FS1a vs. e560

Published on Oct 17, 2013 Stephen Drake·39 videos

"This is a quick and dirty comparison of the Jurgen Haible FS1a frequency shifter and the Synthesis Technology e560 Deflector Shield frequency shifter. I've been asked a number of times to describe the differences/similarities between these two devices, and thought perhaps a quick video would provide some answers. The FS1a is an all analog device; the e560, all digital. Bruce Duncan of Modcan has said that this is one device that is better suited for a digital implementation, as while the analog version is really complex to design and build, and has numerous compromises, the digital version can be designed around the software code, which is quite easy to implement. However, the Jurgen Haible design is perhaps the best analog version of a frequency shifter yet, and I think it stands up well against its digital brother.

This demo isn't perfect - I didn't spend forever getting all the audio levels right, and matching the way the different effects worked, so you get what you get. I only basically demo three aspects of how one might use these devices. During the stereo panning demo, I may have the settings on the FS1a wrong.

This isn't really a fair comparison, as the Jurgen Haible FS1a isn't actually available as a commercial product, and even as a DIY project it's virtually unobtainium - Jurgen Haible passed away in 2011, and the pcbs for it aren't available currently, and may never be. The e560 is available in eurorack format currently, and sometimes in DIY format, which is how I've built mine behind a 5U panel."

JH Triple Chorus

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

Via the seller: "I have built this on my own, with boards bought a while ago from Jürgen Haible's site.

The unit is in great working condition and was used only in a smoke free studio.

It uses 3 TDA 1022 BBD's.

Works on 220v."

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DCOs vs VCOs

A recent poll went up on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge asking whether DCOs are analog or digital. DCO stands for Digitally Controlled Oscillator and in many cases they are actually analog. They are just digitally controlled. I remember the debate coming up frequently on the Analogue Heaven mailing list so I did a quick search and found the following from the late Jürgen Haible. He was an extremely respected synth DIY designer who's work is frequently featured on the site to this day.  I thought I'd share it here on the site as well.  Note the bits preceded with  > are from someone else.  JH is the rest.

">
>>There are different types of DCOs.
>>An analog oscillator, whose frequency is synced to a digital clock. Thus
>>the tuning is perfectly, but the waveform is smooth.
>>Example: Oberheim Matrix 1000, Matrix 6/6R
>
>My M-6 can really get out of tune sometimes (not often though). Perhaps it
>only syncs when you use the "tune" function?

I always thought it's the (resonating) *filter* that is tuned on request.
The DCOs are locked to clocks as said in the original mail.

>>A digital circuit, which aproximates analog waveforms as step functions in
>>hardware, the bit resolution gets worse the older the gear is.
>>Example: Korg Poly-800, Bit-99
>
>The DCO's in these should rather have been labled DO's by the manufacturers
>then, as the sound is digitally generated.

IMO, there are quite a lot of nuances of VCO-DCO. Let me try and make the whole chain from "analogue" to "digital" (Though I wouldn't say strictly from "good" to "bad" ;->)

(1) free running analogue oscillator, controlled by analogue voltage divider keyboard. (Minimoog, ...)

(2) free running analogue oscillator, controlled by digital via a D/A converter without correction, and analogue modulation (Oberheim n-voice (?) )

(3) free running analogue oscillator, controlled by digital via a D/A converter, with autotune, scale correction and stuff, but still analogue modulation (Sequencial Circuits Prophet5 rev. 3)

(4) free running analogue oscillator, controlled by digital via a D/A converter, with autotune, scale correction and digital LFO / Sample&Hold / Glide modulation, but with analogue ADSR->VCO modulation (Oberheim OB-8).

(5) free running analogue oscillator, controlled by digital via a D/A converter, with autotune, scale correction, and all modulations including ADSR via DAC (Sequential Prophet 600).

(6) free running analogue oscillator, controlled by digital via a D/A converter, with autotune, scale correction, and all modulations including ADSR via DAC, plus automatic autotune in the background from time to time (Oberheim Matrix12 (?)).

(7) Simple Ramp-Oscillator that is synced by a counter every cycle, but with different clock/divider tree for both DCO's in a voice (Oberheim Matrix 6, EDP Wasp)

(8) Simple Ramp-Oscillator, that is synced by a counter every cycle, but with one single clock/divider tree for both DCO's in a voice (Oberheim Matrix 1000)

(9) Staircase Waveform stuff (as described in different recent mails)

(10) Wavetable stuff (also as described in recent mails)

These are the different types I know of. Maybe there are still others in between. Speaking in the word's original sense, (2) - (6) would be something like "DCVCOs" ("digital controlled VCOs") in the sense of a digital word forms an analogue voltage that controls an oscillator. (7) and (8) would be real "DCOs", cause they are still oscillators, only under the iron grip of digital clock, which makes them sound thin and lifeless. (9) and (10) shouldn't be called "controlled oscillators" anymore, perhaps just call them "DOs" ("digital oscillators") or even closer to the point, "DDs" (digital dividers) or "DS's" (digital scanners). Well, but that would go too far then.

Oh, I forgot another interesting variation:

Analogue oscillators with digital dividers / waveforms:

(11) analogue VCO with dividers (some ARP-synths - thank You Joachim, for the schematics! - and of course the Suboscillators in various VCO- based synths)

(12) 12 analogue VCOs for the 12 top-octave-semitones and digital dividers (Farfisa VIP 245, Korg PS-3x00 series)

JH."

Modular noodling

Published on Aug 18, 2013 pirxmodular·3 videos

"Rather pointless modular synthesizer noodling on Sunday afternoon.

Sequence 1: VCO555, ARP4075 clone, Chaotica, MFOS Wavefreaker
Sequence 2: MFOS VCO, 2044 VCF
Lead sound: Teezer VCO, MFOS VCO, Minimoog VCF clone
Ribbon: Appendage ribbon controller, JH Living VCOs, CGS Synthacon VCF clone
Drums: CGS Drum synth
FX: MFOS Phaser, Neural Agonizer, JH Son of Storm Tide Flanger, Blacet Time Machine"

ADSR envelope generator test

Published on Jul 25, 2013 pirxmodular·3 videos

"ADSR envelope generator test using Leader LBO-9CH-B oscilloscope.

The LBO-9CH-B is a X-Y scope used as a display device in Hitachi 60 MHz NMR spectrometer. The scope has a relatively long phosphor persistence which allows looking at slow rate signals.

Here, a MFOS ADSR envelope generator controls the Y-axis of the scope. The X-axis (time) is controlled by a slow-rate sawtooth VCO synced with the envelope trigger.

What you hearing is Jurgen Haible Living VCOs mixed and fed through a YuSynth Minimoog VCF filter controlled by the ADSR generator."

Jurgen Haible Varislope Filter/Phaser demo

Published on Jun 17, 2013 Stephen Drake·37 videos

"This is an overly long demo of the Jurgen Haible Varislope Filter/Phaser. This isn't a commercially available module currently - it was only available as a PCB directly from Jurgen, and after he passed away in 2011 they became unavailable. It's possible they will become available again in the future. The sounds that are being filtered are being created with 3 sequencers, a MOTM 300 VCO, a Double Dekka VCO, and an Ian Fritz Teezer VCO. All running through a Craig Lee Eight Channel Quantizer. Clock services provided by the 4ms SCM/RCD."

Jurgen Haible Analog String Filter

Note: Auction links are affiliate links for which the site may be compensated.

via this auction

"Jürgen Haible's 40 band string filter, a great module professionally built in a compact space, Moog, MOTM format. Perfect working, voltage +15, ground, -15.

More info here" Unfortunately the website is gone. Jurgen Haible passed away in 2011.

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Jurgen Haible Varislope Filter/Phaser

via Stephen Drake on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

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EMS VCS3 Clone by cormallen

via cormallen on Muff's

"After around ten months of sporadic effort, I've finally finished my VCS3 clone. It's as close to the original (with the usual mods) as I could make it - all NOS components, except for the reverb tank.

That said, I have added quite a lot of extra features, mostly because I used a Ghielmetti 20 x 20 matrix, and thus had extra rows and columns spare... I've added the following:

JH's adaptation of the Korg MS20 HADSR
A variation of the CGS utility LFO
An Oakley MIDI-DAC
Some stuff of my own design to buffer the oscillator and filter VC control lines and to integrate the MIDI bits."

Pics of the inside below.

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Weirton Steel Town

Published on May 25, 2013 davidryle·110 videos

"Automated generative music on my modular synth.
In 2000 I bought a large CNC lathe from a sheet metal maintenance plant in Weirton, West Virginia. The large steel complex was quite impressive and is the inspiration for this music. After hours of patching the synth, I was struck by the metallic properties of the sounds coming from the instrument. Hence the Weirton Steel Town title.
The wonderful photograph at the end is from the City Of Weirton's web page at www dot cityofweirton dot com. A very nice place to visit and I'm sure - to live as well."

¡3 modular flangers 3!

Published on Nov 23, 2012 by Stephen Drake

"I've always loved flangers. When I started playing electric guitar as a kid a flanger was one of the first effects I got, and I've almost always had one since. In my modular synthesizer currently there are 3 modules that can work as flangers, and this is a short demo of them.

1. Blacet Time Machine - shortest delay time, use built in LFO for delay modulation, experiment with feedback knob.
2. Synthesis Technology e580 Resampling Mini-Delay - use the Tap output, set the back jumper to the 1-2 postion (feedback from the tap out - brought out to the front panel on my version)
3. Jurgen Haible Son of Storm Tide Flanger - dedicated flanger device, a super monster killer of the flanger world!

Audio is: bass - Ian Fritz Teezer Through Zero VCO being modulated by a MOTM 300 VCO going through a MOTM 190 VCA (driven by a MOTM 800 EG) being sequenced by a Music From Outer Space 16 step rotary sequencer. Treble: Synthesis Technology e340 Cloud Generator sequenced by a Ryk M-185 Sequencer. Clock confusion is supplied by the 4ms SCM/RCD. Various other modules that I've forgotten about were probably used, and it all ran through the Eventide Space device before being recorded straight to computer.

All video and audio copyright ©2012 Stephen Drake"

DIY synth - inspired by EMS VCS3 and Synthi 100

Published on Nov 4, 2012 by MentallyUnfit

via Kris Campestre on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

"First video of my DIY synth. Audio is recorded with the camera so not the best quality.
The synthesizer consists of VCS3, Synthi 100 and JH modules.
Specs:
4 vco's (VCS3)
1 Trapezoid (JH)
1 Trapezoid (synthi 100)
1 LPF (VCS3)
1 Sample & Hold (JH)
1 octave filterbank (synthi 100)
1 Wavefolder (JH)
1 Highpass filter (synthi 100)
1 Random voltage generator (synthi 100)
1 Slew limiter (synthi 100)
2 Ring modulators (VCS3)
1 Envelope follower (synthi 100)
1 Noise generator (VCS3)
1 joystick (VCS3)
1 inputmodule (VCS3)
1 outputmodule (VCS3)
1 reverb (VCS3)
1 matrix for audio
1 matrix for control voltages

patch:
VCO1 to Synthi 100 filter in Band pass mode to reverb to output
VCO3 to Sample & hold to VCO1 frequency
Synthi 100 trapezoid controls the filter frequency
The joystick is used to control delay, attack, on and decay parameters of the trapezoid and the reverb mix with 68K pins"

Racked EMS VCS1 & VICMOD ENSemble "Schematics On Trees" Dedicated to Richard Lainhart, Mike Brown & Jürgen Haible

via Vicmod Records

"VICMOD ENSemble
Schematics On Trees
VMDL15

Description:

VICMOD ENS
2009 – 2012

Recorded @ locations around Melbourne, Australia.
Compiled and mix by Ross Healy.

1. Schematics On Trees 1
2. Schematics On Trees 2

VICMOD Ensemble have been Ross Healy, Graeme Trott, Simon Birds, Gerrard Jenner, Stephen Richards, Owen Harris, Blake Stickland, Scott Baker and Brett Maddaford.

Machines used:
EMS Synthi AKS, EMS VCS3, EMS VCS1, Buchla 200e, Serge Modular, Euro Modular, Frac Modular, DIY modular and various fx.

Dedicated to Richard Lainhart, Mike Brown and Jürgen Haible.

Original schematic by Jürgen Haible used by permission."

"This first release from VICMOD ENSemble is a mix of live performances from 2009 to January 2012."

Left: According to Vicmod this is the racked EMS VCS1. I'll see if I can get some additional info on it. You can see another VCS1 in this post from 2007. It was a prototype VCS3.

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The Completion

YouTube Published on May 2, 2012 by davidryle "A generative real-time recording of the modular synthesizer and Kontakt5. The synthesizers.com Q172 quantizer Aid module is sending midi pitch data back into my DAW (Steinberg's Cubase 6) and I'm routing it to Kontakt 5 with an instance of Sonic Couture's "Bowed Piano" sample sets. I also routed the midi through to the Yamaha TX816 with 8 modules playing a superb piano rendering. Days worth of patching on the modular for everything else. Some modules of note are the Ken Stone BiNTic filter/oscillator, J.Haible Tau "Pipe" phaser, Ian Fritz ChaQuO and 5 Pulser, two CGS01 sub oscillators and one CGS01 in Harmonic Sequencer mode.The HS mode is generating the pitch data for the formerly described piano patches and the high pitched sliding sounds in the background. The dotcom sequencers and STG sequencers are producing voltages for the BiNTic dark ambient industrial sounds in the background. A final white noise to the Q107 filter, Sputnik VCS, Cynthia QLPG, SSL digital delay and Oakley Deep Equinoxe phaser and STG signal amps round out the sound voices."

ARP4075TEST.wmv

YouTube Uploaded by ahmwsynth on Feb 26, 2012

"Test of my ARP 4075 filter (square waves from Jurgen Haible Living VCOs being filtered)"

EMS VCS3 Putney Inspired DIY Synth by Kris Campestre

via Kris Campestre on The MATRIXSYNTH Lounge

"DIY Work in progress.
Specs:
4 vco's (VCS3)
1 Trapezoid (JH)
1 Trapezoid (synthi 100)
1 LPF (VCS3 + JH mods)
1 Sample & Hold (JH)
1 octave filterbank (synthi 100)
1 Wavefolder (JH)
1 Highpass filter (synthi 100)
1 Random voltage generator (synthi 100)
1 Slew limiter (synthi 100)
2 Ring modulators (VCS3)
1 Envelope follower (synthi 100)
1 Noise generator (synthi 100)
1 joystick
1 inputmodule ( vcs3)
1 outputmodule (vcs3)
1 matrix for audio
1 matrix for control voltages"

BLUE ZTVCO DRY DEMO & Surrounding Controversy

YouTube Uploaded by bluelantern320 on Jan 3, 2012

Update 10/4/2013: I heard from Ian Fritz and the controversy is over. Blue Lantern no longer offers the ZTVCO. That said, BL posts will resume.

This one, which seems to be a reoccurring theme with Blue Lantern, comes with a good dose of controversy. You might recall from a few years ago BL got into a bit of heat selling MIDIBox SIDs on eBay. MIDIBox explicitly forbids the commercial resale of MIDIBox SIDs. Blue Lantern stopped and went into producing affordable eurorack based modules and systems.

This latest controversy surrounds the source of design for the new BLUE ZTVCO. You might recall from the comments in this previous post, the design of that prototype module appeared to be a copy of Ian Fritz's Teezer (TZFM Saw VCO debuted Sep'08) design. Ian Fritz's modules are available via The Bride Chamber and Elby Designs.

In short:

1. Is the BLUE ZTVCO based on Ian Fritz's design?
2. If so, to what extent?
3. If so, is it legal?
4. If so, is it fair and does it matter?

The answer to 1 and 2 will not be known until someone gets a hand on the ZTVCO and reverse engineers it. I asked BL if he would be willing to provide the schematics to put the issue to rest and he replied no. He said people can reverse engineer it when it it's available and he is sure someone will. The answer to 3 is quite possibly so. There is currently a good thread on the subject on the electro-music.com forum here. The answer to 4 depends on you. My personal opinion is that it is not fair and it definitely does matter. Whether legal or not, I view it as stealing. These designs do not come out of thin air. They take time and talent and sometimes years to produce. You will see some insight on this in regards to Ian's Teezer design from him directly below. When someone makes their designs available, credit should be given.

The following is a response from Blue Lantern in regards to the claims made against him. The most important thing to read out of his points below is "3. This is not a clone, this vco is a beast in it's own cage."

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DIY - Sintetizador Modular

via Sebastián's Photos on Facebook

"Modulos: 1 x MIDIbox CV - 3 x Yusynth VCO - 1 x Papareil Synth Labs Quantix-8 - 1 x Yusynth Mixer - 4 x Yusynth ADSR - 3 x Yusynth VCA - 1 x Yusynth Minimoog VCF - 1 x Yusynth Synthacon VCF - 1 x Yusynth VCS3 VCF - 1 x Jugen Haible WASP VCF - 1 x Yusynth LFO - 1 x Yusynth Dual Slew - 1 x Sebo Buffered Multiple - 1 x Yusynth Noise & Sample&Hold - 1 x Yusynth Sawanimator - 1 x Dual Ringmodulator - 1 x Yusynth Wavefolder - 1 x Bergfotron VC Phaser - 1 x Scott Bernardi VC Delay"

full modular 2011

flickr By sduck409

All DIY modular featuring MOTM (Synth Tech), Blacet, Jurgen Haible, Ian Fritz, Scott Stites Klee sequencer, Ryk, 4ms, Flight of Harmony, Yusynth, Toppobrillo and Tellun.

Pics of Synth DIY Built with JH PCBs

This one in via numbertalk on the electro-music.com thread on Jürgen Haible's passing. Click here for a thread starting on Sun Feb 17, 2008 currently with 196 posts from various people creating things with his designs. Link also added to this post.