Something new(ish)? (Re: 1970's again? (was Re: [sdiy] pro EQs))

[Anthony Ankrom]

I have read about something that I don't think anyone's ever applied to 
synth work, but it might be
interesting.

Just the other day I stumbled across an old article about "non-linear 
transfer functions". The circuits in the article
used very large arrays of "forward biased" diodes in the feedback loops of 
op-amps. It said forward biased but
the diodes were "pointing" the same way as the op-amps so I would think this 
would be reversed biased, but hmm
maybe it was because it was in the inverting input?

And the arrays seemed to be strings of diodes of varying/increasing length 
in parallel. Like the first was one in
parallel with a string of two in parallel with a string of three and so on - 
with variations on this theme.

The aim here was some analog computing application, but isn't that what 
analog synths are in a nutshell?
They're analog number crunchers with audio user interfaces.