[sdiy] stokastatron progress: what I've thrown together so far etc...

[anthony]

I really should put up a web page of this project.

As you all may know, my Stokastatron project is a combo guitar synth/FX box.

To that end it's an analogue synth with heavy focus on filters and 
modulation, but also can track a tune with a P2V converter etc.

I haven't actually built the P2V converter yet, but I am cleaning up the PCB 
art for the one that's floating around the web. I think it's at Mark 
Hammer's site. Anyway, I'll post it for you all when I am done. When my 
CA3140's get in I'll really start to cook on it.

So here's what I have built for it so far:

Ray Wilson Dual AR
Ray Wilson Single Chip Sample & Hold (although I'll probably actually use 
the S&H unit from the Buchla 266)
Ray Wilson Pink Enough Noise Source (probably will use the noise section of 
the Aries 318)

Buchla 230 envelope follower - 1 section (2 or 5 more to go...) with a...
Craig Anderton "Pluck Follower" on the same board (hey it all fit... even 
using big MPP caps... this thing is such an easy build I won't mind building 
a ton of them. I'd even be willing to sell custom made ones...)

CGS Psycho/Super Psycho LFO hybrid (I used a 4093 and less pots...)
CGS Synthacon Tribute Filter

16-stage fixed phaser of my own design with dual crossfaders and panners 
(Buchla) - for use with the triple VC delay line...

Rene Schmitz tri-phase LFO - probably to be one of my favorite modules. HEY 
RENE! Will ceramic 330pF and small mylar 220nF caps work well in this? I 
tried it once with MPP caps, but they're kind of unwieldly on the protoboard 
and I didn't like the layout I did so I rebuilt it. I used an NP0 for the 
VCO part which should be no biggie. BUT I have some polystyrene caps on deck 
if that would be necessary...

DOD FX30 Loop/Noise Gate. I vascillate back and forth between wanting to use 
this as a stand-alone or incorporating it into this unit, but I think what 
I'll do is end up making several.

hypertriangle LFO - I just decided to make this thing ia part of this big 
unit although I was going to put it in a stompbox chorus. I want to try it 
out with a CGS Analog Shift Register.

OK I think that's it for finished units.
Here's a list of begun, but yet to be finished:
Coron DS8 "Drum Synce" I think this is actually going to be a "pod" on my 
"Lub Dub Pod Bay" percussion sequencer.

Thomas Henry XR2206 VCO - Yay! At long last! I'm using the Portugese-made 
TL084 from my old Amiga for this one. Tempted to give this one its own 
ornate box that will sit atop the Stoke.

Ray Wilson WP-20 - again this will probably actually be a "pod" on my "Lub 
Dub Pod Bay".


Here's a to-do list:

Pitch to Voltage converter - essential

Oberheim Minisequencer HEAVILY modified - terrific starting point

2 separate quantizers. I think 2 togetehr at different intervals, might give 
a very interesting effect

Aries 318 - only the noise section

2 different spring reverbs (or I might try my hand at that Single Chip 
Reverb - or both...)

Buchla 257
Buchla 258
Buchla 259
Buchla 291 - at least 2
Buchla 292C - at least 6 - yes 6
Buchla 266 - various sections, especially the S&H, but likely not all of 
it...

Ray Wilson dual VCA - I think I'm going to use mostly LPG's for my VCA 
duties
Ray Wilson ADSR - I dunno how many. At least 2.

CGS Analog Shift Register. I built one once, but I didn't like the way I 
laid it out. I think buying the PCB is essential. I'm really excited about 
this unit.
CGS Gated Comparator - I my either put this in the "Lub Dub Pod Bay" or 
build 2.
I think the 2 above units would be killer used together - so much so that I 
may build another stand-alone unit with these 2 in it.

voltage controlled analog delay line X 3 - I'm using a blend of Craig 
Anderton's "Device" ASM Flanger, the ADA flanger and maybe a few elements of 
Juergen Haible's Stormtide, but I plan on making some variation of the 
Stormtide in its own unit (with DNR Noise Reduction instead of 
compansion...)

I had made a Ray Wilson 24 dB/oct with CA3080's on a protoboard, but I took 
it apart because I needed the board and am going to buy a board from Ray 
because it seems like a much better route to go. I may use the Ray Wilson 
stuff in my Synthsaurus and use mostly Buchla stuff here.

There's probably a lot I'm forgetting, but this brings me to my dilemma: I 
have a 16" tall 19" rack-sized box (16-3/4" w/out ears) and I'm pretty sure 
I don't have room for it all. I plan to patch out some of it on the side and 
back. I'm getting a lot of inspiration from Juergen Haible's Matrix FX, but 
I'm not using a matrix. I'm going to use a combination of banana jacks and 
1/4" - bananas for internal patching and 1/4" for connecting to an 
instrument - most likely my guitar.

My idea was an organic interface between a human and an analogue synth 
putting out random patterns via a guitar while also functioning as an FX 
unit for this self-same guitar. But I think I'm going to have to scale it 
back and use it in conjunction with another synth. Which is no biggie 
really, I just wish I could fit it all...

aa