Hydrasynth Vintage Voice Modeling VCM Free Template Patch

Exploring vintage voice modeling on the Hydrasynth, with version 2.0 of firmware.

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This video shows off the new Hydrasynth v2.0 firmware, and capability for Hydrasynth to do Vintage Voice Component Modeling (VCM) with the new VoiceMod table and sources.   You can download the new v2.0 firmware from the Hydrasynth website.

You can download this FREE .hydra patch template below and use it to apply vintage voice modeling to your patch designs. The template uses the voices mod table, fifteen mod slots, and four macros to give easy to use controls for giving vintage style variances to the Oscillator, Filter and Temporal sections of the synth.

 

 

The free VCM Template patch is available on my CreativeSpiral PresetPatch Profile for download here: (along with lots of other free VCM patches)

https://www.presetpatch.com/user/creativespiral

 

Patch:  VCM_INIT_Template_Vintage_Voice_Modeling_Patch.hydra

Use the Official Hydrasynth Patch Manager to load the .hydra patch (technically a user bank), then select it in one of your User Windows and you can drag the patch to a slot on your synth.

Hydrasynth Deluxe Notes:
1. Since Deluxe has eight more voices, you will need to copy the VoiceMod values from VoiceMod Table Offests 1-8 to 9-16. And I recommend altering them each by a small amount +/- 3 value. This will make sure all sixteen voices have unique per-voice offsets. 

Voice Menu:  VoiceMod Edit 1-8: 
+12, +6, -4, +4,  -5, -13, +1, -4  
Example: VoiceMod Edit 9-16:
+10, +5, -3, +7, -1, -11, +3, -2

2. To save a Single Patch (like this Template) into a Multi Slot on Hydrasynth Deluxe with Manager, this process has been reported to work:
"Init your Multi, select Upper or Lower, use Browse to locate that single patch, and then save the multi."

 

More Info About the VCM Patch Template:

1. Uses the new VoiceMod table from v2.0 firmware, and the back half of Mod Matrix (Slots 17-32)

2. Uses four macro controls to give an easy-to-use interface for applying variances

3. Variance controls separated into Osc Variances, Filter Variances, and Temporal Variances (Envs, LFOs)

4. The first macro knob controls them all together.   This is the easiest way to use the template - a single knob dials in a well curated vintage voice variance type of sound.  If you set it to 64, that's the equivalent of having the other three controls set to 64.   Note: in this example, any number under 64 on those other three controls would not alter the sound... only if you exceed the Macro 1 master control value.  ie:  the Macro 1 master control is like a minimum threshold for all the other controls.  

5. For Osc control, it gives variances to tuning of Osc1/2/3, both via intonation/osc scaling, and via the VoiceMod table.   In addition, this control gives small offsets to Osc Mix levels per voice.   For intonation, I used the analog feel at very low levels (2 at max), which gives the per-voice variances from voice mod source a subtle osc scaling effect, up and down the keybed, while still controlling dissonance, and remaining musical. 

6. For Filter control, it gives variances to both Filter1/2, and affects cutoff point and resonance level per voice.   

7. For Temporal control, if gives variances to Env1/2 and LFO1/2 timing.  The envelope ADR stage timing is varied per voice, and LFO rates varied.   

8. I curated the controls so that at maximum settings you get variances similar to what I measured on various vintage 70s/80s analog poly synths, but not going into "broken synth" territory.   I wanted to design the controls to be usable, up and down the keybed, at max settings.   If you want to make them more extreme, you can do so.  The easiest way would be to just go into the VoiceMod table, and adjust the eight offsets I have set, to values further away from 0, positive or negative.   This will affect all the voice variance controls.   Alternatively you can edit the macros to adjust settings as you wish. 

9. Voices > Random Phase is On - this gives the Hydra a more analog sound, emulating free running oscillators. 

10. Also, I have set Voice Allocation (STMode) to Rotate.  This is the most common of the voice allocation methods, otherwise known as Cycle, or Round Robin.  You may also want to use Alter for some patches.  Alter uses the lowest voice number available rather than always cycling to the next voice number.   The Voice Allocation does have a significant effect on Voice Modeling, depending on patch design, and whether your doing bass lines, arps, or other sound designs... so you may want to experiment.  The VCM setup will work with any of these allocation modes.   

 

 

Also, more Hydrasynth patches are here:

https://www.presetpatch.com/synth/asm-hydra

 

For more information about Voice Component Modeling (VCM):

https://www.VoiceComponentModeling.com

 

I have been an advocate for manufacturers implementing voice variance capabilities in synths, since publishing the VCM website in 2019. The way I have set this template patch up is my optimal implementation for Hydrasynth, based on the past few years of research I've done on the topic. Sequential's Vintage Knob uses similar methodologies to what I have set up. Also, I have worked on the Beta teams to help curate the vintage variances for Arturia's PolyBrute, and Grooves 3rd Wave synth. This implementation on Hydrasynth is similar to the curation I have done for those instruments and other synths.

 

There are also several other videos on the topic of vintage voice variances on CreativeSpiral YouTube Channel, discussing vintage voice behavior on Prophet Rev 2, Deepmind, Sequential Vintage Knob, Arturia Analog Accuracy, and Groove Synthesis 3rd Wave. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in comments below, or email me.