Quick Patch: Using Melotus Versio for simple delays

Granular processors can be used for a wide range of audio effects, and as such they can be somewhat intimidating at first glance. In today’s post, though, we’ll be exploring a simple and useful patch using the Melotus Versio granular processor as a simple, syncable delay – with loads of character, if we want it. 

The patch

While Melotus Versio can be used to create humongous granular soundscapes, we can also rein its settings in a bit to make it act more like a traditional delay. I found that these settings gave me nice echoes without sounding too different from the original sound.

Regen can be used to set the number of echoes, and Delay changes the echo timing. If you’d like to sync the delay time to your patch, patch a clock to Flow, and set the bottom switch to Clk. Delay will change the division or multiplication of the incoming clock for easy rhythm changes, too.

Reverse delays and delay filtering

Melotus Versio’s granular flexibility adds a lot to even simple delay patches like this. For instance, we can change the direction that the echoes play back by flipping the top switch to the left position – this is an unusual sort of effect, but adds a lot of character while still sounding quite similar to the input sound.

Melotus also features the Tone parameter, which is a lowpass/highpass filter with overtones to the right and suboctaves to the left. A small amount of filtering adds a lot of character to a long delay, and extreme filtering can completely transform a sound. Here, I’m adding suboctaves to a high sequence using the lowpass filter:

Using grains to our advantage

The fun thing about using Melotus in place of a more traditional delay processor is all the options it gives for wild effects. The Cohere and Sparse parameters change when, how often, and where in the stereo field grains are triggered, so adjusting them even a small amount can completely transform our delay. Of course, we’re now well into granular territory, but using a granular processor in place of a delay can have some wild results. I often use Melotus Versio on the aux send of my mixer in place of my usual delay, creating some absolutely wild effects.