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Subject: Re: [motm] Guitar synthm MOTM style?

From: Doug Pearson <ceres@...>
Date: 2000-03-23

At 10:38 AM 03/23/2000 -0000, "Paul b" <vulture.squadron@...> wrote:
>>From: "thomas white" <djthomaswhite@...>
>>
>>OK, call me ignant but what modules are necessary for the MOTM to be a
>>guitar synth? I know the envelope follower will generate the gate but will
>>it generate the pitch CV as well? Pre-amp for sure. What else in what
>>order, etc! Help please

As with any other modular synth application, there's no "right answer", but
presumably the pitch->CV output will control a VCO, the envelope follower
output will control a VCA, and the gate output will trigger an EG that
controls a VCF. That sounds like a minimum requirement to me.

>if you can't wait, have a mess
>around with a korg MS-03, (i have one) the pitch to voltage conversion is
>pretty bad, but you can get a great Bootsy bass sound with just that and the
>#410 filter

I have both both a Korg MS-03 (dedicated pitch->CV box) and MS-20
(monosynth with "external signal processor" including envelope follower and
pitch->CV). In my experience, the MS-03 is pretty worthless, BUT the
MS-20's pitch->CV function is pretty decent and very usable as long as you
have "clean" technique (if you're using it as a guitar synth) - I've even
found it to adequately track a bass guitar signal (low frequencies
understandably take longer to "lock in"). Having highpass & lowpass
filters, and a signal amplifier at the signal input helps, too, since that
lets you cut out harmonics that might interfere with the tracking and lets
you tailor the signal level for optimum response. The main problem with
the MS-20 is that the CV output is V/Hz (which could be what accounts for
its good performance), so it's not MOTM-compatible without an exponential
converter (unfortunately I don't have a MS-02). I'd buy a clone of the
MS-20 pitch->CV section with an exponential converter built-in for V/oct
response in a heartbeat!

>oh yeah, and pitch to voltage convertors hate having chords played into them
>(damn...)

... unless you're looking for the "Baba O'Riley" effect. Semi-random
arpegiation from chords through a pitch->CV unit can be very fun.

-Doug
ceres@...