PM Foundations 3320 VCF based on the Prophet-5 Filter

PMF 3320 VCF Randy Piscione

"Demo of the PM Foundations 3320 VCF. This one is based on the CEM3320 VCF chip, which was used in the Prophet 5. It's capable of some very organic sounds, make sure you listen to the entire video. Get it here: http://www.tindie.com/products/pmfoun..."

"Randy Piscione says: 'There are lots of bits that are squelchy, and almost organic-sounding, much like some of the sounds Joe Zawinul would get out of an ARP 2600. Everyone should have one of these.'

SUMMARY

Use this PCB and front panel to build your own FOUR-POLE VOLTAGE CONTROLLED FILTER using the classic CEM3320 filter chip from Curtis Electromusic Specialties or the new AS3320 from Alfa. The CEM3320/AS3320 is a self contained voltage-controlled four-pole filter with voltage-controllable resonance. It has an exponential (V/Oct) frequency control input which can cover more than ten octaves. The filter chip is temperature compensated.

The CEM 3320 was used in classic synths such as the Sequential Prophet 5.

IMPORTANT NOTE

This is a PCB and Panel set only. One high quality PCB and one front panel ONLY are included. You will need to purchase your own components and build your own module. Comprehensive build instructions and BOMs are provided to help you source the components needed and we even provide links to shopping carts to simplify sourcing those components. Some product photos above show COMPLETED build.

Read more about the CEM3320 and AS3320 and even purchase your filter chip there.

FEATURES

Four pole VCF low pass filter
Exponential 1V/octave response
Exponential voltage control of resonance
Two frequency CV inputs
Q CV input
Input level control for smooth or overdriven sounds
Board accepts DIP18 packages and sockets.
6HP Eurorack with our panel
CONSTRUCTION

This is a low component count project and an easy build so you can have high quality VCFs in your rack with minimum time and expense.

Build it yourself - This is a set of one high quality PCB and front panel ONLY for users who want to purchase their own components and build their own module. Some product photos above show COMPLETED build.

You can purchase the AS3320 from various sources including Cabin Tech and Electric Druid

This module will fit perfectly into a 6HP Eurorack space.

Comprehensive manuals, parts lists and component shopping carts are provided in the documentation link for building, testing and using the module."

Using VSTs - Minute by Minute

Randy Piscione

"I wanted to try to duplicate the sounds of some favourite keyboards using free VSTs. This time it's Michael McDonald's Rhodes from the Doobie Bros' Minute by Minute.

VSTs mostly from - http://www.kvraudio.com/
VST Host - Cantabile Lite - http://www.cantabilesoftware.com
Rhodes - DPiano - E - http://deadducksoftware.blogspot.com
Preamp - PTEq-1A - http://www.kvraudio.com/
Phase Shifter - HY-Phaser - http://hy-plugins.com"

Two reSEMble Additive

Randy Piscione

"Here’s another 2 reSEMble demo, this time some basic additive synthesis. reSEMble can be purchased at http://www.tindie.com/products/pmfoun.... First part is a short vid of a PM Foundations prototype scope showing the waveform as the various harmonics are brought in, as two triangles and 4 sines. At 1:00 the second part of the actual demo starts, and I do some knob noodling, along with a little bit of ARP Axxe providing a lead line in the background. Eventually I screw everything up by bringing in combinations of the ring modulation and folder on both reSEMbles. Besides the reSEMbles, there’s an Analogue Solutions Eurokorn sequencer and a PMF QuantOct quantizer."

PM Foundations Voltage Controlled Clock

Randy Piscione

"This is a quick demo of a Eurorack-format Voltage-Controlled Clock from PM Foundations. You can find the Quantizer, VC Clock and reSEMble here: http://www.tindie.com/stores/pmfounda..."

"This is a voltage controlled clock module to drive your synth sequencers and switches. All CMOS based, no microprocessor so it is easy to build and test.

There is a CV input so that the clock speed can be varied using a control voltage instead of, or as well as, the manual speed control.

If you are currently using a VCO or LFO as a clock generator, you can use this module to free that up.

IMPORTANT NOTE

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Oberheim FVS Demo

Randy Piscione

"Demo of my Oberheim FVS-1. This one took two years to get to where it is now, and is still a bit flaky sometimes (like me) but still amazing to play. I want to thank John at PM Foundations for his substantial help in getting this working. Without him, it would be in a closet.

0:00 is a thick pad. 2:16 is another pad using a pinball song, with the VCF between LPF and Notch. 4:37 uses the Bandpass filter. 6:54 is polyphonic VCO sync. 8:39 is a bird-related excerpt using a split keyboard, with one SEM playing the bass and the other 3 doing the chords. The top three are tuned an octave higher than the bass SEM."

Randy Piscione Studio Live 2020

Published on Mar 31, 2020 Randy Piscione

"On March 29th, while stuck in the house thanks to the isolation policies, I wandered around my office taking a video (with a Sony A6500) of some stuff while doing some narrating and some playing."

Two reSEMble Pad

Published on Mar 2, 2020 Randy Piscione

"Two reSEMbles droning while I move knobs around, just leave it on and listen while doing something else. One is tuned in 4ths and the other in octaves. Ring mod adds a bit of dissonance, Shaper adds some crunch. Sounds better live, and/or loud.

http://www.tindie.com/products/pmfoun..."

reSEMble 2 VCO

Published on Feb 23, 2020 Randy Piscione

"Demo of a partially-built reSEMble panel. Some live noodling and knob turning. Not sure I can still concentrate on two things at once (playing and turning knobs). I have left out the 3rd VCO and the Shaper (ring mod and folder). You can choose to build it like this, at least to start, and save some time and some money. The bass was recorded earlier, using the lower row of modules, which are the separate versions of those behind reSEMble."

Randy Piscione reSEMble posts

reSEMble asSEMble

Published on Oct 31, 2019 Randy Piscione

"Five minutes or so vid of the reSEMble panel being assembled. The, uh, soundtrack is reSEMble, one take, one track. Two sequencers, a clock, quantizer and the State Machine EG from PM Foundations where used as well but all sound comes from reSEMble. I also did some knob-twiddling while the sequencers ran. The video thumbnail shows the setup used for the soundtrack.

This is the prototype so we're still making minor (very minor) changes."

You can find the first demo here.

PM Foundations 6080 VCF Demo

Published on Oct 22, 2019 Randy Piscione

"This is a demo of a new Eurorack voltage controlled filter (VCF) from PM Foundations called the '6080 VCF.' It is based on their 2Q12 VCF, and is available as a panel and PCB combination. You can find it here:

http://www.tindie.com/products/pmfoun..."

"Compact 6HP VCF for Eurorack Modular synthesizers

This is a state variable filter using the same core as our 2Q12 filter but substituting multiple unattenuated F and Q CV inputs with some on board attenutaors. Like the 2Q12, this filter has a nice fat sounding low pass output. The two pole filter has simultaneous -12dB per octave roll-off for high pass and low pass and a -12 db wide (-6dB either side) bandpass output. It has voltage control of cutoff frequency (F) and voltage control of resonance (Q). F and Q are adjustable with panel controls and from external sources using two F CV inputs and a Q CV input. One F CV and the Q CV have attenuators."

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Introducing reSEMble

Published on Aug 25, 2019 Randy Piscione

"This is the maiden voyage of reSEMble, a single-panel, single-voice synth inspired by the Oberheim SEM, for Eurorack. More info below.

This is a prototype panel, home made (obvious I know) but the building blocks are available from PM Foundations. The panel is currently in Front Panel Designer, but I have not ordered one yet. The 'modules' can be built as standalone Eurorack modules or built behind the reSEMble panel. There is no point-to-point wiring. All connections are made with ribbon cables that run from the back of each module to a single busboard.

We haven’t decided how to market / sell it yet, or even if there is enough demand to bother, but I’m definitely making another one for myself. The 3 VCOs, VCF and two EGs are based on the SEM, but, in addition to a 3rd VCO, there are a few other enhancements, including an expanded LFO, Noise, sample and hold, a wavefolder and more modulation and routing options.

This is not a clone of an SEM. Unlike someone who shall remain nameless but whose initials are UB, we actually sent a note to Tom Oberheim, who forwarded our note to a friend of his, who spent some time on the phone with me. He encouraged us to take Tom’s work and build on it, which we did. The combination of toggles and expanded module functionality replace approximately 80 patchcords."

PMF Ringfolder Demo

Published on Jun 9, 2019 Randy Piscione

"Quick demo of the new RingFolder, from PM Foundations. This is a combination wave folder and ring modulator, with inputs for the folder, X and Y for the ring mod and an attenuated input for folder modulation. There is an onboard "mixer", providing the ability to fold an input wave, the output of the ring mod or a combination of the two.

Get it here (soon): http://www.tindie.com/stores/pmfounda...

VCOs used are all PMF, and all sending out only sines. Sequence CV and drums are provided by a Mutable Instruments Anushri. All other sound is coming from the RingFolder."

PM Foundations SEM Tribute Modules - Comparison with Vintage SEMs

Published on May 1, 2019 Randy Piscione

1. reSEMble 1 of 2

Quick comparison of an Oberheim SEM and the new SEM-tribute modules from PM Foundations. The SEM audio is on the left, PMF modules are on the right. This is live. I tried to play similar lines on both keyboards. It is tricky to get the patches exactly the same, especially when tweaking live like this. The "echo" you hear is actually the other keyboard and modules being played. Headphones are certainly helpful on this one.

These are not clones. I asked Tom Oberheim about doing an SEM clone for Eurorack, and he referred me to a friend of his who has been helping him since the 1970s. We had a long phone conversation and his take on Tom's take is that Tom would rather see us develop something new, even if it is based on his work. So, that was our goal.

2. reSEMble 2 of 2

This is a brief overview of the new “SEM Tribute” modules from PM Foundations. Featured are two VCOs, the VCF, one envelope generator and the first version prototype of the modulation module. The little musical excerpt at the start is the new modules playing bass, along with an Alesis SR-16 on drums and Casio CZ-101 doing the chords.

Intro to Synthesis - Part 4 - VCF Type VCF Mod LFO

Published on Apr 4, 2019 Randy Piscione

"This is a series of synthesizer basics in small, fairly simple (at least to start) bites. Each video is 4 to 6 minutes long (this one is a bit longer, sorry) and covers one or two basic concepts."

You can find all parts here.

Back At It - One Take

Published on Apr 4, 2019 Randy Piscione

"Right off the modular, one rack, one take. Just fooling around with stuff a bit, camera mic, sound is a bit muffled."

Intro to Synthesis - Synth Lessons by Randy Randy Piscione

Published on Feb 18, 2019 Randy Piscione

"This is a series of synthesizer basics in small, fairly simple (at least to start) bites. Each video is 4 to 6 minutes long and covers one or two basic concepts. I have tried to keep the talking to a minimum. Hope these are useful. If not, please let me know (nicely would be preferred), and if you have a topic you'd like me to cover, let me know that too."

Playlist:

Intro to Synthesis - Part 1 - VCO and VCF
Intro to Synthesis - Part 2 - CV
Intro to Synthesis - Part 3 - Gate Trigger EG
Intro to Synthesis - Part 4 - VCF Type VCF Mod LFO

Wavefolder plus 3 sines plus 2 VCAs

Published on Dec 20, 2018 Randy Piscione

"Experimenting with different ways of generating timbres for a custom Eurorack panel I'm working on with PM Foundations. I took a sine into a mixer, and two more sines into two VCAs, and then those two also went to the mixer. The output of the mixer went to an nlc Timbre. I also ran an LFO into each of the VCAs.

The Timbre is the first version, so I turned the Fold pot all the way up, and used the mixer and the VCAs/LFOs to control the actual folding of the 3 sines in various combinations."

YuSynth VCS3 Filter in Eurorack Format

Published on Dec 18, 2018 Randy Piscione

"This is a demo of a Eurorack version of the YuSynth VCS3 diode voltage controlled filter (VCF). It's a bit long, 6 minutes, but I tried to cover most of what it would do. There's no talking! I don't have a VCS3 to compare this too so I'm not sure if it really sounds like it's namesake filter, but it's still cool either way.

I start off with the usual frequency and resonance demo with one VCO input. At 2:00, another VCO is added. Around 3:00, some frequency modulation, 3:30, resonance modulation, at 4:30, both modulations and we see what it does with something closer to audio rates for modulation.

Other modules featured off-stage include a PM Foundations Synthola Sequencer and two Frequency Central Waverrunner LFOs."

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YuSynth aka Yves Usson is the designer of the MiniBrute which led to the MicroBrute and MatrixBrute. He is know for his DIY work prior to Arturia, mainly in the 5U format.

Randy Piscione's TSF 2018 Demo (Toronto Sound Festival Nov 24 - 25)

Published on Nov 8, 2018 Randy Piscione

"Here's a quick demo of a small Eurorack thing I'm bringing to the 2018 Toronto Sound Festival. Very cool event if you're into interesting music, interesting equipment and, if you don't mind me saying, interesting people. http://www.torontosoundfestival.com/

Lots of PM Foundations stuff, here's the rack, more or less: http://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/vi..."

New PM Foundations State Machine Demo

Published on Oct 22, 2018 Randy Piscione

"This is a demo of an upcoming Eurorack module from PM Foundations, a function/envelope generator called 'State Machine.' It will be available here: http://www.tindie.com/stores/pmfounda.... The video starts with scope stuff, then at 2:56 a demo of the module and at 6:49, percussion pattern generator.

As with all PM Foundations modules, this is sold as a panel and PCB. The demo uses, at various times, the State Machine, a clock, 4 VCFs, 2 LFOs, 4 VCOs, 3 other EGs and 4 VCAs. The percussion in the last section is all resonating filters, there are no actual drum modules used."