MOTIVATION
This is Melody Assignment #1 for Jazz Theory (MUS 145) at Johnson County Community College. The assignment parameters were to write a melody for one of the blues forms studied in class: Basic Blues, Mnor Blues, Jazz Blues, Blues Waltz, or Bird Blues.

The choice of the minor blues form for this assignment was made based on my lack of experience at crafting melodies. This is my first attempt at such a thing,

INFORMATION
All modules used for this patch are freely available at library.vcvrack.com.

J. Douglas Patterson
Created: 23-MAR-2023
Last Modified: 01-APR-2023

CHORD PROGRESSION DESIGN
(4/4 112bpm)

|A- | | |A-7 |
|D- | |A- | |
|F7 |E7 |A-6 |E7b9|

So as to minimize the number of different clock division signals needed, the chords for each of the 12 bars are recorded in the CHORD-KEY module and addressed using a 12-step sequencer clocked at one step every four beats.

DRUM DESIGN
The drum sequencer is clocked at a 1/16th note division and sends trigger signals to the eight drum-sample modules. The samples used were choses for their similarity to an physical kit. The beat is a standard kick on beat and a snare on 2 and 4 with the highhat and cymbal adding accents. The drum signals are mixed into a singular signal before being sent to the main mixboard.

BASS DESIGN
Exclusive arpeggio of the current chord in 1/8th notes played straight.

Vult’s BASAL smooth oscillator with a fast attack, a medium-fast decay, and 30% sustain is doubly modulated.

Filter is set to low-pass with the filter openening using nearly the same enevlope as the gain, but with 50% sustain.

Low amounts of reverb, decay, and phaser. No chorus is added.

BACKUP DESIGN
This voice was included to add a bit more colour and depth. Rhythmically, it follows the bass at a constant 1/8th noote cadance, but uses an outside-in arp over the chord tones.

Three oscillators combine for this voice, two detuned square waves and a sine suboscillator. No filter is used, but a hard attack with 70% sustain envelope governs the gain. A portimento module is included, but is currently disabled.

CHORDS DESIGN
The chords as programmed by the CHORD-KEY module are gated by the B output of the PHRASE-SEQ-32 to provide additional rhythic structure. This is the same module that sequences the lead voice through the A output.

The oscillator is an aliased ramp with four detuned unison voices. This produces the grittiness that I wanted for the chord voice. The voice uses strong reverb and chorus, mild delay or a slight amount of phaser.

LEAD DESIGN
The lead notes are sequenced & gated by the A output of the PHRASE-SEQ-32 module and voiced by two detuned ramps, a ramp set two octaves lower, and red noise mixed at -12 dB below the lead levels. The gain envelope uses moderate attack and decay with 40% sustain. The output is passed through a resonant low-pass filter with the cutoff modulated by a slow attack and decay envelope. FX include moderate reverb and chorus with light amounts of delay and phaser.

CREDITS
Vult: Vult Modules Free (https://modlfo.github.io/VultModules/)
Basal (Free)
Blank: 6 HP (Free)
Tangents (Free)
VCV: VCV Core
Audio 2
Surge XT: Surge XT (https://surge-synthesizer.github.io/)
Alias VCO
Chorus
Delay
Phaser
Reverb
Submarine: Submarine (https://vcvrack.submarine.org.uk)
BP-101
BP-102
BP-120
EO-102
TD-202
TD-316
Squinky Labs: Squinky Labs (https://github.com/kockie69/SquinkyVCV-main/blob/master/README.md)
EV3
MindMeld: MindMeld (https://www.facebook.com/MindMeldModular)
AuxSpanderJr
EqMaster
MixMasterJr
Impromptu: Impromptu
BlankPanel
ChordKey
Clocked
PhraseSeq32
Hampton Harmonics: Hampton Harmonics (https://gitlab.com/hampton-harmonics/hampton-harmonics-modules)
Arp
Grande: Grande
Merge8
chowdsp: ChowDSP (https://github.com/jatinchowdhury18/ChowDSP-VCV)
Credit
Bogaudio: Bogaudio (https://github.com/bogaudio/BogaudioModules/blob/master/README.md)
ADDR-SEQ
ADSR
ASX
BLANK6
LVCF
NOISE
PRESSOR
SINE
SLEW
VCM
Autodafe: Autodafe – DrumKit (https://www.autodafe.net/virtual-instruments/vcv-rack-modules/autodafe-drum-kit-for-vcv-rack.html)
Drums – Claps
Drums – Closed Hats
Drums – Cymbals
Drums – HiHat Open
Drums – Kick
Drums – Mixer
Drums – Ride
Drums – Rim/Claves
Drums – Snare
Autodafe: Autodafe (https://www.autodafe.net/virtual-instruments/vcv-rack-modules/autodafe-module-pack-for-vcv-rack.html)
TriggerSeq