Thursday, January 16, 2014

Doepfer A-106-5 SEM Filter Test by Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson posted this video on YouTube, showing his newly acquired Doepfer A-106-5 SEM filter.
(and the rest of his setup)

Video: Doepfer A-106-5 SEM Filter Test

" Experimental noisy patch including the Doepfer A106-5 SEM filter."

Uploaded by Paul Johnson

Sunday, January 05, 2014

Modular Bacon 1-3 by Autotross

Now here's an interesting 'new' series of modular synth experiments/jams created by Autotross.
He created three videos in this series already, the third one was released today, inspired by - and created during the blizard.
Enjoy!

Video 1: Modular Bacon 01: Rainy Resonance

" Patch Notes:Intellijel uVCF in self oscillation modulated by random hits on the Dixie LFO for water drops. MakeNoise MMG with a slightly out of sync Function for the rising tone. Simple 4-note melody from DPO sequenced by Rene. Delay courtesy of Memory Boy."

Video 2: Modular Bacon 02: Derezzed Circuit

" Patch Notes:Sequenced by MakeNoise Rene, which sends a gate every 4 steps to create ghost notes whose prominence is controlled by the envelope's release. Saw and Final output taken from DPO and modulated by a Doepfer Sample and Hold. Kick drum made with Intellijel uVCF. MMG for the filter, Pamela's Workout for clocking, Memory Boy for delay, and Daft Punk for subconcious inspiration."

Video 3: Modular Bacon 03: Blizzard

" Recorded live during today's blizzard, burrrrr!
Patch Notes:
Wind from Doepfer A-118 Noise generator fed through Intellijel uVCF with cutoff modulated by the 118's random volt output. Truck idling and driving away created with MakeNoise DPO's final output jostled about by Function on repeat. Sirens made the same way using the saw output and slower Function modulation.
Stay warm!"
Uploaded by Autotross
Autotross on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/autotross
Autotross on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/autotross

Wednesday, January 01, 2014

Ginko Synthese TTLFO Clock Synced LFO and VCSQ Step Sequencer

Ginko Synthese TTLFO Clock Synced LFO
And another new Eurorack manufacturer has popped up, this time from my home-country The Netherlands...

Ginko Synthese is founded by Jan Willem Hagenbeek.
As an electronic musician and producer he has first hand experience of the gap between the feel of playing live on stage and the more controlled environment when working in the studio for productions.
Therefore all of his products are designed with a focus on the immediacy of live performance, but can be easily integrated into a studio environment.

Very soon his latest product the VCSQ will be available on his website.
This voltage controlled stepsequencer can be controlled by the earlier released GinkoSynthese TTLFO Clock Synced LFO that is based around the Electric Druid TAPLFO chip.
It's not the LFO you already know... It is synced to your master clock, or sync it with the taps you make on the tap button and it is quite useful as a taptempo master clock generator.

Ginko Synthese TTLFO and
VCSQ Step Sequencer
The VCSQ transforms a CV signal into a sequence; every voltage step of 0.625V gives a next step on the sequencer.
It can be internally connected by the TTLFO via a wire, and playing with the distort knob gives nice changes in the sequence.
If you put in a sine wave the sequence is bouncing.

The final design of the VCSQ was finished a few days ago and they will order the pcb's in the first week of January.
It will probably appear on their website soon...

Specifications of the TTLFO:
- Eurorack size
- Width: 10HP (50.5mm)
 +/-12V and 5V
- compatible with Doepfer
Features:
- 8 waveforms
- multiplier / clock divider
- horizontal wave distort
- external clock input
- CV input for distort amount
- CV input for multiplier
- LFO output (selectable between 0/5V and -5V/+5V)
- clock output
- manual available on the site (PDF)

If you're interested in ordering one, you can fill out the form on their website.

Update October 27 2014:
There will be an upgrade for the Tap Tempo LFO available soon. 

This chip is specially designed for Ginko Synthese by Tom Wiltshire and is only available through the GinkoSynthese TTLFO upgrade-chip productpage.
What’s different?
The tap tempo speed of the LFO is currently limited to a little less than 1 cycle per 4 seconds and with the multiplier at ½ to 1 cycle per 8 seconds max. The new chip will push the maximum cycle time up to 1 cycle per 20 seconds! This comes in handy by creating slow evolving pads and when the Tap Tempo LFO is used in combination with the Voltage Controlled Sequencer.


Monday, December 30, 2013

Buying a Modular Synth Video by Keyboard Magazine

A new video by Keyboard Magazine covers a lot of topics around buying a modular synthesizer.
If i am correct there is an article by Jim Aikin in the most recent issue of KeyboardMag to accompany this video...
Check it out at your local magazine-store...

Video 1: Buying a Modular Synth (part 1)
" 30-year Keyboard contributor and music technology guru Jim Aikin discusses what he learned buying his first modular synth rig, and shows us some of the modules."
Uploaded by keyboardmag1

Future episodes will be added to this post when available...

Sunday, December 29, 2013

DIY Eurorack MIDI-to-CV Converter by Stereoping

Today i discovered Stereoping and its interesting line of products.

Stereoping was founded by Gregor Zoll.
Since his graduate to a graphics designer he is selfemployed in 3D-computeranimation, programming and development of computergames.
As a sideline he always made lots of music and repaired, altered and – in the end – developed lots of musical equipment like drumcomputers and synthesizers.
Stereoping MIDI-to-CV
Converter
As his ideas got more concrete and his developments got more professional through the years, he started a business in 2013 for the development and worldwide shipping of innovative diy-assembly kits for musical devices.

If this business will develop as he hopes, his goal will be to offer complete out-of-the-box products in some years...

Stereoping produces 'DIY assembly kits for making magical music' and will be opening a webshop in early 2014, where he will be selling some of the products shown on their site.
Some modules will also be available as a DIY-kit...
They also have a special Eurorack section on their site with interesting stuff.

The latest product is this Eurorack MIDI CV Interface, a basic MIDI-to-CV converter which is really not that innovative, but still a good piece of work IMO.
I like the plain and simple design of the panels, and I'm looking forward to seeing more modules coming from this new company.

Video: Demo for my DIY Eurorack Module 'Midi CV Interface'

" Short and musically quite boring demo of the features of my Eurorack diy Midi-CV-Interface. In case you dont know: such an interface lets you integrate the analogue module system into the digital midi production set. It has - besides Pitch-CV and Gate - simultaeneous outputs for velocity and 2 controllers. It can learn the midichannel (and remember it) and be set to single trigger (held notes will not send another gate) or multiple trigger. It also has a potentiometer to set the glidetime (portamento). A switch lets select if all notes should be glided or just held notes.The latter gives kind of temporary glide like on the tb303. It also has 5 Volt outputs for midiclock and sequencer-start/stop (both not features in this video). More technical info on my homepage. Sorry for the bad video quality, forgot to disable manual focus."

Uploaded by stereoping

Modular Christmas Gif by Richard Devine

Okay... Christmas is already over, but i still want to share this nice Gif created by Richard Devine.
It totally brings out the (analog) Christmas spirit... ;-)


Find Richard Devine on Twitter at https://twitter.com/RichardDevine
or just at richard-devine.com

Friday, December 27, 2013

Intellijel Atlantis Dual Oscillator Subtractive Synth Voice Announced

Intellijel just keeps on surprising with cool new Eurorack modules
Today they announced the Atlantis, a Dual Oscillator Subtractive Synth Voice

" The Atlantis is heavily inspired by the architecture and sound of the classic Roland SH-101.
It has always been one of our favorite synths and we really liked how the seemingly limited architecture allowed for all sorts of creative and musically useful sounds to be easily generated.

Just like the 101 it is quick to dial in beautifully rich bass and lead sounds. 
However this module uses triangle core VCOs (based on the Dixie core) instead of Saw core which respond much more musically to FM. 
The modulation oscillator can be used as an LFO or VCO (audio rate) and both track very precisely over 8 or more octaves.

Intellijel Atlantis 

In the mixer section you can adjust the balance of the primary oscillators waveforms including a sinewave which is normalled to the EXT IN jack. 
You could also patch in one of the modulation oscillators waveforms into this channel and be able to operate the Atlantis as a proper two oscillator synth. 
There is a switch labelled “LINK” which enables the modulation vco pitch to be based as an offset of the primary VCO. 
This is useful when using it as a stacked dual vco or when you have the mod VCO acting as the linear FM source for the primary vco and wish to maintain the ratio.

The filter section is a Roland style cascaded 4 pole multimode filter with LP, BP and HP modes. 
The LP Boost switch engages a special mode useful for the LP that produces a much fatter and prominent sound that is not drowned out by resonance (unlike the original SH-101). 
The filter self-oscillates to produce a very clean sine wave which also tracks 1V/Oct. Between the Mod VCO, Primary VCO, Sub Oscillator and resonating filter it is possible to layer up to four different pitches at one time.

The envelope section is an ADSR with a dual range switch. 
It also can be set to a looping mode which can be gated on/off externally.
The output VCA feeds into a two level output clipping circuit that you can use to get a much ballsier/dirtier sound.

Main features:
Modulation VCO: triangle core with Hard Sync and Link switch to connect pitch to primary
Primary VCO: triangle core with Hard Sync, Octave switches, Linear/Exp FM and PWM
Global modulation bus with four VCO waveforms, noise and S&H options
Cascaded 4-Pole multimode filter
Looping ADSR with range switch, manual gate, and external level (velocity) control.
Three position output clipping circuit
27 jacks for creative and complex patching options
Header on back of pcb that allows it to be linked (normalled) to the Intellijel Metropolis sequencer
Skiff Friendly

Summary of enhancements over the SH-101 core:
Triangle core vcos (with far better tracking and Hard sync) instead of saw core
Primary vco has linear FM (not just exp)
MOD Vco can be linked to the primary VCO pitch CV.
Modulation oscillator switchable from LFO to VCO
Filter is multimode, 2/4pole switchable and has a special LP boost mode
Filter allows for selection of inverted ADSR mod source
Filter tracks 1V/oct
Mixer section includes and external source which is normalled to a sinewave
Filter has built in soft clipping
Envelope has looping option, re-trigger and selectable time range
Output VCA has two stage clipping circuit
External clock input for the S&H
Patch points for every synthesis section"

Video: Intellijel Atlantis


More info at http://www.intellijel.com/eurorack-modules/atlantis/
Available to purchase on January 1st 2014