Make Noise Soundhack tELHARMONIC, Manual

Composing with tELHARMONIC: (Cont’d)

CHORD  PROGrESSIons: 

With Interval set to TRIAD, DEGREE is the easiest parameter to sequence for traditional diatonic chord 

progressions in which the sonority of the chord changes according to its scale position. Because of this, the 

tELHARMONIC is quite a bit more versatile than past synth engines with “Chord modes”. Clever sequencing 

of DEGREE, together with TONIC and INTERVAL (especially if limiting the CV depth on INTERVAL so that it 

only reaches the three Triad inversions) gives access to a great variety of possible chord progressions and 

key modulations. 

In the past, the use of “chord machines” has typically involved selecting a chord structure such as “major” or 

“minor” and then moving the whole structure up and down when sequencing. Such blatantly-parallel 

movement would be anathema to the contrapuntal chorale writers of yore, but the sound of this type of 

chord progression is integral to many classics in the history of electronic music. To emulate this and 

sequence so-called “techno chords”, simply pick a chord structure using INTERVAL and DEGREE and then 

sequence only TONIC while leaving DEGREE static

Composition Tips and Tricks:

TrIAD   MoDEs:

Set Interval to Triads (anywhere below 11:00). Use the Degree panel control to choose a mode.  For Ionian 

(Major) and Aeolian (minor), use the RGB LED to find the starting point.  Aeolian is a Blue or Periwinkle Triad 

that will be found one “click” to the left of the Orange Triad. Ionian is a Green/Aqua Triad that will be found 

one “click” to the right of the Orange Triad.  Now, patch a sequence from BRAINS, René or Wogglebug to 

Degree to sequence chords in your chosen mode. 

Starting from the Green Triad (one click to the right of Orange), here are the seven available modes:

Ionian (Green)

Dorian (Blue)

Phrygian (Blue)

Lydian (Green)

Mixolydian (Green)

Aeolian (Blue)

Locrian (Orange)

SEqUencIN g  wITH   AccIDEnTals:

Choose a mode as described in “Triad Modes”.  Sequence a chord progression of your choice.  Use the 

unquantized CV output of René, or another row of Pressure Points Tuned Voltages, to modulate Interval to 

Unison or Octaves on steps where you would like accidentals to be possible.  For these steps, adjust the 

sequence values for Degree so that the desired accidental is produced.

VIBRATO  vIA  FM  IN :

In addition to the timbral sculpting possible with this input (detailed in the “Sculpting Timbre with

tELHARMONIC” section) the FM IN is also a fantastic way to introduce vibrato, pitch bend to a melody

or progression. Patch any fast control voltage or expression voltage to the FM IN to experiment with

this technique. Even a Gate signal could be attenuated and applied to this input to achieve

sequenced pitch bends.

VaRI aTIons   on   a   MUsIcal   MOTIF:

Set DEGREE and TONIC Panel controls of the tELHARMONIC to the lowest desired pitch. Patch a sequence 

from René CV OUT to Signal IN on a VCA such as the modDemix.  Patch a Tuned Voltage OUT from Pressure 

Points to the CARRIER/ CV IN on the modDmix.  Set Carrier/ CV Strength attenuator to Full CW.  Patch the 

Signal OUT from the associated modDemix channel to the DEGREE CV IN on tELHARMONIC.  Set DEGREE CV 

Attenuator to Full CW.  Now, each Pressure Points Stage can be set produce a variation on the Musical Motif.