# Instrument IV, Blip Generator Laser-gun sounds. Bass drum and tom sounds. The core element of this synth is a simple wave whose pitch varies according to an envelope or LFO. > [!cite] Lore > ![[4-cover-fire.png|]] > Cover Fire (art by Dead Carcosa) ## Ray-Gun Generator From [[Signal Music IV, More Sources of Randomness]] In the below patch, we use `[rand~ 1.]` piped into `[scale~ -1. 1. 0. 20.]` piped into `[phasor~ 1.]`. What this does is create a repeating ramp wave that fluctuates slowly in speed, from a minimum speed of 0 Hz, to a maximum speed of 20 Hz. We then shape this ramp into a sort of envelope, and gate some noise with it. > [!example] > ![[image-43.png]] > Noise bursts that gradually increase and decrease in speed. Making the previous patch more interesting, instead of gating noise, we gate a `[tri~ 110. 0.5]`, which makes a sort of "ding" sound. > [!example] > ![[image-44.png]] > A triangle-wave percussive sound that drifts in speed. Next, we create a source of rhythmic randomness with `[stash~]`. This makes our triangle wave play repeating melodies whose notes change slowly over time. > [!example] > ![[image-45.png]] > A triangle-wave percussive sound that drifts in speed, and whose notes play in repetition, slowly changing over time. Finally, we add another source of rhythmic randomness, and use that to modulate the frequency of the triangle wave. This modulation follows the envelope, causing the frequency to start high and go low over time. This gives us the "ray-gun" sound. > [!example] > ![[image-42.png]] > Frequency-modulated triangle waves that make ray-gun sounds and that drift in speed, giving the impression of a ray-gunfight. > [!example] > ![[example-2.mp4]] > An example of using the Blip Generator to create laser gun sounds. ([[example-2.mp4|Click here to view, if it's not displaying]])