via this auction "featuring 42 unique bend points in one patch bay type configuration. connecting any 2 points together will cause all sorts of bizarre effects. glitches drones-cut up rhythms-aleatoric excursions into AMBIENT HEAVEN!
there are 4 'patches' located in GREEN pairs around the 42 (silver) bend points. you can modulate the amount of interaction between any set of bending points by routing separate bend points through the patches. there are 2 special fine tune-10 turn knobs/pots and 2 standard tune pots located on the far right where the speaker USED to be. both internal speakers have been removed to make room for the added parts.
TRIGGERING BENDS WITH THE ADDED PUSH BUTTONS each of the 4 'patches' first gets routed through a potentiometer to dial in a desired amount of short circuiting mayhem... then by flipping the switch for a patch you stop the bending which causes the machine to play normal again---you can then trigger the bending at the dialed in amount with the BLUE push button for that patch.
located on the back are 2 reset buttons (one for battery operation the other for AC adapter power) for when the machine crashes and cannot be reset by simple on/off switching. I also have added a new DC jack as the one that Casio put on there just isn't very good!"
"Yamaha DD-8 1992 drum machine featuring a 20-point modulation patch bay. The unit also includes a joystick for immediate performance of four additional effects which are also combined on the diagonal axes for further processing options.
Both of these custom modifications unlock an array of original sounds and rhythmic variations; making a single connection on the patch matrix alters the output but applying multiple connections produces an increasingly complex, sometimes aleatoric range of reversed, tonal, bit crushed, flanged, distorted, aliasing and delayed sounds, additional accents, rhythmic patterns and digital noise. Additionally, the five included patch cables can be stacked for further sonic manipulation.
The DD-8 includes a wide range of rhythmic styles, sound effect samples, 9 percussion sets and echo, flam and roll effects.
The patch bay and joystick affect the 100 tempo adjustable onboard rhythms and, depending on the connections, the velocity sensitive drum pads. The 20 different preset drum and percussion sounds can be individually assigned to each pad. The unit functions as normal when the patch bay is not implemented.
Mains (9- 12v DC) and battery powered (6 x AA), features a 1/4" output, no onboard speaker."
"DrumKid is the lo-fi aleatoric drum machine that I've been working on for the past two years. It reached the final of the Hackaday Prize 2019, and is now available to buy online from https://mattbradshawdesign.com/store"
As an extra special bonus track commissioned for this album, sonic wizard Richard Devine (Schematic, Make Noise, Warp Records) has created a complex aleatoric recombinant masterpiece out of a thousand exploded fragments of "Illuminated" using his massive modular synthesizer, a huge ever growing pulsating brain that rules from the center of his studio near Atlanta!"
"Rare 1993 MIDI drum machine with a custom 25 point patch bay. This modification generates an array of original sounds, effects and rhythmic variations. Making a single connection on the patch matrix can dramatically alter the output but applying multiple connections produces an increasingly complex, sometimes aleatoric range of fractured, reversed, tonal, bit crushed, flanged, distorted, aliasing and delayed effects, 16-bit arcade sounds and digital noise, alternative rhythmic patterns and additional accents. The five included patch cables can also be stacked for further sonic manipulation.
The patch bay affects the 100 tempo adjustable onboard rhythms and tracks in addition to the pads and scraper which produce some great degraded digital effects and percussion hits.
Features: 8 velocity sensitive drum pads. A 'scraper' ribbon controller for the performance of preset instruments, scratching and rolls. 100 preset rhythms with instrumental accompaniment options. 75 PCM percussion and effects sounds. 30 percussion sets. Selectable roll, flam and echo effects. Auto bass/ chord function. Three user song memory. 608 mm x 281 mm x 105 mm."
aleph.
designed and engineered by ezra buchla and brian crabtree.
made by monome in upstate new york.
$1400. ordering open now.
shipping late fall.
"soundcomputer.
powerful audio processor, synthesizer, noise machine, rapidly modifiable instrument. a platform for experimental practice and organic discovery.
attachments.
connect grid controllers, modular synths, midi keys, stomp boxes, gamepads, hand-made circuits. for more direct control and uncommon pairings.
topography.
dynamically arrange control mappings with unprecedented flexibility. create software control sources such as modulators, logical operators, aleatoric processes, sequencers. all quickly storable and recallable.
open source.
designed for community engagement, a benefit for musicians and developers alike. an exceptional educational tool. the library of uses and possibilities can only grow."
powerful audio processor, synthesizer, noise machine, rapidly modifiable instrument. a platform for experimental practice and organic discovery.
attachments.
connect grid controllers, modular synths, midi keys, stomp boxes, gamepads, hand-made circuits. for more direct control and uncommon pairings.
topography.
dynamically arrange control mappings with unprecedented flexibility. create software control sources such as modulators, logical operators, aleatoric processes, sequencers. all quickly storable and recallable.
"designed and engineered by ezra buchla [Don Buchla's son] and brian crabtree::
%100 percent functional and looking great!
w/ 4Gb SD card,
loaded firmware,
original instructions,
and mysterious still photography
that came with the unit.
}
Description from :
URL :: https://monome.org/aleph/
aleph is an adaptable soundcomputer where synthesis, drum machines, samplers, loopers, and various other possibilities can be implemented with creative mapping and numerous external control methods-- attach via USB (grid controllers, knob boxes, MIDI keyboards, gamepads), CV (control voltage for modular synths, foot switches, etc) and computers.
simply put, aleph is a small audio input/output device with a screen, bank of buttons, and series of encoders/knobs. it has the ability to host and run a variety of programs created by both monome and the user based community surrounding. new applications will be developed, documented and shared over time. elaborate mappings can be created without writing code by way of an easy menu driven environment and a thorough preset system.
soundcomputer.
powerful audio processor, synthesizer, noise machine, rapidly modifiable instrument. a platform for experimental practice and organic discovery.
"Using the Loudest Warning versions of the Ken Stone Gated Comparator to play the Serge system. The GC takes 2 inputs (any time-varying voltage source and a clock source) and sends out a variety of CVs and Gates based on the incoming clock, using 8 shift registers that sequentially pass the voltages along. Its hard to explain what's happening, because there are a few extra details that complicate it. One is that each of the 8 steps can have an offset voltage added with a knob setting. Also there is a loop function which can be different to the inputs. Then there are different outputs - a mix of all the voltages on each step, or random voltages per step. A range knob sets the general voltage range its going to output, and there is a sensitivity knob to control how much of the variable cv input is setting off the stages. Its pretty hit and miss, and is one of those modules that is best just experimented with, but it can give amazing results that can't be done on anything else (apart from other modules based on this idea, such as the Rungler, Klee sequencer, Turing Machine, etc). Its great for semi-random sequences of notes and other cvs, as well as gates and timing pulses
In this patch I'm using one GC (on the right of the panel) to do the pitches and a second one (far left) to send out cvs to control the timbre of the oscillator. This second GC is a slimmed down version with less controls and no individual gate outs, but its the same thing in principle
The strange wonky rhythms are being made with a combination of the window comparators and the EG which has an equally baffling array of input and output options
So in other words, this is a an extremely fun panel to experiment with when making aleatoric music 😁"
"- circuit bent yamaha tg33 synth with vector joystick (retains full functionality pre-bent when all bends are deactivated)
-breakout box with 32 banana jack patchbay which effects the awm waveforms
-4 switches activates 8 dedicated banana jacks located on side and back of box for switching
-8 stackable banana cords provided
-getlofi ltc1799 precision oscillator replaces internal clock frequencies for smooth pitch control of approximately 5+ octaves on any given note. (until the sound breaks into sound grains)
-1 switch selects precision oscillator or original fixed frequency clock
-1 fm/awm waveform glitch and resynthesis 4 position rotary switch with one center off-momentary on/lock on switch to activate rotary.
-replaced internal memory battery with a fresh battery.
-db25 connector cable from breakout box to synth
-db25 jacks on tg33 and breakoutbox
-1 vintage blue beehive lens with bright led lighting
-1 vintage milk glass lens with random slow phase lighting
-original owners manual
-bend diagram jpeg and tips and tricks sheet emailed to winner
-cd-r of manual, many great patches, and editor program
-power supply included (north american supply only, international countries will need to supply their own adapters. the tg33 is regulated to handle anything from 9-12 volts dc with a positive tip around 700 ma is best)
(check out video below)
this is probally my secret weapon of choice at the current moment. it's quite unique from other synthesizers and will reward those that take the time to program/tweak this thing.
although this isn't the most difficult synthesizer to program it will require the user to dig in a little bit and study the manual. the editor also accesses some very in depth synthesis options. vector synthesis is pretty straightforward and intuitive to work with but there are elements like assigning midi controls, selecting voices to work together, envelope shaping, indepndant lfos, sending sequences/controllers, and recording vector movements to really make the best of the possibilities. it's pretty simple to work with but has real power shaping sculpture.
if designing from scratch is too much for you to deal with it still would be easy tweak or play many of the included patch banks straight and all patches will respond to circuit bending.. the synth also features a random vector voice create feature!!! the included backed up sound banks are really well designed and have alot of sounds to keep you busy. but. those without a decent midi controller, basic midi knowledge, basic synth design, tweaks, and assigning controls from menus, etc, this may not be a good synth to start with if you are starting out or don't work with midi, otherwise be prepared to meet a truly unique synth!! "nice to meet you" it says..
the synth works with 4 waveforms in the vector per note of polyphony (think 4 oscillators per note). 2 of which are fm, 2 are awm based sampled waveforms. the awm waveforms are bendable. so approximately half of the 300+ available waveforms are circuit bendable. each waveform is independantly circuit bendable with it's own response to the pressures of bending. what makes that interesting is that when you play with the vector you can assign the circuit bent waveforms to the vector and also assign waveforms that aren't circuit bendable to the vector to either stack voices or morph a voice from the strange abstract sounds and aleatoric responses of circuit bent synthesis into a more traditional synthesis by use of the vector joystick or by assigning the x-y grid to two midi controllers. you can also record exact movements in the vector into the voice's program everytime you trigger a note. either way the awm waveforms can be circuit bent or left alone. the circuit bends depending on how you patch the waveform can have subtle tonal results such as stutter, tonal variations to extremes of complete self composing glitches or dense walls of sound. there are too many results to try to describe here.
instrument has an added getlofi precision oscillator which controls the total pitch of the synthesizer. all midi functionality is retained in the tuned frequencies of the oscillator. the oscillator is on a switch with the original clock signal if the user should not want to use overall pitch control. pitch bend internally by midi and pitch bending on the precision oscillator are not unlike each other but they are certainly completely different then each other.
the instrument is completely stable. able to go to completely strange circuit bent sounds and back to normal without any hitches at all in the system or voices!!!
now here is where things get completely chaotic!!!!
4 fm/awm brain scramble bends are allocated on a rotary switch. the rotary switch is activated by a switch is a 3 way switch which can either disconnect the rotary,momentary snap connect or lock into position. each bend interacts with the others to push it different directions sonically. these bends are completely chance orientated but more often then not great new patches are made and mysterious soundscapes occur. a switch activation cycles through complete mutations to the fm sounds, sound patch restructing, auto accompainments, self compositions, bizzare playing responses in reaction to sent control data. each throw of the switch creates a new sound either slightly altered to extremely altered with often mysterious and good results. since these bends are chaotic i've kept them seperate from the awm extention box as the awm bends of this instrument is completely stable and will not alter the sound of the patch when bends are deactivated. the fm bends are chance orienated and often alterations are extreme which make it better for studio work. although with some careful fm waveform assignments to the vector. you can find fm waveforms which aren't quite as extreme and make more subtle alterations and bent sounds. you can then improvise with the circuit bent fm/awm waveforms with some planning in regards to creating your own unique patches or finding the best presets and saving them into internal memory.
when fm waveforms are bent they can still be bent further with another activation from the fm switches but will not return the original patch without a power cycle on/off on the instrument. when the instrument is booted up the patch returns to its original form and nothing is lost in memory.
db 25 connector is in what used to be the cartridge slot with industrial strength adhesive. the connector already fit in the slot pretty nicely but the industrial strength adhesive sets the connector in it permanetely and securely. since the cartridge slot is occupied that closes up the option for using memory cards. this shouldn't be much a problem since the cartridge is proprietary and finding the exact card is extremely difficult since they are extremely rare and if you do find one they're pretty expensive not to mention all the time you'll be spending on ebay trolling for one.
the unit however has internal memory for patch storage as well as the ability to dump and recive patches via sysex. the unit's memory back up battery was replaced with a fresh lithium battery and a battery clip easily located so it would be easy to replace the battery in the future by the user or any tech.. as is, the fresh battery should last from 5-10 plus years depending on the use of this machine. the battery should last much longer than that, the battery i replaced was the original and was working fine before replacing and that battery had lasted nearly 20 years!! also a pdf manual, patch editor and many banks of great professional patches are included on a cd-r with this auction. i can include some patch notes of my own to illustrate how to organize a patch notebook to facilitate bending patches based on this system."
circuit bent yamaha tg33 vector synth and akai ewi 4000s