MATRIXSYNTH


Wednesday, January 17, 2007

BugBrand Drone Machine


Click here for images pulled via this auction.

Details:
"Input - Audio Input Preamp with Vari-decay Envelope Follower
The modular works at high signal levels so external audio signals must be brought up to suitable levels. Suitable for line or mic level signals (low or high gain settings respectively). The EnvFlw generates a smoothed CV representing the amplitude of the input signal.

RingMod - Multiplier / Modulator
Ring-modulation of oscillators or audio input results in some great klang-tones and you've got the modular scope to make the input waveforms do some interesting things. This module also allows amplitude modulation, so can be used for basic VCA applications in AM mode.

Inverters - CV / Audio inverters x 2
Two simple inverters that work with CV or audio signals. Useful for changing the polarity of modulation waves.

VCOs - 3 x Thomas Henry XR2206 VC(LF)Oscillator
These VCOs have some great power and with three of them you can reach some really extreme sonic areas by cross modulation and/or chaotic feedback. The concise design is from Thomas Henry (used with permission) - there are details online here and I've published a compact PCB for you to DIY here. I've added a switch to allow Oscillator or LFO ranges from about 1cycle a minute up to super-high frequencies (10+ kHz) and the oscillators are roughly scaled to 1v/oct (though I wasn't aiming for a typical keyboard driven synth system! You'll get at least four octaves of decent tracking).
The oscillator generates Sin/Tri waves (switchable) and squarewaves, has diverse modulation inputs, sync input and a strange/wonderful VC-waveshaping control that inverts half of the Sin/Tri waveform resulting in rich harmonics (the waveshaping doesn't change the squarewave)
The controls are (from top): Range Switch (Osc / LFO), Coarse Tune, Indicator LED, Fine Tune, Sin/Tri Switch, Waveshape, Exponential Modulation with depth control (use this input for 1v/oct response), Linear Modulation with depth control, Waveshape modulation with depth control, Sync input, Sin/Tri output, Square output.

VCF - State Variable VC Filter
A standard but powerful VC Filter design (12dB/Oct) with two audio inputs and three response outputs (Low / Band / High pass). There are controls for Cutoff and Resonance and two cutoff modulation inputs with depth controls. The two audio inputs (with level controls) are mixed together before the filter.

Delay - PT2399 digi-delay module (not voltage controlled).
The PT2399 is a good sounding digital delay chip - it is only specified to generate delays up to about half a second, but when you slow it down further you get some noisy, crunky, wonder sonics (hear the audio demos). You get two (switchable) time ranges - long or short, with long generating the crunchy sounds. Then there are controls for delay time, feedback (into overload) and dry/wet balance.

Output Mixer - 3 channel output mixer
A simple output mixer with level controls and master output level control.

The Rear Panel - Ins / Outs / Power / Decoration!
On the back of the unit you've got the input and output 1/4" mono unbalanced jack sockets, power input / on-off switch / LED indicators (bright blue!) and common ground connection (if you want to hook the unit to other modular devices). Pretty looking, no?

Connections - all internal connections use 4mm banana connections. These are great because they're colourful, reliable and, best of all, stackable - so you can take an output to many different inputs at the same time for modulationary overload.

Power - the box runs off a bipolar (+/- 12v) supply so you can only use it with the supplied AC (not DC!) power adaptor. I have a range of AC adaptors suitable for your global location and will supply your choice of UK, Euro or US.

Case - the box is a compact 12 x 6 x 6 inches and has a carrying handle on top. Damn, you can travel in style with this box - it looks kind of like a vanity case!

Sound Demos - an important factor! Here are some mp3 demos (320 kbps) - they are all recorded straight in with zero effects - what you hear is what you get! And do try to listen on decent speakers to hear the extreme low-frequencies possible. These sounds, of course, give only a brief overview of the sonic possibilities."

Demo1 - starts with slowly modulated oscillations, moves through some delay sounds and down into clickety bubbles.
Demo2 - some synthy sounds (not played with keyboard! purely square-wave modulation depth), more delay and then into a chaotic scream section. Finishes with some hyper-high-freq slow moves to cleanse your ears.
Demo3 - audio processing with a drum beat. Highlights the VCF with modulation from the EnvFlw and oscillators. Moves into ringmod sounds and the end has some subtle sync'ing rhythmics.
Demo4 - Low-end sine modulations - you need to hear the lows. Shows some waveshaping and modulation inversion."

You can find the demo links in the auction and mirrored here for when the auction goes away.

Previous BugBrand posts including video.
BugBrand on YouTube
BugBrand website

Update: The video:

BugBrand Drone Machine - Overview & Audio Processing Demo

JoMoX Sunsyn

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

Casio PT-10

Another "made you look" auction image. This one features what looks like a Quad Sherman Filterbank. The auction is for the Casio PT-10. Title link takes you to the shots pulled via this auction. I have a feeling these are going to get old pretty fast, but it's interesting seeing this technique for the first time. This is via the same seller as the last post.

Details:
"HARDCORE PUNK CIRCUIT BENT CASIO PT-10. FOUR BLACK MOMENTARY BUTTONS UNDER YOUR FINGERS & ONE TOUCH SENSITIVE STUD THAT INDUCES PITCH SWOOPING FOR LEFT HAND MANIPULATION. THESE BUTTONS ARE SUPER HIGH QUALITY FOR CLEAN ENGAGEMENT OF BENDS AND FEATURE A SMOOTH SPRINGY REBOUND. THE STUD IS UNSHARPENED APPAREL QUALITY AND IS SOLIDLY MOUNTED AND RE-ENFORCED SO YOU CAN WAIL ON IT. ADDED 1/8 INCH OUTPUT FOR MIXERS, EFFECTS... I HAVE BEEN PLUGGING STRAIGHT INTO MY MODULAR SYNTH AND USING IT AS A SOUND SOURCE OR FURTHER BLASTING WITH THE SHERMAN FILTERBANKS I USE SO OBSESSIVELY... GOOD SOLID MODIFIED DEVICE WITH LOADS OF ATTITUDE AND AGGRESSIVE SOUNDS AND RHYTHMS AS WELL AS THE STOCK PIANO, FANTASY, VIOLIN & FLUTE PRESETS. ALL THE BENDS WORK INDEPENDENTLY AND IN COMBINATION WITH ONE ANOTHER FOR VARIOUS RESULTS WITH VARIOUS VOICE, RHYTHM, AND OTHER SETTINGS ON THIS KEYBOARD. PORTABLE; THE PT-10 WORKS WITH 4 AA BATTERIES & THE BATTERY COMPARTMENT IS CLEAN, UNOBSTRUCTED; THE COVER INTACT... ...& IT WILL RUN OFF OF THE 6v DC ON THE MULTI-VOLTAGE MULTI-ADAPTOR I AM INCLUDING IN THIS AUCTION ! THE SPEAKER IS INTACT AND PRODUCES LOUD CLEAR SOUND THAT IS NOT SIMPLY OVERDRIVEN INTO DISTORTION BY THE BENDS."

That's not me shouting, btw...

Magical Musical Thing


File this one under one of the best "made you look" Ebay auctions. I'm going through the newly listed stuff and I see a thumbnail of this image listed as "Magic Musical Thing." You can barely make out the image in the thumbnail but I see lots of colors and lights, so of course I click. And... It's a Hartmann Neuron! Only the Neuron of course is not up for auction, but rather... the "Magical Musical Thing"

No title link. Just the two shots and some details pulled via this auction.

Details:
"RARE MATTEL 1978 MAGICAL MUSICAL THING. THIS SYNTH WAS MARKETED AROUND THE TIME OF THE HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL MOTION PICTURE 'CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND' & MAY HAVE BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO CAPITALIZE ON THE MARRIAGE OF COLOR AND SOUND THAT COMPRISED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE HUMAN AND TERRESTRIAL IN THAT FAMOUS FILM'S FINALE SEQUENCE... VERY GOOD FULY FUNCTIONING CONDITION DESPITE THE LOSS OF THE MATTEL LOGO AND OTHER ADORNMENTS. COMES WITH BOX AND BOOKLET OF INSTRUCTIONS AND SONGS. STRANGE BEAUTY AND PROBABLY A WONDERFUL CANDIDATE FOR A CIRCUIT BENDING PROJECT... WILL BE ABOUT 5lbs. PACKAGED"

Apologies for the all caps, but I'm not about to convert that to lower case.

Roland SH-1000

Title link takes you to shots pulled via this auction.

Details:
" This is a Roland SH-1000 synth. It is the first synth Roland produced and possibly one of the first commercial Japanese synths, which makes it quite a collectible.

It has 10 preset sounds and a synth section for creating your own sounds. On the synth section there are 9 synth selectors giving a range from 32' to 2' each of which can be combined for generating more complex waveforms. It also has a VCF and VCA. Effects include Vibrato, Tremelo, Portamento, Glide, Growl, Waw and Random Note which plays "accidental" random notes, interesting effect. There is also White and Pink noise. It's got pretty much everything. Spend a little time with it and you will be soon producing some very cool and unique basses, leads and weird sounds.

It has a nice rich analog sound and has some very interesting modulation features not found on the later SH models."

Don't forget to check out MATRIXSYNTH-B for more.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

FLAME at NAMM

Remember FLAME? Looks like it will be making an appearance at NAMM.

Title link takes you to the FLAME site with audio.

Producer Timbaland rips song from finnish musician?


YouTube via timbalandrips. Sent my way via JM.

"In 2000 the Finnish demoscene musician Janne Suni (also known as 'Tempest') won the Oldskool Music Competition at the Assembly demoparty with his four-channel Amiga .MOD entitled 'Acid Jazzed Evening.' A Commodore 64 musician called 'grg' remade the song on the C64 (using the infamous SID soundchip); it is this that was stolen."

Synth content: C64 in the original track. Title link takes you to non synth details.
There's more detail in the description of the YouTube video.
Here's the TinyUrl referenced at the end of the video.

Jupiter 8 Versions

This came in on the AH list. Bookmarking this one for future reference.

According to the service manual there are NINE different versions:

Below 171700: OC-8 (optie) test production
171700 - 181899: D/A converter from 12 to 14 bit
---: OC-8 is optional for 12 en 14 bit models
181900: PROM compatibel with OC-8 PROM's
202100: Modulation circuit
202210: RAM Module Controller Board
242750: Brighter leds installed
272850: Button added to dimm Leds
282880: DCB Board standard

NB: the OC-8 board was the predecessor of the DCB Board

Update: Table of serial numbers.

x0xb0x Mod and Mp3

Title link takes you to the mp3 via greg.
mods:
bass boost (more like bass un-cut)
accent decay/min decay extension
vco output
filter input
filter input level/overdrive
resonance boost
env min, max extension
cutoff extension
vca decay
square, saw and vca to vcf FM
accent to filter extension

Virus TI OS 2.0 - Grain-table Synthesis?

Title link takes you to a pdf via this thread on HC.

"OS 2.0 for Virus TI has some new oscillator types:

"The new version features additional oscillator types, enhanced Wavetable synthesis and more wavetables. It allows you to see how expensive a chosen patch is and features Section Locking through Virus Control. Patches can be finally sorted by category and the onboard patch ROM contains addition 256 sounds by Matthew Stolley and Matt Picone.

We have included new oscillator modes, greatly expanding on the flexibility of these already powerful sound-sculpting tools.

The remaining oscillator modes all make use of a new technology for the Virus TI, called Grain Table. The basic idea behind this technology, is to take the existing wavetables, and apply similar techniques as those used in some granular sampling and pitch-shifting algorithms to open up a whole new world of possibilities. Each of the two main types: Grain Table and Formant Table are presented in both Simple and Complex formats. In each case, the Simple mode offers fewer parameters, and a higher polyphony than Complex, with the values of parameters common to each mode remaining constant.

It’s important to note that the characteristics of the Grain Table and Formant Table oscillators are quite different to those of traditional “granular” sampling/synthesis techniques, which tend to be associated with other-worldly “clouds” of sound. In the Virus TI, we have instead employed the technology to achieve a very musical result which should prove every bit as useful as the other oscillator types in all manner of musical projects."

I have no idea if this is real, but there it is.
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