The Woovebox DNA feature can be thought of as 32-instrument timbrality with an extremely powerful (helical) twist. At its most basic level, it allows you to define and use two patches per track, providing you with 32 instruments per song. But that's just the beginning...
By specifying a "DNA" value (0-128) for a step, you can not only select between the two patches (0 for patch A and 128 for patch B), you can also specify in-between values.
In-between values create "child" patches from the two A and B parents. At its most tame, this allows you to gradually interpolate between two similar - but different - versions of the same patch. For example, one with a extreme distortion and deep reverb and one without. A DNA value of 64 would yield the perfect half-way point.
At its most extreme however, the DNA feature allows you to "cross-breed" wildly different patches patches for some serious timbre-bending results. This is made possible by the Woovebox' unique monolithic synth engine that ensures that all patches share the same "DNA". Therefore, it is possible to take elements from two patches and combine them, where the result is almost always a usable sound that can sound related to its "parent" patches, or can be completely novel.
By exposing this parameter interpolation to the step sequencer, the Woovebox allows the sequencer to become a primary sound design tool;
In short, DNA dynamic cross-breeding can take your tracks to the next level by letting you change up and mutate your timbres on a per-step, per-pattern and/or per-fragment basis; the sequencer and arranger becomes part of the synthesizer.
Note that the DNA feature is not the same as simple "morphing" (aka "scenes") between two patches, found on other synths going as far back as the 1980s. Even "discrete" parameters such as wave form selection or on/off switches too get "interpolated" (toggled or switched over) for - if you want - intentionally wild results. Hitting the threshold where a filter type suddenly flips from Low Pass to Band Pass will create intentional, rhythmic "glitches" and stepped changes. Waveforms, filter types, LFOs, pitch quantization settings; anything is fair game. Every 0..128 DNA value has the potential to be its own unique patch, but always "in between" the two parent patches.
While in sequencer or track editing mode, to access the secondary patch/"parent", push down the value knob and turn it to the right. Switching back to the the regular patch can be done manually (push in value and turn left), or happens when switching tracks or modes.
You will see the track indicator and pattern number flip (for example where you would normally see "01.bS" you will now see "bS.01"), letting you know you're in "mirror"/"alter-ego" world for the current track ("Patch B mode"). You can now make modifications to the secondary patch ("Patch B"). For example, you can go to the "Pach" page and load a new preset, or randomize a patch. This new patch and any modifications will exist independent of the regular patch.
Only the following parameters are shared between the two parent patches;
TIP: to quickly create variations based on any patch (for example a patch you copied from the primary / 0 DNA patch into the secondary / 128 DNA patch), on the patch ('pach') page, find the 'rand' context menu, then turn the value knob to find and action the 'vari' sub-item. These patch variations tend to be great candidates to "DNA" between.
In this mirror/alter ego "Patch B" mode (with track indicator and pattern number flipped), you will find that you have an extra option when editing steps ("dnA"). To streamline non-DNA workflows, this option only appears in "regular" mode if a pattern or pattern chain has a non-0 DNA value set anywhere for any step. Else, this option will not appear. However, in "mirror"/"alter-ego" world, this option is always available.
Furthermore, in Patch B mode, any step you program will start at DNA value 128 (100% Patch B), rather DNA value 0 (100% Patch A).
Lastly, randomizing a pattern through the "rand Pttn" or "rand Chn" context menu options will also produce randomized DNA values if you are in Patch B mode. In Patch A mode, all randomized steps will have a DNA value of 0. So if you wish to quickly generate a random DNA sequence, make sure you are in Patch B mode when using the pattern randomizer.
Please note that the DNA feature is currently not supported for tracks in multi-instrument mode.
1. A full DNA change is triggered when a the sequencer starts playing a note.
2. A limited DNA change is triggered when a DNA change is made to a playing note via legato; only envelope generator and LFO settings are changed.
If you do not need granular control over precise DNA values for each step, you can have the sequencer automate changes to DNA values.
When specifying a DNA value (0..128) of a step, four special values beyond 128 exist;
TIP: To quickly select all steps in a pattern use the "select same" (or its "select all" sub-option) context menu option, which selects all the steps that have the same attribute you last edited (for example if you edited a step with DNA 0 last, all steps with DNA 0 will be selected).
Specifying DNA cycles lengths (12/A4/dnA.L/'DNA Length' on the 'Pttn' page), for your pattern that are polymeters vs your pattern length, greatly add to the feeling that the resulting DNA timbres are never the same. For example, assuming your pattern is 16 steps, then try setting your DNA length to prime numbers, such as 15, 17, 19, 23, 29, 31, 37, 31, 43, 47, 53, 59, 61 and so on.
If no DNA length is set ('off'), the Up, Down and Up/Down feature will use the pattern length (2/bS/Pt.Ln on the 'Pttn' page), multiplied by the amount of chain repeats (4/Ar/Ch.rp on the 'Pttn' page), as the length instead.
Finally, a new 'invert DNA' ('i.dnA') conditional is available, which flips/"rotates" a step's DNA value around 64. So, a DNA value of 0 becomes 128 (full secondary patch) and vice-versa, while a DNA of 32 becomes 96, and so on and so forth.
Special fragment DNA behaviors ("dnA.O" and "dnA.C") are available that lets you automate a DNA sweep, just like a fade in/out or filter open/close.
This is especially useful for aforementioned macro-evolutions (song-level transitions, massive trance build-ups, opening up or closing down effects, etc.).
Any programmed DNA in the playing pattern is scaled according to the fragment progression. So if you have an "opening" DNA automation ("dnA.O") fully from 0, and have a step programmed with DNA value 96, then that step will be played with DNA value 0 at the very start of the fragment, played with DNA value 48 in the middle of the fragment and played with DNA value 96 at the end of the fragment.
Up, Down, Up/Down and Random behaviors in your pattern are are also still respected and are similarly gradually "pulled" towards the values as-they-occur-in-the-pattern ("dnA.O") or to 0 ("dnA.C").
TIP: If your song uses a random seed (7/hh/'SEEd' set to a non-0 value), you may even specify "sub-seeds" (called "takes") when programming your song fragments (a fragment's "take" parameter). This ensures that you can, for example, reliably replicate the same random sequence of events for different parts of your song across different tracks (see song mode documentation). Combined with random DNA values, this lets you try out replicable (but random) DNA sequences for your songs.
