MOTM

Hi gang!

1) Hey Larry, I broke the first switch on the first MOTM kit I got (wasn't
even tightening it, just trying to get it vertically aligned). Thanks Paul
(and Chris?) for the part number. But Larry, I think you've been doing too
many push ups (or you need to find another outlet for your aggressions).

2) I wanted to mention to Chris that I like using exp envelopes (which has an
attack curve in reverse orientation to a "real exponenetial curve" as I'm lead
to believe; all exp ADSRs to my knowledge share this) with exp input on the
VCA often; it's worth checking out.

3) Un-implemented MOTM 110 mod -- DC coupling switch. Drill hole in panel
below CV MOD knob. Install spst switch (do not overtighten). Connect switch
across bypass cap (using 3 cond. sheiled cable???). This will allow gating of
CV, as well as audio; wish I'd thought of it before assembly.

4) About filter Q

In a message dated 3/9/99 2:09:26 PM, "Dave Bradley" <daveb@...> wrote:

>On the Emu, it's called "Final Q" or something like that. On the
>2500 1047, it's called "Keyboard Percussion". At least in the Arp's case, it
>seems to be a way to introduce some ringing into the filter in response to a
>gate.

The (damn) Serge filters have something similar, not a control but a separate
input for a pulse called RING. Works great! I love it! Paul should add it!

Dave, if you want me to say more, you'll have to say "pretty pretty please;"
in the mean time, look at that Serge page filter section.

5) And finally,

In a message dated 3/8/99 5:20:07 PM, "J. Larry Hendry" <jlarryh@...>
wrote:

>> John B. wrote:
>
>> Thanks so much Paul! I just wish I'd known about it this morning (my
>fingers
>> are still sore). I would've written something like "see DSG, UAP, VCM."
>
>Yes, but then we would not have YOUR perspective. <grin>

And a number of people are clamoring for that (BTW, zero is a number)!

> Heck, most of the time I don't even
>know what I want (until Paul tells me). <grin>

Paul is very helpful in that way!

>I would be interested to know the original list prices of those PAiA kits
>if you have time to pass that info along from the catalog.

>> I also just stumbled on to a 1983 PAiA catalog and found the following in
>> their synth section:

>I have all of these except the 2720 and 4740.

Larry! I think I remember you posting this ("no ADSRs?") when you first got
it, and I said something like you have to have a minimum of 3 per voice. I've
changed my perspective recently, that's far too few!

In 1983 dollars:

>> 4710 Ring Mod/VCA (not a dual module, use the RM AS the VCA!)

$22.50

>> 4711 Stereo Mixer

$29.88

>> 4712 Reverb

$26.95

>> 4740 ADSR

$25.95

>> 4720 VCO

$34.95

>> 4730 VCF (multimode)

$37.95

>> 4750 Control OSC/Noise

$21.95

>> 4771 PSU

$29.95

>> 8771 QUASH (uP S/H) (?)

$34.95

>> 2720 Env Follower

$19.95

I bought a 4017 in 83 in order to replace the broken RM in my ARP. I never got
it working in any satisfactory manner, and that experience put me off building
EM circuits for a long time; the biggest (EM) mistake I ever made.

At the same time I bought some of the (CEM based) EKx series. So this might
really hurt (again, 1983 dollars).
CEM 3310 $6.95
CEM 3320 $7.95 (hey! that's not much cheaper than they are now! And they
actually sound quite nice IMO)
CEM 3330 $6.95
CEM 3340 $8.95

At the risk of stating the obvious, a VCO, VCF, VCA, ADSR does not a synth
make. You NEED to have those (and they need to be good) but it is the more
esoteric modules that make a synth have its own personality. However, if ten
companies put out the VCO, VCF, VCA, ADSR core, and nothing more, all the
companies can bite the dust, before any of them have a chance (or a clue!) of
putting out the more exotic modules; and we're all left with a bunch of VCO,
VCF, VCA, ADSR collections. Sorry if my original point was not clear.

Best
Synth Peon
JB

Hi All !

Some comments :

3) An extra jack would work too, use the switch on the jack to put ac
in+cap out of circuit .

4) Been looking at the serge site, and something has struck .
Reading the bit on chaining 2 StateVariables to get 24dB, the writer
mentions one needs an amplified (up to 4 times) signal to make the
resulting filter oscillate . Could it be that the "ringing" input
just has an extra amp built in, so the filter will ring when a
"normal" level signal is presented . Anyone game to test this out on
a Serge ? How does it react to an audio pulse train ? Other than
pulse waveshapes, by env's for ex ?

5 ) Agreed, but a problem persists with perceived value . A few
logic functions, based prolly on cmos or norton-amps, cost zilch for
the circuit, but a lot for the hardware . Since these are not used
as much as most, they get (too)expensive fast in peoples minds eye .
Look at that simple mixer .

Cheers.


Keep 'em oscillating :)


Hugo
=

> From: JWBarlow@...
> 1) Hey Larry, I broke the first switch on the first MOTM kit I got

(wasn't

> even tightening it, just trying to get it vertically aligned). Thanks

Paul

> (and Chris?) for the part number. But Larry, I think you've been doing

too

> many push ups (or you need to find another outlet for your aggressions).

Thanks for your opinion John. You actually broke the switch when
tightening and just realized it when aligning it. Trust me, I have plenty
of experience in this area. I'll tell wife wife to expect the beatings to
resume. <silly grin>

> 3) Un-implemented MOTM 110 mod -- DC coupling switch. Drill hole in panel
> below CV MOD knob. Install spst switch (do not overtighten). Connect

switch

> across bypass cap (using 3 cond. sheiled cable???). This will allow

gating of

> CV, as well as audio; wish I'd thought of it before assembly.

I'll have to think about this one (being the modular newbie) Comments
Paul? Hey, did someone offer to collect and keep all these great
modification suggestions organized in a central accessible place. Another
thought -- could a modification ever be so good and popular that it
actually changes that MOTM kit from rev 1.0 to rev 1.1? Especially if the
changes were faceplate, switches, and additions as opposed to redoing the
circuit board and such. And, are the rest of us current MOTM builders so
retentive about our panel appearance that we would require a rev 1.1 panel
from the new production run to satisfy our aestetic needs?

> 4) About filter Q
> The (damn) Serge filters have something similar, not a control but a

separate

> input for a pulse called RING. Works great! I love it! Paul should add

it!

Hey, there is ALWAYS room for another filter. Perhaps one of them (or
more) could have this feature. However, I'm still not sure why. Help me
understand John. "Pretty please."

> 5) And finally,
> And a number of people are clamoring for that (BTW, zero is a number)!

Good to see that the numbers around here with a sense of humor greatly
exceed the numbers of folks easily offended. OK. OK. I know some of your
guys are still laughing at me for twisting that stud out of the back of the
MOTM-700 panel <g>.

> > Heck, most of the time I don't even
> >know what I want (until Paul tells me). <grin>
>
> Paul is very helpful in that way!

Yep !

> Larry! I think I remember you posting this ("no ADSRs?") when you first

got

> it, and I said something like you have to have a minimum of 3 per voice.

I've

> changed my perspective recently, that's far too few!

Charlie, eerrr, I mean John, Your memory is excellent. I still have no EGs
in the PAiA, but I have the rest of it working (that's a relative term). I
hope to get the oscillators tracking soon. I will either SELL it cheap to
someone wanting to get into the modular business for under $200 or keep the
power supplies, VCOs, LFOs and mixer as an "expander" for one of the two
V/Hz mono synths I own (Korg MS-20 and YAmaha CS-15). I had it connected
to the CS-15 this way over the weekend (5 osc on one voice). It actually
sounded PHAT as they say on the one note where all oscillators were in
tune. Damn. I have got to get these oscillators tracking

> In 1983 dollars:

Thanks for the prices.

> At the risk of stating the obvious, a VCO, VCF, VCA, ADSR does not a

synth

> make. You NEED to have those (and they need to be good) but it is the

more

> esoteric modules that make a synth have its own personality. However, if

ten

> companies put out the VCO, VCF, VCA, ADSR core, and nothing more, all the
> companies can bite the dust, before any of them have a chance (or a

clue!) of

> putting out the more exotic modules; and we're all left with a bunch of

VCO,

> VCF, VCA, ADSR collections. Sorry if my original point was not clear.

Great observation John. Now we all know why Paul is selling us MOTM-700
voltage switch before VCOs and VCFs. Humm... Did we all notice what PAiA
is making? (VCO, VCF, VCA, ADSR core, and nothing more)
John, I quoted you on that one (actually copy and paste).

Larry Hendry

Hello again,

In a message dated 3/9/99 6:34:29 PM, I wrote:

>In a message dated 3/9/99 2:09:26 PM, "Dave Bradley" <daveb@...> wrote:
>
>>On the Emu, it's called "Final Q" or something like that. On the
>>2500 1047, it's called "Keyboard Percussion". At least in the Arp's case, it
>>seems to be a way to introduce some ringing into the filter in response to a
>>gate.
>
>
>The (damn) Serge filters have something similar, not a control but a

separate

>input for a pulse called RING. Works great! I love it! Paul should add it!

It's still great, I still love it, Paul should still add it, but it is called
TRIG IN not RING. OOPS!!!!!

Next,

In a message dated 3/9/99 9:19:40 PM, "Hugo Haesaert"
<hugo.haesaert@...> wrote:

>4) Been looking at the serge site, and something has struck .
>Reading the bit on chaining 2 StateVariables to get 24dB, the writer
>mentions one needs an amplified (up to 4 times) signal to make the
>resulting filter oscillate . Could it be that the "ringing" input
>just has an extra amp built in, so the filter will ring when a
>"normal" level signal is presented . Anyone game to test this out on
>a Serge ? How does it react to an audio pulse train ? Other than
>pulse waveshapes, by env's for ex ?
>

And

In a message dated 3/9/99 10:05:46 PM, "J. Larry Hendry" <jlarryh@...>
wrote:

>Hey, there is ALWAYS room for another filter. Perhaps one of them (or
>more) could have this feature. However, I'm still not sure why. Help me
>understand John. "Pretty please."

First to Larry; the TRIG IN takes a pulse in and causes the filter to "ring
(oscillate then decay away to zero)" for a short period of time (the length of
time is proportional to the frequency of the filter) -- no input signal is
needed. The sound of it is very much like a tuned wood block being struck;
marimbaesque. I remember getting similar sounds out of the Resonant Filters
(?) on the EMu. It does not interfere with standard operation of the filter,
so you can get an extra piece of sound out of one voice.

I think your on to something Hugo (or just on something), but there is no way
I'm going to put any voltage thru a 4X amp into the filter to see what happens
with to it. The TRIG IN only sees a pulse, a non-pulse CV won't do anything.
It reacts to audio kind of like you think it might, it's essentially AM. I
think there may be some kind of "diferentiator" involved and I may try some
experiments in the near future.

More later
synth peon
JB