Exploring The Gristleizer Eurorack Module

Published on May 12, 2016 Bimini Road

http://www.endangeredaudioresearch.com/
http://www.biminiroadelectronics.com

"Here are a few clips of The Gristleizer working with some other modules. The Expert Sleepers FH-1 is acting as a bridge for my KMI QuNexus (off screen). The Disting mk3 is the oscillator, which is feeding into the L-1 Tube VCA, which itself is triggered by the gate from the FH-1 (I don't have an envelope module at the moment). The output of the VCA is then fed through the Gristleizer and sent through my Universal Audio Apollo, where a Cooper Time Cube provides the stereo delay. It is also running through the Neve 1073 Preamp plugin, the Studer A800, and the Ampex ATR-102.

0:00 - Output A of the Disting is multed using a Tiptop stackable cable to the Mod input of the Gristleizer in VCF mode. This means that the speed of the scanning Bandpass Filter within the Gristleizer is moving at the same rate as the pitch of the oscillator. Doing this, the Bias, Filter Mix, and Depth Controls all allow you to dial in amazing tones.

0:46 - This is the same setting as above, but the internal triangle wave of The Gristleizer is modulating now. I call this effect a phase ring mod. Although it does not use diodes in a ring configuration to achieve the ring mod effect, the effect of the scanning BPF creates another oscillating tone that, especially when dialed into the tonic or the dominant note of the scale you're using. In this case, I am dialing it in so that it crashes against the pitch of the Disting's oscillator, creating some truly growling tones.

1:46 - Here, I'm adjusting the drive of the VCA to create some feedback overtones in order to highlight the range that the Bias knob sweeps through. The Bias controls the center frequency that the Gristleizer sweeps through. Only with the Endangered Audio Research Gristleizer filter do you get this wide range - the original design was focused way down in the bass range which, for most instruments, was completely unusable. The redesigned filter is dirty enough to be at home within The Gristleizer, but is without a doubt much more musical. In this example, I have patched the Saw LFO output to the Mod input (breaking the normalized connection to the Triangle wave).

2:17 - This is The Gristleizer in VCA mode. Notice towards the end of this clip how much the Bias changes the tone of the input. The added Filter Mix control also doubles as a presence control in VCA mode. The Square LFO is patched into The Gristleizer's Mod input.

2:59 - Another example of the phase ring modulation effect."

Exploring The Gristleizer Eurorack Module - Part 2

Published on May 14, 2016 Bimini Road

http://www.endangeredaudioresearch.com
http://www.biminiroadelectronics.com

"Ableton Live is controlling the oscillator and the L-1 Tube VCA through the iConnectivity Box and the Expert Sleepers FH-1, and I'm scanning through different sounds and modes of The Gristleizer to show what a versatile tone box it is. Few modules can radically alter their input this much!"