wack `/2N+1`**: best for explosive glitch percussion and metallic chaos ## For basslines - **`N`**: strong for phrase-locked modulation events - **`/2N`**: good for halftime and predictable wobble scaffolding - **Wack `N`**: great for inserting random motion while keeping one event per step - **Wack `/2N`**: good for unstable accents and ghost modulation ## For pads - **`/2N`** at slow clocks: best for broad structural breathing - **`N`**: useful for orderly long-form rotation - **Wack `N`**: subtle haunted unpredictability --- # Shift/Offset performance techniques The **Shift** control is one of the most musically important features. Because it rotates the outputs, you can repurpose the same patch into many patterns without moving cables. ## Great uses of Shift - Rotate which drum gets the downbeat - Move accents around a bass phrase - Change which modulation occurs first in a cycle - Reframe a pad’s sequence of tonal changes ## Performance idea Patch 4–8 outputs into a network of: - triggers to drums - modulation retriggers - switch advances - random sample clocks Then perform with only: - **mode switch** - **Shift** - **Reset** This gives dramatic variation with low patch complexity. --- # Wack mode: where the weirdness lives Wack mode is especially useful for the genres you mentioned. ## Wack `/2N` - Great for humanized or unstable accents - Excellent for broken hats, ghost snares, crackle percussion - Good for bass timbre changes that shouldn’t happen every cycle ## Wack `N` - One random trigger each step - Great for selecting one of many timbral events - Very useful for “one thing changes each beat” bass animation - Excellent for haunted pad articulation ## Wack `/2N+1` - Wildest setting - Dense trigger clouds - Perfect for glitch percussion, FM burst clusters, reverb splashes, and chaotic control events - Use with attenuated modulation or logic if it becomes too busy --- # Advanced patch ideas ## 1. Distortion scene switching Use Integra Solum to trigger a sequential switch that changes: - clean path - overdrive path - wavefold path - bitcrush path Same sound source, different processing per trigger = massive rhythmic timbral variation. ## 2. Triggered FM spikes Take one output to a very short decay envelope controlling FM amount on an oscillator. This is amazing for: - punchy kicks - tearing bass growls - ghostly pad overtones ## 3. Parallel percussion architecture Use different outputs to hit: - body layer - click layer - noise layer - resonator layer Then mix them. As Shift rotates, the composite drum identity changes. ## 4. Bass articulation by selective muting Instead of only triggering the bass on/off, use some Integra Solum outputs to trigger a second envelope that briefly **ducks** the bass with a VCA. This creates internal syncopation and stutter-groove. ## 5. Reverb and delay as instruments Trigger short envelopes that open VCAs feeding effect sends: - percussion trigger opens reverb send only on selected hits - bass trigger opens delay send only on phrase endings - pad trigger splashes shimmer reverb randomly This gives a very cinematic, haunted space. --- # Practical patch recipes ## Recipe 1: Neuro snare engine - Side A `N`: trigger snare body - Another Side A out: trigger noise burst - Side B Wack `/2N`: trigger distortion boost - Another Side B out: trigger bandpass envelope - Rotate Shift until groove locks Result: unstable tearing snare with changing transient aggression. ## Recipe 2: Dubstep bass growl - Side A `/2N`: trigger amp envelope - Side B `N`: trigger sample-and-hold for filter cutoff - Another Side B out: trigger FM spike envelope - Another Side B out: trigger delay-send accent - Reset every 1 or 2 bars Result: consistent groove with mutating growl character. ## Recipe 3: Rolling DnB reese - Fast clock - Side A `/2N+1`: trigger VCA chopper - Side B Wack `N`: one random modulation event per step - Modulation events: - notch sweep - distortion gain jump - phaser feedback rise - transient pitch jab Result: rolling, complex, forward-moving bass texture. ## Recipe 4: Haunted pad - Slow clock - Side A `/2N`: long envelope retriggers - Side B Wack `N`: random shimmer, filter swell, or pitch-drift resample - Heavy reverb and stereo modulation - Occasional manual Reset Result: drifting, ghostly, semi-repeating ambient texture. --- # Things to watch out for - Integra Solum outputs are **triggers**, not continuous CV shapes. - For richer modulation, send triggers to: - envelopes - function generators - sample-and-holds - switches - logic - If a patch gets too chaotic, reduce complexity by: - using only 2–4 outputs per side - slowing the clock - using reset every bar or phrase - moving randomization to timbre, not note timing - If your target module needs hotter gates, check whether 5 V triggers are sufficient. Usually they are in Eurorack. --- # Best companion modules for Integra Solum It pairs especially well with: - **envelope/function generators** - **VCAs** - **distortion/wavefolders** - **sample & hold** - **sequential switches** - **logic modules** - **clock multipliers/dividers** - **filters with CV over resonance/cutoff** - **burst generators** - **effects with CV-able send or parameters** If you want, I can also give you: 1. a **10-patch performance cheat sheet** for Integra Solum, 2. a **genre-specific patch list** for dubstep vs DnB vs dark ambient, or 3. a **“what to patch each of the 16 outputs to” template**. [Generated With Eurorack Processor](https://github.com/nstarke/eurorack-processor)