Diva tutorial 05 - LFO recursion

The fifth bite-sized tutorial aimed at users of u-he's Diva, this one introduces the term "recursive modulation" (I already mentioned this technique in my old Access Virus programming tutorial). Here's the shortest dictionary definition I found:

recursion |riˈkərZHən| - see "recursion"

Even if you don't get that geek joke immediately, you probably will after watching the video. Due to Diva's fixed simple architecture, the only parts capable of recursive modulation are the LFOs...

First off, LFO2 is used to modulate oscillator pitch and filter cutoff. LFO2 is also used to modulate its own level... recursion! Note how the shape of the LFO (nominally a triangle wave) is affected.

Next, LFO2 is used to modulate its own rate, which not only affects the overall rate but also (again) the shape.

Normally there's no control for the pulse width of LFO square waves, but you can even do this via recursive modulation - in the 3rd experiment, LFO2 also modulates its own rate.

Of course the two LFOs can even modulate each other's rates and/or levels for a more complex type of recursion. The preset "HS Spacely Spice" is a good example of this.

Homework: Experiment further with both LFOs modulating each other until you have a sound you like. Instead of e.g. LFO1 modulating LFO2 rate directly, put LFO1 and modulation wheel into the "Add" processor and use that to modulate LFO2 rate instead. There are many more tricks to discover using those processors together with recursive modulation...

• Category

  Howto & Style

[neocortexlab]

I don`t want easiness of use but very need of OSC start synchronisation.

[uheplugins]

Several people have asked for that. Although it's a very un-analogue feature, it might be in the next update (not sure yet).

[Wave Strike]

Can you please do a few tutorials on "Creating popular analog synth sounds using Diva." You could start by doing some ELP sounds, Gary Numan, Kraftwerk, Van Halen, all the way through modern Boards of Canada and Lone.

[Marius M]

these filters sounds amazing

[Jm Jones]

thanks man, this synth is amazing

[Monster LMA]

Wait till you hear the oberheim filter they added.

[scientrophic]

It would be cool to have the same advanced oscillator and filter musicality but with the patching flexibility of U-he's other modular plugins. But that's part of what I love about DIVA, is the simplicity. I have faith that they'll bring this into the future. With just a few people they had the integrity to do a proper VA that makes no compromises and sounds better than most hardware VA's I've worked with. Urs is also really responsive to suggestions and criticisms. Good things will come.

[VirtualMark2]

Have you used Massive and Synth Squad? The modulation options are endless - i'd love it if Diva had this. Diva is by far the best sounding synth i have, i'd just like the same sound quality with more features.

[sbookholt]

I think diva's interface is really good. Selecting an lfo from a dropdown or drag/drop the lfo, doesn't take more time to achieve the same goal.

[MegaCheguevara1]

This synth is so good, but it eats all my cpu...haha