Woody Monk

Module a month part 3: May

2011-06-24T00:24:00.000+02:00

Hi all!
again I am too slow with building, but a module is finished and I'm happy with it. This time the Mankato VCF from Magic Smoke Electronics. As always with their PCBs I have had a few problems with cold joints, but in the end it was all good. I used a kit from Woody's Electronics and the module was finished within two hours. Time for a picture!

What does it do, and what makes this filter special? First of all it is a filter and has 8 outputs: 6, 12, 18 and 24dB/Octave and their inversions. Those outputs have a phase difference of 45 degrees, so mixing the signals gives interesting filter slopes. Secondly the filter can get in self oscillation and due to the phase differences, it is a quadrature oscillator. The frequency range is really large, so it does work as an LFO too!
After playing around with it a bit I have to say for phat bass sounds the 18dB/Octave output is really yummie! The quadrature mode will be used when I've finished the module of June: the Oakley Quad VCA.

Cheers,
Woody

Module a month part 2: April

2011-05-15T23:39:00.000+02:00

Dear visitors,

sometimes things don't go as planned. I started this module a month series to complete at least 12 modules this year, and March didn't have a module? Oops, there we go... To keep things going, I started offering kits for various modules as a way to keep the cost down. The good thing: this month will have its own module: the Mankato VCF.
April did have it's module too, the Ian Fritz AD/AR with Pulse Delay. Check out his website, he has some wonderful circuits. This one is pretty easy to build and does the trick well. I find it useful for delayed vibrato and in various noodles.

So far, four months have passed, and four modules are done: MFOS Sample & Hold with VC Clock, MFOS State-Variable Filter, Dual Quantizer with Multiples and now the Ian Fritz ADAR. Time to get back to the soldering iron!

Cheers,
Woody

Module a month part 1: february.

2011-03-09T14:39:00.000+01:00

Dear visitor,

after completing the two MFOS modules in January, and finding them really enjoyable, I thought about starting a project, module a month. I'm not the most disciplined guy around here, so a bit of a list always helps. Every month I need to complete at least one module. To help me a bit with the sequences, a quantizer pair would be useful. So I bought two pcbs from Barton Musical Circuits. These two units only take up half a panel, and adding a buffered multiple sounded like a good idea. Again a small module with a wooden front panel.

19th of March will be a nice day at radio.electro-music.com, with a lot of artists performing a live set. Check out the schedule for this event here.

Have a nice and enjoyable day, looking forward to a sunny spring.
Cheers,
Woody

New Year, new modules, new tunes

2011-01-15T21:20:00.001+01:00

Dear visitor,
It's been a while since the last time. At this side of the planet we've been doing great. Did some tunes available in the archives of radio.electro-music.com. Worth noting is the piece I did on New Years Eve, being a bit in a minor mode, after my hard drive died the night before. So no modular, but some other sounds in it.
That was last year. We're in a new year now, and I started it with finishing a filter, the Music From Outer Space State-Variable Filter. A 12dB/Oct filter with Lowpass, Highpass and Bandpass outputs. I got to this filter when my personal DIY synth hero Dave of Skrog Productions mentioned it, and thought of building one at the same time. Turned out he was as fast as he always is, and I being a slower builder then a three-toed sloth. Enough with all the drivel, time for a picture!

I've been doing some demos today, again using the SN Voice as a sound source. It's such a useful module, everyone should have one, or two maybe. First the filter sweeps, with all the outputs mixed together. You can find it here. Next is a sequence demoing the different outputs, and last a demo of the voltage controlled resonance. I really liked doing that with the gate outputs of the swing(e)ing Klee Sequencer.

Perhaps you're interested in how the module Dave built turned out. Well, as all his modules, its kinda blue, lovely blue. Go check it out here! As always, please leave a comment, and be sure to ask any question, I'll answer them ;-)

Cheers,
Woody

Mors Zatańczyć

2010-10-24T17:01:00.000+02:00

Good afternoon friends,

On the 23rd of October this year I played a live jam on radio.electro.music.com entitled Mors Zatańczyć. This time a patch around the Klee Sequencer, using again the SN Voice, Lopass Gate, the MFOS MiniSynth, a mixer and a pair of LFOs. Oh, and some FX, to spice it up ;-)

If you like to hear this 30 minute jam, go visit the electro-music.com post (a click will bring you there, surprise!) and download the mp3. Thanks in advance for listening, and feel free to leave a comment below.

Have a nice day,
Woody

Klee Sequencer and Noodle

2010-08-23T00:20:00.000+02:00

Hi all,

been a while since I posted here last time. In the meantime I finished the Klee Sequencer. A few posts have been on various other platforms. If you've seen those before, scroll a bit to the bottom, as you'll find a new track there.

Here you see the Klee Sequencer, still in the old rack. That's another project I need to finish. The sequencer is a mighty machine, and it needs a lot off pages to describe it. Perhaps the best way is to link to the website of the designer, Scott Stites. But how does it sound?

In the video there are two sound sources: the SN Voice and the Music From Outer Space Soundlab Minisynth. On the PWM output of the SN Voice is a little bit chorus and delay, and the only other effect is a bit reverb on the whole mix.

On to the track I promised in the start of this post, and as you already know, I don't talk much, so you just read that. You can download the file here. The patch is simple, just the triangle and noise outputs of the SN Voice through the Buchla Lopass Gate clone. Klee outputs A and A+B are used to modulate the pitch of SN Voice and LPG, and the Gate 2 output to LPG CV in. Besides that, lots of LFOs, and using the random mode of the Klee. Would be even more interesting with VC LFOs, but I don't have those yet, so no cross modulations. The only thing I tweak is a switch to change the LPG mode, and I tweak the resonance control. So it can probably go for a noodle.

Cheers,
Woody

Work in progress, little update

2010-06-26T02:35:00.000+02:00

Hi all,
had some time to work on the projects again. I'm out of sockets again (does someone know where to get a good deal?), out of 680 Ohm resistors and some MKT caps. Aww, can happen of course. Anyway, here you see the Klee PCBs and the Buchla 281 clone pcbs, a Quadrature Function Generator. Nice little project by Toppobrillo, check out his site. He has some nice euro style modules for sale.

For the Klee I needed some 0.1% 100k resistors. Not very easy to get in mainland Europe. I'm a big fan of Skrog Productions, good music (buy his CDs!) and an awesome dude! Dave helped me to get the necessary precision resistors. Big thanks!

That's it for now. Have a very nice weekend.

Cheers,
Woody

Repairing a Ringmodulator

2010-06-16T20:30:00.001+02:00

Hi all,
Got some DIY gear build by Sam Zen. One of the things is a device with 6 ringmodulators.

And a picture of the insides:

It's based on TBA120s, ZM-FM amplifier with demodulator. It doesn't work yet, think I have to replace some components, especially the tantalum capacitors. Any suggestions?

Cheers,
Woody

Just a little update: Buchla Lopass Gate clone

2010-06-14T00:55:00.001+02:00

Hi all,

thanks for stopping by. Have a lot of modules on the bench now, most are 'almost finished.' They need a switch, some jacks, potentiometers or a panel, and some testing of course. First of this batch that is finished: the Buchla Lopass Gate clone. I got the PCB many months ago from Thomas White. More information on this project on his website: http://www.naturalrhythmmusic.com/lopass.html

Will do a demo soon!

Cheers,
Woody

Birch Transmogrifier

2010-03-17T01:31:00.003+01:00

Hi there!
Last Friday (3/12/2010) I performed with Les Hall (www.freedomodds.com) as Birch Transmogrifier on radio.electro-music.com. Please check out the video below with a ten minute piece of it. If you like it, you can get the whole performance at electro-music.com.

We'll do another performance next month. Leave a message, and I'll contact you when that will happen!

Cheers,
Woody

Streaming and Beaming

2010-03-15T11:04:00.000+01:00

Hi again, and hi visitors from MatrixSynth!
This week I finished wiring a Attenuverting Mixer. But, more interesting for you, I did a jam with Les Hall as Birch Transmogrifier. I'll post a video of that soon, you can listen to the whole jam of 90 minutes on electro-music.com
The Fonitronik Sequential Switch is awesome. Check out this video I made using the Sequential Switch, the SN Voice and some utility modules.

Thanks for watching!
Cheers,
Woody

Fonitronik Sequential Switch completed!

2010-03-08T20:58:00.000+01:00

Hi all!
completed the Fonitronik Sequential Switch yesterday. A dense board but easy to build and lots of fun to play with. It's the first module with a 'burned' panel, so you can get an idea of how the modules will look.

Recorded a little video of the use with my phone, so it has a bad audio quality. Couldn't do a real song in the late evening, so more will follow next weekend. You can hear the SN Voice and the Soundlab, playing a little tune.

Thanks for watching and visiting my blog, and thanks to all of you who advised me, and especially Fonik who designed this great module!

Cheers,
Woody

Karplus Strong and a video

2010-03-07T02:45:00.002+01:00

Hi all! Today I finished the SN Voice, repaired the PSU and built a great module designed by Les Hall: the Karplus Strong module. This is a first-run, or 'prototype', but I think you'll all be interested in the final version. I can't wait :-)

This is the module, I will design a MOTM format panel for the 2nd version. Anyway, I did a little jam for Les and the guys at electro-music.com. Here is me testing the module: http://qik.com/video/5325669 . And the jam after this first test:

Burning Modular and some Reverb

2010-02-28T22:25:00.001+01:00

Hi again and welcome on this blog.
Today I did some tests with panel lettering. A guy on the very friendly chat of electro-music.com had the idea of burning the text on the wooden panels. Thanks for the tip! :-)
I used an old soldering iron to do this panel for the Fonitronik Sequential Switch.

It came out very well! To conclude a little track made while playing with the modular. Used a ladspa static delay effect, the MFOS soundlab minisynth, some LFOs and an ADSR.

Link to the MP3

Cheers,

Woody

Finished the SN Voice!

2010-02-20T03:55:00.000+01:00

Dear visitors,
I just want to let you know I finally finished the SN Voice today. Will calibrate the module tomorrow, and will post pictures then! :-)
Have a nice weekend,
Woody

Friday Evening Soldering Fun

2010-02-05T22:47:00.000+01:00

Hi!
Got a nice bag with parts from MusikDing today. So it was finally time to finish some unfinished PCBs. As always I forget to order the right capacitor types. So for the Buchla LPG Clone (see NaturalRythm Music) I have to wait some more time, until I order more parts.
The good thing was: the other parts were in the package! So I finished the PCBs of the second Attenuverting Mixer by Fonitronik, the Sequential Switch, also a Fonitronik design, and last but not least the Thomas Henry SN-Voice! :-D
It's time to visit Zwolle once again, to get some more 0.156" headers for the power to finish the boards.

Top: SN-Voice PCB by sMs Audio Electronics. Right: Buchla 292c clone by Thomas White. Left, top: Attenuverting Mixer, bottom: Sequential Switch, both by Fonitronik.

Have a very nice weekend,
Woody

Fast Track Pro

2010-02-04T21:25:00.002+01:00

Look what I got today! :-D

Works out of the box in Linux!

Studio? No, just some problems buying gear.

2010-01-25T19:50:00.001+01:00

Hi all,
It's time again for the weekly update. I did some work on the modular last weekend, finishing panels for the SN Voice and some work on an Attenuverting Mixer. I still miss some components for both but that'll be ok next week.
On to the title. I don't have what we call a 'studio' yet, as in: I can't record my tunes, and don't have a MIDI keyboard to play tunes on the modular and softsynths (I use sequencers now). So I thought it was time to get an audio interface and a MIDI keyboard. I bought a nice Xboard 49, but it didn't arrive. Instead I got a mail that the keyboard was broken. I hope I'll get my money back.
I use linux as my Operating System for quite a few years now, but finding a supported Audio Interface isn't that easy. So if you know a good one, please drop a comment. :-)
Cheers,
Woody

Weekend work: Test Case

2010-01-20T02:44:00.002+01:00

Hi again!
I wanted to post this some days ago, but left the laptop adapter at another place, so had to do without for a few days. Anyway, I worked on a little 9U 'test case' for the modular last weekend. So I can test the new modules on the bench. Inside I will put some utility modules depending on what module to test. For now I'll add one CGS Utility LFO, the second Baby 10 sequencer and the SN Voice. Huh what? Time for a picture.

The test case is the bottom black case. Inside you see a finished CGS utility LFO, the second and almost finished Baby 10 sequencer, and a panel for a Fonitronik Attenuverting Mixer. On top the MFOS Soundlab.

That's it for today. Have a nice day!

Working on the DIY modular: SN Voice

2010-01-11T00:16:00.000+01:00

Dear All,
received a package from sMs Audio Electronics today with some parts to finish the Thomas Henry SN Voice. The SN Voice is a monophonic synthesizer voice with one VCO, VCA, noise source and simple Envelope Generator build around the SN76477, a chip used in the 80s in video games for sound effects. More information on the website of Scott Stites.
Inside the package were some special components to finish the project. So I added the components to the board and started on the panel components. Almost finished now, until I realized four capacitors missed. (See picture).

I have to buy these capacitors to finish this project, and I hope I get this done before February.

Cheers,

Woody

Little background track: Railroad Station

2009-12-28T01:41:00.000+01:00

Hi again,
after recording some sounds with my phone on the railroad station in Zwolle (NL), I put a little track together. Four minutes of train noise and a little joke.
The track is made with a phone (HTC Hero), Ardour and a little help from LADSPA plugins.

Link to MP3

Hope you like it.
Cheers,
Woody

Projects

2009-12-21T00:45:00.001+01:00

Dear all,
I'll tell you soon about a nice little device I'm developing for rythmic sounds. But before that here is the list of projects that I want to finish this Holidays:

Thomas Henry SN-Voice
Fonitronik Attenuverting Mixer (the 2nd one already)
Baby10 sequencer (2nd)

Have a good and musical day.
Cheers,
Woody