Theseus - Digital Modular System by Bendan Byrne

Published on Jun 2, 2015 Brendan Byrne

More information on the Theseus Digital Modular System can be found at...
http://cargocollective.com/theseus/Ab...

"Theseus is a platform for designing modular electronics instruments for musical and visual composition. Building on the Eurorack analog synthesizer standard, the platform uses ⅛” patch cables to interconnect modules. However, unlike the Eurorack standard, Theseus is entirely digital and produces MIDI/OSC control messages rather than audio signals. This simplification in fidelity greatly reduces the cost of materials and complexity of electronic circuits, making patch cable compositional systems more accessible to artists and musicians. A collection of 14 modules was designed to demonstrate the potential of such a platform. These modules highlight what designs become possible when material expenses drop and prototyping time is shortened."

Playlist:

1. Maht Dvdr - Unlike the other modules that produce simple sequences or steady patterns, Maht Dvdr possesses the ability to create elaborate and evolving compositions through an automated routing system.

The module is driven by a master clock. With each trigger signal it receives an onboard software counter increases by one. At the same time sixteen frequencies, each a division of the current counter value, run in the background. These channels are accessed and routed to each output using three inputs. The first input receives a voltage that determines which of the ten output positions to select. The second input determines what divided frequency to assign to that output. Lastly, a latch input locks the selected divided frequency to the selected output channel.

2. Mandalatron - The Mandalatron is a four channel ten step sequencer. Each channel possesses the same values set by the ten central rotary controllers, but with isolated clocks and sequence lengths. When the clock input of a channel is triggered, the sequence will advance by one step and reset to the first step at the point designated by the sequence length controller. This arrangement and iteration of channels allows for complex rhythms to be created easily. It was designed with pitch output in mind, but these voltages can be used to modulate other variables such as note length and velocity to great effect.

Graphic design was roughly inspired by mandala patterns to highlight the overlapping and symmetrical effects of the module’s functionality.

3. The Muxquencer - A multiplexer is a standard electronic integrated circuit that allows for a signal to be routed to one of several outputs. To determine the which output to route an incoming signal, the multiplexer requires high or low voltage signals be applied to a series of selection pins.

The Muxquencer is a union of the functionalities of a step sequencer and a multiplexer. In this case, four selection inputs are used to select a step and route its value to the output. This module takes it one step further by allowing the user to access permutations of the selection inputs. Blue LEDs indicate the original binary selection while green represents a permutation of the selection pins. This allows the same information to create two entirely different pattern sets. The permutation controller is also voltage controllable; meaning feedback from the Muxquencer's values can be used to alter its own pattern. Finally, a trigger out that goes high very briefly whenever a new selection is made was implemented to facilitate note triggering.

4. Eyes - Fire Emblem, a 2003 Gameboy Advance Game from Nintendo and Intelligent Systems, features a collection of heavily armored warriors engaging in combat to save their fantastical world from the forces of evil. Cut scenes between combat events are utilized to progress the story. Up to four characters are presented on screen from the chest up, in traditional role-playing game style as text bubbles appear above the one currently speaking. During these scenes, characters will blink intermittently. These blinking events are the driving force behind the Eyes modules.

A hour long portion of the game was recorded using screen capture software. Processing was then used to count the milliseconds between each character's blinks to produce a data table. This data table was then uploaded as firmware to the Eyes module's microcontroller. The blinking LEDs are are perfect copies of the original blinks of the game's characters.

Eyes also employs a switch that allows the user to change the overall rate that the blinking sample is read using a rotary controller. One final controller allows the duration of each blink to be extended. Ideally, Eyes' output will be used to trigger rather than gate.

5. World Clock - World Clock is a simulation of birth rates. Data points from the United Nations Children's Fund's 2013 report on annual number of births were used to calculate the frequency at which births occur in a variety of places across the planet. Essentially, LED flashes indicate live births in simplified real-time for the year 2013.

Frequencies
America: 6.187 sec
Western Africa: 1.888 sec
China: .843 sec
South America: 2.925 sec
Australia: 95.642 sec
Europe: 4.382 sec

6. Lowfo - Lowfo is a four channel low frequency oscillator. Each channel is capable of producing square, triangle, ramp, sawtooth, and random waveforms. The frequencies of the oscillators are determined firstly by a rotary controller and secondly by a modulation input. Waveforms are selectable by a small pushbutton located directly above the LED bank. The leftmost and rightmost oscillators can have their periods reset by an external trigger signal located near the top of the module. It is possible to produce a rudimentary envelope using properly timed reset signals with sawtooth and ramp waveforms.

7. Don't Care Now - Don't Care Now is a three channel square wave generator. Unlike Life Oranges, this module supports frequency modulation input. The switch located on each channel toggles between coarse and fine frequency adjustments.

The graphic design of Don’t Care Now is meant to convey a sense of modulated percussive frequencies. It can be a difficult experience composing with frequency modulated tempos. The name hopes to release the user from anxieties concerning this.

8. Life Oranges - Life Oranges produces five square waves. The topmost controller determines a main frequency. The remaining four channels produce signals at 1/2 - 1/16 the rate of the main frequency. The value of the divisor for these channels is set by a corresponding rotary controller.

Divided signals are crucial in developing rhythmic patterns, syncing modules, and offsetting sequences. Life Oranges work well with the Muxquencer, Boolean Logic Matrix, and Mandalatron modules.

9. Boolean Logic Matrix - The Boolean Logic Matrix accepts gate signals on each of its axes. A logic operation is performed and a processed signal output at the XY coordinates of the inputs. The Logic Matrix supports AND, OR, NOR, NAND, XOR, XNOR, and NOT logic functions with the last pertaining exclusively to inputs on the X axis.

Graphic design uses the typeface Lato, black and white, and inversion points to convey the cold binary logic of the module. Flavor text at the bottom of the module suggests the ultimate logical deduction.

Full description on Theseus - Digital Modular System via http://cargocollective.com/theseus/About-Theseus for the archives:

"Abstract
Theseus is a platform for designing modular electronics instruments for musical and visual composition. Building on the Eurorack analog synthesizer standard, the platform uses ⅛” patch cables to interconnect modules. However, unlike the Eurorack standard, Theseus is entirely digital and produces MIDI/OSC control messages rather than audio signals. This simplification in fidelity greatly reduces the cost of materials and complexity of electronic circuits, making patch cable compositional systems more accessible to artists and musicians. A collection of 14 modules was designed to demonstrate the potential of such a platform. These modules highlight what designs become possible when material expenses drop and prototyping time is shortened.

Description
The Theseus platform is composed of four elements. The first is an electronic infrastructure is made up of eight printed circuit boards that can be selected and recombined to suit the demands of the module. Second, the platform employs a set of standard electronic and hardware components including acrylic sheets, patch cables, rotary potentiometers, and LEDs. Third, several software libraries are used to simplify the programming of each module’s functionality following its fabrication. Finally, to facilitate communication between modules and consumer music/visualization programs, a software interface allows users to route and map signals as they see fit.

There are three module types: generators, processors, and receivers. Generators produce a signal that can be sent to a processing module or connected directly to a receiver module. Signals are indicated by blinking or fading LEDs. Processing modules take existing signals, apply a mathematical operation to them, and output an altered signal. Receivers are the final destination in the signal’s path. This is where the received message will be translated into a digital protocol for interfacing with computer software. Given these three module types and the near infinite number of combinations, it becomes possible to craft unique and deliberate musical and visual compositions using Theseus.

The modular system presented in the accompanying photos demonstrates the extent to which personalization of electronic instruments becomes possible when barriers to entry are lowered. In this case, I focused primarily on designing modules that could not exist in an analog system, whether due to cost of production, esoteric functionality, or analog electrical limitations. As modules can be reprogrammed to serve any functional purpose, I chose to forego traditional labels in favor of a more playful and interpretive aesthetic in the graphic design."