Wiardgroup

--- In wiardgroup@y..., "John Loffink" <jloffink@a...> wrote:
> I believe one of Wiard's strengths is the integration of features 
and
> functions.  To me this means more than adding VCAs or AR generators 
to
> modules, it is the interaction between the functions that is
> interesting.  

Those are very  insightful comments. Your description of the Wiard's 
version of 'integration' is one of the best I've seen. And, as you 
point out, he balanced this quality with a degree of what I might call 
'intra-modularity', that is,  bringing component functions of the 
whole module's function out to the panel as knobs or CV ins & outs.  
Sort of like a Serge, but to me, the Wiard has it's own 'flavor'.
At times, I've urged Grant to make more of this feature-richness in 
his promotional text but I've come to realize that the old adage 
'Dancing about Architecture' applies here. I find it nigh on 
impossible to describe how, for instance, how an envelator is 'so 
different' from a 'regular ADSR' . I can do a hell of a job if 
somebody comes to my studio for a demonstration but unless you have 
the gadget in hand it's hard to apprehend the 'terrible-ness' of it's 
beauty! (or, put less obliquely) what makes them unique. Trying to 
explain what a woggle bug 'does' in mainstream modular synth terms is 
a fool's errand.
GR once told me that he intended each of the 300-series (blue) modules 
to be a 'voice' that is capable of making an interesting noise, on 
it's own, without help from an external module. I think that that 
design consideration was sufficient to force his thinking out of the 
box on all the blue modules and it took the task of describing his 
modules beyond the reach of what has become the orthodox language of 
modulars. On his site, the descriptions of the 300 series modules is a 
bare synopsis. I think GR just relies on word of mouth and hopes folks 
will take one home and realize that there's a lot more juju under the 
hood that first meets the eye.