Frap Tools Fumana Part 2: Impose (Eurorack modular synth filter, spectral transfer, vocoder)

video upload by Cylob Sonic Research

"Exploring direct CV control of the Fumana's 16 bands.

00:00 Intro
00:03 Explanation
00:13 Adjusting bands
01:56 Storing and recalling band level configurations
03:08 Jam 1
07:10 Jam 2
09:40 Five Alive

Details of the album 'I Will Cross Any Bridge' can be found at https://kud.li/csr015."

Frap Tools Fumana Part 1: Center & Width (Eurorack modular synth filter, spectral transfer, vocoder)
video upload by Cylob Sonic Research

"Exploring the Center and Width controls of the Frap Tools Fumana eurorack filter module.

00:00 Intro
00:03 Center and Width knob controls
01:23 Modulating Center with sine LFO
02:47 Modulating Width with sine LFO
04:19 Modulating with saw LFO
05:37 Modulating with Zig Zag wave LFO
06:45 Modulating Center with multi stage envelope
07:05 Modulating Width with multi stage envelope
08:31 Adding drums
10:39 Drums and multi stage envelopes try two
13:45 Ambi interlude
14:08 Ambi track jam with stereo panned bands

Note to self: tuning is bellingwolde @ 54"

A random day at Frap Tools (with a censored prototype and a heavy lunch)

video upload by Frap Tools

"Some of you were curious to learn more details about Frap Tools, so today Giovanni takes you behind the scenes by documenting a work day from his perspective.

Days like this one are a bit unusual because we work remotely most of the time (both to avoid wasting commuting time and to reduce our carbon footprint), but today we had to test a prototype that hopefully will become a module! The lunch too is a bit uncommon, but not as much.

Would you like to see more content like this? If so, let us know in the comments below!"

Frap Tools In-Store Event 2018 at Perfect Circuit Audio

Published on Jan 31, 2018 Perfect Circuit Audio

"Simone Fabbri of Frap Tools showing us his eurorack modules including the new Fumana filter module. At Perfect Circuit Audio, January 29, 2018. The modules are designed and crafted in Italy.

Frap Tools products available here:
https://www.perfectcircuitaudio.com/f..."

---

Supporters of MATRIXSYNTH get %10 off at Perfect Circuit Audio!

How to make vowel-like formant filtering with the CUNSA

video upload by Frap Tools

"Time for some serious formant filtering with the CUNSA and USTA dream combo!

USTA https://frap.tools/usta
CUNSA https://frap.tools/cunsa

Sources and references:

Image 1
Title: frequencies of formants
https://www.britannica.com/science/ph...
Retrieved on October 27th, 2023

Image 2
Title: tongue position for vowel sounds
https://www.britannica.com/science/ph...
Retrieved on October 27th, 2023

The formant chart comes from Peterson, G. E., & Barney, H. L. (1952). Control methods used in a study of the vowels. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 24, 175–184. https://doi.org/10.1121/1.1906875

Time stamps:

00:00 Introduction on vowel formants
01:20 Programming an ɑ sound (as in 'hot')
03:34 Programming an ɔ sound (as in 'bought') and morphing between them
08:54 Refining the morphing with the USTA sequencer"

Memes aside, let’s make Sandstorm by Darude on our Frap Tools system

video upload by Frap Tools

"Yeah, drones and experimental stuff are fine, but sometimes we only need a four-on-the-floor kick and an uplifting synth lead. Sandstorm by @darude has both so we thought we may give it a go on our Frap Tools system!

The modules we mostly used are our Brenso and Cunsa. In this video, Cunsa performs three tasks: a filter for the bass line, a kick drum, and a distortion effect for the lead. Quite flexible!

We hope we didn't get too close and avoid getting a copyright claim.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
00:10 Bass
02:06 Kick drum and bass sidechain
05:45 Lead sound
12:15 Final result (cheating a bit here)"

Frap Tools Small Eurorack system in Lamond case

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

via this auction

"The legend of Buchla told in a modern way.
The excellently built modules from Frap Tools offer pristine sound and quality
Housed in a super deep custom built walnut case made by Ross Lamond

Please check the Frap Tools homepage for descriptions of the single modules

Fumana - 750€
Falistri - 300€
Sapel - 350€
Silta 125€
Lamond case 200€"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Frap Tools - Fumana - Sidechain Compression, Ducking & LPG Style Functions

Published on Feb 23, 2018 DivKidVideo

"Here's a couple of cool FX that Simone from Frap Tools shared with me. Using the tilt function you can mimic side chain compression / ducking style FX with a different "tone" shifting through harmonics rather than level control. You can always (as a user pointed out to Simone at Frap Tools) get LPG-like sounds by "plucking" the tilt with a tight envelope. You'd still need a VCA at the end but it can be really cool and a bit more robotic and vocoder like. More videos for #FumanaFridays coming soon!"

Superbooth 2017 - Frap Tools Sapel & Fumana

Published on Apr 25, 2017 DivKidVideo

"Simone from Frap Tools gave us a great walk through the Sapel random generator. Lots of random, lots of control and lots of output. The new module is Fumana which sounds great but I thought it was another 16 band fixed filter bank. However, it's a 32 band filter bank as there's a second hidden layer you can input to which allows full 16 band vocoding. Nice!"

via Frap Tools

"fumana / ˈfuma:na / s.f. [dialect of Modena, from fūmus, ‘smoke’] – ‘fog’. Like spectres use to lie into the thick fog (which the Modenese countrisyde is pretty rich of), so many spectral capabilities and functions do within the thick bands of the ‘fumana’.
The FUMANA is an all analog dual filter bank with various control to access dynamically these bands. Each filter bank is composed of an array of 16 independent 48dB/oct bandpass filters. Having two identical filter arrays, allows you to use one of those for spectral analysis (of a modulator signal) and the other for spectral re-synthesis (of the main signal). Each array is sub-grouped in odd and even bands (numbering these increasingly from 1 to 16 from left to right). It is possible to apply different signal to odd and even bands, both for main and/or modulator arrays. This, together with the 16 envelope followers connected to each band of the modulator filterbank, and the 16 VCA connected to each band of the main filterbank, allows the FUMANA to perform a single 16 bands or a dual 8 bands analog spectral transfer.

While the upper section provide access to each main filter’s direct output, the lower section has 4 voltage controllable parameters to manage two independent functions for further spectral editing: tilt and scan.

The tilt, as the name suggest, tilts the spectrum, adding and subtracting amplitude to the 16 bands, emphasizing lower or high bands, and attenuating high or lower bands: this is managed only with the green potentiometer.

The scan, instead, works with three parameters: peak/notch, band selector and width. Like in a parametric equalizer, where is possible to set peak/notch gain, frequency and slope, the FUMANA uses three parameters to set which is the center band to perform this manipulation, then if that band should be emphasized or attenuated, and how this action is extended to nearby bands.

In addition to the 16 bandpass outputs, there are other 4 outputs provided: the all bands output, the all envelope followers output, the odd bands and the even bands output. These two have the options to be inverted in phase with two switches, in order to obtain even more combination when summed together, maybe/also with the “all bands output”, using, for example the 333 module.

Since a spectral transfer tool may be used as a “vocoder-like-effect”, the FUMANA provides an input for an external noise which may be used for unvoiced (fricative/sibilants) sounds as words containing or starting with s, f, z, ch and other fricative sounds ([s] [z] [ʃ] [tʃ] [dʒ] [ts] [ʂ] [f] [v] [ɸ] [θ] [ʒ] etc etc)."

NAMM 2015: Frap Tools Modular Case Systems

Published on Jan 23, 2015 sonicstate

"NAMM 2015: Frap Tools Modular Case Systems A neat new folding case system from Italy"

Note this is the first Frap Tools post.

Frap Tools USTA (Part 2) Eurorack Modular Synthesizer | Patch From Scratch

Baséput

Part 1 below, previously posted here.

0:00 Intro
1:45 Open new Project
2:32 Set the clock source
3:20 Set the CV mode
4:31 Set the scale
4:54 Start the composition
6:50 Randomise the pitch
8:13 Continue the composition
10:13 Tweak the ratio
10:46 Still continuing the composition
11:40 Stage shift CV
12:36 Pitch shift CV
13:36 Conclusion

This is the second part of the Frap Tools USTA, a powerful sequencer and really suits my needs. I talk about how I build my patch from scratch, stage shift, pitch shift, and others. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think. Cheers!

Frap Tools USTA (Part 1) Eurorack Modular Synthesizer | General Information


Here is the index:

0:00 Opening
1:11 Topics for part 1
2:47 General information about CVs & gates
3:40 Mute / unmute
3:54 Playing the channel 1: CV and gate
4:49 Set button
6:05 Changing scale
7:28 Shift button
8:08 Set other channels
9:00 Set the ratio
9:45 Rachet
10:57 Unmute other channels and play along
12:57 Astungkara song
14:24 Conclusion

2016 Torino Synth Meet 6th Edition Previews

"This year the Torino Synth Meeting confirms its international character with a number of foreign exhibitors. NON LINEAR LABS, JOMOX, MODAL ELECTRONICS, BIRD KIDS, ELEKTRONMUSIK STUDIO and YAMAHA are new to TSM2016; ARTURIA, ROLAND, YAMAHA, DSI, GRP SYNTHESIZER, FRAP TOOLS, SOUND MACHINES, ELEKTRON, MOOG, NOVATION, EUTERPE SYNTHESIZER LABORATORIES, PATCHBLOCKS, TEENAGE ENGINEERING, RADIKAL TECHNOLOGIES, WALDORF have confirmed attendance for this year.

In particular, we will be hosting some great previews: ARTURIA with the MATRIXBRUTE and KEYSTEP, YAMAHA with the MONTAGE, NON LINEAR LABS with the C15 synthesizer, SOUND MACHINES with their MODULOR114, FRAP TOOLS with the CGM modular mixer, JOMOX with their new creations and some other surprises (keep your eyes on GRP Synthesizers :-) )

For this year the meeting is open to new sectors of the music industry including DJ tools, Recording labels, Studio furniture, and schools and academics.  The first record label at the event will be ANALOGIC DENSITY from Italy.  MUSICLAB and IN.SINTESI (recording studio and academy) will be present.

TSM has earned the patronage of the CITTÀ DI TORINO for the artistic relevance of the event, and from the DAMS of UNIVERSITA' DI TORINO. The course in DAMS (Disciplines of Performing Arts, Music and Entertainment) is the reference training program of the University of Turin for film, music, television, new media, performing arts, and contemporary arts. It actively collaborates with the most important cultural institutions of Torino and Piedmont (National Cinema Museum, Conservatory “Giuseppe Verdi”, Film Commission, Teatro Piemonte Europa, Piemonte dal Vivo (Theatrical Circuit of Piedmont), Teatro Stabile di Torino, Regional Division of Cultural Heritage and Landscape, Fondazione per Scuola della Compagnia di San Paolo, Turin Film Festival, and Fondazione CRT).

TSM has the honor of hosting an Italian reality, the ADO Arduino Disability Orchestra, a project aimed at people with disabilities made by students of the Politecnico di Torino, and based on the famous ARDUINO board, a platform made of specific tools and controllers that have enabled these people to be able to play, effectively creating a full orchestra.

But that's not all! More surprises are coming in the next few weeks!

On request, the period for registration at TSM has been further extended.  Those who want to participate with their company can contact us at info@synthmeeting.com

As usual, for the visitors, the entrance is FREE"

How to shift gates to spice up a boring sequence on the USTA | Frap Ideas

video upload by Frap Tools

"This patch came up during a past live workshop on the USTA sequencer. It was an advanced session and one of the main questions was: 'how can I get enough variation on a repetitive loop?'

While talking with the attendees, especially Cameron and Rayhan, we found that the gate shift function combined with a mild cross-patching could have been an excellent starting point, and so here it is for all of you to check out.

https://frap.tools/usta

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and patch overview
01:50 Using the gate shift function to add groove
04:33 Using a second pattern to shift the gate length
06:16 Ratcheting shift
08:04 Using the gate variation to add groove
09:42 Applying the gate variation to the ratcheting effect"

"Chances" Live Modular Performance by gattobus

video upload by gattobus

"Some days ago I programmed this patch with my modular and started jamming on it.
Everything is turning around a semi-random sequence programmed on Frap Tool USTA.

If you want to replicate this patch I shared all the info with the guys at @Frap Tools, you can find their patch notes here: https://frap.tools/stage-shift-probab...

At the end of the video you will find a complete list of all the modules I used in this patch."

Notes, intervals, tuning, temperament: the basics of music and their impact on the USTA sequencer

video upload by Frap Tools

In the previous video [posted here], we got a glimpse of how notes and overtones are related. Today, we'll see how we came to 12 notes in the West.

00:00 Introduction
00:48 Intervals and scales
01:13 Important disclaimer
01:49 Why seven notes? From the Greek tetrachord to Guido D'Arezzo
04:12 Where do 12 notes come from and what is the Pythagorean comma?
06:05 What is the difference between tuning and temperament?
08:32 Demoing the difference between temperament and tuning with the USTA sequencer"


Previously:

Why notes exist | Frap Talks

video upload by Frap Tools

"Let's talk about notes and why sometimes it's not clear how we're supposed to tune our instruments. What is A4? What is middle C? Why is there a C-1?

Timestamps:
00:00 The western musical notation
01:31 Why A4=440 Hz?
02:12 Playing together
03:12 Instrument ranges and note names
04:43 The scientific pitch notation
05:53 The MIDI note system
06:55 Absolute and relative note names
07:11 Notes on a modular synthesizer: USTA and BRENSO
09:41 Unipolar VS bipolar control voltages
10:59 Why do note names don't match sometimes
12:10 The difference between a note and a control signal
13:10 Final thoughts"

Frap Tools Fumana Part 5: Take It Slow

video upload by Cylob Sonic Research

"Recording the output of the envelope followers analysing speech, then playing this back at a much slower rate modulating a three tone drone, then drenching that in reverb.
00:00 Intro
00:03 Source material
00:25 Recording the band analysis output
00:40 Playback
01:36 Adding reverb
07:32 Freezing playback
09:29 Reversing playback direction
20:45 Changing reverb algorithm

Eurorack modules featured: Frap Tools Fumana, Intellijel Dixie, Cre8 Audio Capt'n BIG-O, Tiptop Audio Z3000 mk.2, Doepfer A-138b mixer. Reverb: Valhalla VintageVerb. CV Control: Expert Sleepers ES3 and ES6 controlled by a custom SuperCollider patch.

Original photo of snail by invisiblepower @ pexels"

Additional posts

Developed Slope Generators with FALISTRI the 'Movement Manager' from Frap Tools at Superbooth 2018

Published on May 14, 2018 DivKidVideo

"Simone from Frap Tools takes us through FALISTRI their new 'Movement Manager' which will come later in the year. It's a new take and development on the familiar slope generators of the past and present which can be envelopes, LFOs, oscillators, slews, filters and more! There's also a processing section with Ring Mod and VCAs to control those 'movement' signals even further.

We're proud to have our Superbooth 2018 content sponsored by www.thonk.co.uk"

Frap Tools Falistri - complex oscillator "first patch"

Published on Jan 31, 2019 DivKidVideo

"So here's my first patch with the Falistri from Frap Tools. It's always nice to share my literal first patch and experience with modules before doing more in-depth demos and explanations. This first patch is using both function generators in looping mode, at audio rates, to create a dual oscillator and complex oscillator series of sounds. The Ring Mod and VCA section below takes normalled versions of the oscillator outputs and I have FM patched between both oscillators (function generators as oscillators) for some cross mod / x mod."

Superbooth 2023: Frap Tools CUNSA

video upload by Sound On Sound magazine

"Frap Tools release their new CUNSA filter module."

Frap Tools CUNSA in-depth tutorial | Eurorack quadruple multimode analog filter module

video upload by Frap Tools

"Time to dive deep into Cunsa's main features! In this first tutorial, we will explore how a single filter works and how to combine them together to get the signature "Cunsa sound." This should get you started with CUNSA and let you understand its basic functioning. In the next episodes, we will see more specific applications!

00:00 Intro & Cunsa overview
02:21 The 12 dB/oct lowpass filter
02:41 The Q parameter (resonance, emphasis)
03:42 How the Q affects the LPF cutoff point at 12 dB/oct
04:15 The Character parameter
05:15 Combining Q and Character
05:55 The 24 dB/oct lowpass filter
06:10 The Character behavior on the oscilloscope (12/24 dB/oct LPF)
08:00 How the Q affects the LPF cutoff point at 24 dB/oct
08:15 A comparison of the 12 and 24 lowpass curves with different Q settings
08:52 The 12 dB/oct bandpass and highpass filters
10:09 How Q and Character affect the bandpass and highpass curves
10:23 The Behavior switch (filter and combo mode)
11:50 CV inputs for cutoff, Q, and Character
12:31 Using CUNSA as an oscillator (self-resonating filters)
13:13 Oscilloscope views of the self-oscillating filters
13:37 Fine-tune cutoff frequency knob
13:46 BONUS TIP: double TZFM oscillator with Cunsa and Brenso
14:12 The Ping circuit: nonlinear integration
15:40 Ping circuit and combo mode
16:10 Ping v/s ring, a brief recap
17:03 Semi-normalled connections
17:19 The mixed outputs
18:19 The routing switches: complex filtering with four filters in parallel
19:45 Some examples of semi-normalled patching techniques
22:13 The Dry output and other complex patching examples
25:50 Outro"

Antonio's hidden random clock trick for SAPÈL!

video upload by Frap Tools

"Let's extract a secret random clock output that plays only when the actual random clock is silent. The trick is simple but insanely effective!

https://frap.tools/sapel/

00:00 Introduction and technique overview
00:56 Patch 1: Ringing Cunsa
05:40 Patch 2: Double sequence with Usta and Sapèl
10:48 Patch 2,5: The Krell trick"