Doepfer A-131 Demos by Raul Pena

Raul Pena (from http://raulsworldofsynths.com/) has released four more new demo-videos, this time involving the A-130/A-131 Voltage Controlled Amplifiers.

Video 1: Doepfer A-131 VCA Intro
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MivzVdpz5Dg

" Introduction to the features of the Doepfer A131 EXP VCA.Short demonstration of Tremolo.Sound and Video by Raul Pena. "

Video 2: Processing CV with Doepfer A131 EXP VCA Part One

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIdWbrbkSD8

" Demonstration of Doepfer A131 EXP VCA for processing CV. From the manual "For audio signals, you would normally use the exponential VCA (A-131), and for control voltages, the linear VCA (A-130). It doesn't always have to be that way, though." "The old versions of A-130/131 (those with CEM3381/CEM3382) are not able to process slowly varying control voltages (AC coupled in/outputs). Sound and Video by Raul Pena. "

A-197 Analog Meter

Another A-100 module that was discontinued a few years ago is the  A-197 Analog Meter.

This simple module could be used to display DC or AC voltages by means of an illuminated moving coil meter with mirror scale.
The display range is 0...+10V (resp. -5V...+5V in the offset mode) and the module features 3 different measuring methods that can be selected with a toggle switch:

Picture via Matrixsynth

Full Wave Rectifier: This mode is normally used to display audio signals resp. AC voltages. The incoming signal is rectified and smoothed with a low pass filter.

Direct Mode: In this mode the incoming voltage is lead to the meter without additional electronic modification.
This mode is used to display positive DC voltages, e.g. ADSR (A-140/141/A142), MIDI-to-CV (A-190/191), positive random voltages (A-149-1), foot controller (A-177), Gate/Clock signals.

Offset Mode: In this mode +5V are added to incoming voltage before it reaches the meter.
Zero volt input correspond to the middle position of the display needle (i.e. +5V read out).
This mode can be used to display positive and negative voltages, like for example a slowly swinging LFO (A-145/146/147), A-148 Sample&Hold, bipolar Random Voltages (A-118), A-174 Joystick, A-178 Theremin, A-179 Light Controlled CV source.

The measuring input is available as a triple multiple so that the signal can be used in the system simultaneously.
An LED lights up if a negative voltage appears at the measurement input.

I don't own an A-197... The module seemed useless to me at first because of the lack of possibilities, and i was (and still am) thinking about buying an oscilloscope at some point.
Since this module is no longer available it will be hard to find one nowadays.

Random Video: Doepfer A-100 Manual Arpeggios

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.

Video: Doepfer A-100 Manual Arpeggios
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A31ZpPVqRHI

" A patch on the Doepfer A-100, featuring the A-156 Quantizer "

Uploaded by JWolfMusic

Dark Energy II Announced

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 "


Dark Energy sound demo by MarcJX8P

Find other discontinued A-100 modules HERE (updated feb.2012)
Curious what chip is inside your synthesizer?

Check http://curtiselectromusic.com/,
http://synthtech.com/cems.html and
http://sequencer.de/synth/index.php/Chips_in_Synthesizers

Quick Tip IX : Record Everything

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...

Video: Clock Divider and FM on Doepfer (11:23)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe51is2ltu8


" 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."

Uploaded by marihutten on 2/2/2012

Quotes XI : Kraftwerk

"We are not entertainers, we are sound scientists."

Kraftwerk 


http://kraftwerk.com/
Kling Klang Machine:
 http://kraftwerk.com/KKM/kkm.html
(also available as iPhone app)

- Kraftwerk recently launched their official Twitter account @Kraftwerk

The Eurorack Standard

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.

Manufacturers using the Eurorack format include Doepfer, Analogue Systems, and Cwejman in Europe, and Plan B, Livewire, and Harvestman in the USA.

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.

More info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modular_synthesizer,
http://electronicmusic.wikia.com/wiki/Eurorack, and
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/01/31/eurorack-modular-synthesizers/ or http://www.modularplanner.co.uk/ for suggestions.