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.

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