Getting To Grips With X-Mod

X-Mod is one of the most powerful features in the OB-6 but what can it do? Here are some examples…

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Press Manual + Write to initialise, then set VCO1 to pulse (VCO2 is off by default). Turn the X-Mod OSC 2 dial fully clockwise and engage the PW1 button. VCO2 now cross-modulates the rate/shape of VCO1’s pulse wave, making VCO1 sound much more interesting.

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Play a few notes on the keyboard one at a time with the ‘keyboard’ switch engaged and note how the PWM rate varies across the keyboard. Keyboard voltage is now being applied to VCO2, which in turn is modulating VCO1’s PW1 rate.

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Play a chord–you’ ll hear a rich polyphonic allymodulated chord. Disengage the keyboard switch and set VCO2 to low frequency (LFO) mode. Now VCO2 is acting globally over VCO1’s PW, with VCO2’s frequency setting the modulation rate. Modulation depth is set via X-Mod’s OSC2 dial.

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To vary the modulation applied to VCO1 more (either with the keyboard switch on or off, or the low frequency control engaged or not) simply vary the wave shape of VCO2. Remember we are still only hearing VCO1 but it sounds very rich indeed!

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To thicken the sound further, add in some sub oscillator to taste; if you are using VCO2 as an LFO, the square wave sub oscillator is essential for adding extra thickness as if you turn up VCO2 you’ll only hear low frequency clicking.

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Finally, try the filter envelope dial to introduce the filter envelope as an X-Mod source. Send X-Mod to filter mode for evolving sounds, to filter frequency for polyphonic filter modulation and to VCO1’s shape for movement. Try X-Mod sources/ destinations alone or simultaneously.