What is The Vanilla Synthesizer? It's Ready, That's What

via the STG Soundlabs/muSonics Electronic Newsletter:

Is it The Vanilla Synthesizer or the muSonics TVS?

I started working on this project a year and a half ago.

Originally my thought process was to make a new American format synthesiser that could be sold as modules, kits, and bare boards. I was concerned about the future of the format, and I felt a new line of basic modules and infrastructure at a variety of price points was important. I still do.

STG Soundlabs was a failure because I made things that ultimately the eurorack market simply did not want. Yes, I sold some, and will continue to maintain the line as best as I can, but it's very hard to find photos of eurorack installations with STG Soundlabs modules in them, but rare to find a nice big man-sized synthesiser without my modules in it.

Another thing I wanted to do was teach myself how to do my own engineering. It didn't start that way, but it became that way. I'd been a hardware product developer since 2005 but never actually laid out a circuit board. That is no longer true, and I've done things beyond this project that I haven't even talked about.

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Wait and Go

video upload by Richard Brewster

"DIY Quantussy controlling modular Tetrazzi"

Quantussynator

video upload by Richard Brewster

"Tetrazzi, Dubernator, 5-6 Rollz, Quantussy, and Cocoquantus jamming"

Experimental VCA for Ciat-Lonbarde gear

video upload by Richard Brewster

"A short demonstration of an experimental VCA circuit based on the AVDog VCA in Peter Blasser's Plumbutter. For more details and the schematic diagram of the VCA, go to:

https://pugix.com/synth/experimental-..."

Universal Power Plate - A Modular Synthesizer Power Supply Build

video by John L Rice

"I needed to upgrade a power supply for my large format modular synth so I thought I'd document most of the process I typically go through.

Index:
0:00​​ Introduction
1:28​ Safety Warning
1:56​ Parts Description
3:50​ Power Inlet Install
5:23​ Main Unit Install
7:13​ Banana Jack Install
8:23​ Distribution Board Build
11:58​ Distribution Board Install
13:03​ AC Wiring
17:13​ DC Wiring
19:56​ Done, Comparison, and Thanks Richard Brewster
20:49​ Image Of PSU Installed (improvised music starts)
21:09​ Bonus Section - Building Cables (no talking)
22:50​ (music continues with random video clips)
25:28​​ End

The main parts I used:
JLR UPP custom rack panel from https://www.frontpanelexpress.com​
Qualtek 864-03/001 AC inlet, filter, fuse, switch
Bel Power HAA-0.8-AG linear power supply
MOTM-900 power distribution board from https://synthcube.com​

Video gear: Canon C100 MkII camera and Canon EFS 10-18mm lens
Voiceover gear: Neumann TLM-193 mic and John Hardy M-1 preamp
Music gear: Modular synthesizer, Mellotron M4000D, Yamaha FS1R, Strymon pedals

Richard Brewster's blog page that got me started making rackmount power supplies: https://pugix.com/synth/portable-rack...​

As always, thank you for watching, rating, following, and commenting! 🥳
Please consider "buying me a coffee" if you found this content helpful or entertaining: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/JohnLRice"

Wireless Muscle Controller

Richard demonstrates wireless muscle sensor

Published on Apr 15, 2018 Opal Sky Video

"A DIY demonstration of a wireless transmission of control voltage from a muscle sensor to a modular synthesizer."

Update: you can find additional details at Richard Brewster's Electronic Sounds.

Ciat-Lonbarde Esoterica

Published on Jun 20, 2017 Opal Sky Video

"Ciat-Lonbarde Esoterica demonstration by Richard Brewster pugix.com"

I believe this is the first post to feature the Ciat-Lonbarde Esoterica.

via Ciat-Lonbarde

"The Esoterica,

for Phase Lock Loop

Resynthesizing

of Monophony

(with a tambourine component)"

"spikering: that which spikes out transients"

Tocante Karper Demo

Published on Jan 3, 2016 Opal Sky Video

"Richard Brewster (http://pugix.com) demonstrates the Tocante Karper, a new instrument by Peter Blasser (Ciat Lonbarde)"

Richard Brewster's Influencer

The Influencer Proof of Concept Published on Apr 6, 2014

"Richard Brewster's Influencer in the studio."

Setting up The Influencer

Published on Apr 6, 2014

"Setting up The Influencer at The (Re)Happening 2014 at the site of Black Mountain College. David Linton is filming and interacting with The Influencer, while Richard adjusts the patch using his synthesizer modules, particularly BugBrand. The grounds of the College are now Camp Rockmont for Boys. We were in Cabin 23, up a long flight of stairs."

Plant decorated controller.

Update:

Claire Elizabeth Barratt plays the Influencer


Vincent Wrenn plays the Influencer

Richard Brewster's Modular Tetrazzi

via Richard Brewster's Synthesizer

"After I received my Ciat-Lonbarde Tetrazzi Organ, I spent a lot of time delving into its design. I wanted to understand it as well as possible in order to be able to play it well manually. By design, Ciat-Lonbarde instruments are intended for play, as in fun, and their operation is to be joyfully discovered, rather than coldly reasoned out. I like to play, but my brain also likes to figure out. I used the paper circuit diagram, together with the schematic diagrams provided by Peter Blasser, and conducted my own experiments. These then were my starting points..."

via musikgear

Pugix in Pen Park

YouTube Uploaded by opallypovar on Mar 25, 2011

"Richard Brewster does electro-busking with his synthesizer in Pen Park. Alas, no one was there."

Richard Brewster Ian Fritz Teezer Through Zero VCO

via Richard Brewster's Synthesizer where you'll find more info and samples.

snip...
"This module is a sawtooth-based VCO capable of frequency modulation (FM) extending past zero frequency into the negative-frequency regime. Thru-zero FM provides a much wider and richer variety of sounds than “ordinary” (positive frequency only) FM."

Richard Brewster MegaHz 101108 modular analog synthesizer

YouTube via halmcgeevideo
"Richard Brewster in performance at Day One of the MegaHz Fest at The Bridge PAI, 205 Monticello Road, Charlottesville, Virginia, Saturday, October 11, 2008. This was Richard Brewster's first live performance in 25 years, and presented here is most of one of two performances by Brewster that day on his MOTM-style modular analog synthesizer. The MegaHz Fest was a two day experimental music and noise event in Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia, presented by the HzCollective. Filmed by Christopher Miller, with Hal McGee's Sony CCD-TRV138 NTSC Hi8 analog video camera."

MegaHz Festival 2008 and MOTM Drones

You can find more including audio on Richard Brewster's Synthesizer

Sub Mux Deluxe - New Cynthia Module

Now this is an interesting module. Title link takes you to more including samples.

"This module addresses those on a quest for a seriously beefy bottom end! Not only does it extend bass frequencies a powerful four-octaves below the signal that you feed into it, but each of the sub octaves has a level knob so you can control the mixed output like the drawbars of an organ.

Of course, you can flip the Mode Switch to engage a total of four internal ring modulators, which can really put some "heavy" in your heavy metal!

We've combined Paul Schreiber's awesome Sub Octave Multiplexer with parts from Scott Juskiw and Richard Brewster to create a souped-up version of the original module.

The new Cynthia Sub Mux Deluxe adds individual outputs from each of the four sub octave generators, (useful in stereo and quadraphonic applications), so now each of the four sub frequencies can be processed separately throughout your system!

This limited edition module features a new Staircase Waveform Output offering a binary weighted sum of the four subs which generates patterns and simple voltage sequences. Adjustments are can be made with an AC/DC Coupling Switch, and an LED is provided to monitor these patterns.

You really can get quite a range of sounds with this classic circuit - powerful sounds that range from thunderous house rattling bass, to massively klangourous hash sending everyone running for cover. Please use this module responsibly! "