There a few things about the Matrixbrute that I found confusing. Initially I found it difficult to differentiate between the effect of filter control and VCA control.
I am used to working with an EMS synthi. On that machine you almost automatically plug the oscilators in the filter first; the filter into and envelop and the envelop into the VCA.
It doesn't work that way on the Matrixbrute. There, the envelop2/VCA combination controls the Mixer and after this control stage the sound is forwarded to the filter where it can be further shaped by envelop 1 controlling the filter frequency. That's the basic routing of your sound.
So now my workflow changed to:
- selecting the waveforms of VCO's one and two
setting the relative volumes in the mixer
creating a general VCA envelop with envelop 2
experimenting with filter combinations/modes etc.
matching gate and sustain/release times to Sequencer or Arpeggiator speed
Only then do I continue with further modulations on the matrix. From there it's going back and forth between adding modulations and (re) adjusting envelop and LFO values. To me it is a very meditative/creative process that requires a lot patience. Sometimes the reward is an aural discovery and sometimes you endup frustrated and tired.
This order of doing things works best for me. My aim is always to understand whats happening. It's not always easy to stick to that principle. Sometimes something incomprehensible happens and you follow that surprise and see where it leads you. But usually I simplify what i'm doing until I get to a stage where understanding kicks back in and experimentation becomes meaningful again.
One of the things I like about the Matrixbrute is the workings of the alternate filter modes bandpass highpass and notch. On most other synths these modes are next to useless as they have little effect on the sound, or they thin the sound to such extend that the end result is unusable. Not so with the Matrixbrute. I'm rediscovering these modes.
