MOTM

Since the topic-du-jour appears to be possible future MOTM modules, I would like to ask the list members what their opinions are about "effects" modules. By this I mean any of the following:
1) Parametric Equalizers (ala the Moog Fixed Filter Banks)
2) Reverb/Echo Units (usually spring-controlled)
3) Any of the various and sundry Chorus, Flanger, and Phase Shifter modules found on old Analog Modulars.

Is it the general concensus of the group that these sorts of things are better handled externally by one of today's multiple-effects boxes (ie- d*g*t*lly)? This would leave more room for additional oscillators, filters, etc. in your racks.

Just thought I'd ask!

> Is it the general concensus of the group that these sorts of
> things are better handled externally by one of today's
> multiple-effects boxes (ie- d*g*t*lly)? This would leave more
> room for additional oscillators, filters, etc. in your racks.

Not for me. I'd rather rip the guts out of my Maestro Phaser and mount them
behind a MOTM panel. The MOTM is quite beautiful (well, so is the Maestro,
so I probably wouldn't tear it apart!), and eventually I hope to build a
rather large one into a portable case--having dedicated effects-type modules
(even well down the road) would be very nice for me, letting the MOTM stand
as a complete instrument for a lot of what I do.

Just my .02.

David.

cparker@... wrote:

> Is it the general concensus of the group that these sorts of things are
> better handled externally by one of today's multiple-effects boxes (ie- d*g*t*lly)?
> This would leave more room for additional oscillators, filters, etc. in your racks.
>

A lot of the implementations in digital boxes still don't have enough
control. For example, in my TSR-24, I can't control the sweep of its
phase shifter by anything other than an internal LFO. ALso, if I build
an algorithm using two phase shifters, I can't sync or offset the
phases of the LFOs.

So for many effects, I would still prefer a MOTM form factor w/ the
all important voltage control. Flanging, echo, and phasing all
benefit from non-standard VC, for example, two LFOs; one fast w/ small
amplitude, one slow with larger amplitude. Another nice effect is using
an envelope follower to control the cutoff frequency of a phase shifter.
Sort of auto-wah only more etheral.

No digital effects box can contain all the possibilites, (excluding
of course your computer). Of course, for reverbs, I'd pick digital.

Interesting you bring up parametrics. I would love to see a bank of
paramteric equalizers that were completly voltage controlled (boost/cut,
frequency and width). A bank of these in series could be used to achieve
many different filter reponses and morph between them.

Thomas

I know Paul in general is not in favor of the idea. But maybe sometime next
year? These would have to be "unique" in some respect and really have an
MOTM sound to them. Something you couldn't get anywhere else. Some natural
grange (Not the artificial stuff Paul pushes. Ha!) is a good thing for me.
Too clean are the MOTM modules? I love quality! Quality grunginess too!

The PEQ would be great if the quality were very high. Perhaps a low, high
and two sweepable mids? VC levels or frequencies? Yeah baby! (Shagadelic
lingo in full effect!)

I like the idea of a true spring reverb.

--Todd

> From: cparker@...
> Since the topic-du-jour appears to be possible future MOTM
> modules, I would like to ask the list members what their opinions
> are about "effects" modules. By this I mean any of the
> following: 1) Parametric Equalizers (ala the Moog Fixed Filter
> Banks) 2) Reverb/Echo Units (usually spring-controlled) 3) Any of
> the various and sundry Chorus, Flanger, and Phase Shifter modules
> found on old Analog Modulars. Is it the general concensus of the
> group that these sorts of things are better handled externally by
> one of today's multiple-effects boxes (ie- d*g*t*lly)? This
> would leave more room for additional oscillators, filters, etc.
> in your racks. Just thought I'd ask!

>From: cparker@...
>
>Since the topic-du-jour appears to be possible future MOTM modules, I
>would like to ask the list members what their opinions are about "effects"
>modules. By this I mean any of the following:
>1) Parametric Equalizers (ala the Moog Fixed Filter Banks)
>2) Reverb/Echo Units (usually spring-controlled)
>3) Any of the various and sundry Chorus, Flanger, and Phase Shifter
>modules found on old Analog Modulars.

I'd definitely be into any analog Echo, Chorus, Flanger and Phase Shifter
modules if they had extensive voltage control. Reverb and EQ would be less
important to me.

________________________________________________________
Dave Trenkel : improv@... : www.peak.org/~improv/

"...there will come a day when you won't have to use
gasoline. You'd simply take a cassette and put it in
your car, let it run. You'd have to have the proper
type of music. Like you take two sticks, put 'em
together, make fire. You take some notes and rub 'em
together - dum, dum, dum, dum - fire, cosmic fire."
-Sun Ra
________________________________________________________

In a message dated 5/11/99 12:14:34 PM, cparker@... writes:

>Since the topic-du-jour appears to be possible future MOTM modules, I would
>like to ask the list members what their opinions are about "effects" modules.
> By this I mean any of the following:
>1) Parametric Equalizers (ala the Moog Fixed Filter Banks)
>2) Reverb/Echo Units (usually spring-controlled)
>3) Any of the various and sundry Chorus, Flanger, and Phase Shifter modules
>found on old Analog Modulars.
>

Hi Again!

I would LOVE to see a VC digital delay which would go from flanging (i.e. few
ms) times to "tape delay" (2 or more seconds) times by way of VC -- I have no
idea if that's possible. A VC analog delay would be a good second choice.

Maybe a VC phase shifter could be made from those CEM 3320s (?), and I'd be
very interested in that as well -- of course I'd be very interested in a VC
distortion device or fuzztone as well, or VC anything for that matter!

I like spring reverb (especially with analog EM) but I already have a few
spring devices so this would not be a priority for me.

As for the Moog Fixed Filter Bank, this is one of the few Moog modules I
vividly remember using. I believe the filters are placed at minor 7th (or
9th) intervals to allow the filter to resonate in a manner similar to
non-electronic instruments. It added a nice "flavor" to a sound, but it isn't
a "got to have it!" type of module -- maybe next year it might be nice to see.

One of the other things I remember about the Moog was the Oscillator Driver
circuit which had a Clamping Point function. I'd been wondering if this was a
separate module with the expo converter (and other expensive stuff) which
might benefit people who were driving several VCOs from a common source. Can
anyone give any details about that module (and the Clamping Point function),
and whether this could be a useful influence on the future of MOTM?

JB