Introducing the Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2

video upload by Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers

"Standalone Modern Analog Synthesis Laboratory
Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers’ long-anticipated successor to the Voltage Research Laboratory is filled to the brim with interesting new inventions, such as several new wave-shaping technologies, an addictive tactile performance controller, and more…"

The New, Experimental Synthesis of the Voltage Lab 2

video upload by Jorb

0:00 Intro
2:27 Hands on Begins
4:58 Oscillator One
11:01 Oscillator Two
16:29 Quick Look at Function Generators
18:26 Quick Look at Dynamics Controllers
19:04 FX
21:02 Chance Sequencer
22:37 Touch Controller Begins
26:56 Step Conditions
28:10 Step Jump Explained

Geek Chic // Sonic Experiments from the Voltage Lab2

video upload by Starsky Carr

"Dusting the cobwebs from my vintage 1950's lab coat - it was all the rage once honest.

Going into lab rat research mode and seeing where the maze takes me..

... and here's the results.

Just a little taster while I open the lab book to record apparatus, method, results, discussion and conclusion.

0:00 Bunsen Burner Big Beats
2:15 Plucking Pipettes (no pipettes were harmed)
3:06 Test Tube Techno (it's not techno)
5:59 She's Alive
7:44 Naked Flame
10:00 Medical Skeleton (its the Bare Bones)"

Pittsburgh Modular Voltage Lab 2 - Just Jammin'

video upload by Molten Music Technology

"Fascinating new modular system from Pittsburgh with a decidedly West Coast bent. Too soon for a review, but here's half an hour of playing with the rather remarkable sequencer, the timbre of the oscillators and other bits and pieces. I added some reverb via the Chroma Console but otherwise it's all the VL2."

The Sweet Spot: Voltage Lab 2 Semi-Modular Synthesizer
video upload by HAINBACH

"As anyone who has ever tried to assemble a modular synthesizer, it is not easy to create a cohesive instrument, especially if you try to narrow it down to a portable case. In comes The Voltage Lab 2 that Pittsburgh Modular send me to play with (thanks for that!) - it is a semi-modular self contained synthesizer, and to me it hits the sweet spot between functionality and musicality."

Also see The Lab Report Episodes for audio demos.



Press release follows:

May 14th, 2024 - Pittsburgh, PA Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers today announced Voltage Lab 2, a standalone dual oscillator analog synthesizer synthesis laboratory with a unique integrated touch-sensitive performance controller.

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ALPHA BASE ACID playaround #jamuary2024

video upload by Voltage Maze

"Alpha Base is running through Soundcraft mixer, recorded into DAW and made louder with amc plug-in and a limiter.

https://voltagemaze.bandcamp.com

#jamuary2024 #jamuary"

ALPHA BASE Techno FM playaround #jamuary2024

video upload by Voltage Maze

"While preparing a kit for another modular techno jam I catched some vibes with the fm engine of the Alpha Base

Alpha Base is running through Soundcraft mixer and RNC1773, recorded into DAW and made louder with amc plug-in and a bx limiter."

🔥🎹 3 SIX of SEQUENTIAL (PROPHET-6, OB-6, TRIGON-6 - live clinic) 🎹🔥

video upload by FutureMusic.es

"Three BIG analog synths of SIX voices from the SEQUENTIAL brand are under our scope. And we receive our friend Chris Calcutt of Focusrite UK to solve this electronic maze. You can interact live with us, asking anything related you want. The session is translated both ways to and from english and spanish with Zígor López (Holmusic) and José Antonio Álvarez (Future Music Spain).

[ESP] Tres GRANDES sintetizadores analógicos de SEIS voces de la marca SEQUENTIAL están bajo nuestro foco. Y recibimos a nuestro amigo Chris Calcutt de Focusrite UK para resolver este laberinto electrónico. Puedes interactuar en vivo con nosotros, preguntando cualquier cosa relacionada que desees. La sesión está traducida en ambos sentidos entre inglés y español con Zígor López (Holmusic) y José Antonio Álvarez (Future Music España).

Prophet-6, a winner's heritage / la herencia de un ganador

In the purest style of Dave Smith, Prophet-6 is a tribute to the classic polysynth of the 80s, but elevated to the category of electronic instrument of the 21st century, "the result of our effort to build the modern analog polysynth with the most incredible sound", in the words of the great designer.

The Sequential Circuits Prophet-6 synthesizer retains the best details of the vintage Prophet-5 - truly analog VCOs, filters and VCAs - and enriches them with advanced effects, a polyphonic step sequencer and other goodies.

[ESP] Al más puro estilo de Dave Smith, Prophet-6 es un homenaje del clásico polisinte de los 80, pero elevado a la categoría de instrumento electrónico del siglo XXI, "el resultado de nuestro esfuerzo para construir el polisinte analógico moderno con el sonido más increíble", según las palabras del gran diseñador.

El sintetizador Sequential Circuits Prophet-6 conserva los mejores detalles del clásico añejo Prophet-5 -VCOs, filtros y VCAs auténticamente analógicos-, y los enriquece con efectos avanzados, un secuenciador polifónico por pasos y otras bondades.

Oberheim & Sequential OB-6: Analog power on every side / potencia analógica por los cuatro costados

Developed in direct collaboration with Tom Oberheim, OB-6 takes its inspiration from this master's original designs to deliver "authentic vintage SEM tones with the stability and flexibility of modern technology".

The OB-6 architecture integrates two oscillators per voice plus a sub-oscillator, with saw, variable pulse and triangular waveforms (this only in OSC-2) – all of them continuously variable for greater harmonic diversity. Each voice passes through a 12dB multimode filter (with low-pass, -high, -band, and band-reject responses), inspired by the original SEM circuits. And of course, the analog route is completed with Voltage Controlled Amplifiers (VCA).

[ESP] Desarrollado con la colaboración directa de Tom Oberheim, OB-6 toma su inspiración en los diseños originales de este maestro para ofrecer "auténticos tonos añejos SEM con la estabilidad y flexibilidad de la tecnología moderna".

La arquitectura de OB-6 integra dos osciladores por voz más un sub-oscilador, con formas de onda sierra, pulso variable y triangular (ésta sólo en OSC-2) –todas ellas continuamente variables para una mayor diversidad armónica. Cada voz atraviesa un filtro multimodo de 12dB (con respuestas paso-bajo, -alto, -banda y -banda eliminada), inspirado en los circuitos SEM originales. Y por descontado, la ruta analógica se completa con Amplificadores Controlados por Tensión (VCA).

Trigon-6, the analog polysynth with three VCOs and ladder filter that excited Dave Smith
Trigon-6, el polisinte analógico con tres VCO y filtro en escalera que entusiasmó a Dave Smith

Sequential Trigon-6 adds a unique stamp to the timeless sound of its family, with feedback, overdrive, and an innovative two-pole mode (12dB drop) over the ladder filter, "for greater versatility and width in your palette of tones". Its filter design is an evolution of the circuitry included in the successful Pro 3 synthesizer.

[ESP] Sequential Trigon-6 añade un sello único al sonido atemporal de su familia, con realimentación, saturación, y un innovador modo de dos polos (caída de 12dB) sobre el filtro en escalera, "para obtener una mayor versatilidad y amplitud en su paleta de tonos". Su diseño de filtro es una evolución de la circuitería incluida en el exitoso sintetizador Pro 3."

Dave Smith Was an Ironman Triathlete

In case you missed it in this post, Roger Linn noted Dave Smith was "an avid athelete, cyclist and triathlete. He actually participated in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon in his younger years..."

@birdkids reminded me of an article on the development of the Prophet VS archived on the WaybackMachine. In it, Chris Meyer mentions Dave was in Hawaii prepping for the tournament during that time. I thought it was interesting and worth sharing. I captured it below.

"Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 07:55:41 -0800
From: Xrystal
MIME-Version: 1.0
Subject: Birth of the Prophet VS

I thought the following might be of interest to you. Xrystal
_____________________________________________________________________


The Birth of the Prophet VS

By Chris Meyer, ex-employee of Sequential Circuits

reprinted from the VS WaveWrangler User Guide by permission of Interval Music Systems,
©1991 Interval Music Systems.

It all started somewhere in 1985. We were still working on the Prophet 2000 sampler,
and as resident historian (in other words, I had the most magazines and manuals) another
engineer was asking me to explain how various instruments performed crossfades. I had
finished discussing the Fairlight, and had moved on the PPG - explaining its wavetables,
and the ability for it to scan a group of waves first in one direction and then back again,
While I was scrawling this back and forth motion in my notebook, suddenly a little twinge
went off in the back of my head, and myhand drew the next line arcing down the page.. and the
concept of crossfading beween waves in two dimension, not just one, was born.

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Powerful new modules from Livestock Electronics!!! Shepherd, Ellis & Leap // Superbooth 2019

Published on May 23, 2019 DivKidVideo

"I really like the Livestock Electronics modules. BANG makes for a great characterful oscillator, MAZE is killer signal routing magic box and MIR and FELIX ignite a system with their useful utilitarian-ism-ness. The new modules look to continue to add a tonne of power to a Eurorack system with 6 channels and over 20 outputs, Ellis is a macro controller, voltage generator, potential chord machine and Leap is an LFO and envelope with a few tricks up it's sleeve! ... if modules even have sleeves."

Livestock Electronics MAZE - Sequential Attenuverting Matrix Mixer & Signal Router in Eurorack

Published on Feb 8, 2019 DivKidVideo

"I've had a lot of fun with the Livestock Electronics Maze. With it's option to route and then control level and inverted level of any input signal to any output the potential for this thing is pretty crazy! Going beyond that having the option to save several banks of 16 states and recall these states AND THEN use CV or triggers to move through the presets states randomly, in order, addressed by CV, with Euclidean patterns etc. Really cool.

TIMING INDEX / SECTIONS

00:00 Hello and patch previews

00:49 What is Maze? Features etc.

04:23 Routing, inverting and mixing modulation

08:06 SLCT input - using external signals to move through saved routing presets.

09:05 Switching and distributing triggers to shift up your beats

12:41 Interesting use of an accent pattern

14:57 Turning an offset voltage into a 4 voice chord machine

16:46 Building pitch and modulation sequences and states

20:16 SLCT Fade mode - crossfade between 16 states of routing, level control and inversion."

via Livestock

""At least now we know why they call it the Milky Way."

Want to change your patch with a push of a button? Create presets for attenuversion, routing and mixes of signals? Sequence and morph through audio and cv? Then Maze has got you sorted!
​

Maze is a versatile routing and mixing matrix. That allows you to create your own touchpad of patch presets. Each routing position has been equipped with an attenuverting VCA so it can be used for signal distribution and attenuversion.

Morphing speed between presets can be changed and routings can be muted. Preset selection is also possible with CV and several algorithms. The signal path is entirely analog and it is even possible to chain Maze modules together to increase your matrix."

Voltage Controlled Christmas Tree

Published on Dec 8, 2017 Beige Maze

"Merry Christmas from Beige Maze!"

Vintage home made synth thingy !! 1970s

via this auction
"Well here is a bit of an odd item which i know best part of nothing about!

It looks to be a rather complicated home made 6 voice osc/tone generator. It is packed full of old switches and pots and a maze of wires inside. Built in the late 1970s looking at the date codes on the components. I was told the chap that built this use to bulid effects and units for tv and sound effects in the 1960s and 70's


Not too sure what it was used for but i have had a play with it and this is what i have found...

On the rear is a 5 pin din socket with 3 wires going to a pcb. These then go to selection switches on the front panel to select input trigger mode. Each of the 6 vco sections can have one of the 3 input triggers switched on. That vco is then triggerd by a voltage on its input from either a sequencer or any other voltage output device / keyboard

Each of the 6 sections has its own course and fine tune pots and also 4 x switches for octave selection as per an organ. 16ft - 8ft - 4ft - 2ft - these cn be selected so only one octave note is played or any combination of the 4 at the same time. Also each octave switch has a pan pot to make it a stereo output as well as its own volume control

I have managed to get 5 of the oscs to work but one did nothing. Will want the switches and pots cleaning/repairing to get it all going so i am selling strictly as spares or repairs for parts or restoration

On the pcb there are 6 parts each with some sort of voltage to frequency converter ic

Built into an open sided metal frame. Gone rusty on the frame but front ok

I am not sure what this would have been used for when built but basicly if you have a mono syth with a voltage output onto one input you can have 6 osc's play at the same time and tune or detune to make polyphonic like playing a chord and 4 x octaves can be played at the same time... : /

Dont know if any good to anyone but didnt have the heart to throw it out!

No warranty diue to age and the fact i dint know how to use or test it"