You might already know that the A-156 Dual Quantizer is one of my favorite modules, you can read more about that module and my modification HERE and on the Synovatron blog.
I recently found this video on YouTube, by someone who also seems to have fun with it.
Well, it looks like Dieter Doepfer announced the discontinuation of the Dark Energy today.
In the Doepfer Usergroup he stated that " the Dark Energy will be discontinued as the CEM3394 chip is no longer available and the negotiations with the manufacturer (OnChip, the Curtis Electromusic successor) concerning a new productions series of the CEM3394 were not successful so far.
We think about a redesign of the unit (Dark Energy II) but it will be another instrument with a different sound and features (e.g. probably a 12 dB multimode filter with lowpass, highpass, bandpass and notch (like the A-121 Multimode Filter- (they will probably use parts of the DIY Synth circuit (e.g. the multimode VCF) for the Dark Energy II design) - instead of the 24 dB lowpass)."
Dark Energy picture provided by Marc Weerts
from the band 87PM
Logically this would mean that the A-111-5 Mini Synth Voice will also be discontinued since it has the same circuitry inside.
The Dark Energy did have a unique sound, mainly because of the linear filter FM.
There is no A-100 VCF available that
offers this feature and even the VCO and VCA are unique.
The VCO is close to
the A-111, but there is no A-100 VCA module available with the combined
linear/exponential response of the Dark Energy/A-111-5 VCA.
Personally i do not think Dark Energy II will be the best name for a module like this and that they should go for another name instead, since it will be a completely different instrument with a unique character.
Feel free to leave some name-suggestions below or on the PatchPierre Facebook page.
Doepfer probably still has a bunch of Dark Energy's and A-111-5 modules left in stock*, but if you really want one you should get one before they are gone...
* Update: From Dieter Doepfer in the Doepfer Usergroup: " ...we miscalculated the relation of the Dark Energy / A-111-5 sales. The A-111-5 stock will last much longer than the Dark Energy stock. I expect that the Dark Energy will be sold out in 2-3 months, but I suppose that the A-111-5 stock will last one year or even longer." Update II: " ~ 4000 Dark Energy's were made, and ~ 300 A-111-5 modules "
Video's like these (by marihutten on a pretty big A-100 system) remind me to always record everything you can, on video or at least in audio.
If you only knew how often i regretted not recording that last jam, demo or interlude, it often turns out you miss the best things...
Or is that just my bad luck?
Other benefit is the ability to review your recording later, by yourself or by others... you might be surprised by the reactions from different listeners...
Or how about using snippets of your recordings in later projects?
Possibilities are endless, your limit is your imagination...
" My first try with the clock divider on the Doepfer. Too bad I forgot filming the third patch I that I created during that session that was an ADSR that went through an Audio Divider that went through the clock that later went through a morph filter. Sounded sick.
This one sounds kinda boring but I was trying something simple with 3 VCOs of triangle waves to see if I got the gist of the clock divider."
Many early synthesizer modules had modules with height in integer inches: 11" (e.g., Roland 100), 10" (e.g., Wavemakers), 9" (e.g., Aries), 8" (e.g., ARP 2500), 7" (e.g., Polyfusion, Buchla, Serge), 6" (e.g., Emu) and had widths in 1/4" inch multiples.
More recently it has become more popular to follow the standard 19" Rack unit systems like the 6U (Wiard), 5U (8.75" e.g., Moog, Modcan), and 4U (e.g., Serge).
Two rack 3U unit systems in particular are notable: the Frac Rack system (e.g., Paia) and the similar Eurorack system.
The Eurorack format uses modules of 128.5mm (slightly over 5") height.
Horizontal width is measured in "horizontal pitch", where 1 HP = 5mm (slightly less than 0.2"); most manufacturers use a horizontal unit definition of either 1U = 4HP, or 1U = 6HP.
3.5mm phone jacks are used for interconnection of audio and voltage control.
The Eurorack format needs ±12V power (most other current formats use ±15V), in addition to +5V required by some modules.
Unfortunately, the power connections are not completely standardized yet; the format uses ribbon cables for power and a two-row ribbon cable connector containing either 10, 12, or 16 pins.
The 16-pin connector uses some of the extra pins to distribute control voltage and gate signals from a keyboard to the modules via a common case connection.
Although there are a lot of video's without any clear explanation, some video's are simply amazing.
Youtube user mmdroid has put guitar-strings in his Eurorack.
Electric guitar-strings use the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals.
It looks like 2 Dual-Coil pickups were used in this project.
Double-coiled or "humbucker" pickups were invented as a way to reduce or counter the unwanted ambient hum sounds.
Humbuckers have two coils of opposite magnetic and electric polarity.
This means that electromagnetic noise hitting both coils should cancel itself out.
Besides for audio, some Doepfer (and other (analog modular) synthesizer modules can be used for other purposes too.
For example this A-136 Distortion/Waveshaper in combination with an LZX analogue modular video synthesizer.
LZX Visionary (by LZX Industies) is a line of EuroRack format synthesizer modules designed for creating and manipulating video and images.
Their range consists of 9 different modules so far: a Color Video Encoder, Video Sync Generator, Video Waveform Generator, Triple Video Fader & Key Generator, Video Blending Matrix, Voltage Interface I, Video Ramps, Triple Video Processor and a Voltage Bridge.
It looks like a very versatile range of products that will probably make a lot of video-editors happy.
For modular synth-geeks the layout, functions etc. looks quite familiar with what we do, and i like the idea of video-mixing, LFO-controlled color-swapping, and adding other effects to video with Eurorack modules.
The possibility of adding synthesizer modules that were intended for audio to this system is IMO just brilliant, i can imagine what different LFO's, noise generators and other modulators/waveshapers or perhaps a video sampler will do with video.
The LZX webpage is full with interesting info, basic patch-examples, video's and links to other resources.
I couldn't find a lot of info on the video below, but it is quite new and i found it interesting enough to post it here on my blog.
Good value-for-money and serious rackspace-savers are Doepfer's Quad modules.
These modules offer four (-duh-) identical but individual modulation sources in one module.
My A-143-2 Quad ADSR is at the heart of my A-100 system.
With 4 envelope generators in one this is a very powerful module, and this is where the 3 individual gate outputs from my MAQ 16/3 come together.
Also see THIS post.
The Gate inputs of the units 2, 3 and 4 are normalled to the Gate input of unit 1, so Gate input 1 is connected to the switching contacts of the Gate input sockets fom submodule 2, 3 and 4 if no other input is connected.
With only one Gate signal applied to Gate input 1, it can be used to trigger all four sub-modules simultaneously.
A switch for each individual channel is available for switching between high, low and medium ranges.
All 4 sub-units have additional input sockets for Re-Trigger, but the re-trigger behaviour of the A-143-2 is slightly different compared to other envelope generators;
During the attack phase the envelope cannot be re-triggered or reset. (unlike the A-140 ADSR envelope, that envelope can be re-triggered while the gate is still open).
Each sub-unit also has three digital outputs (high/low) that sends a trigger signal at the End of Attack (EOA), End of Decay (EOD) and End of Release (EOR).
This is very useful if you want to daisy-chain the sub-modules to create more complex envelopes. (or even complete loops)
The envelope outputs are displayed with LEDs and the maximal envelope voltage (Attack/Decay reversal point) is about +8V.
I blogged about the Doepfer Mogli and gesture control earlier on this blog, but in 2007 it was already possible to control your A-100 with a Nintendo Wii Remote (or Wiimote) controller.
" This video is about controlling a modular synth with Nintendo's wiimote gamepad, using Doepfer A-100, Doepfer MCV24, Wiimote and computer.
Softwares used are Bluesoleil, Glovepie and Midi-ox.
This video is not an artistic demonstration but a technical explanation of this system (that can be used for making music ofc). "
Uploaded on Sept. 12, 2007 by YouTube user DamagedMeat
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).
