Blowstudio Hornet and Hornet Pro - Introduction

Published on Nov 11, 2015 blowstudiouk

Blowstudio Hornet Walkthrough


"Get yours and please support the crowdfunder!
http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/blowstud...
The Hornet and Hornet Pro are intuitive and playable digital theremins perfect for noise artists, improvising musicians and anyone interested in sound or performance."

Some additional info from the crowdfunder page:

"The Hornet is a synthesizer with gestural control. Every Hornet has a voice switch and a mode switch, as well as speed and decay controls, to give you loads of sounds to explore.

Its a kind of theremin - a musical instrument that you play by moving your hand above it in space. The Hornet uses the same method of gestural control as the original Theremin, an instrument designed by Russian inventor Lev Termen in the early 1900s. However the Hornet is digital and updates the idea with many more sound options and possibilities.

Hornet also comes in a Pro version, which adds CV/Gate inputs so you can control it from your analog sequencer and sync it to your computer as seen in the main video. You can control pitch, note length and speed, and temporarily override your sequence at any time by turning the speed dial or putting your hand in the sensor beam."

Genki Wave Controller Brings Gestural Control To Eurorack

Published on May 11, 2018 Synthtopia

"At Superbooth 2018, Genki showed us their Wave gestural controller, and showed how it can be used with Eurorack modular synthesizers."

Introducing Jambé Drum Controller & Synthesis

Jambé - A Quick Look - NAMM 2016 Published on Jan 23, 2016

This one was sent my way via Chris Stack.

"Learn more and pre-order at getjambe.com - Daniel Berkman jamming on Jambé during NAMM 2016. Jambé, a new versatile and expressive electronic percussion instrument was previewed last year at Winter NAMM, and in a series of sneak peaks for leading members of the Los Angeles music industry community. Jambé returns to NAMM in 2016 unveiling a vastly more powerful sound engine and an online store ready to take pre-orders.

Percussionists, producers and music tech aficionados alike were incredibly enthusiastic about Jambé and the qualities that make it unique - portability, extensibility, and the deep expressive possibilities of advanced high-resolution pressure sensor technology. After in-depth consultation with top players, the decision was made to rebuild the software from the ground up to better enable Jambé to exploit the full potential of its hardware.

The result is an incredibly powerful sound engine architecture dubbed Sample Powered Matrix synthesis or SPX. The software was created with the idea that a single hand or stick strike on a Jambé pad maps to an incredibly powerful individual voice, each with advanced expression and sound design features including:

Expanded Gestural Interpretation - normal percussive strike detection and MPE (Multi-touch Polyphonic Expression) style performance techniques, with sounds triggered or modified while a pad is held.

Extensive Synthesis Tools - 2 LFOs, 3 envelopes, 2 tracking generators, and 2 ring modulators per voice. Over 30 modulation sources and over 40 modulation destinations.

Natural Sonic Variations - 3 sample lists per voice with up to 8 samples per list.

Sample List Modes - sequentially trigger the samples in a list, allowing stroke variations or sequential patterns. Crossfade between samples using a modulation matrix and trigger samples simultaneously for chords.

Gestural Crossfade Between Sample Lists - creates effects like a closed slap or dead stroke without tying up multiple pads for an open and closed slap.

Massive Polyphony – with the ability to use number of voices playing as a modifier for more natural sound layering.

Unique Features - use the number of voices sounding as a modulation parameter. Enables sculpting the sound as more voices play. Perfect for adding special character to rolls, etc.

Like today’s musicians, Jambé lives in a connected world. Need a new sound for a last-minute gig? Professionally designed instruments can be purchased through your the iOS device. Working with DAWs or other sound modules? MIDI Output allows connection to a world of other musical gear. Play with your hands or sticks? Jambé supports both. Jambé will ship in the 2nd quarter of 2016 and is now available for pre-ordering online. The first 200 customers on the store at getjambe.com can place their Jambé pre-order to secure a place in line, and also receive a $200 discount!

About SensorPoint, Inc: This advanced yet elegant design is made possible by the rich industry and musical experience of the Jambé team. John Worthington created and implemented the Macintosh MIDI Manager. He was project leader for Apple QuickTime and one of the creators of the AIFF file format. Mark Bain was a pioneer in the use of MPEG technologies for media authoring and delivery for Hollywood studios, and was directly involved with the introduction of DVD authoring and HD media players. He has designed multiple new OEM products involving advanced semiconductor sensors, Apple’s iPad, electronic compasses, and computerized lighting controls."

Sony Block Jam

Update via Paul Maddox on AH:

Flash version you can try out: http://www.sony.net/Fun/SonyDesign/2003/BlockJam/future.html

More info: http://www.csl.sony.co.jp/IL/projects/blockjam/

Don't get too excited. I beleive this is still only a prototype. I remember seeing this a while back on Gizmodo and Engadget. Title link takes you to a bit on it on Sonic State. I just rediscovered it via this VSE post. The following is a link to a video of it. Pretty cool. http://www.csl.sony.co.jp/IL/projects/blockjam/downloads/BlockJam_0.mov.



Via Sonic State:
"Block Jam is a musical interface controlled by the arrangement of 25 tangible blocks. By arranging the blocks musical phrases and sequences are created, allowing multiple users to play and collaborate. The system takes advantage of both graphical and tangible user interfaces. Each block has a visual display and a combination of a gestural input and a click-able input. Each Block metaphorically contains a sound group that can be chosen via the gestural input, the click-able input changes a block functionally. Thus, musically complex and engaging configurations can be rapidly assembled. The tangible nature of the blocks and the intuitive interface promotes face-to-face collaboration, and the presence of the GUI allows for remote collaboration across a network.

By creating both a tangible and a visual language, we are able to create endless meaningful musical structures in a novel and intuitive way that predisposes itself to collaboration and exploration, face to face or via a network, pushing interactive music towards the casual user."

AJH Synth - Ring SM *PATCHES*

Published on Jun 12, 2016 DivKidVideo

"Just a patches video with no talking from me to predate a full overview coming in the future. Full patch notes from me then some points from Allan at AJH Synth he said I could share with everyone too.

PATCH NOTES - DUAL MELODIES

This patch is two triangle wave melodies sequenced by the Audio Damage Sequencer 1. Both oscillators are AJH Synth MiniMod VCOs. You first here both sequences are the Ring Mod’s X & Y can be sent through to the mixer. You then hear the Ring Mod output, then back to X input and the sub oscillators which create sine like (slightly skewed and imperfect - perfect for low end thickness but no muddiness). Final part of the patch is a mix of the various stages into a VCA which is the AJH Synth MiniMod VCA.

PATCH NOTES - SATURATED XYZ

This patch shows the saturated and X, Y and Z inputs of the Ring Modulator. The saturated is based on the Moog CP3 Mixer circuit. You can saturate any channel or build up saturation with multiple channels clipping. You have a sine wave and a triangle wave (one pitch modulated) going into the X and Y inputs on the Ring Modulator which come from the Sputnik Modular Dual Oscillator. The Z input is the Noise Engineering Loquelic Iteritas which has it’s pitch swept manually in part of the video.

PATCH NOTES - SAWMANIA

This patch uses three AJH Synth MiniMod VCOs all with the saw outputs going into the X, Y and Z input. You hear the X and X inputs and then both together before hearing the Ring Mod output with just the X and Y inputs to the Ring Mod. Then the X input and Z inputs mixed into the Ring Mod output as well (which is great for adding in weight back to the signal). Then the sub generators which you can hear are very clean compared to your standard square wave sub generators. The third saw wave is mixed into the Ring Mod circuit on the Z input before taking the final output into the AJH Synth MiniMod Transistor Ladder Filter which has it’s cut off modulated by a modulated envelope (attack and decay CV is modulated on the envelope for movement).

PATCH NOTES - WAVETABLES

You first hear the X input which is a modulated wavetable from Mutable Instruments Braids. Adding in the -1 octave sub you can hear that move around with the varying harmonics in the wavetable changing. Note no pitch changes happen through this patch. The changing sub is awesome for create moving low end that changes with the wavetables. Mixing in the -2 octave sub you can hear the thick imperfect sine tone of the subs. You then hear the Y input which is the Noise Engineering Loquelic Iteritas which has it’s morph and fold modulated before hearing the X and Y sent into the Ring Modulator. The moving subs and Ring Mod works great for added movement and extra grit in the sound. Taking out the subs and the Y input I then use the Z input which is an LFO from Mutable Instruments Tides. Tides has it’s frequency and shape modulated for evolving flutters and gestural LFOs. The patches plays out with various levels going into the Ring Mod and mixing in the subs and original X and Y inputs."

Joystick & Gestural CV Recording plus new 1U modules from Intellijel at Superbooth 2018

Published on May 14, 2018 DivKidVideo

"Here Danjel from Intellijel takes us through the new Planar 2 which can record the joystick gestures and not only play them back but also influence and scrub through the movement recording under voltage control. We briefly look at the new 1U step sequencer, VPME oscillscope tile and a couple of other things too.

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

Mapper: map01/12/21 Chaotic Synthesizer Prototype Demonstration

video upload by Ryan Gaston

"A demonstration of map01/12/21, an electronic musical instrument that focuses on random, chaotic, and gestural interconnections between its constituent structures. map01/12/21 has been succeeded by map02/21, which offers nearly identical functionality; this video serves as an archival demonstration of the older prototype.

map01/12/21 combines three modules: the map01 Delta Scan Mapping Interface (a chaotic audio generator), the map12 Windowed Temporal Drag Processor (a dynamically re-writable audio buffer), and map21 Multiple Vector Source + Translation Matrix (a MIDI controller that combines two joysticks, sixteen random number generators, a timing generator, and a data routing matrix). map01 and map12 have been abandoned in favor of the newer map02 Delta Scan Mapping Interface + Windowed Temporal Drag Processor, which combines their functionality into a single device.

This improvisational demonstration highlights many of the unique possibilities of each of its constituent parts; ranging from blasts of noise to whistling tones, stuttered repeats, aliasing, goofy computer-generated bleeps, and gesturally-controlled chaos."

Additional demos:

CLICK FOR MORE »

Meng Qi - Ping Garden

video by Meng Qi

"New Year Gift : Ping Garden Software Instrument

Happy Chinese New Year! We wish you a great fruitful 2021. Here is a gift from us, it's called Ping Garden, a software instrument utilizing Mac multitouch pad as playing interface. It uses filter pinging and FM for sound synthesis.

When I was working on Wing Pinger in last year's CNY, factories were closed during the holiday, so I learned a bit of SuperCollider to kill time. That's how Ping Garden was born.

Ping Garden makes rain falling sounds with gestural control density. Here is a small video of me playing it. Hope you enjoy.

Download & Guide : https://mengqimusic.com/ping-garden"

Two Bugbrand SV Filters Having a Party

YouTube Uploaded by otoskope on Jan 30, 2012

"An illustration of the complex waveforms you can get from just a Bugbrand PRC3A SV Filter when fed back to itself. The signal chain is one SV filter to each channel (L and R), nothing else. Feedback strength, and self-modulation (frequency, Q) for each filter are controlled by some auxiliary circuitry (VCAs and bipolar modulators) run by gestural sources (sequencers and looping envelopes).

More on this specific technique here: http://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=51588

Actually, the cross-modulating envelopes (2xENV1, in the lower row of the modular) create rather interesting rhythmic patterns. It is an interesting technique. Each envelope modulate the other's timing.

Apologies for bad image quality."

TC-Data Released

TC-Data with PPG WaveMapper Published on Jun 15, 2014 BitShapeSoftware·11 videos

Follow-up to this post.

"A short performance of TC-Data connected to PPG WaveMapper. WaveMapper's great support for poly aftertouch opens up lots of possibilities for different styles of control!"

iTunes: TC-Data - Bit Shape | WaveMapper - Wolfgang Palm

"TC-Data is a MIDI and OSC (Open Sound Control) controller that sends messages to other apps and hardware. The app has over 300 multi-touch and device motion controllers and triggers which can be assigned to any MIDI or OSC message output. TC-Data is not a synthesizer, but it is designed to control them, plus any other MIDI or OSC software.

With TC-Data, you create your own interface to send the gestures and touch motions you choose. There are no sliders, knobs, or buttons. TC-Data directly connects your touch movements to the outputs you program.

Create MIDI notes, CC, pitch bend, patch change, and aftertouch messages with totally unique multi-touch controllers. Or send values directly to your program of choice via OSC, where you can build your own project using TC-Data as the front-end.

Features
• Inter-app control via CoreMIDI
• OSC over Wi-Fi
• Support for external MIDI interfaces
• MIDI input passthrough
• Virtual MIDI output
• MIDI over Bluetooth via 3rd party apps
• Fully assignable touch controllers
• Gyroscope and accelerometer motion control
• 300+ controllers and triggers

TC-Data is based on TC-11, an all-in-one multi-touch synthesizer. TC-Data takes the multi-touch controllers from TC-11 and opens them up to any external software. Add multi-touch gestural control to your next project with TC-Data."

CLICK FOR MORE »

NAMM: MOOG Etherwave® Plus

"Debuting at the NAMM Show - The World's Oldest Electronic Musical Instrument Is Now The World's Newest Controller

Control your gear with a wave of your hand!

The newest member of the Moog Etherwave Theremin family is also the newest member of our Controller family. The Etherwave Plus extends the Theremin’s gestural playing technique to the world of analog synthesis and beyond. Control synthesizers and effects while playing the Theremin or use as a stand-alone CV (Control Voltage) controller.

Already have our Standard Etherwave Theremin? Upgrades are available!

The Etherwave Plus has all the great features and tone of our standard Etherwave theremin.

The “Plus” makes it an ideal controller and performance instrument:

Pitch & Volume CV Outputs - control a different CV parameter with each hand

Gate Output - trigger envelopes and other events

Pitch Preview/Headphone Output - with volume control, lets you hear your note before the audience does.

Power LED - instant visual power status on dark stages

The CV outputs control signals are proportional to the pitch and volume of the Theremin’s audio signal. Connect to the pitch and volume CV inputs of a Little Phatty, Voyager or other analog synthesizer for a completely new way to play your synth. These CV signals are not limited to pitch and volume control. Route them to any CV destination and create a new world of expression. Control anything from the cutoff frequency of a Moog Ladder Filter or the LFO Amount on a Moogerfooger Ring Modulator to the stereo panning on a Minimoog Voyager."

http://www.moogmusic.com/theremin/?section=product&product_id=21301

Grant Richter on the Wiard Envelooper

via the Wiard list.

Short version:
"Think of it as a sampler for the control signals that make up synthesis, rather than the audio output of the synthesis. That means it is parametric, which means you can goof around with the routing of signals, reversing signals, switching the order of signals in order to create new phrases from other material."

Long version:
"I can tell you the most about the Envelooper as I am almost ready to start PC board layout for that one.

Back in 1999, a 27C512 EPROM cost about $5, now the 27C801 EPROM, which is a 1 megabyte unit is the same price. So all the new designs are going to use the 1 megabyte EPROM for storage.

The larger EPROM sizes are pin compatible with earlier pin layouts like the 27C512. You can actually wire a Grayhill binary encoder (from Allied for about $15) to the extra 4 address pins on a 27C801 and plug it into a Wavefrom City board. That would give you the equivalent of 16 x 27C512 in the same space. That is if there are now 16 software banks for the Wavefrom City and Mini-wave. Dave Hylanders board is nice because it give you voltage controlled selectrion of 10 EPROMs, but you can fit a chip to hold 16 chips worth with a little kludging to any Waveform City or Mini-wave with a rotary selector switch.

The Mini-wave is a single arbitrary function generator (the least expensive ever offered). The Envelooper is a multiple arbitrary function generator. It has 4 outputs each of which will output one Mini-wave or Waveform City waveform at the same time. The Envelooper is setup to use these waveforms for control purposes.

The Buchla MARF is really nice, except it looks very complicated to use and understand. I tried to come up with a MARF that has an easy to understand user interface. I used something familiar, it is modelled after an ADSR. Each section of A,D,S and R is one 256 byte Mini-wave waveform, so 4 of these play in series (set by ADSR logic) for a total of 1024 steps, each on 4 individual tracks.

The tracks are targeted to certain functions: Track one is for pitches, track two is for waveshape control, track three is for VCF control and track four is for VCA control. But they don't have to be used that way, they are just control signals, and you can route them anywhere in the patch.

I tried drawing the waveforms with Wave256, with little success. I tried a program to
convert .MID files to the control signals, that is OK, but limits you to keyboard type phrases.

What I needed was a way to record actual control signal from all the synths that I have ito the correct format time aligned on 4 channels. Just yesterday I succeded in getting such a system working. I can now record control signals from my ARP2600, 1603 sequencer, all of the Buchla stuff, Joysticks, JAGs, Steiner EVIs and anything else that makes a usable set of control voltage, then store them as musical control signals on 4 paralell tracks.

The Envelooper has several operating modes. In "one shot" mode it behave just like an ADSR, using the gate and trigger signals. When gate and trigger go high, it goes to the attack phase and plays out the 256 values stored on each of 4 channels, then it switches to the decay phase and does the same, unless gate goes low, then it jumps to release phase, or a new trigger will make it jump to the begining of attack. If it gets to sustain, it loops at sustain until gate goes low, or a new trigger comes in.

That makes it sound complicated, but it is very intuative. There are 3 loop modes, in mode 1, it plays A-D-S-R in sequence and the time for each section is adjustable from 1 millisecond to about 25 seconds per section with 4 knobs. In mode 2, only the attack knob controls the loop speed for all sections (handy when you are using it like a sequencer). Mode 3 plays each section in reverse. There is a switch that will link the pitches to the playback speed so it acts like a tape recording would. Slower playback lowers the pitches, and faster playback increases the pitchs.

Think of it as a sampler for the control signals that make up synthesis, rather than the audio output of the synthesis. That means it is parametric, which means you can goof around with the routing of signals, reversing signals, switching the order of signals in order to create new phrases from other material.

Since there are 16 x 256 = 4096 section in the new PROM, I am inthe process of programming all 4096 waveshapes to make some kind of usable musical "gesture". The need to be a bit generic, so it is not just a tape recorder, but has snippets of musically useful material stored and ready to use in your compositions.

No one has ever do anything like it to my knowlwedge, which is the whole point of trying to advance the state of the art.

I am trying to be brief, but I hope that gives some idea of the new control module in the pipeline.

Maybe Gary or Doc will be willing to comment on the "gestural" theory of music analysis.

I am also being inpired by the work of the "sentics" people who relate physical gesture to emotion. Initially, they were studying the shapes of musical instrument key action over time and how it related to perceived emotion. Now they seem to have gone completely "new wave" and generalized the idea to far too much. But the core concept is still useful."

Sound Sculpture, Sound Art & Audio Cubes by Barry Prophet

"I’ve been making custom sounds since 1979, first exploring micro-tonally tuned glass lithophones, moving into the Percussion Performance Sculpture Series: the Glass Box, Revolving Tone Door, Transparent Tone Arch and Sonic Hereafter and more recently, public sonic interactive sculptures Gathering of Quivers, Black Quiver, Synthecycletron (seasonally permanent interactive cycle powered electronic sound sculpture) and Sound Booth. The Chain Reaction Project is an on going exploration of materials, mechanisms, microcontrollers and their applications to interactive, portable and public sound sculptures. The goal with all these works is to make interesting looking objects that make interesting sounds.

Running parallel, and often in conjunction to making sound sculptures has been the activity of making music and Sound Art. Just as I’ve explored novel ways to make sounds acoustically, I also look for expressive ways to manipulate and trigger electro-acoustic sounds. My electric setup includes HandSonic and WaveDrum percussion synthesizers and Absynth softsynth loaded with sound samples of my field & studio recordings. Until a few months ago the softsynth was triggered by just a padKONTROL & pedal. Now I have two AudioCubes and find the level of sonic diversity has grown significantly.

My Sound Art & Environmental Music incorporates sounds gathered from the environment, interior/exterior, urban/rural. These sounds can be used as they are found or can be enhanced through effects processing or manipulated beyond recognition of the original sound source. Inferences of time, place and narrative seem to be intrinsic. I work from as broad a palette as possible.

Adding AudioCubes to my setup provides greater flexibility with managing a sound’s envelope, thereby enabling me to sculpt a sound sample in real time. Complex sounds with rich texture can change dramatically from pitch to pitch and octave to octave, turning the original, possibly familiar, sound into something other worldly. The AudioCubes also make electro-acoustic performance more interesting to watch because of the gestural manipulation of coloured cubes in space. Definitely more engaging than key entry on a laptop. I believe music performance should be engrossing to watch as well as listen to. The AudioCubes give me an enigmatic connection of gesture to sound that teases and compels.

Visit Barry Prophet's websites at

http://www.pomer-prophet.com
http://soundcloud.com/barry-prophet"

CLICK FOR MORE »

Precision Knob — iMPC Pro Log

Published on May 12, 2014 Retronyms·59 videos

"Every knob in iMPC Pro has a Precision Mode for fine tune editing and easy gestural access to advanced features.

iMPC Pro Log showcases the latest features from the freshest development build of iMPC Pro, the upcoming beat production iPad app from Akai Professional and Retronyms. A new video drops every week until we launch!

[Note: iMPC Pro is currently in development. All features are subject to change]

Follow Retronyms
http://www.facebook.com/retronyms
http://twitter.com/retronyms

Join the conversation with Akai Professional! http://www.facebook.com/akaipro
http://www.twitter.com/akai_pro"

iTunes: iMPC Pro - Akai Professional

Zlob Introduces the VC F3DB Fixed Filter Bank Eurorack Module

What is a Fixed Filter Bank? | Chaos + Control with Zlob VC F3DBvideo upload by Sarah Belle Reid

"In this video, we explore the history of fixed filter banks in synthesizers (what they are, how they work), demonstrate some classic fixed filter bank concepts, and then dive into a series of patch examples exploring the Zlob Modular VC F3DB.

Zlob Modular's VC F3DB is a filter bank for Eurorack modular synthesizers. But it's much more than just that as well; while it can produce the clean, dry, nasal tones you might expect from a classic Moog or Buchla filter bank, it is designed to leverage feedback, clipping, and per-band envelope followers, allowing it to act as a chaotic sound source, spectral decoder, and intense distortion.

To access extended audio from this video (aaand there's a lot of it!), check out my Patreon page! You're free to use these sounds as materials for you own music, as well:
www.patreon.com/sarahbellereid

Video Timestamps:
00:00 Intro + Video Overview
01:40 What's A Fixed Filter Bank?
03:36 What's a Filter Bank Good For?
07:42 F3DB Module Overview
09:53 Patch #1: Clipping
11:37 Patch #2: Adding Modulation
16:00 Patch #3: Feedback
19:48 Patch #4: Feedback (But Less Crazy This Time)
22:00 Patch #5: Feedback with Modulation
24:43 Patch #6: Spectral Decoder"
Zlob VC F3DB First Look video upload by Brett Naucke

"A first look at this fantastic new 6-Band Voltage Controlled Filterbank by Zlob Modular. Patch examples including manual filtering, drum processing, voltage controlled filter animation, 'vocoding' and some exploitations using the filterbank as a chaotic audio source. This is a GREAT filterbank capable of some very unique overdrive and distortion functions that set it apart from all other filterbanks in eurorack modular."

https://zlobmodular.com

via Zlob Modular

"VC F3DB stands for Voltage Controlled Fixed Filter Feedback Distortion Bank. The simplest description is it’s a 16hp six band voltage controlled fixed filter bank. But with the additions of so much gain, clipping, feedback, and self-oscillation it becomes a very flexible and unique gestural sound sculpting tool capable of; graphic equalization over 6 octaves, multi-band distortion, spectral processing, crude vocoding, multi-frequency envelope following, self-modulation, and even as an instrument on its own. With no input it can be used as a pseudo chaotic “harmonic” feedback oscillator.

The filter frequencies were specifically chosen to emphasize more ambiguous and dissonant intervals. Although the frequency bands are spread out over many octaves I purposely tried to leave out “3rds” besides a major 10th at the top frequencies to even out all the dissonance below. But the frequencies aren’t exactly equal tempered, so it’s relative. The bands roughly equate to F2, B3, F#5, C6, F7, A8.

The design is based on the Moog 914 filterbank, which it borrows the frequency bands from. But this circuit uses active filters with opamps inspired by YU Synth opposed to passive cells using inductors on the original. The 88hz is a low pass -24db/oct and 7k is a high pass -24db/oct, the rest are -12db/oct band pass filters all with a Q around 4.

The hard and soft clipping circuit on the input is fairly standard which appears in many different iterations of classic guitar pedals. But it has a lot of gain and can even boost line level signals. What makes it a bit unique is the feedback on the clipping circuit which needs to be turned on by the GFB(gain feedback) switch and the amount can be controlled by the Gain FB pot which can add some fuzz/bite to the signal depending on which clipping switch is engaged or at the extremes it will self oscillate from audio rate to LFO sort of clicking range. All the clipping stages in the module are using silicon diodes.

Consult the Signal Flow Chart to the left for a rough visual breakdown of the controls,in/outs,normalizations, and optional settings for the module.

Each band can also be muted by the top toggle switches or clipped(at the VCA) by the top slide switch which makes this design a bit different than other filter banks. As well as the overall feedback section(bottom middle) takes the sum/all bands out through a VCA(controlled by the feedback pot and FB CV) back to the input gain/clip circuit. and you can also tap into this using different sends/bands to the FB In jack to break the normalization. With this extra feedback “resonance” you can get more whistley and howly filter sounds kinda like the Serge res eq, which can also go into self oscillation.

All cv ins are expecting +5v to open the VCAs(they wont respond to negative voltage), once you get closer to +8v or so it can clip the vca regardless of the gain settings or clip switches. Output amplitude in high gain settings will exceed 10vpp and can get up to 20vpp. The envelope followers tend to stay around 0-5v out, but with clip switch active they can go up to 10v.

Since this is a high gain module there can be bleed between the bands in certain configurations and situations. Also in high gain modes with higher frequencies the 2.8k and 7k bands can bleed a little with the VCAs closed.

This is a highly involved DIY all through hole project. It is a long build with 5 different pcbs to solder and assemble.

THIS IS NOT A BEGINNER OR INTERMEDIATE PROJECT."

A Day at the Percussa AudioCubes Lab

A look at a day in the life of Percussa via their newsletter released on January 10.

"Today, Bert and I would like to take you to our AudioCubes Lab, where we work hard on developing new software and hardware features for the Percussa AudioCubes, a modular gestural audiovisual instrument."

"Living room Lab with fast customer service

Since we're a small company, we decided to transform our living room into a lab instead of spending too much money on renting office space. We turned each corner of our living room into a different work station, each focusing on a different aspect: electronics, software, and business operations :-)

Having our office/lab in our living enviroment makes it hard to ignore any incoming email from customers late at night or on the weekend :-) , but we're more than happy to respond to any customer inquiry or request very fast."

"Lab equipment to build high-quality products

In our lab, we have tools to test the electronics of the Percussa AudioCubes as well as equipment to debug the firmware of the AudioCubes.

For instance, today (picture on the left) we have soldered connectors of our logic analyzer onto the motherboard of the AudioCube, because we'd like to visualize the data which is being exchanged between the cube motherboard's processor and the wireless radio which is inside each new AudioCube shipped!

Data transmission inside AudioCubes and over the USB bus is very fast, so often the only way to debug something is by capturing data and then figuring out what went wrong :-) Did you know that AudioCubes sensor data updates at 1KHz?

Cool stuff is coming up

We have some new changes coming up from our AudioCubes lab very soon. So keep an eye on your inbox. Bert is working day and night on the new update of firmware and MIDIBridge, endlessly fretting over sensor data offsetting, scaling, resolution, etc ... this is important groundwork for the synthesizer we're working on, SYNTHOR. Check out some preliminary videos here.

Also make sure to register on our website in case you haven't done so. It gives you instant access to the download area where you can download software, including the upcoming firmware and MIDIBridge updates, and SYNTHOR, when it will be available!

Talk to you next week,
Bert & Celine"

Genki Instruments Wave Ring Controller At NAMM 2019

Published on Feb 3, 2019 Synthtopia

"At the 2019 NAMM Show, Genki Instruments gave us a quick demo of their new Wave gestural MIDI controller."

PERCUSSA SYNTHOR BERLIN SESSIONS VID #2

Published on Nov 10, 2015 AudioCubes by PERCUSSA

"Video featuring new SYNTHOR digital modular synthesizer for wireless audiocubes by Percussa. In this video we should off distance and rotation sensing, while simultaneously patching. Notice the expressivity and opportunities for gestural performance. More info at http://www.percussa.com/"

Altura Mk 2 - Building the full kit!

Published on Mar 6, 2020 Synth Diy Guy

"Building the electronics and the acrylic case for the Zeppelin Design Labs Altura MK2, A sonar based theremin style MIDI controller!"

Update:

Altura MK2 Demo - 5 layer gestural improvisation

Published on Mar 9, 2020 Synth Diy Gu

"This is my demo for the Altura MK2 by Zeppelin Design labs! So much fun controlling my modular with hand gestures. I even made a whole piece using it :)"

PERCUSSA SYNTHOR BERLIN SESSIONS VID #1

Published on Oct 26, 2015 AudioCubes by PERCUSSA

"Video featuring new SYNTHOR digital modular synthesizer for wireless audiocubes by Percussa. Synthesizer modules used in this video are oscillators (green cubes), noise generator (cyan cube), DC level generator (red cube), output and FX section (yellow cube). Learn more about SYNTHOR and audiocubes at http://www.percussa.com/"

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