Sunday 28 August 2016

Non Linear Excursions 006

More wonderful music from Steve.




He describes the patch as: Just some (raw) techno using mostly NLC. Boom: Doof1 (with sustain mod) 4x4: Mutant BD Hit (snare-ish): baDumTISSS1 (with IN from Doof2) Hats: Sauce of Unce (high noise) -> 329 Phase/Flange Beat: Bong0 (with IN from FlipFlop Chaos) -> Multi-band Distortion -> Serge Res EQ Off Beat: Doof3 -> Timbre! -> Multi-band Distortion -> Serge Res EQ Klang: baDumTISSS2 (with IN from L1 CVO) -> L1 Tube VCA Sequencing: 4Seq, Flip Flop Chaos, Numberwang, Bools (XOR), 1050. Other: 2xLFO, Sloth(s), Chopper, Squid Axon, VCAs

Wednesday 17 August 2016

Things to come: CEM3340 VCO

I generally prefer to use generic components for new designs, but couldn't resist making a module for the newly re-released CEM3340 VCO IC.
This is very much based on the Aries AR-338 PMS VCO, which features phase modulated sync and a pan-pulse output. The AR-338 used a SSM2030, so it was not too hard to modify the sub-sections to suit the CEM3340. As you can see, for such a feature rich VCO, there are not all that many components.




 The back of the panel.

Things to come: Rimples

A ring modulator with a phase locked loop to do the modulating! The PLL can be set to lock tightly, loosely or not at all with the incoming signal. What could go wrong?



Friday 12 August 2016

Things to come: 8bit Cipher (Eurorack vers.)

It was going to happen sooner or later. This is the 8bit Cipher from the NLC 4U CMOS panel with an added strobe control, serial data output and built-in loop circuit. It is based on the Buchla 208 Random but includes 8 stage outputs, 4 CV outputs, the loop output and serial out.
If a patch-cable is plugged into strobe the outputs only change when the incoming signal is high, so it acts like a digital sample & hold.




Things to come: 335 CV Switch

This module is functionally based on one section of the Aries 335 Quad Switch, although the actual circuit is different.
It is 1 into 4 or 4 into 1 bi-directional, the routing is controlled by CV and the 4 pots.

If no CV is used the pots can be used to simply turn each stage on or off, so no need for toggle switches. If using CV, the pots add weight to the channels, so each one is more or less likely to be on or off. Each pot affects more than one channel, so the relationships are more complex than simple comparators.
LEDs indicate which channels are active.




Monday 1 August 2016

Shipping costs

Recently Australia Post revamped their costs and service, simply put prices have gone up.

I am sorry but international shipping for assembled modules is now US$20 per order (1 module or 10 in the order, it stays at US$20).
It does mean that all parcels will now have tracking & signed delivery, previously Auspost didn't offer tracking.


Regular airmail for DIY PCBs & panels stays at US$5

bong0



The bong0 is a twin-T based drum module with a LED acting as a nonlinear resistor to give it some interesting characteristics.
The trigger input acts as a normal input to get your drum sound. The input marked ‘in’ can also be used, or you can jam a CV in there, or a gate or audio. You can just use the ‘in’ input without anything into the trigger.

Bong0 can also be used for basslines, drones and as a crude but useful VCO. It has about 20 passive components which are 0805 smd and 1 thru-hole TL072, meaning it is a good circuit for learning to solder smd parts and delivers way more fun than such a simple module should. This video features 2 bong0s, along with a BadumTisss snare module and 2 Doofs (which are kept relatively quiet)







BaDumTisss


BadumTisss is a snare/hi-hat module.

The core sound of the circuit comes from the ring mod. Usually it will process the noise source and the VCO, but feel free to plug in the output from another VCO and get some nice sounds. You can use CV to modulate the VCO frequency (NOT 1/oct) and control the decay time.