I Dream of Wires Extended Interviews

"I Dream of Wires" is a crowdfunded independent documentary film about the resurgence of the modular synthesizer and is written and directed by Robert Fantinatto with Jason Amm (Ghostly International recording artist Solvent) serving as producer and co-writer.

The 'Hardcore Edition', a four-hour long 2-DVD-set, was released a few months ago and distributed amongst the crowd-funders and pre-orderers all over the world.

- sale started September 16 via http://science-with-synthesizers.myshopify.com/)

The 4-hour long documentary Hardcore Edition is definitely worth watching/buying, but if you don't have the funds, you can also entertain yourself by watching the Extended Interviews that are still online at their Vimeo account.

If you're not familiar with the I Dream of Wires Extended Interview series, they've released 9 of them so far. See the list below.

They will be releasing one more free Extended Interview piece in 2014.

Edit Dec 13, 2013 - I Dream Of Wires Extended Interview #10 is now online, with none other than Trent Reznor and Alessandro Cortini of Nine Inch Nails...
Find it at https://vimeo.com/81576339

I Dream of Wires - Extended Interview Series:
9. Chris Carter:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/chriscarter
8. Richard Devine:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/richarddevine
7. Solvent:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/solvent
6. Orphx:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/orphx
5. Made in Canada - Modcan & Intellijel:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/modcanintellijel
4. Carl Craig - Modular Pursuits:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/carlcraig
3. Drumcell - Modular Techno:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/drumcell
2. Allan Ravenstine and Robert Wheeler of Pere Ubu:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/ravenstinewheelerpereubu
1. Richard Lainhart:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/richardlainhart
Also:
I Dream Of Wires showcase - MUTEK 2012:
http://vimeo.com/idreamofwires/idow2012mutek

I Dream of Wires:
Hardcore Edition DVD, Blu-Ray and
 accessories are still available to order at:

sciencewithsynthesizers.com

Read more about IDOW on PatchPierre.Net HERE

PatchPierre Twitter Lists

Over the last few weeks I have been making various synth-related Lists on my PatchPierre Twitter account.

I personally think they are a great resource for synth-news and can be very helpful if you need a synth repair service or if you are looking for a new case...

These lists will be expanded over time, i hope you can help me by DM-ing me the Twitter accounts that I might have missed, or just leave a comment below...

Follow PatchPierre.Net on Twitter

So far I made 7 separate Lists containing:

Modular Synth Makers

A public list of mainly Eurorack module-makers. Feel free to DM me more suggestions...
Synthesizer Magazines
Synth mags... online or printed on dead trees

Synth Shops
Synthesizer- sellers from all over the world
Synthesizer Manufacturers
Makers of synthesizers and drum-machines from all over the planet 

Synthesizer Bloggers  
Synth fanatics who like to share... - list still under construction...
Synth Repair Services  
People and shops who might be able to help you with your broken synth 

Modular Case Makers
Makers of modular cases and studio furniture 

Please subscribe to the lists/follow and/or help me to promote them online.

Feel free to contact me for other list-ideas and if you have additions to existing lists.
Thank you in advance!

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 A-100LC3 Low-Cost Case Announced

Quite fast after they released their A-100BP case, Doepfer has now announced another new case to house your eurorack modules.

This time it is a low-cost case that will probably be available from the end of 2013.

Doepfer A-100LC3 low-cost case front view

The A-100LC3 is the "small brother" of the low cost case A-100LC6 (and A-100LC9).

It is very similar to the A-100LC6 but offers only one row with 84 HP for installation of modules. 

The A-100LC3 is equipped with one power supply (1200mA) and one bus board. 

Because of the limited space the power supply of the DIY-Kit #1 with an external transformer is used (same as for the DIY-Kit #1). 

Doepfer A-100LC3 low-cost case

On the left side of the case the connector for the external transformer is located.

The external transformer is not shown in the above pictures. 

The outside dimensions in mm are about 445 (width) x 160 (depth) x 150 (height). 

The price of the A-100LC3 will be around Euro 180-200 (including external power supply for 230 or 115V AC, without modules).

One of the benefits of having the connector on the side of the module IMO is that it can also be used on its back, as some kind of (high) skiff, but I wouldn't look up strange if Doepfer soon announces a skiff or another case...

Source: Doepfer website

Intellijel Metropolis Preliminary Info

One of the most interesting modules i have seen in a while has been sent out to various testers in the last few weeks.

The original:
RYK M-185 Sequencer

The Intellijel Metropolis is a 'complex multi stage pitch and gate Eurorack sequencer', based on the RYK M-185 sequencer from the early Roland M-100 series.
This RYK module has always intrigued me, and i was always hoping someone would bring this style of sequencing/programming to the Eurorack.
(Watch some of the original RYK M-185 demos HERE and HERE)

Intellijel worked out an agreement with RYK earlier this year to create this only official Eurorack adaptation of his brilliant sequencer design.

It has taken many months to procure all the special parts and the design has already gone through several hardware revisions. 

Looking at the prototype picture that i see floating all over the internet, i see it has a quite lot of extra features.
It's a big, space-consuming module (34HP wide) and it looks very impressive with its rows of sliders for pitch and pulse count, the switches for different gate modes, and buttons for slide on/off and skip step.
All the core original M-185 functions seem to be there...(Read more here)
On the left side of the module is a 5 digit LED screen, buttons for complex programming/editing and a few knobs for AUX-levels, Gate- and Slide-time plus one for data input.

Intellijel Metropolis Sequencer

Some of the features :
-Sequencer modes:
Forward, Forward-fixed, Reverse, Reverse-fixed, PingPong, PingPong-Fixed, Random, Random-fixed, Brownian, Brownian-fixed
-TB-303 style slide (constant time portamento) with adjustable time
-Stage skipping (double click slide buttons)
- Internal quantizing with selectable scales and keys
-Can act as a master clk with BPM control or slave to an external (using clk src function)
-Save/load panel settings
-shuffle
-Internal clock divider
-Sync output (sets output pulse on last clock step of a sequence, used to slave other sequencers via reset)
-Two assignable AUX inputs which can control: gate length, transpose, key shift, root shift, sequence length, and step divisor.
-config menu to set slider pitch range, clock div type, clock offset
-tap tempo when in internal clock mode and tempo lock with bpm detect in external mode.

-All menu actions are one level deep. i.e. press the menu button and spin the encoder.
There are no hidden levels or sub menus.

Info via MuffWiggler

Video: Metropolis Scrutineering by Dudadius
Metropolis Scrutineering from dudadius on Vimeo.
" First go around with the Intelljel Metropolis. This is a pretty basic setup; I didn't get into using the aux inputs to modulate things within the Metropolis. I'll try that next! As you can see though, the Metropolis really lends itself to performing and improvising. Very hands-on and easy to go all sorts of crazy ways, melodically. Similar to the Rene, in that regard, but from a totally different point-of-view.Patch notes. Pamela is sending clock to Metropolis, Trigger Riot, Modcan Dual Delay, and Sound of Shadows.
Metropolis is sending the same note info to three different oscillators. The third one going through a uScale first to create intervals. All going into the Dubmix. The Trigger Riot is controlling Tiptop drums, mixed through a VCA Matrix then an M277 for a little grit. That's into channel 2 on the Dubmix, where I add a little Spring Reverb at one point.
The kick and snare are ultimately doubled with the Cwejman BLD and DPO. Lastly, I dialed into some sustained notes on the Pressure Points and a Modcan Triple OSC. The uStep is advancing the Pressure Points.
I had some troubles with the Trigger Riot losing sync when I would change presets.
I'll have to delve into that some more."

Video by Dudadius / On Twitter: https://twitter.com/dudadius

Watch an early Metropolis prototype testing video (september 2012) at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zkgb9aZocg

Update November 11:
Now available for USD 580 - more info at http://www.intellijel.com/eurorack-modules/metropolis/
Manual as PDF available at http://www.intellijel.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Metropolis-Manual-v1.0.pdf

Doepfer A-144 Morphing Controller/ Waveshaper Video Tutorials by Raul Pena

Time for another brand new tutorial series by Raul Pena.
The series that started today is all about the Doepfer A-144 Morph Controller/ Waveshaper
Enjoy!

Video 1: Doepfer A144 Morph Controller Basics

" A short look at the Doepfer A144 Morph Controller. Includes a discussion of some of the basic features and functions of the the A144. This module is intended as an expander unit for the Doepfer A135 Voltage Controlled Mixer.Sound and video by Raul Pena."

Video 2: Doepfer A144 Morph Controller- Audio Demo Part One-Basic Morphing

" A short demonstration on the basic morphing with the Doepfer A144 Morph Controller. Sound and Video by Raul Pena."

Video 3: Doepfer A144 Morph Controller-Audio Demo 1-Basic Morphing continued

" A short demonstration on the basic morphing with the Doepfer A144 Morph Controller. Part Two of Two.Sound and Video by Raul Pena."

Video 4: Doepfer A144 Morph Controller-Audio Demo 2-Basic Waveshaping Part One

" The next audio demonstration in the Doepfer A144 Morph Controller series. This week we look at the use of this module as a basic Waveshaper. Sound and Video by Raul Pena."

Video 5: Doepfer A144 Morph Controller Audio Demo Part Two-Basic Waveshaping Continued

" The Next section of the Doepfer A144 Morph controller Series. We review the "wave shaping" using the A144. Review discussion from last time, includes Audio demonstrations.Sounda and Video by Raul Pena.
For Article on Interpolating Scanner
by Juergen Haible
http://www.jhaible.com/tonline_stuff/jh_ipscan.html "

Video 6: Doepfer A144 Morph Controller-Experimenting with A144 and Conclusion Part One

" Part one of two in the final segment in the Doepfer A144 Morph Controller series. A demonstration of patching with various effects. Sound and Video by Raul Pena."


Video 7: Doepfer A144 Morph Controller-Experimenting with A144 and Conclusion Part Two

Part Two of two in the final segment in the Doepfer A144 Morph Controller series. A demonstration of patching with various effects. Sound and Video by Raul Pena.

Check out Raul's latest survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K3Z9PVF

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

Random Video: Modular Synth - A-143-4 and A-149-1 Orchestral(ish) Sounds by IsVisible

Here's the latest modular synth video by IsVisible.
It's kind of orchestral-ish and features Doepfer's A-143-4 and A-149-1 modules.

Video: Modular Synth - A-143-4 and A-149-1 - Orchestral(ish) Sounds
Modular Synth - A-143-4 and A-149-1 - Orchestral(ish) Sounds from isvisible on Vimeo.

" Here we have the Doepfer A-143-4 Quad VC/LFO/VCO triggering the A-149-1 Random Voltages. The A-143-4 is also triggering the A-143-2 Quad ADSR along with providing a little cv to the A-110 VCO's.
All in all with a little filtering courtesy of the A-106-1 Xtreme Filter (Korg MS-20 inspired) and the A-124 Wasp (erm... a Wasp clone) it sounds a bit orchestral, in an abstract kinda way anyway.
Both line outs from the modular (bassier / brassier low end and plucked / reedish higher end) are going directly into a lovely old Tapco 4400 Dual Reverberation System then to my mixing desk where the audio is taken from."

Follow IsVisible on Twitter at https://twitter.com/isvisible

More IsVisibe at http://www.isvisible.co.uk/

Also check out his new album vii. http://isvisible.bandcamp.com/album/vii  - free to download, or pay what you like if you feel the need.