MOTM

Tony Karavidas wrote:
>
>That was OLD MacDonald (his dad!)

So it was a formant filter that went E-I-E-I-O :)

>Chris MacDonald is the guy that designed the MiniModular.

Good for him!!

>No it't not digital. It's PURE analog. There is some cost cutting to get it
>to that price. The biggest thing is that it isn't a "through zero" type of
>shifter. I've heard both, in fact Chris has a proto of each and I thought
>for the extra trouble and cost it wasn't worth it. There are plenty of
>expensive frequency shifters out there.

Unless more showed up at the NAMM show, there are fewer choices than you
might think, and none of them will fit in an MOTM:

Serge makes two different units based on the Buchla 185/285, one with an
internal carrier built-in ($1,000) and another that depends on, but let's
you use, an external carrier ($1200).  Either of which must be purchased as
part of a whole panel.  The module with the internal carrier has 1V/oct CV
control but does not have oscillator outputs.

Analogue Systems recently announced a frequency shifter.  You have to buy
their chassis to mount and power it, so in that regard it is not unlike the
Serge.  It is a "clone" of the Moog/Bode 1630, and afaik no one has ever
seen one.  So it is also quite similar to the vaporous Moog CE -- wondering
how much it costs is like asking how many angels can dance on the head of a
pin.

DACS makes the Freque2 for $1200.  It's not similar to anything.  It's a
complete unit, powered from the mains and enclosed in a 2U metal chassis.
It can be used as a frequency shifter or two separate ring modulators.  The
VCO's respond to Hz/V from 0 to 15V, and all the jacks are in back, which
is less than ideal for use with an MOTM system.  However, unlike all of the
other high-performance frequency shifters, it has the singularly unique
feature of actually being manufactured.

>The other "economical" shifters don't have near the performance. For
>>instance, there is German frequency shifters that only goes down to 50Hz.

Yes, this is what I meant by "doesn't completely suck", but let's not put
all German designers in the same basket!!  While it is has the lowest
price, it can't go below the audible range _and_ its carrier suppression is
awful.  This unique combination of "features" makes it absolutely useless,
imho.

>Mine (Chris') is about .05Hz.

That's very good!!

>With a super slow shift, you get these neat continually rising sort of
>effect from the audio.

Yes, the Dogpoop module is useless for "phasing" and feedback control,
perhaps the two most practical applications of a frequency shifter.  At
most, dedicated feedback control units shift by only 6Hz.

>Everyone is free to comment on all of this stuff. I'm listening.

First off, since it is an analogue module, and the carrier is not merely a
figment of a microprocessor's imagination, I think Encore should add
oscillator outputs.  That way you get both a frequency shifter and a
quadrature oscillator for your $400.  Not to get all electro-acoustic, but
having an oscillator output would be very useful in shifting around a
particular "key", using one output against the input to "tune" noise, and
creating sounds in which the input has a mathematical relationship to its
output (where the input is the waveshaped carrier).

Will it include schematics??  While I doubt anyone would try to steal an
SMD design, the majority of MOTM builders are curious how things work.

I'm I correct in assuming that the "feedback" controls mix the outputs back
into the input??

What is the CV response of the oscillator??  Is it 1V/oct or Hz/V??

What is its carrier rejection??

Let's say you have a fox, a rabbit, and a head of lettuce...