By now, we are probably all familiar with 2HP modular… The company has been rolling out dozens of modules since starting up only about a year ago after the success of the Qubit Eon, intent on providing a series of slim modules that will fill those annoying little gaps in your system. Stephen and the 2HP crew were kind enough to send along their recent slicing and glitch-friendly module, Freez, for a thorough examination.
Freez is a fairly simple module in execution. An audio signal is fed to the input, a small chunk of which can be looped by engaging the Trig button on the panel, with either latching or normally off modes controlled by the switch above. This microloop can then be modulated in size and quality, to stretch and destroy the audio. The slice knob controls the speed and size of the loop. When a slice has been captured, the Slice knob tends to act like tape, turning the knob counterclockwise will speed up the looped sample and also raise the pitch.
Freez also features control over the sample rate of the sliced audio. As the sample rate is lowered (when the knob is turned counterclockwise) the sample lowers in audio quality while decreasing in pitch. Both the Slice and Sample Rate controls on the panel combine to determine the length and quality of the overall slice, from 9 milliseconds to 3 seconds, with sample rates from a low 2.36 khz to higher quality 96khz. The sample rate function built into Freez is always active, even when a sample is not captured. This means the module can serve as a distortion effect when it’s not slicing and chopping.
Modulation really kicks Freez into overdrive. LFO modulation can generate classic microloop glitches and sweeps, sometimes giving the impression of time stretching. Stepped modulation is also very handy, allowing the sequencing or randomization of our parameters in time with a beat. Of course, engaging slicing can also be modulated using gate sequences.
How are you chopping, slicing and glitching your beats and synths? Tell us about it in the comments!
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