Korg Monotron

Monotron Packaging

I've got a nice little new toy since last month;
A complete analogue synthesizer, at the size of a large Matchbox.
The Korg Monotron is a cheap (39 Euro) battery-powered synthesizer, but what a lot of fun i already had with this little thing.

It features one VCO, a real VCF (This true analog filter is taken from the classic MS-10 & MS-20 synthesizer) with Filter-Cutoff and Peak (resonance) Control.
An LFO with variable speed (and an LED that flashes in tandem) can be applied to the Pitch (VCO) or Filter(VCF)

The synth can be played on the Ribbon controller keyboard which is tiny, but can also be played with a stylus (i use an old thermometer that works perfect).

The Aux input jack lets you apply the filter to any audio source and it also has a Built-in speaker.
The headphone jack can be used for private use, but also to export the sound to your amplifier or mixing-desk.
The speaker sounds a bit chirpy (but not extremely bad), but once you've plugged it into your sound-system you really get a feeling on how good this synthesizer actually sounds.

Korg Monotron Analogue Ribbon Synthesizer

I have been using the Monotron for almost a month now, and i find it a very cool little machine.
I have it always somewhere near me... and not really as a sketchbook, but just to make funny sound effects.
The sound quality impresses me every time, considering it runs on just two AAA batteries...
I will try to add a nice little self-made Demo-video to this post if i can find the time to record one...

Another A-157 Series Update

A little bit more info on the A-157 series (or Mini-Schaltwerk) has appeared on the Future Models section of the Doepfer website.
The A-157 series is Doepfer's  trigger sequencer sub-unit with 8 tracks, and 16 steps each.

Doepfer A-157 Trigger Sequencer, as shown at

MusikMesse 2012. Picture by @Cymatics

I am still looking forward to this module, ever since it first appeared on the website and on exhibitions, and i wrote about the various prototypes several times already.
Find all PatchPierre posts about the progress on the A-157  HERE

The biggest announcement is that the series will not include two, but three separate modules;

A-157-1: A button/LED control unit with 8x16 momentary switches and LEDs, 8 trigger outputs

A-157-2: A standard control unit for A-157-1, inputs and buttons for Start, Stop, Reset and Clock, memory for at least 64 patterns

A-157-3: An enhanced control unit for A-157-1 with still to be specified features (e.g. separate Clock/Start/Stop functions for each row or groups of rows, forward/backward/pendulum/random, shifting of tracks relative to the other tracks, ...)

The A-157-1 and A-157-2 are planned for the end of 2012/early in 2012, price is still unknown.

So far there is no planned release date for the A-157-3

Random Video: Softly Melodic by Jonas Karlsson/Zyntetix

Spotted in the A-100 Usergroup on Facebook, another nice video by Jonas Karlsson/ Zyntetix.

Video: Softly Melodic

Uploaded by miip999
" Modular Patch sequenced by Doepfer A-160, A-161, A-166, A-155, A-156 and Make Noise René
Bas - A-111-5
Melody A-111-5
Melody delay - A-112
drums Analogue Soloutions BD88, SD88, HH88
noise pattern A-118 thru A-129/2 vocoder modulated by A-143-9 QLFO
bong - doepfer A-110 thru A-106-6 thru Make Noise Phonogene "

Follow Zyntetix via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Zyntetix

Random Video: TheVoltageControl's Doepfer A-100 Modular System

I spotted this nice Doepfer Modular video on the always interesting http://voltagecontrol.blogspot.se/ blog.
It is exactly what the accompanying text says... a short demo of his current Doepfer system.

Video: Doepfer Modular System

" A short demo of my current Doepfer modular system.
http://voltagecontrol.blogspot.se"

Uploaded by TheVoltageControl on YouTube

Filters VIII: Doepfer A-106-5 SEM Filter

Yay... finally a new filter-module :-)
Last week i treated myself with an A-106-5 SEM Filter.
The A-106-5 is a 12dB multimode filter that is based on the filter circuit of the Oberheim SEM module (Synthesizer Expander Module), Oberheim's first official analog synthesizer that was produced from 1974 to 1979.

On the outside it looks quite like the A-124 Wasp filter, but sound-wise they are very different.
The filter is equipped with a band pass output and a combined low/notch/high pass output.
For this output a control knob defines the relation between low and high pass signal.
If both signals appear at the same level (i.e. middle position of the Mix knob) one obtains a notch filter. Otherwise the low or high pass signal predominates.
The module sadly does not feature self oscillation in contrast to most of the other filters of the A-100 system.

I had heard some good things about it, and it really sounds incredible.
I do have a slight preference for 12dB filters (like the A-121 Multimode Filter and the WASP filter - two of my favorites), and this one is another great sounding filter module.

The sound is hard to describe but i can say this one sounds fat enough for me (not very thin like most reviews say), and is already in my favorite filter-list.
It does not sound like any of the other filters that i own...
The only thing i miss in this filter module is an CV input to control the resonance, just like the A-121 Multimode Filter or the other Oberheim filter, the A-122 24 dB Lowpass filter VCF3 have.

Video: Doepfer A-106-5 Filter demo

" Short Doepfer A-106-5 Demo by NetPierre
Starts with a sequenced bassline, generated by my Doepfer MAQ16/3 and Doepfer VCO A-110 (saw wave)
Bandpass Mode first,  LP/HP later
A-118 Random voltages added to VC2 input somewhere in the middle.
Drums provided by an Elektron Machinedrum
More info on the A-100 and related stuff at http://PatchPierre.blogspot.com "

Also check out http://blog.andreaskrebs.de/2010/05/08/doepfer-a-106-5-sem-filter-example/ for sound examples and find more A-106-5 on YouTube

Richard Horsman's Modular Rack Planner

A project that i have been keeping an eye on for a while is Richard Horsman's Modular Planner.

The maker is trying create a multi-format modular planner application (for PC and Mac) that takes the best things of already existing (online and offline) rack-planners, like the DougCL Rackplanner , the Eurorack Database and http://www.modularplanner.co.uk/ ,with many added features of his own.

The feature list so far (with a LONG way to go) is....

• Browse a 'modules' subfolder to pick a module to add.
• Preview the module's "drop zone" (see green in image above).
• Check it's not being dropped on top of another module (override will be available)
• Pick up and move a module to a new unoccupied location
• Define a rack structure (width, rows, columns, scaling)
• Track HP usage
• Save & load standard Rack Planner files

Video: RichyHo's Rack Planner - Video #2

" Best watched in full screen, HD. A better quality video demonstrating the main features of my current development project - RichyHo's Rack Planner. Now at version 1.13 (not available for a while yet!) it's a modular synthesizer rack layout planner and patch notation system. Comments welcome. Thanks for watching."

It looks like a very interesting project, and i can't wait until it is available for us to try out.

The planning is that it will be released late this summer...

Richard's progress can be followed via his blog at  http://horsmanprojects.blogspot.nl/

Loads of info and pictures are available on the Muffwiggler thread:
http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=61984&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=160

Raul Pena's Updated Modular Synthesizer Tutorials Survey

Raul Pena, known for his excellent Doepfer tutorial videos has recently updated his survey.

So, if you like Raul's video tutorials, and you have the time, please fill out Raul's new updated survey regarding information, and suggestions for future videos. (no sales or money involved)
Just information that will help guide the interest/content of upcoming videos.

Find the survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K3Z9PVF

Thanks in advance for your participation!

Other places to find Raul's World of Synths on the Web

raulsworldofsynths on YouTube
raulsworldofsynths on Vimeo
raulsworldofsynths on SoundCloud
raulsworldofsynths at iTunes
raulsworldofsynths at CDBABY

*PS: Raul Pena is a PatchPierre Donor