My DIY-Tools

While i am still waiting for parts for an upcoming DIY-project, i thought it would be a good idea to show you the DIY-equipment that i work with.
I don't use any expensive professional type tools, everything here can be bought on a budget, and upgraded if you have the money.
So far i have done all my modifications/expansions with this set of tools.

My main tools for DIY-projects

My soldering-iron is a 30W Velleman electrical soldering-iron without temperature-control.
I know some people prefer temperature-control because some of the components can be sensitive to high temperatures, but
so far i haven't damaged anything... ;-)

Wire, soldering-tin in 2 different sizes,
a de-soldering pump and a lighter.

I have 2 different sizes of lead-free soldering-tin, both with a low melting-point.
The thinnest one is 0.7 mm and i use that for the more delicate soldering-points.
I use the slightly thicker (1 mm) tin thread mainly for making connections (i.e. soldering a wire to a switch)
I hardly use the spring-loaded desoldering-pump on the lower left side of the pictures.
It can be used for removing old solder off a PCB.

The needle-nose pliers in the first picture are used to cut wire and for all kind of other purposes: bending, mounting and de-mounting the knobs and mini-jacks from the frontpanel.

The red and black wire is used for making the connections.
Although i have (many) more colors, i seem to end up using almost only these two colors.
I strip the ends of the wires with a lighter before use.
I don't need another special tool for that... ;-)

6-Piece precision screwdriver set

The 6-piece precision screwdriver set is also unmissable for me.
The different sizes make it perfect for any job.
From de- and re-mounting modules to trimming potentiometers on the PCBs, i use them for almost anything.

I learned most of the basics about DIY and soldering off the internet.
There are many how-to videos to find on YouTube and Wikipedia is filled with all the information you'll ever require.
Besides that there are a lot of books available about this topic.

A suggested read : http://patchpierre.blogspot.nl/2013/02/booktip-xiv-electronica-for-dummies.html

More Darkness: Doepfer MAQ16/3 Dark Edition

It seems that Doepfer is extending their successful  'Dark'-product-range even more with their latest announcement.
A new version of the MAQ16/3 MIDI Analog Sequencer will be black and feature Dark Energy-style knobs.
There's not much additional info, but i guess the inside of this fantastic sequencer will stay the same.

It looks great, and this is not the first time that a black MAQ will be available, but those models had the same style of knobs of the original MAQ, only in black...

New Doepfer A-157 Pictures / Dark Flow Announced

Doepfer posted their latest design and a bit more info on the upcoming A-157 (Mini Schaltwerk) Trigger Sequencer Subsystem modules on their website.
Hopefully the finished modules will be shown later at MusikMesse this year (10th-13th of May in Frankfurt, Germany)

A-157-1 Mini Schaltwerk design

The name 'Mini Schaltwerk' seems appropriate now, because it does look a lot like it's larger Schaltwerk brother.

" The LED/button matrix module A-157-1 is the core of the subsystem.
It is used to set or reset the trigger event on each of the 16 steps of each of the 8 rows.
The trigger output module A-157-2 outputs the 8 trigger signals and has an LED display for each trigger.
We will probably add a mute button or mute switch for each row that allows to turn the trigger output off/on independent for each row.
In the final version the modules A-157-1 and A-157-2 will be probably merged into one module only because both modules are essential for the subsystem.

The module A-157-1/2 (or the merged module that will contain both units) can be connected to a simple control module or a more sophisticated control module which is planned for the future (similar to the A-155 and A-154 conceptual design where the A-155 includes a simple control unit that can be replaced by the A-154 which offers a lot of additional functions).

At the beginning a simple control module A-157-3 similar to the A-155 control unit will be available.
It offers only the functions clock, start/stop and reset (both with manual controls and control inputs).
For this standard control unit the tempo (clock) is the same for all 8 rows, the direction is forward and the length of each row is 16.

We also plan a more complex control module A-157-4 that allows additional functions like 128 memories for trigger sequences, different clock/start/stop/reset for 2 or 4 groups of rows (e.g. common for rows 1-4 and 5-8, or in pairs), independent first/last step for each row, independent direction (forward/backward/pendulum/random) for each row, one-shot mode, LC display and so on.
But these ideas are very preliminary and we will have to find out which functions are essential."

Doepfer also mentions that there are also plans for an A-157 stand-alone version adapted to the design of Dark Energy and Dark Time with the same case dimensions and wooden side panels (provisional name "Dark Flow")

Release date: ~ fall 2013 (only A-157-1 ... 3, so far there is no release date available for the planned module A-157-4 and the stand-alone unit Dark Flow !)

Blue LED Lights MIDI Controlled using a Doepfer MTC 64

James Bragg, member of the Doepfer Yahoo Usergroup recently shared his latest project.
He has just finished his 16-LED light-panel using a Doepfer MTC64 MIDI-to-Contact board.

The MTC64 is an universal MIDI interface that converts up to 64 succeeding MIDI note on/off or program change messages into 64 TTL voltages (0/+5V).

The TTL outputs of the MTC64 can be used to control different switching functions. 

With suitable drivers (e.g. switching transistors) relays, lamps, motors, electromagnets, even magnetic valves and so on can be controlled.

James only used 16 of the 64 switching contacts.
He explains: " When playing synth live I use an Akai  MPC1000 sampler for backing beats and I wanted to synchronize lighting with it."
In the video he shows how it is all made.

Video: Blue LED Lights MIDI Controlled using a Doepfer MTC64

" A project using a Doepfer board to Midi Control LED lights. We're going to use this for our band Phoenix-Flare so the lights can be synced perfectly to the Drum Machine "

Uploaded by James Bragg

Subscribe on YouTube: hyperdust7

Random Videos by Daniel Hofer

On a new YouTube channel by Daniel Hofer, a lot of interesting Doepfer-videos are popping up.
Mainly just wild audio-demonstrations without voice-over, but with very interesting sounds and great audio quality too.

Sadly the descriptions are in German, but i did a rough translation of them all... where possible ;-)
Enjoy!

Video 1: 1.3.13 space 02

" Quantised RVnoise dynamically shaped with the DSP Effects-Module from Doepfer.
Inverted Shape + Original "

Video 2: 16.3.13 Resonanz Gate to QVR to VCF

" QVR from doepfer controlled by Gate, controlling the Filter Frequency from the A-108 "

Video 3: 25.2.13 SH Cmp Morp

" 2 LFO Signals into Comperator, Signal Out in Trigger in of the ADSR, VCO1+2 to FM morphing over Offset "

All videos by Daniel Hofer, 

subscribe to his YouTube channel HERE

MAQ16/3 FracRak Breakout Box

MAQ 16/3 FracRak breakout panels

Not every-one finds it practical that the Doepfer MAQ16/3 Sequencer has all its connections on the backside of the module.
Especially when you change your setup a lot, you don't want to climb behind your 19"-rack to change patch-cables every time.

Of course there are always people who have figured out a solution for this.

This MAQ breakout panel that i found in an old Matrixsynth post came with a pair of custom made FracRak breakout panels to bring the MIDI jacks and the 1/8" Voltage Control and Gate jacks to the front of your FracRak panel for easy patching.
These would have fit perfectly next to your Paia modules for example.
It also had the necessary cables to connect to these panels from the back of the MAQ16/3.

Sideview of theMAQ 16/3 FracRak
breakout panels

According to the maker these panels were not cheap to put together. (Try pricing the 2 MIDI panel mount barrels and even the 6 panel mount 1/8" barrels)

Theoretically it is possible to make such breakout panels for a Eurorack system.

The CV and Gate outputs would fit easily on one of those 8HP wide pre-drilled blank panels (A-180-style) that Doepfer sells as spare parts. 

You can even put in a few extra switches for your own maximized customization experience. Your limit is your imagination.

Personally, I have long CV (red coded cables) and Gate (blue) wires coming out of my MAQ16/3 that come into my Eurorack system through multiple A-180 Multiples modules, but i can see the benefits of this module.

It might be worth investigating the possibilities of a Eurorack breakout panel a little more for a future blogpost.

Random Video: Improvisation XXXII by Andreas Krebs:

Andreas Krebs, blogger at http://blog.andreaskrebs.de/ and writer of the Big A-100 Book (still only available in the German language) uploaded an impressive 26-minute long video of his latest improvisational piece... Enjoy!

Video: Andreas Krebs: Improvisation XXXII

"Andreas Krebs: Improvisation XXXII "Wind Horse" 20.02.2013
Instruments: Doepfer A-100, GForce ImpOSCar2 "

Find more about Andreas HERE