peregrinations II (benjolin w/4MS RCD & SCM)

Published on Jul 25, 2013 Epoch Modular·12 videos

"autotelic meat-baker--benjolin and 4MS RCD & SCM modules."

perigrinations III -- benjolin and 4MS RCD & SCM

Published on Jul 24, 2013 Epoch Modular·10 videos

"More (mis)adventures with the benjolin and 4MS RCD & SCM modules."

peregrinations IV (benjolin w/4MS RCD & SCM)

Published on Jul 24, 2013

"autotelic meat-baking with benjolin and 4MS RCD & SCM modules."

Tripping Beats with epoch modular's benjolin

Published on Jul 23, 2013 Epoch Modular·8 videos

"A little experiment with the benjolin and 4MS RCD and SCM modules"

Update:

perigrinations in dream (benjolin w/4MS RCD & SCM)

Published on Jul 23, 2013

"autotelic drummachine with benjolin and 4MS RCD & SCM modules."

Epoch Modular Benjolin - Aleatoric Acid

Epoch Modular Benjolin - Aleatoric Acid from Richard Devine on Vimeo.

"A first patch with this mysterious oscillator. This patch was utilizing the rungler circuit which is an 8-step shift register that takes its serial input from the square wave of one oscillator and its clock input from the other. The digital outputs of the shift register are than put through a 3 bit digital to analogue converter to create random stepped voltage patterns (a stepped havoc waves). This arrangement allows for creation of complex interference patterns that gives the benjolin its unique, aleatoric character.

http://www.analoguehaven.com/epochmodular/benjolin/

http://epochmodular.net/"

via Richard Devine on The MATRIXYSNTH Lounge

benjolin + Phonogene = Sweet Love

Published on Jul 8, 2013 Epoch Modular·6 videos

"This is a little piece I put together using an epoch modular benjolin (Rob Hordijk) and a Make Noise Phonogene. I am also using using a synthwerks force sensing resistor module to trigger the rungler loop function periodically. Aside from that, all of the control voltages are from the benjolin: Triangle A to organize, triangle B to gene shift, Rungler to Gene size, PWM to slide. Oh, and I am also running the phonogene trigger output into the benjolin's filter cutoff cv to add some extra warps and bleeps. The sample is from Stephen Scott's album Vikings of the Sunrise. Oh yeah! I almost forgot. I'm also running the filter output from the benjolin into the phonogene and using the mix knob to bring some of it in here and there. Big deal"

Eurorack benjolin solo production module

Published on Jun 23, 2013 Epoch Modular·5 videos

"This a video of Epoch Modular's benjolin, which I designed and am producing in collaboration with Dutch synth guru, Rob Hordijk. Just experimenting with the knobs here. No external CVs. But it gives you an idea of the broad pallet of sounds the benjolin is capable of producing. I hope you enjoy!"

benjolin, meet Rene

Published on Jun 19, 2013 Epoch Modular·3 videos

"This a little ditty I threw together for Ross and his buddies over at Vicmod, who were inquiring about the use of cvs from the benjolin, i.e. the pulse outs, triangle outs, XOR, PMW and Rungler outs. In the video I am using two benjolins. The runglers from each are being used to clock the x and y axes of the Rene, while the X and Y CV outs from the Rene are plugged into oscillators A and B on the benjolin on the left, whose Low Pass output we are hearing. The cut off of this filter is also being undulated by cwejman complex transient generator whose decay, hold and release cv parameters are being controlled by two triangle A outputs from the benjolins and the rungler out from the one the left. There is also a brief part at the end where I use the Synthwerks Force Sensing Resistor module on the right to experiment with the rungler loop cvs on the benjolins."

More benjolin here.

benjolin with Make Noise Pressure Points, Doepfer A-115 Sequencer and Cwejman CTG-VC ADHSR

Published on May 30, 2013 Epoch Modular·2 videos

"benjolin with Rungler in Loop Pattern. Oscillator A is being controlled by the A-115 and B is being driven by the Pressure Points (Sequencer). Both are being clocked from the benjolin, while the CTG-VC is being triggered by A-115 Gate output et al."

The Rob Hordijk Epoch Modular Benjolin Dual VCO Eurorack Module

benjolin eurorack production module

Published on May 7, 2013 Epoch Modular·1 video
Note this is the first Epoch Modular post on MATRIXSYNTH.

"A darling of the DIY synth community for several years now, Rob Hordijk's benjolin circuit is really like no other synth/noisemaker out there. The benjolin is the smaller sibling of Rob's now legendary Blippoo Box, the subject of his 2009 article in Leonardo Music Journal (Vol. 9). Both the Blippoo Box and the benjolin emerged from Rob's attempts to design a circuit that was, as he puts it, "bent by design". As such both modules function according to the basic principles of Chaos theory, where short to long sputtering patterns spontaneously alter themselves over time, at times gradually and at times quite suddenly, morphing into new pattern doublings and bifurcations. The result is two incredibly unique instruments that function in a sense autonomously or can "play themselves" if you like.

Both the Blippoo Box and the benjolin are based around similar "chaotic cores," which in the the case of the benjolin, is comprised of two vcos and a unique circuit designed by Rob, which he calls a rungler. The rungler is basically an 8 step shift register that takes its serial input from the squarewave of one oscillator and its clock input from the other. The digital outputs of the shift register are than put through a 3 bit digital to analogue converter to create stepped voltage patterns, which are then wired back into the oscillators. The effect of this arrangement is to create a complex interference pattern that gives the benjolin its unique, aleatoric character.

Along with this chaotic core, the benjolin also includes a 2-pole vcf with a unique topology that imparts an amount of all harmonic distortion to the filter outputs. The eurorack module I have designed has additional modifications not included in the original benjolin circuit, including HP and LP outs for the filter, as well as a rungler loop function that can be controlled either via control voltage, manually with an offset knob and also with a toggle switch that turns the offset on and off. These different controls may also be used in tandem, and all serve in someway to hold the rungler in a looping pattern, allowing one to cut pieces out of the chaos and create repetitive drones and beat-like patterns at whim.

As you can see from the video, there are 4 cvs in total (to the left side of the panel, top to bottom): one for oscillator A, one for oscillator B, one for the Filter cut off Frequency and of course the rungler loop function already mentioned. The CV inputs of the two oscillators they are normalized for cross modulation so when nothing is plugged in the triangle output of oscillator A goes into the input of B and vice versa. Similarly, the vcf cv input is normalized to the triangle output of triangle B. As you may be able to see from the attached photo, these three normalized cvs each have attenuator knobs as well.

Outputs include the Pulse and triangle wave outputs from oscillators A and B, the direct output from the rungler, an XOR (which is a logic output from the rungler) as well as a PWM output derived from the Triangle waves A and B. And of course there are also the three filter outputs mentioned above.

This video aims at showing the benjolin solely as "self playing" instrument, and as such no external control voltages are utilized. In addition, for the sake of simplicity, only the low pass output of the filter is used. I apologize for the terrible quality of the video (shot on my Iphone). I have just ordered a camcorder, so better quality video will be uploaded soon."


image via Richard Devine on Facebook

"Epoch Modular - Benjolin - dual VCO based on Chaos theory 'Chaotic Cores'."