Make Modular S&H Loops In Razor

A sample and hold module (S/H) is a device that captures (samples) a signal that is coming through and freezes it for a pre-defined amount of time.

This results in very fast an sudden jumps in signal level or pitch, depending on what you modulate with this module.

In Razor we can get close to this effect by using a square wave LFO or even better, a Random LFO.

A sample and hold module (S/H) is a device that captures (samples) a signal that is coming through and freezes it for a pre-defined amount of time.

This results in very fast an sudden jumps in signal level or pitch, depending on what you modulate with this module.

It was often used in old modular synths, but some new synthesizers have a similar functions as well.

In Razor we can get close to this effect by using a square wave LFO or even better, a Random LFO.

When you assign this to the oscillator effects inside Razor you can get really cool and unexpected sounds.

This “trick” works with almost any oscillator and any filter, so I allowed myself to experiment with that as well.

For the first two oscillators I’ve chosen the formant modules, these are nice to modulate with pitch track.

Pitch track is a modulator that listens to the incoming pitch and scales the position of the knobs that you assign it too.

For the formant oscillator this means that the “formant” parameter will change depending on where you play your note on the keyboard.

This ensures that the oscillator will always play the corresponding partials for each note.

After that I’ve used a Lowpass phaser filter and a Comb, both really cool filters that can totally change your sound with either feedback or phasing.

You can control both of the Cutoff knobs of the filter at the same time by assigning Filter 1 Track to the cutoff of filter 2.

This will follow the movement of filter 1, making it easier to find good settings for these modules.

Then it is time for the FX, and this is where I want you to go crazy.

Try the suggested random or square wave LFO on the pitch parameter and crank the amount all the way up. Go through different types of effects and see which one you like most, lots of fun guaranteed!