As I was hiking on the Applachian Trail for a couple hours today, of all things I got thinking about how I could document patches on my MOTM modular.
1. Hastily sketch out a block diagram with modules, inputs and outputs connected by scribbly lines, with some notes as to whys and wherefores, with some pot and switch settings. (my present, awkward method)
2. Use Adobe Illustrator or some other drawing software to create graphic templates of each module that can be dropped onto a drawing and then connected with lines, plus comments. The electronic version of #1. Too much work?
3. Take a digital camera and just shoot a picture of the patch. (Would it have good enough resolution? Would you be able to tell where all the patch cords go?) Add notes and make it an HTML page to view or print.
4. Draw a matrix on paper with all the inputs on one axis and the outputs on the other. Place a mark where each connection occurs. Make a list of all pot and switch settings. Add comments. An empty matrix chart could be made up and printed out to draw on. (Consider the number of columns and rows; could it fit on one piece of paper, etc.). Could the matrix chart somehow show only the modules used in a given patch, to save space? Or would a standard chart that included all the modules be easier to understand, because always the same?
I'm leaning toward #4, because being able to do the documentation with a paper and pencil in front of the synthesizer has a lot of advantages. Sometimes low-tech is better.
I imagine that the number of modules in your system could impact how this would best be done. My MOTM will have 32 modules in 52U of space.
Got any suggestions? What have you all done? Know of any good information about this on the Internet? (I have to check my Electronotes collection, too.)
-Richard Brewster