Chainsaw

Acid Rain Technology 4HP
fw 1.1
OSCILLATOR VCO

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Digital super-oscillator with three voices of seven detuned waves. Coarse and fine root tuning, per-voice 1V/oct inputs, stereo outs and saw-to-square morphing.

Patch Ideas · 4

Classic stereo lead
Sequencer pitch to V/O 1 · Shape near saw · Detune around 2 o'clock · Out L/R into stereo delay and reverb · one cable already yields a wide three-voice swarm.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Chainsaw, Sequencer, FX Stereo, Output. Signals: 4 audio, 1 pitch.ChainsawSequencerFX StereoOutputShape: near sawDetune: 2 o'clockV/O 11v/octOut LaudioOut RaudioPitch1v/octIn LaudioIn RaudioOut LaudioOut RaudioLaudioRaudioaudiopitch
Three-voice chord stack
Separate chord tones to V/O 1-3 · keep Detune modest · Shape halfway for a thick but not buzzy chord bed · stereo outs preserve the intervoice spread.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 5 connections. Modules: Chainsaw, Chord Source 1, Chord Source 2, Chord Source 3, Mixer. Signals: 2 audio, 3 pitch.ChainsawChord Source 1Chord Source 2Chord Source 3MixerDetune: noonShape: noonV/O 11v/octV/O 21v/octV/O 31v/octOut LaudioOut RaudioPitch1v/octPitch1v/octPitch1v/octIn LaudioIn Raudioaudiopitch
Audio-rate FM bite
Fast LFO or audio VCO into FM · Shape set brighter · Detune moderate · FM adds edge without destroying the three-voice stack.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 4 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Chainsaw, VCO Mod, Output, Sequencer. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch.ChainsawVCO ModOutputSequencerShape: 2 o'clockDetune: noonV/O 11v/octFMcvOut LaudioOut RaudioOutcvLaudioRaudioPitch1v/octaudiocvpitch
Mono bass through a filter
Use V/O 1 only · Detune minimum · Shape toward square · take Out L into a filter and VCA chain for a mono bass that still feels wider than a single saw.
▸ Show diagram
Patch diagramPatch diagram with 5 modules and 4 connections. Modules: Chainsaw, Sequencer, Filter, VCA, Envelope. Signals: 2 audio, 1 cv, 1 pitch.ChainsawSequencerFilterVCAEnvelopeDetune: fully CCWShape: 3 o'clockV/O 11v/octOut LaudioPitch1v/octInaudioOutaudioInaudioCVcvOutcvaudiocvpitch

Behaviors

Three-voice activation patching V/O 2 or V/O 3

Each additional 1V/oct input activates another seven-wave voice. One cable gives one voice, two cables give two, three cables unlock the full 21-wave structure.

Supersaw to supersquare morph Shape knob or Shape CV

Shape morphs every wave from saw to square across the entire oscillator bank. The module stays harmonically dense even at intermediate settings.

Detuned stereo swarm increase Detune

Detune separates the seven waves in each voice along a fixed curve so the stereo pair becomes a wide supersaw stack instead of a static unison.

Root pitch memory power cycle

The oscillator remembers the previous tuning after power-up, and the encoder long press returns the root to C1.

Linear FM coloration audio or CV into FM

The FM input pushes all voices at once. The manual notes that it responds predictably to waveforms up to 2kHz, which makes it suitable for bright digital sidebands.

Controls

Global root pitch Encoder Sets the root pitch in semitone steps.
1 step = 1 semitone
Root pitch Encoder Press Toggles fine tune mode and returns to C1 on a long press.
press: 1 cent steps · long press: C1 (32.7Hz)
All voices Detune Spreads the seven waves in each voice from unison to a wide supersaw cluster.
center: unison · wider clockwise spread
All voices Shape Morphs all waves from saw to square.
CCW: saw · CW: square

I/O

IN · 6

  • V/O 1 1V/oct
    1V/oct pitch input for voice 1.
  • V/O 2 1V/oct
    1V/oct pitch input for voice 2. Patching activates the second voice.
  • V/O 3 1V/oct
    1V/oct pitch input for voice 3. Patching activates the third voice.
  • Detune CV ±5V CV
    Voltage control over the Detune parameter.
  • Shape CV ±5V CV
    Voltage control over the Shape parameter.
  • FM ±5V CV
    Linear frequency modulation input for all voices.

OUT · 2

  • Out L audio AUDIO
    Left stereo output. The waves are spread across the stereo field for a wide image.
  • Out R audio AUDIO
    Right stereo output. Complements Out L and can be used alone for mono.