[sdiy] Elektor Formant Re: Test / Sequencer / Arduino

[Carsten Toensmann]

Hi Rick,

the white front panels consist of 2mm white coated aluminium (industrial
material) and an adhesive foil I printed the layout / the labeling on. The
printing was done by a standard ink-jet printer. The drilling had to be done
carefully, but the front panels still look quite ok after all that time (the
oldest has an age of 13 years now).

I never tried to contact C. Chapman, but I was in contact with HaJo
Helmstedt several times, the author of the MSS2000 book. My system is a
mixture of MSS2000 modules, modules of the first Formant of 1977 and own
developments and developments of other DIYers.
I would replace parts which are too hard to find with substitute parts
nowadays or would change the circuit. I've done that in my current project,
the cloning of a Moog System 55 in some cases. LTSpice helped me to find a
solution in all cases. In one case, the inductors for the Moog 914 Extended
Fixed Filter Bank, I produce them even myself :-)
But you are right, the Formant can be a hardcore challenge. But everything
what doesn't kill us makes us harder :-)

Regarding your sequencer project I have the same thoughts concerning
replacing the digital logic circuitry by microcontrollers. One of my next
modules will be the clone of the Moog 960 sequential controller, and I
decided to do just a functional clone in this case with a microcontroller
doing all the logic.

Regards

Carsten

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Rick Jansen [mailto:rick.jansen at xs4all.nl] 
Gesendet: Mittwoch, 25. März 2015 14:50
An: Carsten Toensmann; 'Synth-Diy'
Betreff: Elektor Formant Re: [sdiy] Test / Sequencer / Arduino

hi Carsten,

Great work! Its clearly visible you put a lot of work and effort into your
Formant. How did you make the white front panels by the way?

I've always wondered who C. Chapman is. In some web pages he's referred to
as "Cyril Chapman", as "Colin Chapman" in others. I seem to remember someone
from Elektor mentioned the name is a writers name, but he could not recall
the authors true name. Or perhaps it was C. Chapman himself who told me :-)

The Formant is from 1977, some parts now *really* are hard to get, 38 years
later... The
uA726 is scarce, older Moog mini's and Memory Moogs use them too, and they
are sought after as repair parts. The CA3084 PNP array may be hard to find,
and the CA3080 OTA's are getting rare too.

All in all, building a Formant is a project only undertaken by the brave. Or
was it the foolish?

As for the sequencer: I'm going to try if it is feasible to finish it by
replacing the oldfashioned digital circuits by an Arduino Uno (14 digital
I/O pins). Perhaps even an Arduino Mega, which has even more digital I/O
pins (54!).

Best, and thanks for the links!

rick


On 25/03/2015 12:18, Carsten Toensmann wrote:
> Hi Rick,
>
> when I started my own Formant project (MSS2000) I read your pages of 
> course to get an impression of what it could mean to start such a huge 
> project. And yes - it was a LOT of work, but it was worth it. I never 
> built a sequencer for it though but a MIDI interface.
>
> Nowadays it seems to me that the Formant disappeared from the DIY 
> scene more or less, which is a pity in my opinion, so I hope you will 
> manage to reanimate your system and continue your project.
>
> I finished my Formant project in May 2008 after a building time of 6
years.
> The system has been part of several music productions and I like it. 
> See details on http://www.analog-monster.de/tagebuch_en.html
>
> Regards
>
> Carsten
>
> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> [mailto:synth-diy-bounces at dropmix.xs4all.nl] Im Auftrag von Rick 
> Jansen
> Gesendet: Mittwoch, 25. März 2015 11:38
> An: Synth-Diy
> Betreff: [sdiy] Test / Sequencer / Arduino
>
> Hi,
>
> This is both a test message and a new-old project revival note. I was 
> notified traffic on synth-diy may have halted, but as far as I can see 
> everything still works.
>
> For the Formant I was, years ago, designing and building a sequencer, 
> as we all do one time in our life. This one is inspired by the 
> Synthanorma Sequenzer, as used by Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, in 
> that it does not have potmeters but uses 12-position rotary switches.
>
> Mine has 3 rotary switches per step: 1. note duration 2. octave, 3. 
> pitch. A switch, a trigger output and a LED (to impress the ladies) 
> are also included.
>
> I was in the process of doing a circuit built with the regular HC 
> digital ic's, like timers, counters, multiplexers etc etc, and a
DA-converter.
>
> Basically the circuit already work[ed][s], but you know how it is when 
> duty and jobs and relatinships take their time: such projects get shelved.
>
> For years I've seen projects in magazines like Elektor, using small 
> digital controllers like Arduino. Usually I skipped those, as that is 
> not the kind of electronics I personally like a lot. But I realise now 
> how cheap and versatile they have become. They're almost a uA741. 
> Perhaps even more Arduino's are sold than uA741's these days. And, 
> with analog in/out, and digital in/out pins. Impressive.
>
> I even saw that is is quite easy to sync an Arduino program with the 
> MIDI clock!
>
> Here is the current status:
>
>     <http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/rick/Emusic/Sequencer/>
>
> Now I need to bring back to life the Formant, which has been sitting 
> there, unused for about 10 years. Hope the elco's are all still 
> keeping their liquids!
>
> Best,
>
> rick
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Synth-diy mailing list
> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
>
> _______________________________________________
> Synth-diy mailing list
> Synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl
> http://dropmix.xs4all.nl/mailman/listinfo/synth-diy
>