SOUND DESIGN WITH LATTICE

Lattice is a feedback network synthesizer. Its defining characteristic is the complex interaction between delay nodes through the feedback matrix. Low feedback makes it behave like a conventional multi-tap delay. High feedback reveals what makes it different.

Start with feedback at 85% or higher. Reduce only if the sound becomes uncontrollable. You'll discover more interesting territory by pulling back from the edge than by cautiously approaching it.

Every sound you create should produce audible, interesting output immediately. For effects, the dry signal should transform noticeably. For instruments, a single MIDI note should produce a complete, engaging sound.

If you find yourself thinking "this will sound better when I add more," stop and reconsider. The core sound should work now. Additional layers enhance what's already compelling.

Generic reverb-like settings waste the potential of a feedback network. Push toward sounds that would be difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional effects. Metallic resonances. Self-oscillating drones. Rhythmic patterns that emerge from interference. Frozen textures that evolve without input.

If your sound could be approximated by a regular delay plugin, you haven't gone far enough.

Feedback determines whether energy dissipates or accumulates. Below about 70%, sounds decay naturally. Above 85%, the network reaches equilibrium where energy circulates indefinitely. The network becomes selective: frequencies that align with delay times get reinforced, others cancel out.

Damping controls high-frequency rolloff in the feedback path. It interacts significantly with feedback. High feedback with low damping can create harsh, runaway highs. High feedback with high damping produces rumbling, bass-heavy textures.

More nodes means more complexity. Two or three nodes create simple, predictable patterns with clear rhythmic relationships. Four to six nodes produce rich, evolving textures. Seven or eight nodes create maximum complexity where individual delays blur into continuous texture.

The relationship between delay times matters more than absolute values. Simple integer ratios (100ms, 200ms, 300ms) create regular, predictable patterns. Prime number ratios (23ms, 47ms, 73ms, 101ms) prevent alignment and create more organic movement.

Avoid round numbers and simple multiples. The slight irregularity of prime relationships produces patterns that never quite repeat, which the ear perceives as natural and evolving.

Very short delays (2-20ms) create pitched resonances and metallic tones, similar to physical modeling synthesis. Medium delays (50-200ms) produce rhythmic echoes and comb filtering. Long delays (500ms+) build atmospheric washes and ambient textures.

Mixing delay ranges within a single patch creates evolving, unpredictable movement. A patch might use short delays for pitch and long delays for atmosphere simultaneously.

Filters in a feedback network behave differently than in a synthesizer. Because signal passes through them repeatedly, even subtle filtering compounds with each cycle. A gentle lowpass rolloff becomes aggressive over time. A resonant peak becomes a dominant frequency.

Filter resonance between 50% and 90% produces the most useful results. Below 50%, the filter effect is subtle. Above 90%, resonance can dominate the sound or cause instability at high feedback values.

High resonance bandpass filters create the formant peaks that give Lattice its distinctive "singing" quality. Place several bandpass filters at different frequencies to build complex vocal-like timbres.

Using different filter types across nodes creates complex spectral shapes. A patch might use lowpass on nodes 1 and 4, bandpass on nodes 2 and 5, and highpass on nodes 3 and 6. This distribution prevents frequency buildup while maintaining tonal interest.

Drive amounts between 20% and 60% work well in feedback networks. Lower values add subtle warmth. Higher values create obvious distortion that compounds through the feedback path. Very high drive (70%+) can cause signal buildup and should be paired with lower feedback values.

Different drive types on different nodes create complex harmonic interactions. Use soft clipping on low-frequency nodes to maintain bass clarity while adding fold or bit on high-frequency nodes for texture. The combination produces sounds that are warm at the bottom and aggressive at the top.

You can feed Lattice external audio, or use the built-in exciter sources. The exciter choice affects the initial character, but the network transforms everything that enters it. A simple sine wave becomes complex. A noise burst becomes pitched. The network decides what survives.

Enable pitch tracking when creating playable instruments. MIDI notes control the exciter's pitch, and the network resonates sympathetically. The result tracks the keyboard while maintaining the network's characteristic timbre.

Velocity sensitivity makes instruments feel responsive. Light touches produce quiet, gentle sounds. Hard strikes produce loud, energetic attacks. The exciter level scales with MIDI velocity.

Short attack times (0-10ms) create percussive sounds with clear transients. Longer attacks (50-200ms) enable bowed and pad-like textures where sound fades in gradually. The attack parameter controls how quickly the exciter reaches full level.

Lattice has a single LFO that can target different parameters. This keeps the interface simple while allowing varied movement. Choose what should move based on the sound you're creating.

Slow rates (0.05-0.3 Hz) create glacial movement for ambient textures. Medium rates (0.5-2 Hz) produce noticeable but smooth variation. Fast rates (4-10 Hz) create vibrato and tremolo effects. Tempo sync locks the LFO to your DAW's tempo for rhythmic modulation.

Sine and triangle shapes create smooth, continuous movement. Square creates abrupt changes, good for rhythmic effects. Sample & hold creates random stepped values, useful for glitchy textures or unpredictable variation.