SSL/YuSynth Clock Divider Module Works Better With Improved Power Supply

video upload by John L Rice

"I recently finished installing an internal PowerOne PSU to replace the two small external ones I had been using in this system and replaced the DotCom style power harness with an Analog Craftsman acBus distribution board. I had previously moved out the Synthetic Sound Labs / YuSynth clock divider because the The Matrix sequencer from SSL didn’t seem to work with it so I put the SSL V-Gates module in its place, but I missed the playability of the rotary selector switches so I tried it again and now it works! 🥳 Apparently the small MeanWell power bricks could supply enough current or high enough voltage for it to work? 🤷‍♂️

This was just a quick test to make sure it was working well. Besides the SSL divider and sequencer the other modules used are a Martin Jan Koehler Tidal Modulator (a 5U port of Mutable Instruments Tides), a Noise Engineering Basimilus Iteritas Magnus VCO, and a Digital Utilities module from Free State FX (a 5U port of Ornament and Crime module). Also the case is a modified Synthesizers.com Box11 and the right angle patch cables are from Tendrils Cables. (thanks Dan! 😎🥰)

#modularsynth #sequencer #electronicmusic"

Quick ‘n Rough: 5U Modular Mostly Patched With Tendrils Cables Plus Integra7 And FS1R

video upload by John L Rice

"Four Voice 5U modular: Synth Tech, Moon Modular, Happy Nerding, Oakley, Krisp1, Club Of The Knobs, Tendrils Cables

Additional Synths: Roland, Yamaha

Effects: Strymon, Lexicon"

Quick Low Effort 5U Modular Synth Though Oscilloscope For Fun

video upload by John L Rice

"Synth Tech VCO’s, Moon sequencer and dual VCA, Club Of The Knobs poly EG, CorSynth LFO, Strymon and Lexicon effects. #modularsynthesizer #oscilloscope #oscilloscopemusic"

Accidental Workbench Jam With Modular Synth And Mellotron

video upload by John L Rice

"It’s easy to get distracted from immediate goals when things start sounding interesting. 😊 Little modular synth with Hexinverter/Re:Synthesis:LWSS sequencer, 2hp Tune, STG Oscillator, Moon 517S VCF, SSL Envelope/VCA all in a Synthesizers.com Box4 case and of course the Mellotron Micro. #modularsynth #mellotron #electronicmusic"

Tangerine Kraft

video upload by John L Rice

"Yet another one of my musical noodles with video clip collage, enjoy! ;-)

Modules used:
2hp: LFO, Seq, Mix, Delay, EG, Verb
Happy Nerding: HM VCO x 3, MMM VCF, ADSR, FM AID
Erica Synths: Pico Trigger, Pico Drums
4ms: Row Power 30
Division6: Multiplicity VI Midnight
WMD/SSF: ADSRVCA
Bubblesound: 141 EG/VCA/LFO
Tiptop Audio: ONE sample player
Intellijel: Springray
Circuit Abbey: Unify mixer

The keyboard is the Mellotron Micro"

Tainted Lulz - a quick eurorack modular wiggle for fun

video upload by John L Rice

"I hadn’t played with this system for a while. It’s made up of eight 2hp modules, six Happy Nerding modules, two Erica Synths modules, and one each from 4ms, Division6, WMD/SSF, Bubblesound, Tiptop Audio, Intellijel, Circuit Abbey, and Synth-Werks. #modularsynth #eurorackmodular #electronicmusic"

Ornament And Crime: That slew is not a bug, it’s a feature! ;-)

video upload by John L Rice

"I got this Free State FX 5U version of the versatile Ornament And Crime module and while everything seems to work, the fourth output has a slew/lag/portamento to it! Doesn’t matter what app or CV input is used. Could it be a calibration issue? I’m thinking that maybe a wrong value capacitor got accidentally placed in the channel 4 output circuit? I actually like the effect a lot but wish it could be turned on and off and be timing adjustable for all channels! 😅 #modularsynth #electronicmusic #modularsynthesizer"

Cold Hands, Cold Heart, Cold World

video upload by John L Rice

"Something for Halloween 2023, sort of?

5U Modular Synth:
Moon 569 sequencer, 554 clock divider, 505 filter
Modcan 55B quantizer, 59B delay
SSL Tube VCA, Quad LFO
STG Envelope
Corsynth VC LFO
Marienberg Sine Phase Oscillator
Noise Engineering Cursus Iteritas Magnus VCO

Additional Gear Used:
Roland A-88 keyboard controller, Integra7 synth (for piano)
Mellotron M4000D (Tangerine Dream sound effects)
Expressive-E Osmose keyboard synth
Strymon BigSky reverb, Timeline delay
Lexicon MX400
Tascam SD-20M recorder
Sony Vegas Pro 13 (for post editing)

#modularsynth #electronicmusic #halloween2023"

Sequencer Therapy Part 2 - October 21 2023

video upload by John L Rice

"Expanding off the patch from the previous video: besides several tweaks I added in the Club Of The Knobs Ratchet Sequencer and a Moon Modular 569 sequencer to control it. I also played along on an ExpressiveE Osmose keyboard and a Roland Integra7. #modularsynth #sequencer #electronicmusic"

Sequencer Therapy - October 17 2023

video upload by John L Rice

"I just felt like playing with a sequence for my peace of mind. Not as good as hugging a dog, but better than nothing! 🤓😁 Klee sequencer built by Megaohm Audio is shown. Off screen the usual modules: Synth Tech MOTM-300 VCOs, MOTM-380 LFO, Moon 517 VCF, Oakley/Krisp1 VCAs, STG Envelopes, Modcan 55B quantizer and 73B delay, Club Of The Knobs C969 clock, Strymon and Lexicon reverb. #modularsynth #sequencer #electronicmusic"

The Room Outside Of Time 2

video upload by John L Rice

"A quick one I should have spent more time on, and also should NOT have spent ANY time on, but I wanted to record a bit of it for the memories! 😅

Unlike a lot of my recent complex sequencer experiments this one only uses 5 steps of a single row of one Moon 569 sequencer! The CV out is patched into a Synth Tech E102 Quad Temporal Shifter (shift register) and the 4 outputs go to 4 voices, each consisting of a MOTM-300 VCO, saw out to a Happy Nerding FM AID, to a Moon 517 VCF and finally to a Oakley Dual VCA. VCF and VCA modulation was from a Club Of The Knobs C911P poly EG and the FM AIDs and VCFs got additional modulation from a Krisp1 OCTO LFO. Effects are from the usual Strymon BigSky and Timeline pedals and Lexicon MX400 rack. I used the Roland A-88 keyboard to transpose the sequence via a MOTM-650 module and the bassy-lead was played on an Expressive E Osmose keyboard."

Test after moving the Noise Engineering BIM VCO into this folding modular case. I like it!

video upload by John L Rice

"The gate out of the SSL The Matrix sequencer is patched to the SSL/YuSynth clock divider with one output going to the Basimilus Iteritas Magnus and the other two outputs triggering State FX Dual Trigger Processor (5U Mutable Instruments Peaks) envelopes that are modulating the audio out of The Matrix via a Happy Nerding Fun VCF and Grove Audio quad VCA. (the audio out of the Matrix also goes to the quad VCA and its level is just manually controlled) All four outputs of the Martin Jan Koehler Tidal Modulator (5U Mutable Instruments Tides) go to a Moon Modular 525 quandary attenuator and then to various inputs of the Noise Engineering BIM to vary the sound. #modularsynth #sequencer #electronicmusic"

The Room Outside Of Time

video upload by John L Rice

"Similar to several of the recent sequencer demos I've posted, but different.

The 569 sequencer is again in 2x16 mode and using the same tuning as the last few videos. The difference this time is I patched two gate outputs from the 569EGB rows 1 and 2 into the two 564 sequential switches and then patched all 8 outputs, 4 each, from the 564 switches into rows 1 and 2 of the 569ES. The 564 switches are shifted by the 554 Octal Clock divider, which is normal'd to the Corsynth C102 LFO which is the master clock and also is shifting the 569.

The sequenced voice is a single Martin Jan Koehler VCO, the Tidal Modulator, which is a 5U version of Mutable Instruments Tides module. All four outputs get voiced separately but at the same time with 1/2 of a Moon 517 VCF, 1/2 of an Oakely Dual VCA, and 1/5 of a Club Of The Knobs C911P poly EG. Each voice goes to a separate input of the Allen & Heath MixWizard and panned evenly across the stereo field. A Krisp1 OCTO LFO modulates 4 of the Tidal Modulator's parameters.

The solo voice is a Roland Integra7 played via a Roland A-88 keyboard.

Effects used are the usual Strymon BigSky and Timeline pedals and the Lexicon MX400."

Evolution Of A Sequencer Patch (part 3 or 4?)

video upload by John L Rice

Additional posts

"More tweaks of the same patch. I changed the main sequence voice’s envelope curve, added in a the second M564 sequential switch to juggle the clock divider outputs going to your 569ES, added the M552 to control a MIDI synth from the sequencer (a Roland Integra7 playing a vibraphone sound), the 569 sequencer is now transposing itself using the third row, and added another synth bass voice controlled by the third row. #sequencer #modularsynth #electronicmusic"

Moar Sequencer Pattern Playtime (sorry, no noodles)

video upload by John L Rice

"Pretty much the same patch as the previous sequencer video [posted here] with the addition of the 554 clock divider and 564 switch pumping more gates into the 569ES to jump the position of the sequence. I also added in the Oakley Flanger modulated by the Marienberg Since Phase VCO."

Seven Years Gone

video upload by John L Rice

"Thinking of my dad who passed away on this day seven years ago, August 29th 2016.

This is my small custom eurorack synth build with 4ms Pod cases attached to a PedalTrain pedal board. It has modules from Kilpatrick Audio, Noise Engineering, Rebel Technology, Mutable Instruments, Modcan, Steady State Fate, Squarp Instruments, Doepfer, Erica Synths, 4ms, and the Haken ContinuuMini on top.

#modularsynth #eurorackmodular #electronicmusic"

Moon 569 Sequence With A Side Of Mellotron Noodles

video upload by John L Rice

"Sequence setup is the Moon 569 + 569EGB + 569ES with rows 2,3,4 affecting the position of row 1.

The synth voice is a MOTM-300 VCO, MOTM-380 LFO, Moon 517 VCF, Oakley Dual VCA, and STG EG.

The Mellotron is a M4000D Rack played from a Roland A-88 keyboard.

Effects were from Strymon Timeline and BigSky pedals plus a Lexicon MX400.

#modularsynth #electronicmusic #sequencer"

Dual Moon 569 sequencers (post calibration test)

video upload by John L Rice

"Both 569 sequencers are calibrated again! 🥳 Not 'absolutely perfect' but good enough to reasonably make music with. In this demo all four rows on both sequencers are tuned to the same notes (C1, G2, C3, G3, C4, G4, C5, C6) and the 569’s are set to 2x16 mode and patched to a 564 sequential switch to alternate between the outputs of both.

#modularsynth #sequencer #modularsynthesizer"

Paul T Schreiber of Synthtech / MOTM Retires From The Synth Business

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A post shared by Paul T Schreiber (@synthesistechnology)

"After 27 years, I have retired from the synthesizer business. I still have a #day_job which will last until Dec 1st. The last set of 16 modules shipped to Patchwerks in Seattle, including the last E520 Hyperions.

Is there a chance someone will buy my IP and continue the product like? I keep hoping. Thanks to everyone who were friends and customers."

---

The man behind MOTM and Synthtech/Synthesis Technology retires. Paul Schrieber was making modular synths in the MOTM 5U format before eurorack took off. He essentiall started his own format, 5U in height like Moog's MU 5U but different. See this old post for a pic of different modular formats. He made his modules available in both DIY and finished form. You all should be familiar with MOTM and Synthech if you are regulars of the site. If not, see the MOTM and Synthech labels for posts over the years.

Since the launch of this version of MATRIXSYNTH back in 2005, there have been a total of 831 MOTM posts, and roughly 367 Synthtech posts, including this one. I say roughly as there was another Synthtech that made the Chroma Cult - Rhodes Chroma MIDI Interface, that shares the Synthtech label I used to get the count. The first post to mention MOTM dates back to This EAR post on July 30, 2005, the second to MOTM Madness - Featuring Yamaha GX1 Filter clone on August 4, 2005. Sadly the mp3 linked there is gone. People let their sites go unfortunately. The first post to mention Synthtech is the Epic Son video by John L Rice from back on August 2, 2011. His designs also made it into non modular synths like this Studio Electronics Omega 8 w/ MOTM CS80 & 440 Filters.

A Quick Little Ditty With Custom Folding Modular Synth

video upload by John L Rice

Soundtronics Sequencer 192
Synthetic Soundlabs The Matrix, Quad LFO, Clock Divider
Moon Modular 565 quantizer, 501d VCOs,
Happy Nerding Fun VCFs,
Free State FX Dual Trigger Processors
Grove Audio quad VCA
Synthesizers.com customized Box11 cases
Tendrils Cables