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In the absence of internal modulation on the Blackbox, I’ve found other ways to create organic movement for samples and loops. I use the tricks all the time now and while they may seem simple, they make a substantial difference for me, at least.
**FORWARD AND REVERSE**
When you apply looping on a sample, not a clip, you can let the loop move forward and in reverse as it reaches its end. This is especially useful for loops that don’t need to be in sync, such as ambience, textures, drones and stuff and makes them float above the track structure, adding an organic layer of their own.
**GO GRANULAR**
The granular mode is very basic, but it does add a lot to the variety of especially a loop’s texture if you tear a sample apart and let it loop like above. The additional filth added by the granular mode combined with free looping, adds even more movement and variation to anything that doesn’t need to stay on the beat.
**ONE SAMPLE, MULTIPLE SEQUENCES**
The sequences can be quantised to start and stop on very specific steps, or hold until the next bar, and anything in between. When in Song mode, if you record a collection of sequences and apply more than one sequence to a sample - say a kick or a hat - and shift between those sequences, you can get very complex polyrhythms going, especially if each sequence has its own step count and time signature.
**LOOPS IN SONG MODE**
When in Song mode, don’t forget that samples stretch over each section in the song mode as long as you’ve set them to loop. Especially for longer, evolving stuff, this is a great way to use the Song mode to not create a linear structure, but rather a batch of sequences where some are unique for each section in the Song mode and some play across the sections. So if you got a long, sweeping pad or a lead that ties it all together, but just want to mess things up with everything that’s going on around - beats, bass, textures, whatnot - the Song mode adds additional variation (and mayhem) to getting a track to feel unpredictable in an interesting way.
**ENVELOPES AND FADE POINTS**
Don’t underestimate the combination of the envelopes and loop fade points when it comes to just creating shifts in amplitude. While these would be more predictable when you launch a sample from the sequencer, it still adds a lot of movement. And if you’re clip launching live, it does a lot to add to the feeling of natural movement within a track.
**FORWARD AND REVERSE**
When you apply looping on a sample, not a clip, you can let the loop move forward and in reverse as it reaches its end. This is especially useful for loops that don’t need to be in sync, such as ambience, textures, drones and stuff and makes them float above the track structure, adding an organic layer of their own.
**GO GRANULAR**
The granular mode is very basic, but it does add a lot to the variety of especially a loop’s texture if you tear a sample apart and let it loop like above. The additional filth added by the granular mode combined with free looping, adds even more movement and variation to anything that doesn’t need to stay on the beat.
**ONE SAMPLE, MULTIPLE SEQUENCES**
The sequences can be quantised to start and stop on very specific steps, or hold until the next bar, and anything in between. When in Song mode, if you record a collection of sequences and apply more than one sequence to a sample - say a kick or a hat - and shift between those sequences, you can get very complex polyrhythms going, especially if each sequence has its own step count and time signature.
**LOOPS IN SONG MODE**
When in Song mode, don’t forget that samples stretch over each section in the song mode as long as you’ve set them to loop. Especially for longer, evolving stuff, this is a great way to use the Song mode to not create a linear structure, but rather a batch of sequences where some are unique for each section in the Song mode and some play across the sections. So if you got a long, sweeping pad or a lead that ties it all together, but just want to mess things up with everything that’s going on around - beats, bass, textures, whatnot - the Song mode adds additional variation (and mayhem) to getting a track to feel unpredictable in an interesting way.
**ENVELOPES AND FADE POINTS**
Don’t underestimate the combination of the envelopes and loop fade points when it comes to just creating shifts in amplitude. While these would be more predictable when you launch a sample from the sequencer, it still adds a lot of movement. And if you’re clip launching live, it does a lot to add to the feeling of natural movement within a track.
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