Readers send in details of their own synth patches and how they can be played...

OK, Spring is well and truly here, so it's time to remove the cobwebs around your equipment (as well as the ones in the grey matter area), and compile a few of your synth sounds for Patchwork... Send your offering on a copy of an owner's manual patch chart if possible (including a blank one for artwork purposes) to Patchwork, E&MM, (Contact Details).

ROLAND SH101 - 'Rhythm Electronique'

A Mayor, Bedfordshire

It seems that the ever-versatile SH101 is never far from Patchwork's door... The creator finds this sound is best employed to create backing rhythms and as the basis for a number of off-the-wall sound effects. Note that the patch can be used with any of the Envelope Mods (Gate+ Trig, Gate, or LFO).

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KORG POLY 800 - 'Disco Duel'

Nigel Baker, South Africa

A couple of sounds to get yer teeth into... The Resonance control of the first, 'Disco Bass' (A) can be varied according to taste, though a setting of above 4 or 5 will likely cause too much of the depth to fall away. Another variation is to add a bit of vibrato by changing parameter 83 to a setting of 1.

The 'Fat Synth' (B) is useful for those big chord sounds, and the cutoff frequency can be lowered if a warmer, mellower sound is what you're after.

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Casio CZ101/1000 - 'Shuttle Blast Off'

Brian Jones, Devon

Patchwork bids a warm welcome to Casio's baby, even if the Phase Distortion sound in question is a little unorthodox by our standards... Brian suggests holding down a major chord until the spacecraft enters hyperspace (patience is needed here), and then releasing the keys for re-entry and landing. Reverb and/or echo can be added for extra Star Wars realism. Anyway, full marks to Brian for designing his own patch chart - and shame on Casio for not supplying one with their owner's manual. Don't let that put you off submitting CZ patches...

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YAMAHA DX7 - 'Brass-Solo'

Johan Axelsson, Sweden

Another regular visitor to Patchwork, the DX7 is seen here being manipulated to obtain a good brass sound for solo lines, and is best played with after-touch and a lot of 'wheeling' (Johan's word, not ours!) on the pitch-bender, which should be set to Range 2 for optimum results.

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