Ken Stone and John Hardy using the TEC-1 microcomputer

Published on Nov 5, 2018

Ken Stone of Catgirl Synth/CGS.

"There are videos etc., that attribute the design of the TEC-1 computer to Colin Mitchell. Colin was the editor/publisher. The TEC-1 was designed by John Hardy. Ken Stone then transformed the prototype into the TEC-1 board as it was produced.
Here Ken and John have a chuckle about it."

New Triadex Muse Converter Proto

Published on Sep 15, 2018 otherunicorn

"Second generation of the Triadex Muse converter during development. A collaboration between Nathan Thompson and Ken Stone. [Ken Stone of Cat Girl Synth/CGS]

Basic test only: 3 VCOS, one following the octave slider, one following the standard output of the Muse and one controlled by the slide pots, each being selected by the 3 bit address generated by the note sliders on the muse. Slider tuning is slightly off - a hazard of all analog sequencers.

If only the original Muse had sounded like this...."

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Also check out this other homemade Triadex Muse here.

ESK- Piano Sample with Modular Effects

Published on May 30, 2018 Metunar

"In this video i am testing my effect modular case. I used only the mono piano from the Sledge synth as tonal source.
I used modules from DIY Ken Stone Real Ring Modulator, Doepfer Sampler A-112 and A-127 VCRF, Mutable Instruments Clouds and Ears, DIY Diodeclipper, Grendel Formantfilter, ...

I didn't put much effort in the piano playing and sadly also not in the correct focusing of the camera."

DIY analog synth project (Steiner Parker Type VCF Version 2 Demo 1 7mins Acid Test)

Published on Mar 26, 2018 Adamski A.

"Here is the first in my short sound test demos, showcasing my Steiner Parker "type" voltage controlled filter which is a combination of ken stone and yves usson's designs. I replaced the diode string with npn transistors to see if I could put a nice twist on this very well known circuit, also the capacitors have under gone some experimentation.
Please leave your thoughts and comments ,either positive or negative on the sound I hope you guys can chip in and give this circuit a go.
I definitely see some potential for a eurorack module on this , so if anyone is intrested in helping develop this circuit further feel free to message me."

Doc Sketchy DIY Videos

Published on Mar 9, 2018 docsketchy

This one in via John L Rice.

Doctor Sketchy is David G. Dixon, who designed a few Intellijel modules. Check out the David Dixon label for some of his previous creations.

Playlist:

1. Doc Sketchy ASR Demo

Here's a little video of my ASR module. This is my improved version of the CGS (Cat Girl Synth) ASR from Ken Stone. I have added some extra useful features, such as Shift/Bypass switches and a Load/Loop switch, which is pretty fun to use. I've also added an input attenuator, which to me is crucial. I put a new PCB that I had just stuffed for a customer into my existing panel to test. I found that it was really drifty (like, portamento drifty) -- the culprit: a dodgy LF444 opamp used for the S&H buffers. I bought some LF444s at a local shop (originally sourced from Digikey) and they are all crap (either defective or counterfeit) -- I had forgotten. Anyway, I replaced it with a TL064, and there is no drift at all. I'm also using 100n film caps, so those are large enough to avoid obvious drift if the input bias current of the opamps is reasonably low.

2. Doc Sketchy Dual Interpolating Scanner Demo

Here is the dual scanner, all put together and ready to send to its lucky buyer. I'm feeding it with the outputs of 4 VCOs, with two up-octave outputs into inputs 5 and 6, all tuned to a chord. Here I'm mostly playing with the switch that selects either two independent 4-channel scanners or one 8-channel scanner. It all works perfectly -- I just wish those little pots were a bit further apart. As usual, boards, bare or stuffed, and complete modules are available. Just ask (preferably on Muffwiggler).

3. Doc Sketchy Interpolating Scanner Demo

Here is the second demo of my new interpolating scanner circuit, with the improvements suggested by the Muff Wiggler beta testing team. I'd still like to figure out how to get the CV to maintain a constant range as the Width pot is adjusted, but I haven't so far. In any case, the Fader and Width pots are doing exactly what I want them to do.

Cyndustries Cynthia Modcan A Modules

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via this auction

Pictured:

Barton Zeroscillator
CGS/Ken Stone Gate Sequencer
CGS/Ken Stone Super Psycho LFO
Buchla Quad Low Pass Gate
CGS/Ken Stone Burst Generator
Blacet Dark Star Chaos

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DIY analog synth project (Steiner Parker "Type" VCF The Final Tweak)

Published on Nov 7, 2017 Adamski Ajull

"Hey guys back again with yet another modified Stiener Parker type 12db per oct VCF, this based on a mashup of Ken stone and Yves Ussons schematics.
I have increased the diode ladder from 10-12, and also the size of the capacitors in the ladder and also my own tailored trimming for keyboard tracking.
There is also a trimmerble diode pair in the resonance network , which can at some points sound like a nice distortion pedal and tames the wild resonance. i have also changed values in the Freq Cut and Res potentiometers resistance to ground to compensate for the bigger change in top end content.
PLEASE USE HEADPHONES OR SPEAKERS TO CATCH THE LOW END PROPERLY ;-).
Again many thanks to Yves Usson and Ken Stone for their inspirational circuits."

Custom ARP & Roland Based 5U Suitcase Modular System

This one in via SoundRay. This system is not for sale. It is only one of two systems built by Paul-S-Tone.

"Custom made modular system in suitcase featuring:

Double VCO Arp Odyssey MK1 with waveshaper (triangle/sine) and switch to send the 4 waveforms to a clipper circuit to control the WAVE offset

Sub oscillator Roland SH-101 with independent audio output;

Arp Odyssey ring modulator

DC mixer

ARP 4023 VCF with 3 audio inputs

ROLAND SYSTEM 100M ADSR with clipper option

2 syncable LFO

Sample and Hold

Noise

Stroh Modular dual VCA with the outs normalized to the reverb input fx by Ken Stone

Headphones

All components are the same ones used in the original machines mentioned

Design and assembly by Paolo Sassi aka Paul-S-Stone

Owner Gianpiero De Filippo [aka SoundRay]"

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World 1st Radioactive Synth Module?

Geiger counter synth module with uranium ore

Published on Jan 13, 2017 thenervoussquirrel

Update: see the comments below for the answer.

You'll be twisting those knobs with stubs for fingers in no time!

"Produces random voltages by comparing the time between clicks. Initially counts three clicks, then takes the time between 1 and 3 as the overall range mapped to 5V, and click 2 as the voltage level. It then waits for the next click to replace click 3, and re-assigns the previous 2 and 3 to the new 1 and 2, if that makes sense.

The 5V is converted into a control voltage signal, with adjustable range and offset, adapted from Ken Stone's joystick schematic. Glide has also been borrowed from a CGS module. Also produces a trigger output every time the geiger counter is activated."

CGS49 Dual Wasp Filter Demo

Published on Dec 19, 2016 Lower West Side Studio

"Demonstration of Cat Girl Synthesizer's CGS49 Dual Wasp Filter. In this video I put Ken Stone's version of the Wasp Filter through some basic yet incredible sounding paces. Also in the patch are a Synthesizers.com Q106 VCO, an Oakley Multimix, Classic VCA and Dual LFO and a PAiA 9720 VCO running in LFO mode."

Life Within the Vapor

Published on Jul 17, 2016 davidryle

"A second feedback patch with MI Clouds, Rings, Makenoise Echophon and Music Thing Spring Reverb. The modular is a mix of 5U and 3U Eurorack.

I used Pressure Points & Brains for a 7 step pitch voltage sequence and strum/trigger to Clouds and Rings.
The Z-DSP is used with Time Fabric (Intervals2) to pitch shift Clouds and Rings. Modifiers from two Turing Machines are used into right/left channels of Z-DSP. Loads of internal feedback applied.

This is my first patch with MI Frames (Parasite) and Euclidean Sequencer mode. A pair of Q106 vco's were used with the channel 3 cv out and FR Step output to do the two note bass line. The Bass Drum is channel 1 from another Q106, the snare is channel 2 of TipTop SD808 and the HiHat sound is channel 4 and a Piston Honda mk1.
The Piston Honda has LSB modified by Turing Machine volts and it is run through an MST Dual VCA with open/closed envelope from a Maths channel 4. The Maths has the Rise/Fall/BOTH input modified from the Turing Machine.
The speaking sounds are a sample capture from a radio broadcast into the Phonogene. Every input control except gene size and SOS mix are modified by LFO's from Intellijel Quadra and Mega Ohm Audio and Music Thing Turing Machines voltage stages.

The final sound voice is a pair of Q106 VCO's in hard sync (PWM*SAW) pitch driven by an STG Voltage Mini Store. It is sent through a Q107 State Variable Filter in high pass mode with the resonance modified by a tempo driven ramp from a Mega Ohm Audio LFO2. The center frequency has a hard sync reset slow ramp from a Q106.
The tempo clock is from the Echophon delay pulse out to various dividers like the 4MS RCD, QCD and Moon Modular M554 Octal Divider. The samples from the Phonogene are switched in and out randomly by a Yusynth Random Gates module then sent into a Modcan 73B Dual Delay in resample mode.

Other filters used were the Synthetic Sound Labs Steiner, Ken Stone CGS77 Serge 1973 State Variable Resonant, Oakley VCSVF and synthesizers.com Q150 transistor ladder 24dB/four pole and an FFB."

Pin Matrix

Published on Jun 13, 2016 otherunicorn

"First stage testing of current project. So, what is it?"

otherunicorn is Ken Stone of CGS

ELBY DESIGNS KEN STONE CYNARE CGS-747 // Very Rare Techno Drum Synth Module

Published on May 28, 2016 LESINDES

"ELBY DESIGNS KEN STONE CYNARE CGS-747 is a very peculiar und and also flexible syn drum module that is breathing the spirit of TECHNO and ACID.
With a little help from HEXINVERTER SYMPLE SEQ."

CGS35 Synthacon Steiner VC Filter

Published on Nov 6, 2015 Suburban Heroin Electronics

"A quick demo of the famous, rare, synthacon VCF from Ken Stone"

An Interview with Barry Schrader

Hi everyone! As you know Barry Schrader will be giving his farewell concert at CalArts on September 26. The following is the beginning of my interview with him. I opted to post the questions and answers as they come in.  New QAs will get a new post so you do not miss them and they will be added to this post so we have one central post for the full interview. This should make it easier for all of us to consume in our busy lives, and it will allow you to send in any questions that may come to mind during the interview process.  If you have anything you'd like to ask Barry, feel free to send it in to matrixsynth@gmail.com.  This is a rare opportunity for us to get insight on a significant bit of synthesizer history, specifically with early Buchla systems, and I'd like to thank Barry for this opportunity. Thank you Barry!

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Furious Microtemporal Programmer / Sequencer

Published on Aug 30, 2015 Gerald Stevens

"Video showing the basic features of my touch keyboard, ribbon, and joystick controlled analog microtemporal programmer sequencer. It is a little complicated! Lots of Ken Stone CGS boards insides, with a hacked Arduino / Narbotic Midivox MIDI clock.
The microtemporal side (continuously variable note lengths) functions by comparing any analog waveform (a rising sawtooth for the easiest to understand) with 16 stacked, variable width (each knob in the bottom row) windowed comparators. The other useful custom feature is the four gated (i.e. "strobed") LM311 comparators that allow note by note muting across all four sequencer tracks. Really simple (just turn the knob to zero) to implement - probably has been done, but I haven't seen this before."

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Sequential Switch Fun!

Published on Jun 23, 2015 littlem4tt

"Here is a demo where I send the gates from the sequencer through the ken stone sequential switch to the vca's of 4 independent synth patches. I used the Yusynth Clock divider to change the speed of the sequential switch.
The pitch cv from the sequencer passes through the Penrose quantizer before being distributed by an RNA REPLICATOR."

Soundplex Synth Demo

"Inspired by the recent Serge DSG thread. . .
www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=132548

My colleague, Eden Mononym and I are exploring building a single panel DIY synth, for our own delight, that capitalizes on Serge style DSGs (Ken Stone kits). With 6 SGs at the heart of the system one could have 6 oscillators and, of course, any combination of all the amazing functions of the DSG.

In an effort to test the viability of our little vision I have mocked up some self-generating patches using my old Serge system. All snippets are live, no overdubbing, no editing. Occasionally, I sparingly use other modules (RM, SSG, Noise, VQFCF, VCA, DP and TKB) along with some knob twiddling and sometimes some Ableton fx.

Here, for your delectation, are the fruits of the last few days"

And a short 3 minute addendum:

Catgirl Synth CGS07 Gate Sequencer

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via this auction

"CGS07 Gate Sequencer module in MOTM format. Four channels by 2-8 Steps (step number selected by front panel rotary switch. Small flaw on front panel from when the corner of another module gouged the faceplate (see pictures). Recently re-wired. Fully tested 100% working condition.

Here is some additional info from Ken Stone's (Catgirl Synth) Modular Synthesizer website...

"By itself, the main board of the gate sequencer can be used as a sequential pulse generator. When clocked by an external source, each of its outputs will come on one after the other. This can be used to sequentially trigger up to eight events. An example would be to set the number of steps to 2, then connect outputs 1 and 2 to two drum sound generators. A pulse train fed to the clock input would then produce a drum roll alternating between the two drum sounds.

When coupled with the switch bank and buffer boards, rhythms of up to eight steps can be created. Each switch bank and buffer board contains two channels. Additional switch bank and buffer boards can be connected to main board to produce gate sequencers with more channels. While these outputs can be used to trigger drum sounds, that is not their only use. They can be used to trigger envelope generators, step waves in wave tables, drive other sequencers etc. Once you have a gate sequencer in your modular, you will wonder how you ever survived without it."

Featuring

Alco Knob
Switchcraft Jacks
Custom Anodized Aluminum Front Panel (Front Panel Express)
20" MOTM Power Cable"

H'ven Sent by Ken Stone

Ken Stone is the man behind Catgirl Synth aka CGS.