> From: "Paul & Alleyne" <vulture.squadron@...>
> i might knock together a 1u panel, install a
> couple of 4 way rotary switches that i have lying
> around and use it for
> patch routing..?
Stooge Barlow and I discussed may rotary switch options (VERY LONG, he
actually cursed me) with the Larry's magic buss configuration. Nothing as
wild as total patch routing. But, something so that 2, 3, 4, or more of
the multiples on the magic buss (or your choice of distributed multiples)
could be connected to things you will always use and need distributed
across the panel like keyboard CV, gates, triggers, etc. A nice 12
position rotary switch could look just like a MOTM control pots with the
same knob. That rotary switch could represent the output to multiple # 1,
another to mult 2, etc. So, a simple 1U panel (lets say with exactly the
same layout as the MOTM-800), would have 4 jacks and four selector
switches. You inputs could be hardwired to the rotary switches from you
Kenton or ? to your needs. say: CV1, CV2, gate 1, gate 2, aux 1, etc, you
get the idea. The outputs could be connected to some of your distributed
multiples. The 4 jacks at the bottom could be used one of two ways. If
you wired your rotary switch outputs to distributed multiples, the jacks on
the 1U switch panel could be the # 12 input on the rotary. Or, you could
forget the behind the panel output wiring and use these 4 jacks as the
outputs from the 4 rotary switches. Think of it as a way to get control
type voltages where you want them in a hurry with minimum cables. AND,
depending on how you decide to wire your outputs, this would halt the
argument that "normalizing" stifles creativity. My outputs will go to my
magic bus. So, if I want CV# 1 on the distributed multiple # 1, I just
dial it in and ta-da. It is there, conveniently located close to every
module I would like to connect CV1 to. If you wanted to have that multiple
NOT connected to a source, OR would like to use some source not connected
as an input to your rotary switch, that is where the 4 jacks on the switch
panel come in. Those jacks wired to the 12th position on the rotary
switches allow the multiple to just "grow" by one jack. Nothing is
connected to the multi until you plug something into that jack. One
position on the rotary switch could also be a "cross-connect" switch. So,
you could tie mults together with these same switches. For example if
switch # 1 was set to CV # 1 and # 2 switch was set to # 1 tie, then both #
1 and # 2 mults would be tied to CV# 1. If # 1 switch was then turned to
AUX input (that 1/4 jack on the panel) then # 1 and # 2 mults would be tied
together and connected to nothing until you plugged something in on the 1/4
aux in jack on panel # 1.
You will notice that this has no hidden "normalled" connections. It is
also expandable. A single 1U panel can handle distributions and
interconnections for FOUR of your mults. Need eight? Us a 2U panel with 8
knobs and jacks.
Now, I can assure you I plan to "spare" the list (THANK GOD) of the torture
I caused Stooge Barlow. However, I could not resist at least spilling out
some of this since Paul has mentioned three times the idea of rotary
switches and patch routing. I am not interested in the number of switches
that would be required to go that far. I have plenty of "patch memory"
synths. However, I think one could benefit from the ease of making control
voltage distributions leaving more time for AC patching. :)
Stooge Larry, father of the magic buss (although it was either Barlow or
Bradley that dubbed it the magic buss)
P.S. I have two joysticks and plan to make myself a joystick panel like
many have discussed. That will be the next installment. I stole some of
the ideas from JWB.