Moog Music Labyrinth: External Clocks, Alien Rhythms and Modular Mayhem

Moog’s Labyrinth is introduced here not as a standalone groovebox, but as a modular instrument eager to interact with the rest of your rack. The video wastes no time in showing how pairing Labyrinth with an external clock and modulation source—specifically ALM’s Pamela’s New Workout—opens up a world of rhythmic possibilities. The focus is on using external signals to alter Labyrinth’s internal behaviour, moving beyond its stock patterns into more unpredictable territory.

By leveraging external modulation, Labyrinth transforms from a simple acid machine into a complex sound design tool. The demonstration hints at the module’s flexibility, showing how different clock and modulation sources can be used to generate ever-shifting, alien drum patterns. The approach is all about encouraging experimentation, making Labyrinth a compelling centrepiece for those who like their rhythms a bit left of centre.

The heart of the patch lies in clocking Labyrinth’s two sequencers independently. By sending separate Euclidean trigger patterns from Pamela’s New Workout into the Clock 1 and Clock 2 inputs, the video demonstrates how SEQ 1 and SEQ 2 can move at different rates. This decoupling results in overlapping, shifting patterns that never quite repeat, lending the output a sense of organic unpredictability.

The bit flipping inputs are then brought into play, with quarter note triggers from Pamela’s used to automate the on/off states of each sequencer’s steps. This approach is more controlled than using the onboard Corrupt knob, allowing for rhythmic patterns that evolve in a consistent yet non-repetitive way. The result is a patch that feels alive, with gates and accents morphing as the sequencers phase against each other.

A key trick shown in the video is the decoupling of Labyrinth’s envelope generators. By patching the sequencer outputs to trigger the envelopes independently, the VCA and filter paths can be animated separately. EG1 is assigned to the wavefolder’s VCA, while EG2 takes over filter cutoff duties, breaking the usual normalization and inviting more complex modulation.

This separation allows for a host of metallic, alien drum sounds. The ring modulator is dialled up, feeding both the folder and filter, while the filter is set to bandpass with high resonance for that classic acidic bite. The video methodically solos the folder and filter paths, highlighting their distinct characters before blending them back together. The result is a shifting landscape of percussive textures, from sharp metallic hits to squelchy, resonant filter sweeps.

To ground Labyrinth’s irregular, shifting patterns, the video brings in a quarter note kick drum using the Topobrillo Multifilter. Pamela’s provides both the gate and envelope for pinging and modulating the filter, while resonance is cranked for a punchy, modular kick. This rhythmic anchor ties the patch together, letting Labyrinth’s alien textures dance around a steady pulse. The final mix showcases how external modulation, independent sequencing, and classic analog filtering can combine for a result that’s both experimental and musically coherent.