M13 MINI DEMO, AGAIN

video upload by Peter Grenader

"Another demo of the Model 13 Mini Vactrol Low Pass Gate. Here two slightly detuned Model 15 VCO are being gated by the Mini, then through a phaser and finally through the EAR Model 27 After Effects Generator (Delay)"

Demo: EAR Model 13 Mini Vactrol LPG

video upload by Peter Grenader

4HP EAR Model 13 Mini Vactrol LPG KIT & Limited Pre-Assembled Modules In the Works

via Peter Grenader of EAR. You can find demos in previous posts here.

"I am pleased to announce a collaboration between EAR and Analog Haven.

The 4HP EAR Model 13 Mini Vactrol LPG KIT for Eurorack

The prices have not yet been determined, but the PCBs have been ordered and will be arriving shortly. ALl of the thru hole components are already in hand

We are producing 200 factory-assembled and 200 kits of VTL5C3 based Low Pass Gates closely resembling the behavior of the original Buchla design. Due to the largely unobtainium status of the proper vactrols this may by your last opportunity to purchase a Buchla based LPG. The factory pre-asembled modules will have green soldermask and metal photo process aluminum faceplates. The kits will have black soldermask PCBS and a FR4 black faceplate, of which there will be 2 variants - both priced differently:

A. A kit containing 1 Faceplate, 1 Main PCB, 1 Pot PCB, three jacks, three 1mm thick metal washers, 1 100K linear pot, 1 Davies-type push-on T18 black knob, 1 momentary pushbutton and a link where to purchase the SMT parts referencing both vendor and Mouser part numbers. Expect $12 in parts is purchased through Mouser.

B. Same as above including two vactrols. However, these will not be available until after the factory-built units have been completed.

Photo is missing faceplate"

EAR Model 13 Mini Vactrol Lowpass Gate • Demo 1

video upload by Peter Grenader

"Short Demo of a patch which demos the new EAR Model 13 Mini LPG"

Sunday Morning Mort aka Early experiments with Mutable Beads

video upload by Peter Grenader

"This is a lively Sunday morning jaunt with my newly acquired Beads... which, as silly as this may be, is offscreen in this video.

I know, lame.

Hear me out! The Mutable Beads is currently kicking the crap out of me. I have no idea of it's capabilities. It's all hunt and peck at this point. In one of those experiments, i noticed by putting a metric rhythm patch through it and syncing the Seed input with the same clock that's driving the patch that it would, magically, double the frequency of whatever it's processing.

This immediately reminded me of a certain passage Mort Subotnick is famous for, so i ginned up a quicky sonic xerox. This all came about after i produced a demo of what 'real' lowpass gates can do, which hearkened back my percussive motif fetish that dominated my piece The Secret Life of Semiconductors (search 'Peter Grenader Secret Life" on apple music or bandcamp if curious).

Everything you hear is being gated through vactrol-based LPGs, namely the Plan B Model 13 Timbral Gate. The first voice is from a Flame 4 Vox in which i cycle through a few of it's wavetables. The second voice is it's manifestation via the Mutable Beads in which i am controlling the wet/dry mix via Plan B Model 24 wiggly random voltage. The third voice is via a Plan B Model 15 which is getting it's pacing from Malekko Varigate 4.

Panning courtesy of an EAR Model 7 Panner, driven by a second wiggly random via a second Plan B Model 24

The first and third voices are being driven by two Plan B Model 10 EGs to both open the LPG and thwap the VCO frequencies.

As i sidenote, i think Apple finally chased all the demons out of iMovie. It does not piss me off anywhere near as much now.

enjoy, or not!"

Peter Grenader • POV (live modular electronic music)

Published on Jul 13, 2018 Peter Grenader

Peter Grenader of Plan B, The zZyzx Society, EAR, and Subconscious Communications.

"An abridged version of POV - recorded in stereo and live by Peter Grenader using electronically generated and sampled timbres, one being the trumpeting of a large bull Elephant."

An overview of the system:

Peter Grenader's digital/analog hybrid modular performance system

Published on Jan 1, 2018 Peter Grenader

"This is a module by module tour of my live performance modular synthesizer. enjoy!

11 VCOs (including Model 37 full range LFOs)
7 LFOS (including 4 x $vox)
4 Filters

CLICK FOR MORE »

Roland Museum Germany Massive Synthesizer Selloff - Most Gear for Sale in a Single Auction

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

This one in via Marko of Retrosound.de.

26.000,00 Euro gets it all.

via this auction

Someone needs to contact the Guiness Book of World Records. Longest list of gear for sale ever:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Plan B Toolbox Synthesizer Built for Danny Carey of Tool

Published on Apr 23, 2013 Peter Grenader·17 videos

"This is the Plan B Toolbox Modular Synthesizer, built for Danny Carey of Tool which will make it's public debut with Tool on Saturday, April 27 at the Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia - replacing the iconic Synthi AKS Danny has been using for nine years. This was filmed in Danny's studio just before it was packed into it;s road case for the trip. Instrumentation of the synth is as follows:

Row 1:

Subcon/Plan B Model 15 VCO
Plan B Model 15 VCO (x2)
Plan B Model 39 Wave Splicer
Subcon/Plan B Model 37 Utility VCO/LFO
Plan B Model 9 Mixer
Plan B Model 7 ELF Panner
Output module (power) outputs/levels , light

Row 2:

Intelligel Quantizer
Intellijel microfold
Plan B Model 10 Envelope Generator (x2)
Plan B Model 12 Vactrol Filter
Plan B Model 11 Evil Twin Bandpass Filter
Plan B Model 13 Dual Timbral Gates
Plan B Model 25 Multi-Tasking Audio Processor (attenuator/waveshaper, VC, Ring Modulator)

Row 3:

ADDAC Integrator
Plan B Model 23 Analog Shift Register
Plan B Model 28 Programmable Tap Clock
Plan B Model 14 Dual Voltage Processor/Crossfader
Plan B Model 26 Multi-Tasking Control Processor (boolean gates, voltage mirror, portemento)
Plan B Model 24 Heisenberg Generator (slopped and arbitrary random voltage generators)
Plan B Model 21C Mini Milton Sequencer

Row 4:

Make Noise Phonogene
Make Noise Echophon
Intellijel Korgmatrom FIlter
Plan B Model 10 Envelope Generator
Plan B Model 21 Buffered Multiple

http://www.ear-group.net

Case built by Chas Smith"

SCREAM 2007: ANALOGLIVE! - Instrument List

Via Peter Grenader on the Plan B list:
"as of Friday all of the ensemble performers have arrived in the Los Angeles area, with Richard coming in from Atlanta and Thighpaulsandra making the long trek from Wales. We begin work early in the week in a sound stage before commencing formal rehearsals in the theater on Thursday afternoon.

As far as the equipment we'll be using, we've put together an orchestra of oscillators: Off the top of my head - three rather large Plan B systems, a Doepfer/Plan B/Livewire system, Arp 2600, two cabinets of Aries, one nine panel and a medium-sized three panel Serge fitted with a custom Plan B model 13, the largest Wiard system in the world, an EMS Synthi-AKS, the EAR Performance system, a Buchla 200e, Nord Modular, a Novation, a Waldorf Wave, two tcelectronic reverbs (a 2000 and 60000), tons of delays and a Yamaha SPX90. Controller include a C-Thru-Music Axis, a Continuum Fingerboard, a Doepfer PK88 and MAQ 16/3, Roland A-33, a Fatar workstation and an Analogue Systems French Connection.

Along with a wall of effect racks, Chas Smith will be bringing two of his own instruments: the Guitarilla and the Towers. Guitarzilla is a steel guitar made of machined aluminum and welded titanium tubing. It has a 12 string neck tuned to a diatonic scale and an 8-string bass neck. It is also fitted with a small waterless Waterphone-type instrument which is bowed. The Towers are eight 1 1/4" diameter grade 9 titanium rods with titanium plates welded on the ends which are both bowed and struck with a variety of mallets. The longest Tower is 109", standing over 10 feet tall in it's hanger, and the shortest is 55". They have been cut to form a scale which can be obliterated by the complexity of the sounds that the plates generate. They're sonically and visually majestic, bordering on astonishing. Go here for a photo:

http://www.ear-group.net/towers.jpg (pictured)

We will be performing six pieces, one each from the six players, all of which performed by the ensemble - it's not a series of solo performances. Three of the pieces will be world premiers."

click here for more info on the event.

Plan B Model 24 Samples

Via Peter Grenader on the Plan B list:

"All this talk, so where's the bacon? I've posted some sound samples of the M24 doing it's thing. Go here and scroll to Sound Samples. the Model 24 will be shipping in two weeks.

enjoy.

- P"

Update via Peter in the comments:
"For the record:

1) The M24 IS NOT BASED ON BUCHLA'S DESIGNS other than their function. It's microprocessor based.It's not based on anyone's design, the circuit is completely unique inside. Have a look at the block diagram on the M24 page of the EAR site, you'll see what I'm talking bout.

2) The M12 iis NOT a clone of anything. Buchla's filter is state variable, but a completely different architecture. Mine has four modes, Don's has one...they both use Vactrols, as does Dieter's Stweiner Filter. If you feel you must credit me for 'borrowing', then credit Don Lancaster - because the M12 came from reading his filter cookbook that I borrowed from Mike Brown. That's the only borrowing that went into that one.

3) The M13 is close to the Buchla 292 - but there are some significant changes in play there, namely an added opamp feedback which greatly improved it's functionality for non-Buchla signal levels."

"On 'clones'

Adaptations are nothing new. The point has been made about the many many Moog Ladder clones, but let's not overlook the Wiard Wogglebug and the Buchla 266 as well as the Wiard Borg and the Buchla 292, Banalogue's full product line, the Livewire and Cynthia Steiner filters, The Cynthia and Doepfer Wasp, The Livewire Bissell Gen, the list goes on and on.

And while the Model 13 is the only circuit adaptation in our line, so is the Cynthia Lowpass Gate (I know because I designed that circuit) and the Wiard Borg, although I don't see comments about either of these.

Add to the mix that well over 60% of the new analog instruments being released today are based on circuits published in Electronotes. The only function in the entire Plan B line that can be found in Electronotes is the sine shaper in the Model 15, but that was only an Electronotes reprint of a circuit originally published in an article Electronics Magazine in the mid-sixties and was done so as an appnote - meaning they intended for people to use it, that's why it was there.

More on this, the M24 is functionally similar to the Buchla 266 as it produces a stepped and smooth random state (and a bunch of toehr stuff).Well, so does the Wogglebug, the Doepfer A149-1(half of the 266 anyway), The Doepfer A-118 (the other half), the Serge Random Voltage Gen...but we all went about it differently and we all included unique features not in the original. Clearly a 'how would I make something that has this function among others' as opposed to 'how to I make a 266 clone' approach on all counts.

For the record however, I personally asked Buchla and Associates if they would have a problem with this and their reply was no, 'everyone needs a wiggley voltage'."

EAR BUZZ - News from EAR

Plan B Model 10 Polyphonic Envelope released

The first shipments of Model 10's will be delivered and shipped to our dealers Monday. US customers will have them available as early as the day after that. Please leave more time for international shipping to our European dealers.

Major announcement forthcoming on EAR-GROUP.NET

In the next few days Electro-Acoustic Research will announce the first of two new partners into the consortium which will expand it's products and services into an entirely new direction. Keep your browsers here for the official announcement...soon!

Plan B Model 24 Heisenberg Generator progress report

The Model 24 PCBs and faceplates have arrived. Some initial units have been built, but we've determined some slight tweeks required to the firmware. We just felt that your entire system bursting into flames may be a bit too severe for some users. Just kidding - it's only a software interrupt issue, nothing major. Shipments will commence very shortly.

Plan B Model 16 Spectral Multiplexer progress report

The M16 design has been finaliized and with that effort a few new features have been added to what already was a robust set of control options. Go here for details. The board layout process is now in full swing, faceplates are on order and we should be seeing the first of these within a month or so.

Module Statistics added

We have added module statistics (width, maximum current draw) to all released products on the site. They follow directly after the mdule's descriptions.

EAR featured in the Computer Music Journal

The Summer 2006 issue of the prestigious Computer Music Journal features a nice column or two on Electro-Acoustic Research. We'd like to thank our friends Elainie Lillios and Colby Leider for making this happen.

Model 15 ~ a great sine wave just got greater

The Plan B Model 15 Rev. 1.5 boards have arrived. Aside from some minor component placement changes, these new boards have an improved sinewave shaper which reduces the total harmonic distortion by approx. 1/2% (that's one half of one percent). As the photo indicates, the M15 sine has always been real good...but now it's real real good! Instructions for updating your rev. 1.1 to 1.4 boards will be posted in a few days, keep an eye out on this site for updates. For a photo of the resultant waveforms from this change, go here

Model 12 MARK II

The Plan B Model 12 has had a bit of a makeover, adding a Q Low/Q High switch which throws the filter into super high resonance response. It's completely sick, but we think you'll like it Go here All Shipments forom here on in will include the Mark II artwork and functionality.

Model 14 Released

The Model 14 Dual Proocessor has been released at a limited introductionary price of $225 Click here for more info and photos

Model 13 Redux

Like the Model 17, the Dual TImbral Gate has gone through a bit of a facelift with a redesigned board which ellnimates point to point wiring. It's now all done with a single flat cable and the addtion of a second PCB . Go here

New Gallery Section

The homepage was taking too long to load, so we moved our fotos to their very own section. Use the Navbar GALLERY tab to check them out or go here

Plan B Mystery Meat

the following link is a soundbyte of an all-Plan B patch which along with a single Model 10, Model 13 and Model 15, incorporate three new modules you've not seen nor heard before...but you will real real soon One hint: that's NOT a model 12 filter you're hearing. . Go here

Doepfer A-188-1 BBD Module and Samples

Via Doepfer: "Module A-188-1 is a so-called Bucket Brigade Device module (abbr. BBD). BBDs have been used to delay audio signals before digital delays dethroned the BBD based effect units. But BBDs have some very unique advantages (or disadvantages dependent on the point of view) over the digital counterpart which result from the special properties of the BBDs. BBD circuits can be treated as a chain of Sample&Hold units (S&H) which pass on their voltages to the next S&H in the chain at each clock pulse. A more detailed explanation – including the different types of BBDs – can be found in following chapter.

In any case the sounds generated by module A-188-1 are very special. Typical applications are: Flanger, Chorus, Analog Delay or Karplus/Strong synthesis. But as the A-188-1 has a lot of very unique features (voltage controlled clock rate / delay time with extreme range, polarity switches for the CV inputs, feedback and BBD out/mix, clock and CV output of the high speed VCO, BBD clock input, feedback insert, feedback up to self-oscillation) a lot of unusual applications can be realized with the module (e.g. delay controlled by ADSR, envelope, random or sequencer with positive or negative effect). The A-188-1 also has no built-in anti-alisaing filter in order not to limit the possibilities of the module. For this the CV out is intended."

Peter Grenader of Plan B/EAR and Buzzclick Music posted the following three samples on Ah in response to requests for examples of the A-188-1 BBD Module. I asked him what else was used and if I could post the samples here. He not only gave me the thumbs up but he took the time out to type up the details below. Very cool. Enjoy.

tests_mix8.mp3
testsmix9.mp3
s2.mp3

"Audio:

This patch is a single sine going through three parallel processes: Two Miniwaves and the Doep Wave Multiplier. It's then into the Model 13 ('both' setting). The EG opening the gate is also giving the freq of the sine a strong goose (freg CV) and it's very short - an A/R at zero everything. Model 13's make short EG very useful for percussive events. The output of the M13 goes into a mixer as well as a Doep. A188 Delay (1024) which goes into the same mixer. This adds to the ringing.

Control:

The control path is all about Milton. Bank one sets up the first four degrees of a major scale . Bank two adds an accellerado to the LFO driving Milton, bank three gives a little increase in amplitude (a button) to the last note in the four position sequence.

There are various Model14's combining signals which give some dynamic presence from the keyboard aftertouch and velocity outputs and set up the equal tempered frequency offset to the sine VCO..

A midi keyboard is used to start the sequencer and the it's own stage four gate out is used to stop it. This is the benefit of having separate start/stop controls, each with external trigger inputs - you can start the sequence with one signal and stop it with another. The EG opening the Model 13 ad giving the thwap to the VCO frequency is triggered by the Milton's Obedient Clock outputs. No pulse is passed unless the sequencer is running, so stopping it at stage four allows only four events to pass and they stop in time with the sequencer halt.

The same signal which starts the sequencer (midi keyboard trigger) is also used to reset it back to stage 1. So each depression of the keyboard yields a four-note phrase. But...it's retriggerable. If you fire another midi note before Milton reaches stage 4, it'll start over again at stage one. The gesturing is created by 'dancing' on the keyboard in that fashion - allowing the sequencer bounce as much as you wish. Sometimes allowing the entire phrase to complete, sometimes resetting before it does. Once you adapt to to the feel of the sequencer's speed, you can create this gesturing quite easily."

Alesis ION Demos by Kenneth Elhardt

Demos have moved here.

Via Kenneth Elhardt on AH. Enjoy.

"In a recent catalog I recieved, I noticed that the Alesis Ion was now
selling for $600. I had a 10% coupon for 8th Street, so at $540 it was just
too good of a deal to pass up. I bought one at the end of october. 2 weeks
later I had created a bunch of sounds on it and then recorded the demos
below. Since I like the music of Ennio Morricone, I decided to use that as a
vehicle to demo some realistic accoustic imitations. I don't have any
printed music scores, so I did it by ear, improvised stuff, and threw
together elements from different movies just to create a eclectic mix.

The only equipment used was an Ion + expression pedal, + sustain pedal + EQ,
+ reverb. I also played the whole thing on that little tiny keyboard because
the Ion wouldn't work properly with my 88 note RD-1000 piano. That's just
one of the many limits, cut corners, disappointments, and just outright
unacceptable behaviors on this lowcost synth. However there are many great
things about it, and physical construction is surprising good. A list of
sounds modeled is listed after, plus some other short demos follow.

Note that I have only heard these on clear detailed headphones and have no
idea what it sounds like on crappy computer speakers or dull sounding
monitors. There is some background noise in places, especially the acoustic
guitar parts. Please try to ignore that. I've found that a second listen
through makes it less noticable."

(3:33) Running time.
http://home.att.net/~synth6/Alesis_Ion_Western.mp3

Instruments in order of when they make their first appearence.

01) Kettle Drum

02) Bass Drum

03) Tenor Recorder

04) Mellotron Choir (filters modified with envelope to make it say "Wah",
and NO, the lame and useless Ion vocal filters were not used)

05) Alto Recorder

06) Acoustic Guitar (nylon string rythm guitar)

07) Whistling

08) Telecaster Electric Guitar

09) Acoustic Guitar (brighter sound, somewhere between a nylon and steel
string rythm guitar)

10) Trumpet

11) Trombones

12) French Horn

13) Snare Drum

14) Mellotron Male/Female Choir (sacrificed vocal clarity for density of
sound)

-------------

(2:20) Here is an attempt to model Tomita's mellotron choir sounds. He seems
to have two types, a typical "aah" sound and also a murky and sometimes non
distinct one consisting of "ooh" sounds on some notes, humming on others,
and almost synthetic vocal throat sounds with no vowels on others. The first
Ravel part shows four subtle patch variations ranging from delicate vocal
sounds to forceful "aah" sounds. The second part is trying to sound like his
murky type, though it's still a work in progress. That's followed by a
typical Tomita effect.
http://home.att.net/~synth6/Ion_Tomitas_Mellotron.mp3

(1:11) You only need to listen to this if you want to hear two snippets from
the above demo inserted into a real Tomita recording. He does the "ooh" and
"hmm" parts, I do the "aah" parts.
http://home.att.net/~synth6/Ion_Real_Fake_Real_Fake.mp3

(0:18) Here is an Ion recorder modeled with such realism and detail in
timbre and breathy attack, that it is indistiguishable from the real thing.
It can play side-by-side or replace recordings of real instruments without
anybody having a clue. Assuming your wires aren't crossed, my recorder is
playing in the left channel and the real one is in the right. I'll do a full
recorder demo later.
http://home.att.net/~synth6/Ion_Recorder_Compare.mp3

(1:37) This is orchestral power brass. It provides rather realistic and huge
brass sounds ranging from ppp to fff. This demo shows the trombone range,
followed by the high trombone/trumpet range, then the tuba section, then
octave brass - sounding large with just 4 notes, then french horn, then G.S.
Patton.
http://home.att.net/~synth6/Ion_Brass.mp3

EAR Products For Sale

In via AH (Note: I updated the email address below to prevent spam bots from picking it up. If you send email, make sure to take out the spaces):

Sept 13, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
contact: Don Hassler
EAR
dlh30039 @ yahoo.com
http://www.ear-group.com

EAR Products released for sale.

LOS ANGELES -

Electro-Acoustic Research (EAR) is excited to announce a limited
quantity
release (10 units each) of the following in Doepfer Eurorack format:

Livewire:

Livewire Cyclotron
Livewire Frequensteiner Filter

Plan B -

Model 12 State Variable Vactrol Filter
Model 13 Dual Timbral Gates
Model 17 Event Timer

These units are currently available for sale and immediate delivery. Current module
reservations will be held for 24 hours.
For
more information -or- to purchase any of the above, to go:

http://www.ear-group.com/

Click on the PURCHASE navbar selection for a shopping cart purchase via
Paypal. You may view photographs of the modules on each products
listing
page.

A larger production run of each module is expected by Oct. 1, 2005.

EAR - Electro Acoustic Research

In via AH:

July 29 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
contact: Steve Rightnour
EAR
323 988 9677
877 300 2228 (US)
steve@steverightnour.net
http://www.ear-group.com

Announcing Electro Acoustic Research

LOS ANGELES -

Electro-Acoustic Research (EAR) is a consortium of modular synth
designers based in southern California.
EAR will be the distributor and customer service arm for modular synth
product manufacturers including Plan B, Livewire and Oakley Sound.

EAR is excited to re-release Legacy modules by Tony Allgood and
Synthasystem designs by Nyle Steiner.
Future plans include releasing all product in both Eurorack and MOTM
format and a full line of cabinets and custom enclosures both live
performance and studio installations.

To mark this occasion, each manufacturer is announcing the release of
the following modules:

Livewire -

Dual Cyclotron
FrequenSteiner (authorized exclusive re-release of the SYNTHASYSTEM
multimode filter)

Oakley Sound -

Wavefolder
ADSR/VCA
Octal Resonator
State Variable Filter

(EAR is the the exclusive licensed manfacturer for Oakley Sound in
Eurorack and MOTM formats)

Plan B -

Model 12 State Variable Vactrol Filter
Model 13 Dual Timbral Gates
Model 17 Event Timer

Estimated availability for the EAR line of products is Fall 2005.

Visit the EAR website for details!
http://www.ear-group.net

*models available in MOTM format with components too large for
adaptation will not be available in Eurorack format