Can we talk about modular synths?

[oscillateur]

Just Friends seems awesome and it's on my short list of modules I really want to get at some point but it's not 4 separate envelopes, they're all linked to each other in specific (and potentially very useful) ways.

[Inconuucl]

What ever happened to that slew of euro cases that had the bare essentials on a 1u row? I've been thinking about those lately.

[Invisible Man]

My plan is to build a synth using my drums as a controller. Piezo/contact pickups on various parts of the kit triggering the new Ladik audio-to-trigger module (that'll go in the 4hp gap).

There are trigger/gate inputs in the Mother, function, LxD (x2), and radio music. Any input or thoughts on stuff that would be interesting? I tend to play pretty busy, so the Disting would likely be used for logic functions to help sort out all the triggers. The quantizer would be good to help organize random information from the Turing Machine...

So this would be a two-voice synth (with samples) triggered/played by live acoustic drums. Eh?

[behndy]

VERY cool. i LIKE your thinking suh.

soooooo...... probably a dumb question. but trying to use my No Coast as a MIDI -> CV converter, and it....... sort of works?

if i go out MIDI keys into No Coast MIDI in, then PITCH out to a euro oscillator (using the ShapeShifter...... because..... that's all i...... HAVE RIGHT NOW) it plays the pitch fine, but going the GATE OUT doesn't seem to do anything. so the note runs on forever and shizz.

tried No Coast GATE OUT into a VCA. so......

Shapeshifter Out 01 -> VCA Signal IN
VCA Signal OUT -> mixer channel
No Coast PITCH OUT -> Shapeshifter PITCH 1
No Coast GATE OUT -> VCA CV1

...... which is how i had it with the Beatstep Pro, working fine.

murp?

[MrNovember]

My plan is to build a synth using my drums as a controller. Piezo/contact pickups on various parts of the kit triggering the new Ladik audio-to-trigger module (that'll go in the 4hp gap).

There are trigger/gate inputs in the Mother, function, LxD (x2), and radio music. Any input or thoughts on stuff that would be interesting? I tend to play pretty busy, so the Disting would likely be used for logic functions to help sort out all the triggers. The quantizer would be good to help organize random information from the Turing Machine...

So this would be a two-voice synth (with samples) triggered/played by live acoustic drums. Eh?

Sounds like a solid and fun plan. The only issue I see is the Radio Music, which continuously loops/plays samples; you can only use the trigger input to reset the sample to the start point. A better option would be the Tiptop One or the Erica Pico Drums. I haven't used either and they're both intended for drums, but, from my understanding, you can upload your own samples to them.

[MrNovember]

VERY cool. i LIKE your thinking suh.

soooooo...... probably a dumb question. but trying to use my No Coast as a MIDI -> CV converter, and it....... sort of works?

if i go out MIDI keys into No Coast MIDI in, then PITCH out to a euro oscillator (using the ShapeShifter...... because..... that's all i...... HAVE RIGHT NOW) it plays the pitch fine, but going the GATE OUT doesn't seem to do anything. so the note runs on forever and shizz.

tried No Coast GATE OUT into a VCA. so......

Shapeshifter Out 01 -> VCA Signal IN
VCA Signal OUT -> mixer channel
No Coast PITCH OUT -> Shapeshifter PITCH 1
No Coast GATE OUT -> VCA CV1

...... which is how i had it with the Beatstep Pro, working fine.

murp?

So just to be clear, you've tried the same setup with the BSP and with a MIDI keyboard and it acts differently with the MIDI keyboard? It's likely that the BSP and whatever MIDI keys you are using are outputting slightly different gate signals. It could be that the gate signal doesn't drop to exactly zero with the MIDI keys or maybe they're outputting gates at different voltages. Also, the VCA CV input is likely expecting the signal from an envelope or LFO and not a gate. Generally, gates are used to trigger envelopes which are then used to control VCAs.

[oscillateur]

The Gate out is probably a trigger or a short gate, i.e. it drops down to 0V quickly and the VCA's CV in expects positive voltages to amplify the sound.
Or actually, re-reading what you said it looks like you always have a "high" gate. Which VCA are you using ?

To debug this kind of things it's nice to have a jack with a bicolor LED that allows you to visualize the voltages coming out of any CV out.
I think the one I have is one of these, super useful and quite cheap :
http://www.analoguehaven.com/division6/jacklight/


Also, you probably need an envelope in there if you want something else than on/off for the sound.
What's your current setup now ? You probably have something that can generate an envelope somewhere...

[behndy]

lol. yeah. i am IGNORANT and didna grab any envelope generating modules. because SMART.

going to grab a Quadra soon as i can, a Pam's New Workout once they're back in stock next month (she can send out envelopes no?), but just ordered the Synthrotek ADSR.

can i use the Optomix or No Coast for any envelope generation?

i. am. a. git.

right now just have a Shapeshifter, Rotating Clock Divider, Dopefer VCA (the one with no knobs?), a Wasp Filter and a Malekko Mix 4.

[oscillateur]

You can ping the optomix (send a gate to the ping input) and you'll get a quick decay from the vactrol, and the newer versions can be used to generate a voltage from this too but you won't get a typical envelope.

I'm pretty sure there's a function generator in the 0-Coast that you can use for this though. Yeah, I just looked at the panel, they call it "slope". And there's also another envelope in there (called "contour"). You can use either of these.

[Strange Tales]

lol. yeah. i am IGNORANT and didna grab any envelope generating modules. because SMART.

going to grab a Quadra soon as i can, a Pam's New Workout once they're back in stock next month (she can send out envelopes no?), but just ordered the Synthrotek ADSR.

can i use the Optomix or No Coast for any envelope generation?

i. am. a. git.

right now just have a Shapeshifter, Rotating Clock Divider, Dopefer VCA (the one with no knobs?), a Wasp Filter and a Malekko Mix 4.

New Pam's can send out envelopes, but I don't think they are 4 stage envelopes (so, just Attack and Decay). Haven't had a real chance to play with mine in a little bit.

[resincum]

hey kbit I know you're looking for more than 2 at a time, but peaks with DMC has some cray ass envelopes that you can run at the same time (2). looping and bouncing ball envelopes are cool as shit.

[Dark Barn]

just a thing i've been trying to wrap my brains around, maybe you guys could help out;

in connecting my microbrute to my 0-coast; pitch out goes to 1v/oct in ofc but

in going "gate out" to trigger the contour/envelope section of the 0-coast i get a different result compared to going "envelope out" of the microbrute with everything set to 0 except sustain that's set to max (also going into gate on the envelope/contour of the 0-coast).

Isn't a gate the same as a ADSR that's been set to zero except for the sustain part that's maxed out? That's how it sounds on the microbrute when playing the filter or volume, but the 0-coast reacts differently to these two things.

I don't know the specs but it's possible the voltage range is different on the gate and envelope and that is what is causing the difference.

[kbit]

hey kbit I know you're looking for more than 2 at a time, but peaks with DMC has some cray ass envelopes that you can run at the same time (2). looping and bouncing ball envelopes are cool as shit.

Thank you for reminding me. I kinda passed over peaks because of the necessity to memorize all the different modes, but some of those envelopes do seem pretty cool. Will have to research further.

After some thought, I'm thinking something like Maths + MiniSlew + another 2-4 EG/function generator would give me a robust selection of envelopes and other modulation. Its all hypothetical at this point through. Working on stacking enough bread to get going...

[Inconuucl]

The Intellijel Tetrapad might be a Pressure Points killer, looks fantastic.

[Ruiner]

The Intellijel Tetrapad might be a Pressure Points killer, looks fantastic.

Uh yeah... need.

I want the Plonk too.