Hydrasynth Manager:
The Single patches are all common to Explorer/Keyboard/Desktop/Deluxe but Multi patches are exclusive to the Deluxe.
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Thank you!
On p38 and p40 of the keyboard/desktop manual, there’s a shift function to move a mutator by harmonics. Is that addressable by modulator (LFO, envelope gate, CV)?
In other words, is there a way I can assign an LFO to shift linear FM harmonic by harmonic? I’m wondering if I can set up a pair of mutants to behave like a Schlappi Three Body Problem where the two modulation oscillators can always be set in a definite ratio with the main oscillator.
Finally got mine. Still learning my way around. Sorry for the long post:
I can now answer some of my own questions. It seems not possible to sequence ratios, but you can modulate an oscillator with another and modulate that oscillator with the pitch quantized step LFO to create ratios. They’re not exact ratios but I want to explore different tunings.
Wavefolding: since the HS does phase modulation (not “true FM” don’t @ me lol, I only care because it lets me do this trick) means if you use a whole integer ratio and modulate a sine with a sine (wiggle depth), you get wavefolding. I want to explore using PW-ASM as an offset like in a Buchla 259.
Harmonic oscillator: not possible per the video above
BUT here’s a recipe to get something similar.
Osc 1: use a harmonically rich oscillator (saw is fine, FM or wavetables gets you different sounding results, then the harmonic mutant in each slot, go for 100% mutant in the first and 50% in the second. Then use depth (don’t touch ratio) to pull up harmonics. With two mutants you can emphasize two harmonics.
Now do it again on osc 2. Two more harmonics.
Osc 3, try a sine wave at 0 or -12 steps.
Add some drive, but you can keep the filter wide open and the resonance down.
Make macros to control the oscillator levels, mutant levels, and drive. Play in mono and you have something functionally equivalent to a sweepable harmonic oscillator. You can only hear the fundamental + 4 at a time but since they’re not fixed, lots of options.
Other stuff I’m loving: oscillator feedback w/linear fm mutant and no fm.
To do/try:
(Suggestions for achieving these are welcome).
Learn more about fast ways to assign parameters to macros. I feel like I’m slow.
Figure out what “wide open” means for analog filters: Prophet, Moog, MS-20, and Buchla LPG. Map a macro to the filter that only allows it to open that far…
Figure out if there’s a way to get it to dephase and breathe in the stereo field like the Super 6.
Set up chaotic LFO set and see what it can do: LFO 1 modulates LFO 2 which modulates 3 which modulates 1.
Explore presets. Most of the factory ones I won’t use. I don’t normally buy presets but I got @Jeanne’s set just to see how she programs.
Questions:
It sounds like the LFOs and Envelopes get into low audio rate but then start to alias and break up. Has anyone figured out a way around this or at least the upper usable limit?
Is there a way to inject feedback into the HS at or after the filter stage? Or only in the mutants?
Can I change the init preset? I know about saving a default preset for when it powers on.
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Change an INIT preset however you like and then save it to all the empty INIT slots (or save just to a bank you intend to design on).
Right but then next time I hit init, I get the HS init preset, not my edited one.
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ahhh, my bad. Missed that. Not sure how to change this.
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At least you tried to help. No harm done except that I still don’t like the init preset 
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Have you tried a “Save System State”
Hold SAVE and press SYSTEM SETUP
See if that saves your changes to the default INIT patch.
You may need to reboot the Hydra after? I’m not near mine or I’d try it.
This would be nice. For now, I copy paste as described before.
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Yeah there is no way to change the INIT-INIT patch. I use a set of template patches, with some of the basic sort of things being worked on at the time. I seldom use INIT-INIT except for the simplest of experiments.
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Curiously what are some of the major differences with your go to INIT defaults? Is it like you just set the mixer and osc and go from there or do you have fully built out defaults with modulation and stuff
Can’t tell who you are asking.
For me it’s all over the map. It depends what i’m working on. I want to have a known place of beginning, but something already partially formed.
Also this is really useful if you then hit this with a very strategic randomize, on one small part.
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I use Hydra cv to modulate my Sleepy Circuits Hypno (video synth), and like to have the pitch/mod, touchstrip, velocity and AT set up ahead of time. Other than that, macros. Labor intensive stuff. I’d like to take this opportunity to say I love my Hydra and am itching to get a Deluxe (splits and the ability to play octaves in the bass 
).
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YEAH ! Me too.
Have the HSK from day one and should just bite the bullet and upgrade.
TIP with INIT
A lot of you know this already, but if not –
The INIT, like RANDOM, can be used on just a small parts of a patch. Any button that gets brighter when you press and hold the INIT button down can be taken to the INIT settings. This also applies to Ribbon, Arp, and Chord.
You can INIT parts of stuff, let’s say a Filter, by first selecting that area with a button in MODULE SELECT and then holding INIT while pressing an individual buttons in the MASTER CONTROL section.
Also you can clear individual parts of a Mod-Matrix, or Macro, by holding INIT, and pressing that Macro or Mod-Matrix button.
If you change your mind while holding the INIT button pressing EXIT gets you out.
RANDOM works similarly, you can bounce quickly to “new” settings of individual items quickly this way.
You can see how these two techniques could be applied to your template patches.
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I’m still working on it but here are the things I always change.
Osc 1 mixer value to 64. 128 leaves not enough headroom.
Turn off aftertouch to filter and vibrato settings from the init.
Turn off filter key tracking (I do like to use some for some kinds of things but never at 100%).
Route env 2 to filter (so I can have filter and amp decay the same if I want).
Beyond that my plan is to work like @Jukka and develop a few starting points, depending on what I want to do.
This morning I messed with sequencing oscillator ratios for FM. I wish there were a lightly wider range in the quantized step LFO. You only get 24 steps.
Also got acquainted with phazediff which is great and potentially very subtle.
Also did this:
Works great!
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Thanks, I did not know that!
Use this with Voice Mod values in the Mod-Matrix. Then every voice will behave with a slight ( or large ) difference.
BTW : You can change all the Voice Mod values at once with a RANDOM or INIT change too. INIT takes all the Voice Mod values to 0, effectively shutting it off.
You can build or modify patches to have Voice Mod settings secretly in them, but turned off with values set to zero.
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You can also choose harmonic waveforms as modulator and do a wavescan.
Hydrasynth from ASM - #3680 by sezare56
Only Mutants internally AFAIK.
Did you try with MOD IN, and an audio output ? Should work theoretically.
Not possible with Explorer, unfortunately.
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Ring Mod has source selection too, which is important. ( One source of the Ring Mod can be an audio through unmodified, turning Ring Mod off effectively. ) You can do things like putting the Filters in parallel and splitting the Oscillators from the Ring Mod in the mixer and use different filters on each. This is a very useful audio path variation.
The external audio sources can be Mod 1 and/or Mod 2 inputs. I will use external processing like a delay or reverb, and feedback a tap on the output.
Or set up an external oscillator and feed that into the mix. Usually i use the MIDI from the keyboard to control the extra oscilator.
There is no signal path inside the effects section, but i have used Effects Bypass. Unfortunately that is in System Setup and is global so not the best for toggling effects.
Another ramble. Sharks, or electrocution?
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