The History and Future of Eurorack Modular Synths with Doepfer by @DivKid and @Flixxx

Early contributors to this blog DivKid and Felix from the Tuesday Night Machine finally had the time to have a talk with Dieter Doepfer at a  recent Thomann event... 

" A rare moment of free time and having great people in the right place at the right time here's an interview with Felix of Tuesday Night Machines talking to Dieter Doepfer, THE CREATOR OF EURORACK at the Thomann Synth Reactor #TSR19 event. 

Felix and I wanted to chat to Doepfer about both his history (the history or Eurorack), his current polyphonic modules, future module sand ideas and a quick look at what the future of the Eurorack might be. 

We also talk about the Elektor Formant DIY synth, the new Frequency Shifter module coming later this year, CV controlled LED lighting, Dieter was also the EU distributor for Doug Curtis' Curtis chips/components, Raul's World of Synths, favourite Doepfer modules and plenty more. "

Check these people out - http://doepfer.de 

http://nightmachines.tv/youtube 

Subscribe for more DivKid videos: http://bit.ly/DivKidYTSub 

Be awesome! Support DivKid on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/divkid 

https://twitter.com/divkid 

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https://divkidvideo.com

Video: The Secret Doepfer Files

I recently found these 2 older videos with Dieter Doepfer from video collective "Open Video Medien Labor", an open non commercial platform for video art.

As far as I know it is an open project - step by step - which could possibly finish with a Doepfer movie.
I like the way it is filmed anyway... but i have the feeling that it might become a looooong project.
I contacted the makers and hope to follow-up this blogpost with more info.

#07 Interview with HANS ZIMMER - A private conversation with Hans Zimmer and Dieter Döpfer
The Secret Doepfer Files from Open Video Medien Labor on Vimeo.
Hans Zimmer: "The reason why I like 'playing music' is because the word 'play' is there."
From https://vimeo.com/115523628

#08 Backstage Talk with JEAN MICHEL JARRE - after his concert at Philharmonie, Gasteig Culture Centrum in Munich 22.03.2008"
The Secret Doepfer Files 08 - Dieter and Jean Michel Jarre from Open Video Medien Labor on Vimeo.
Dieter Doepfer: "All the bread-and-butter analogue modules are done... most what can be done with analogue circuits is (already) available"
From https://vimeo.com/115544995

Doepfer Sound-Sampler Ad from 1984

This old Doepfer ad popped up at http://www.synthmuseum.de/ recently.

It's an ad for the Doepfer Sound Sampler that was released in 1984.

This module was the precursor of the A-112 Sampler that was released more than a decade later...

Although the ad is in the German language, i found it interesting enough to share it here with you (with the English translation below)

Doepfer Sound-Sampler magazine-ad from 1984 

" Sound - Sampler
The Revolution in Music Electronics:
What seemed beyond our means until now, will now be possible for an absolute top-price: Recording your favorite sound digitally, and then play it with a keyboard or sequencer (For example replicating traditional instruments, Singing, Choir, Orchestra etc.)
Connected to a personal computer, digital synthesis (like the 'big' digital synths) is possible.
Resolution 8bit, 32kbyte memory.
Preliminary info is available as Info(leaflet) , a demo-cassette and in build-instructions. (will be deducted when you order the DIY-kit)
Info 1.- *Demo-Cassette 10.- *Build-Instructions(60 pages) 30.-
Monophonic Kit: 700.- *Additional Voices starting at 390.-"
(all prices in DM /DeutchMarks)

Find out more about this Doepfer Sound Sampler at http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/2013/01/doepfer-sound-sampler-1984.html

More Doepfer History:
Dieter Doepfer Interview:
http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/p/doepfer-keys-interview_30.html
Doepfer Timeline:
http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/p/doepfer-timeline.html
Doepfer History blogposts:
http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/search/label/Doepfer%20History

Ad via: http://www.synthmuseum.de/doepfer-sound-sampler-anzeige-1984/

Doepfer History: MVP1 MIDI Volume Pedal

The Doepfer MVP1 MIDI Volume Pedal was manufactured from 1991 until 1994 and was available as a kit, ready built pc board or complete pedal unit (i.e. built into a foot controller).

Doepfer MVP1 with external box and
the (Dutch) Elektuur Magazine of July 1994

The MVP1 was a programmable unit that could be used as volume (factory setting) or expression-pedal.
It featured MIDI In and Out so it could be placed between your keyboard and a sound module.

Via a learn button and internal DIPswitches you could change this module's functions.
Other parameters that could be controlled with this unit were volume, modulation, portamento, aftertouch, pitchbend, and velocity.

The MVP1 was also published as a DIY article in the July 1994 issue of electronic magazine ELEKTOR which was published in different languages (German, French, English, Dutch).

MVP1 DIY-kit

Elektor is a monthly magazine about all aspects of electronics, first published as "Elektuur" in the Netherlands in 1960, and was published worldwide in many languages including English, German, French, Greek, Spanish, Swedish, Portuguese (native and Brazilian) and Italian with distribution in over 50 countries.
The English language edition of Elektor was launched in 1975 and is read worldwide.

The advantage of Doepfer's original MVP1 board was that the board was so small that it could be mounted inside the pedal.
ELEKTOR modified Doepfer's original MVP1 pc board design a little bit because they did not like that a smaller circuit was located directly under the processor to keep the pcb board dimensions as small as possible, but the electronic circuits are exactly the same.

MVP1 pedal with internal electrnics

The ELEKTOR version of the pc board was much larger and that's why an external box was necessary (as seen in the top picture).

The last MVP1 units were sold somewhere between 1995 and 1996.

The kit costed between 40 Euros (PCB only) and 70 Euros (PCB and foot controller)
The ready built unit was available for 110 Euros.
Around 600 units were manufactured.

The user manual is still available on the Doepfer website HERE

Sources: Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elektor
and additional info as always kindly provided by Dieter Doepfer

Find all my Doepfer History blogposts at http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/search/label/Doepfer%20History

Doepfer History: MCV8 8-Voice MIDI to CV Interface

In the mid 80s Doepfer released the MCV8, an 8-Voice MIDI to CV Interface.
The MCV8 was/is a simple MIDI-to-CV converter, featuring MIDI in/THRU plus 8 CV and 8 Gate outputs on the backside.
On the front side it had a two-digit LED plus 8 buttons.

MCV8 V2 frontside

A preliminary version of the MCV8 (very different from the final version) was available around 1985/86.
It was very primitive and had only one mode: 8-voice polyphonic.

The only controls were a learn button and a LED (to learn the Midi channel and the reference note for 0V CV). The unit had no storage and the Midi channel and reference note was lost after power off.

Only very few units were manufactured (as far as Dieter remembers less than 10). 

MCV8 V2 backside

A few years later a totally revised version of the MCV8 was available (both kit and ready made). 

The kit was about Euro 150 without case and about Euro 180 with case. 

The ready built unit with case was about Euro 280. It had a 2-digit LED display and 8 buttons with associated LEDs and was available without or with case (a ugly black plastic box, not yet 19"). 

The CV and gate outputs were available as a sub-d socket (no jack sockets) and one had to solder a special cable that converted the sub-d e.g. to 1/4" jack plugs. 

It had already different modes (8 voice polyphonic, 2 x 4 voice, 4 x 2 voice, additional controller outputs and so on) but it had no memories.

Around 1990 version 3 of the MCV8 was released.

It was available as a 19" unit with 16 1/4" jack sockets at the rear panel for 8xCV and 8xGate.

The unit had a non-volatile memory for several user presets.

Doepfer MCV8 19-inch rack with Version 3.1 Manual

The buttons could be used to setup different parameters like Legato On/Off, Gate Polarity, Pitch Bend On/Off (only in V/Oct. mode), Type of CV Characteristic (V/Oct. or Hz/V), MIDI Note Reference for 0V CV in V/Oct. mode and Pitch Bend Travel of CV (only in V/Oct. mode)

The MCV8 Version 3 Offered 6 standard modes/configurations:

Poly 8 (P8): 8-Voice polyphonic
All 8 CV outputs are pitch outputs (controlled by MIDI note on/off) on the same MIDI channel
Poly 4 (P4): 4-Voice polyphonic
The CV outputs 1-4 are pitch outputs (controlled by MIDI note on/off) on the same MIDI channel.
The CV outputs 5-8 are the corresponding velocity outputs (controlled by the velocity values of the note on/off events)
Poly 2 (P2): 2-Voice polyphonic
The CV outputs 1 and 2 are pitch outputs on the same MIDI channel, 3 and 4 are the corresponding velocity outputs, CV5 is the (monophonic) after touch output and CV 6...8 are controller outputs.
Single 8 (S8): 8-Voice monophonic
Each CV output is a pitch output on a different MIDI channel.
Single 4 (S4): 4-Voice monophonic
The CV outputs 1-4 are pitch outputs on 4 different MIDI channels.

The CV outputs 5-8 are the corresponding velocity outputs.
Single 2 (S2): 2-Voice monophonic
The CV outputs 1 and 2 are pitch outputs on two different MIDI channels.
CV 3 and 4 are the corresponding velocity,
5 and 6 the after touch, 7 and 8 controller outputs.

Besides the User Presets it had a memory for 6 user definable presets, what made this a very versatile MIDI-CV converter for its time
The CV-range could be configured to do the usual 1V/Oct (standard) or the Korg/Yamaha type Hz/V,
and the Gate output could be configured to do +5V / +7.5V and/or the Moog type S-Trigger by switching internal jumpers.

The price for the ready built unit was about 380 Euros, the kit was about 275 Euros.
There were some differences in the Version3 firmware features but details are unclear.

Doepfer MCV8 Version 3 Backside

Doepfer still has a text file of the manual on their website, you can find it HERE but a nicer  PDF of the manual can be found via the Cykong site.

It is difficult to say how many were sold as Doepfer only have records from since 1990. 

From 1990-1995 about 300 were sold, but they have no quantities before 1990. 

Dieter expects around 400-500 units were sold altogether.

Sources: http://www.cykong.com/Synths/Doepfer%20MCV8/Doepfer-MCV8.htm
...and there's one MCV8 (V2 - including a breakout box) for sale in the Netherlands now at http://www.marktplaats.nl/a/muziek-en-instrumenten/synthesizers/m724039775-doepfer-mcv8-8-kanaal-midi-to-cv-interface.html?c=8c285449651fa109c354bbabe740c1b&previousPage=lr, where i got those pictures from.

Special thanks to Dieter Doepfer for all additional info.

More pictures of the MCV8 can be found on my PatchPierre Facebook page
Find out more about Doepfer History products HERE

Doepfer History: Doepfer MCV1 MIDI-to-CV Converter

In 1986 Doepfer introduced the first in a series of MIDI-to-CV interfaces, the MCV1.
The MCV1 was a monophonic MIDI-to-CV/GATE-Interface that could control other vintage analog synthesizers equipped with CV and Gate/Trigger inputs via MIDI.

MCV1 front (version 4 or 5)

MCV1 was equipped with MIDI in and Thru, one CV (control voltage) output to control the VCO's (Voltage Controlled Oscillator) and a Gate/Trigger output to control the Envelope Generators.
It was suitable for synthesizers using standardized V/Octave or Hz/V and gate voltages from +5V to +12V or switched trigger (S-Trig)

The factory setting and adjustment of the CV output was 1.00V/Octave. To change or re-adjust the scale you had to insert a small screw driver into the the hole labeled ADJUST/ or SCALE right of the CV jack and turn the potentiometer setting to the desired value.
The factory setting for the GATE output was +5V voltage gate, and if you wanted to change the setting you had to remove the cover plate.
On the PC board inside you could find a  jumper that could be set in 3 ways: +5V or +U voltage gate or SWITCH TRIGGER (S-TRIG. e.g. used by MOOG).

There was also the possibility of changing additional settings by Program Change control numbers.

The interface had no separate ON/OFF switch nor have a built-in power supply. Instead it used an external plug-in type.

Back side of the MCV1 plus external adapter

The pictures probably show version 4 or 5. 

Versions 1 and 2 were available only as kits and there was no suitable housing available (i.e. pcb only). 

Version 1 had no sockets on board. The MIDI and CV/Gate sockets had to be wired manually. 

Version 2 had MIDI and CV/Gate sockets on board. MIDI channel and other parameters were adjusted by means of a DIP switch. 

Version 3 was a redesign of version 2 so that a small standard case could be used (the case in the picture). 

As far as Dieter remembers the only difference between versions 3 and 4 was the non-volatile memory. Version 3 did not store the settings (i.e. after power off the settings for MIDI channel, reference note and other parameters were lost and the unit started with Midi channel 1 and reference note 36 after the next power on). 

Version 4 had a non-volatile memory for these parameters 

The price range of the MCV1 was from around Euro 50 (kit version without case) to about Euro 90 (ready built with case).
Approximately 500 units were sold (i.e. all versions together).

Another fun fact: The guy who programmed the firmware for the MCV1 about 30 years ago showed up at the Doepfer/Alex4 booth at MusikMesse in Frankfurt this year. They had not seen each other in more than 15 years...

Find more info at http://www.doepfer.de/alte_anl.txt/MCV1_V5E.txt

*Special thanks to Dieter Doepfer again for all additional info

Doepfer Sound Sampler (1984)

Doepfer 8-bit Sound Sampler

On a random search on the internet for rare Doepfer products i came across this module in an old Matrixsynth post:
This Doepfer Sound Sampler module (8 bit voltage controlled sampler with interface and sampling software for Commodore 64) was made by Doepfer in 1984.

Sound Sampler book 
by Dieter Doepfer and 
Cristian Assall

The Doepfer CV/Gate controlled modular Sound Sampler system was available as a kit between 1984 and 1990.
The complete system was also described in detail in the book written by Dieter Doepfer and Cristian Assall called "Sound Sampler" (published by Elektor ISBN 3-921608-44-9) in 1988.
This book was dedicated to building an 8-bit modular sampler that could be edited with a Commodore 64 home-computer.
All schematics are in the book, with all PCB designs and front-panels for all modules: input, memory/sampling card (with CV/Gate), loopcard, C-64 interface and compressor/expander.

Picture via Gearslutz

Every sampler module had its own memory.
There was software available that could handle sampling, FM synthesis, Wavetable synthesis, Fourier synthesis and Waveshaping synthesis.
The C64 could be used only to modify the sampling memory (sampled sound or sound generated by software synthesis like FM or Fourier), up to 8 sampling voices.

Most of the PCB board was covered by the memory chips that were pretty expensive at the time.
The picture below shows a 6-Voice system, the Input/Interface module is left, then 6 times the Memory-Card, each with a HS-VCO to get the pitch and a Curtis filter.
Apart from the sampler was a CV/Gate controlled stand-alone unit (not on the pictures)

Later Doepfer added another extension card, the so-called CCU (computer control unit). 

With this unit it was possible to define loops with free adjustable start and end position (the software helped to find zero-transitions for a glitch-free loop), and the unit could now be fully controlled by the computer (also pitch via high-speed DCOs). 

Also an expander/compressor was available but the improvement of this addition was very small from Dieter's own point of view.

6 x Memorycard, 6 x VCO,
6x Curtis filter

Around 300 kits were sold, partly because around the same time (1984-1988) Ensoniq released their Mirage sampler that was cheaper (and easier to use) than the Doepfer sampler.

Dieter: "To some extend this was also the beginning of the Eurorack standard (instead of Doepfers/DD Systems earlier Formant sized modules) as the front panels already had the same dimensions and mounting positions as the A-100 that started in 1995."

This module was the precursor of the A-112 that was released more than a decade later, but in the A-112 one small chip contains twice the memory of the 16 large chips of the old sampler.

Special thanks to Dieter Doepfer for all additional info

Doepfer MS-404

In December 1994, Doepfer released the Doepfer MS-404
The MS-404 is a MIDI analog synthesizer with a 24db resonant filter that Dieter Doepfer intentionally created for his own personal pleasure earlier that year.

MS-404 close-up - Picture via Matrixsynth

In the summer of 1994 he created a monophonic analog synthesizer in a 19-inch rackformat / 1 unit high.
Although his module could do so much more than reproducing the sound of a TB-303, most consumers looked at it as an extended clone of the classic Roland TB-303 bassline.

Its two LFOs (that can modulate the single VCO) add a lot extra to the original 303 functionality.
Other extra features include a full ADSR envelope generator, noise, FM and PWM capabilities, an external filter input, CV/GATE interfaces, MIDI implementation and a glide effect.
The MS-404 can be played via MIDI but all parameters are controlled manually only.
The slide and accent effects from the TB-303 are possible on the MS-404 via glide control and it uses MIDI velocity for accent.

MS-404 Picture via Matrixsynth

The price was around 300 Euros (598 DM) and the module was released in a time when the demand for 303-clones was huge and many different manufacturers were building those; Future Retro 777, Syntecno TeeBee, Control Synthesis Deep Bass 9, and MAM MB33 were  few competitors, to only name a few. (A large list of 303-clones can be found on Wikipedia)

In the beginning Doepfer only planned to launch 50 to 100 modules, but they received almost 500 orders in the first two months in 1995.
At the end of 1997 Doepfer had sold more than 3000 MS-404 units.
The last MS-404 was sold in March 2001, as the amount of inquiries was falling (from 100 items per month to hardly 10 items per month at the end of 2000).

The few differences between the 2 regular versions of this module are minor.
There were always rumors that the different versions of the MS-404 sound different, but there were never any changes in the MS-404 hardware.
Version 1 can not use MIDI sustain, but this doesn't have any effect on the sound.

The rare green version of the MS-404
(Picture via Marc C Young)

In 1997 approximately 100 limited edition synths (with a green faceplate and a printing 'Music Store') were sold as a 25th anniversary special for Music Store of Cologne, Germany.

Doepfer still offers technical support for the unit and the manual is still available online.

Video: Doepfer MS-404

" Smooth synthpop demo made with the Doepfer MS-404.
This is really a little 1 VCO beast. Multitrack + external FX. "
Uploaded by SyntheticMachines

More:
http://www.doepfer.de/ms404_e.htm
http://www.vintagesynth.com/misc/ms404.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-404

Doepfer MMR4/4 MIDI Merger/Router

In September 1996 Doepfer released the MMR4/4, a dedicated MIDI Merger/ Router module.

This versatile module, available in 2 sizes (standard case 200 x 100 x 42 mm or the 19" version with 1 HU), was equipped with 4 MIDI inputs and 4 MIDI outputs on the backside.
It did not have an on/off switch, and had to be powered by an external power supply.

Inputs and outputs could be easily assigned in any combination. 

If you'd assign multiple inputs to a single output, the signals got merged.

The routing was set with 8 buttons and 8 LEDs at the front panel that were assigned to the 4 MIDI inputs and outputs.

The MMR4/4 had 4 non volatile memories (Presets) to store 4 different matrix configurations.
The LEDs displayed the input/output configuration and could be changed very easy with the corresponding buttons.
During normal operation (monitor mode) the LEDs displayed the MIDI activities on the inputs and outputs.
A panic button was available transmitting "all notes off" on all channels and outputs if activated.

Around 600 of these units were made until they stopped selling the last ones in March 2001
There are no plans of a re-release of this module.

Find out more in the online manual HERE

Doepfer M.A.U.S.I.

The Doepfer MAUSI (MIDI-Analog / SYNC Interface) was released in 1995 (around the same time as the A-100 system) and was a MIDI-to-CV and MIDI-to-SYNC interface to control analog vintage synthesizers, bass lines and/or drum machines via MIDI.

Doepfer MAUSI front

It was a small, half 19-inch sized grey box, and until a few weeks ago, i never realized why the Doepfer MAUSI looked so familiar to me.

An email from Dieter Doepfer confirmed that not only on the outside, but also internally this module is for 95% the same as the A-190 MIDI-to-CV/Gate/Sync Interface.

One of the small differences between these two modules is that the MAUSI had a DIN SYNC output, and the A-190 has a clock and a reset output.

Doepfer explained to me: " In modular systems the RESET feature was more popular than the Start/Stop of
the DIN SYNC, but after all it's nearly the same (just the opposite levels: Start/Stop of DIN SYNC goes high at the Start and low at the Stop, RESET goes low at the Start and high at the Stop)"

Doepfer MAUSI backside

MAUSI allowed you to control synthesizers via either V/octave (Moog, Roland, Sequential, A-100) or Hz/V characteristics (Korg, Yamaha).

Beside that, you could also switch between gate/trigger (+5...+12V) or switched trigger control (S-Trigger).

Around 400 MAUSI's were made from September 1995 until April 2000

MAUSI included an external power supply for 230V AC.

For other mains voltages the power supply had to be purchased separately by the customer. (7...12V DC/500mA with 2.1 or 2.5mm connector required).

Find more info in the English User's Guide of MAUSI.

Dieter Doepfer Interview From Totally Wired

I know, this next one is not new, but interesting enough to re-post here on my blog.
It's an interview with Dieter Doepfer, from 'Totally Wired' a documentary film by Niamh Guckian about Andreas Schneider's infamous 'Schneider's Buero', the boutique electronic musical instrument shop in Berlin.

The documentary was made in 2009 and "explores one man's electric evangelism, and the interface he has built to connect analogue instrument inventors with their end-users.", according to the maker.
" The film features an informed selection of inventors and artists alike, including Dieter Doepfer, Junior Boys, Ken MacBeth, Anthony Rother, Jessica Rylan, Daniel Miller, Wowa Cwejman, Per Salzwedel, Ricardo Villalobos, Magda, Marc Houle and many more."

Video: Doepfer Sneak Peek

Doepfer Sneak Peek from Niamh Guckian on Vimeo.
" An interview with the great man himself, taken from the documentary 'Totally Wired'. Dieter talks about the inspiration for the A100 series, his collaborations with Kraftwerk, and the future of modular. Unmissable!
'Totally Wired' is available on DVD from amazon.com "

Please visit the blog for more totallywired.tumblr.com
Watch the trailer HERE

Doepfer MSY-1

MIDI-to-SYNC interface MSY1 

In 1994 Doepfer released a MIDI-to-SYNC interface called MSY1
The MSY1 was an interface that could convert MIDI realtime events CLOCK, START and STOP into the corresponding signals CLOCK and START/STOP of the SYNC standard.

The MSY1 was a nice little grey box, with only a few connections (MIDI in-Thru, SYNC out, Clock Out and Start/Stop out) and it had two LEDs that lit up when active.
It did not have a built-in power supply or an on/off switch, instead it used a simple plug-in type external power supply.

The SYNC standard (or DIN sync or sync24) was used in vintage drum computers or sequencers such as the Roland TR808 rhythm composer and the Roland TB303 bass line.

SYNC-START/STOP is a signal that indicates on the 2 possible states: START = +5V, STOP = 0V. MSY1 enables the 1:1 conversion of MIDI CLOCK to SYNC CLOCK i.e. 1 MIDI clock triggers 1 SYNC clock pulse, as well as the reduction of the tempo by dividing the incoming MIDI clock frequency by an integer factor.

SYNC-CLOCK is a periodic TTL signal (0/+5V) representing the tempo.

Inside the MSY-1 you find a 8 pole DIP switch or 8 jumpers depending upon to the type of MSY1.

With jumper 1-7 the dividing factor can be set to any value between 1 and 128.

1 corresponds to the 1:1 conversion, 128 is the maximum of frequency reduction, i.e. after 128 MIDI clocks 1 SYNC clock appears.

The last one of the 8 switches/jumpers changes the clock polarity.

The SYNC standard uses the same type of 5 pole 180ø DIN connectors as MIDI. 

But the standards do not fit as other pins are used and the signals are completely different!
So you always have to distinguish between the MIDI and SYNC connectors. 

Using a suitable cable (e.g. 5 pin DIN plug -> two 1/4" mono jack plugs) the CLOCK and/or START/STOP outputs of the MSY1 can also be used to control arpeggio, gate, trigger or other +5V/TTL controlled events of analog synthesizers via MIDI.

Find the MSY-1 manual HERE (txt)

Early Kraftwerk Modification by Doepfer

You might know that Doepfer can also do customizing and special design jobs for their clients (see HERE), but they must have looked up strange when they got a telephone-call from Dusseldorf in the late 80's..

It was Florian Schneider from Kraftwerk, calling if Doepfer could help them out retrofitting a miniature keyboard with MIDI.
Florian would use this keyboard later to trigger a sampler, and used it with Kraftwerk live for the Pocket Calculator song.
Schneider had to come back a few times to München for this project, and that is when the good relations started between Doepfer and Kraftwerk.

From that time on they worked together on various projects like the MAQ 16/3 sequencer, the MOGLI, the A-100 vocoder and some others.

Since then Doepfer even dares to advertise some products with the 'designed in cooperation with KRAFTWERK' tagline, but "...we shall not exaggerate that", according to Dieter...

Sources: http://network.technobass.net/page/kraftwerk-historical-images
KEYS Magazine 12/97 - Picture by: Petra Schrambömer

Doepfer GMX-1

In 1992 Doepfer released their version of a General MIDI (GM)-compatible MIDI Expander, the GMX-1.
It was Doepfer's attempt to offer a fairly cheap alternative to the popular Soundblasters, LAPC's and cheap GM-compatible modules like the Roland SC-7.
The GMX-1 was (based on) a Dream mainboard - you will also find this module as Dream GMX-1 mentioned in old magazines - Future Music rated it 86/100 in issue 4, page 41 )

It was a simple grey box, with only an on/off switch, a volume slider, a mini-jack headphone output and an LED that visualized incoming MIDI signals on the front.
On the back it had 3 MIDI connectors (In, Out and Thru), stereo audio-outputs (cinch) and a 9 Volts adapter input.
Beside that, it also had a nine-pin RS-232-C port that enabled the unit to be connected to a serial port without the need for a MIDI expansion on your computer.
With this port you could hook it up to almost any PC, Commodore Amiga or Apple Macintosh, and it even came with MS Windows drivers and 2 MS-DOS programs that could play back MIDI-files.

The sounds (158 instruments, 47 Sound-effects and 92 percussive sounds) were based on PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) and Algorithmic Synthesis, sampled at 16-bit / 44.1 kHz , and could not be altered.
You could control a few things like volume, pan, velocity, after-touch, modulation and pitch-bend, but no chorus, reverb or other effects.
The Doepfer GMX-1 only had 20-voice polyphony, so it did not fully match the (24-voice) GM standard, but beyond that it was completely GM-compatible.
Besides General MIDI the module also offered an MT-32-mode, that could emulate the (classic 1987) Roland MT-32 module settings.

It sounded decent, but not too impressive, but what would you expect for the price...
Reports say it didn't sound awful and that it actually had some good sounds too, like the pizzicato strings and percussive sounds like vibraphone, marimba, music box and harmonica...
But if you'd put your GMX-1 audio through one of your own FX processors it already sounded a lot better.

Price at the time was 649 DM > around 330 Euro's
Only 250 units were sold through Doepfer, but Zone Distribution in Britain has probably distributed at least a same amount through England and perhaps even more worldwide.

DD-System StringPhaser

Look what popped up on eBay this week, a very rare StringPhaser module by a company named 'dd system' ?

This module was one of Doepfer's earliest synthesizer modules, made for the German Formant modular synthesizer, more than 30 years ago according to Dieter.

There were some expansion modules for the Formant available (only as kits) from Doepfer's early company and they were labelled "dd -system".

In the late 70s / early 80s Doepfer made several modules , among them were the System Timer with a master clock and different clock dividing factors, clock/reset polarities and clock/reset levels,
an External Input/Envelope Follower similar to A-119, a Frequency Divider similar to A-115, a Graphic VCO with high speed VCO, a VCLFO, a 12dB VCF with VC Resonance, a VU module (with LED bar), VC phasing I (with FETs), VC phasing II (with LDRs and lamp, similar to the compact phasing), Analog Sequencer 2x16 steps, Polyphonic CV/Gate keyboard, 4-Fold Band Pass with LDRs, and a Digital Sequencer with external RAM cards for 1024 or 2048 note memory (each of the 2102 RAM circuits had 1 kbit at that time!).

From eBay:
" It uses a 3 phase LFO which drives 3 separate phase shift cards (see pictures).
The module has separate 'fb.' and 'mod' controls and 'control' and 'ext. ust' sockets for each of the 3 phasers, and has controls for 'f1', 'f2', 'mixt' and 'ampl'. There are also 5 LEDs and sockets for output and input signals.
Finally there are two switches which are labelled 'ser.' and 'parallel'.

This is a vintage item and has some marks and scratches on the front panel.
The module is believed to be complete, but I've never tested or used the unit.
The previous owner indicated that the unit worked, but that the LFO rate was rather high however I have not confirmed this."

Doepfer replied that he still has a scan of the old StringPhaser document available.
The words are only in German (written by typewriter), the schematics still as a pencil drawing.

More pictures at:
http://m.matrixsynth.com/2010/03/rare-doepfer-stringphaser-module.html,
Thanks for the tip @ZoeBlade

Florian Schneider - Electronic Poem

Here's another classic from the web that caught my attention last month, and it has an interesting story behind it too...

The (audio-) recording in the video below originally comes from a KEYS-Magazine demo CD, Issue 04 / 1996.
This issue of the magazine had an extensive A-100 test (page 44-50) in it, with statements from Kraftwerk's Florian Schneider (and O. Lieb).
Kraftwerk had worked intensively with Doepfer in the mid- nineties, for example on the Doepfer Mogli 'Midi Output GLove Interface', the MAQ 16/3 sequencer, the Doepfer A-129 Vocoder and some other (custom and modification) -projects. (more on this next month)

Florian Schneider (from Kraftwerk) spoke this poem on the answering machine of Florian Anwander, who wrote for the German KEYS magazine at the time.
Anwander played the cassette of the answering machine back in a Fostex 280 multitrack deck and did the vocoder recording with a straight saw wave from a Roland JX3P synthesizer as a carrier-signal.
No voiced/unvoiced detector was used; instead of that he took the high frequencies of the original signal, that were later added to the output-signal.

A Yamaha 2020 compressor and a noise-gate from Ashley were also used in this audiorecording.

Florian Schneider (Kraftwerk)
and Dieter Doepfer *

" Analogsynthese mit system 

klanglich, optish angenehm

technisch, logisch, funktionell

prototypisch und speziell

modular und variabel

leicht, kompakt und transportabel

für ein musikabenteuer

A-100, nicht zu teuer

midi-kontrolle vom computer

A-100 to the future! "

-translated into English:
Analog synthesis system / sonically and optically pleasing / technical, logical, functional / prototypical and special / modular and variable / Light, compact and portable / for a musical adventure / A-100, not too expensive / midi control from the computer / A-100 to the Future!

Video: Enigmidia / Florian Schneider - Electronic Poem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-gp5x1ujME
" Doepfer Vocoder, Digital ComputerArt by Paulo R. C. Barros
Florian Schneider, from Kraftwerk, perform a recorded test-drive of a vocoder to the Doepfer electronic instruments."

Florian Schneider seemed to be very pleased with the A-100, on page 45 of the KEYS-issue he writes:
" Up to now, I only had the chance to play around for one day with the A-100, but I can already say that Doepfer has built something really special.
The system does sound very good and does offer everything I do expect from a modular system - and that at a really reasonable price.
For me it is also a plus that it has turned out smaller than other systems, like some may point out.
But the adjustors on a mixing desk are even closer together, and you can also take it with you easily and leave the expensive rarities at home.
The vocoder has turned out really nice; it does really sound good in comparison to other vocoders.
After building a multi-channel filter (a very important module, by the way), it was only a small step for Dieter Doepfer to combine this with VCA's and Envelope-followers. "

He also shared a tip;
" On a modular synth, you really learn how the sounds are made.
I can advise anyone to buy a simple oscilloscope with the modular system.
This was also my start, I was fascinated to see; "this is how the sound looks here and after the filter it looks like that...".
You can really see principles here which you can also find in the whole world. "

* The opening voice is Gia Stemmer, who did the moderation of the KEYS demo-CD.
More info on the Doepfer vocoder system HERE

* Picture from Doepfer.de

The Doepfer Mogli and Gesture Control

In 1993 Doepfer presented the Mogli MIDI Data Glove Controller, an alternative controller device that was based on a Nintendo Power Glove controller.
It had traditional NES controller buttons on the forearm as well as a program button and buttons labeled 0-9.

The complete Mogli set with Power Glove,
receivers,  Mogli interface box and adapters

There were two ultrasonic speakers (transmitters) in the glove and you had to put three ultrasonic microphones (receivers) around your TV monitor.
The ultrasonic speakers took turns transmitting a short burst (a few pulses) of 40 kHz sound and the system measured the time it took for the sound to reach the microphones.
A triangulation calculation was performed to determine the X, Y, Z location of each of the two speakers, which specified the yaw and roll of the hand.
It could also sense the bend of the individual fingers, the only dimension it couldn't calculate was the pitch of the hand, since the hand can pitch without moving the location of the two ultrasonic speakers.

The Power Glove was originally released in 1989 and was in general a critical and commercial failure.
Partly because of the lack of accuracy and the availability of games (for it's original use with the NES)

The Mogli interface box, Power Glove and adapters

In 1993 Doepfer introduced an external box that could receive the glove's data and convert it into MIDI signals.
The name Mogli stands for 'Midi Output GLove Interface'
The original Mogli interface box was equipped with MIDI in and MIDI out, and it had a red 3-digit LED display.
The display was needed to program the unit (i.e.to assign different function to the fingers, to the X/Y/Z coordinates, to the rotating angle and so on).

After a calibrating procedure the glove could be used in different controller modes.
The 'Virtual Play' mode was maybe the most attractive mode, in which could make you play a virtual keyboard in the free space.
In Direct Mode you could assign any movement to any MIDI controller, other modes were Gesture Mode (converting sign-language to MIDI controllers) Vector Mode (position sensing only) and Manipulation Mode (for manipulating incoming MIDI with the glove).

Although i am not the world's greatest electronics-guy i do have a feeling that the original Mogli converter box could be easily transformed into a version that sends Control Voltage and/or Gate signals.

Original Nintendo Power Glove

If you can find one, it will probably just work just fine with one of Doepfer's MIDI-to-CV modules, but you might not get the most out of all the glove's many functions.

The price of the system was 598 DM (i.e. about 300 Euro) for the ready built unit including a Nintendo power glove.
The kit version was 448 DM (i.e. about 225 Euro) incl. Nintendo power glove.
The control box only (without the glove) was 398 DM (i.e, about 200 Euro)
A kit version of the box was also available for just 258 DM (i.e. about 130 Euro)

The unit was available from March 93 until December 1995, but Doepfer had to stop the production because the Nintendo Power Glove was no longer available.
Around 350 units were made in total.
Interesting fact is that the Mogli was also used by Kraftwerk (on 'Pocket Calculator' and 'Music Non Stop') during their concert at the Brucknerhaus in Linz/Austria on the occasion of the ARS Electronica Festival for Art, Technology and Society in 1993.

Okay, i admit that the technology of the Power Glove might be outdated by now, but the idea of controlling sounds/patches with the move of your hand will always stay an interesting subject.
Roland is famous for its D-Beam technology since 1998.
The A-178 Theremin Control Voltage module (or the discontinued A-179 Light Controlled Voltage Source) definitely do not offer all the functionality of a glove like this.

However, i do think we will see some kind of gesture-control-trend coming up this year with the recently announced Kinect motion sensing input device by Microsoft, that was already available for the X-Box platform but that will soon be available for the Windows platform too.
I wonder how soon the first interesting gesture-controlled modular synth-video's will pop up on YouTube...

Find the Mogli's user-manual (in German language only) HERE
Please let me know if you have an English version, or else check the start of my translation project (work in progress).

* Many thanks to Dieter Doepfer for the additional info
* Pictures by Gaiana via http://www.synthforum.nl/

Video by studentsmusic added March 1st, 2017:
Doepfer MOGLI Midi Glove (Rare - Vintage)

Most Wanted V - A-100TKB Touch Sensor Keyboard

Perhaps best known for their non-moving touch sensor keyboards were the Electric Dream Plant Wasp and Gnat ( and the Electronic Music Studios EMS Synthi A * ) synthesizers that were produced during the late seventies/ the early eighties.
Doepfer's Touch Sensor Keyboard was announced a loooong time ago.

There have been many prototypes of this , and there have been many suggestions and discussions, but still there is no final design or release-date in sight.

Prototype #1

The first prototype (2005?) was a sequencer + keyboard all-in-one version, that looked like the original Sherman Filterbank, but with a keyboard with metal plates in front of it.
For their second prototype (2007), Doepfer decided to drop the sequencer, to give the buyers the chance to buy their own sequencer ( if they needed one ). This prototype is still my favorite, with it's 25 metal keys... simple and plain.

Prototype #2

In the first two versions of the TKB the hum noise inducted by the sourrounding mains was used as working principle, but they found that this principle did not work perfect in all cases (changing mains intensity, different mains frequencies 50/60Hz, indoor/outdoor, problems with increasing humidity and some problems more).

The Latest prototype, shown at NAMM 2010, was equipped with 16 uniform metal plates. Here is where Doepfer went for another approach, now with capacitive sensing pads.

Still, this was a prototype, and i bet Doepfer got a lot of feedback, but probably not enough (or maybe even too much) to make a final production-model.

From the Doepfer site: 

" The number, shape and dimensions of the pads can be adjusted to the customers wishes but we will be able to manufacture only one or maybe two versions (e.g. one with a keyboard layout like version 1 and 2 and another with a non-keyboard layout like version 3).

Prototype #3

In any case it is planned to separate the control until (i.e. the potentiometers, sockets, LEDs and so on) from the touch section. The touch section could be like a module (i.e. assembled like a module to the frame) or a separate box with a cable that leads to the control module (or external control box for stand-alone applications).

As an option we think about a pressure sensor below the keys that measures the pressure applied to the metal plates. The touch keyboard will be probably equipped with outputs for Gate, CV1 (pitch), CV2 (pressure) and Midi.
Due to the nature of the keyboard velocity measurement is not possible and even the Midi output is monophonic only.
Suitable supports to mount the keyboard case into a 19" rack at different positions and angles are planned for the touch version of the keyboard (not possible for the normal version as the width is more than 19"). We also think about a DIY version of the TKB, i.e. only an electronics without the metal plates that can be used to connect any metal plates that have to be added by the user. "

More detailed info on the whole TKB project HERE

* Thanks Marc