200e

Some very interesting ideas here, Chris!




________________________________
From: Chris Muir <cbm@well.com>
To: 200e@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Mon, January 25, 2010 2:22:43 PM
Subject: [200e] Eardrill future modules

  
After letting the real world get in the way for a while, I've made 
some time to slave away over a hot drafting table, and I think that 
these designs are finally far enough along to pull back the curtain. 
OK, so I don't really use a drafting table, but you get the idea. I 
have two main projects well underway, the ModuleModule, and Periodicity.

ModuleModule - http://www.eardrill.com/modules/ModuleModule/
The ModuleModule is my solution to the problem that I encountered in 
trying to design the perfect utility module. I initially thought that 
I could find _just_ the right balance of things to make a utility 
module or two, but I could never quite settle on just the right things 
to include. Then it hit me that the problem was overly constrained. I 
was never going to be able to make a universally useful utility 
module, because there are just too many problems that different people 
might have.

The ModuleModule lets you put together up to four utility functions of 
your choosing in one module. I have many ModuleModule modules planned, 
more than are listed on the page. Given that I'm a tiny shop, all the 
ModuleModule modules won't be available right away, and reaction to 
individual ModuleModule modules will determine the order in which I 
tackle those sub-projects. I also hope that third parties will produce 
modules in this format.

Periodicity - http://www.eardrill.com/modules/Periodicity/
While the 259e and 261e waveform generators have modulation 
oscillators which can operate as LFOs, there aren't really any 
dedicated LFOs in the Buchla system. My problem with using the mod 
oscillators as LFOs is that I almost _always_ want to use them for 
audio-rate modulation. The 281e function generator can also be pressed 
into service as an LFO, but I still felt the need for a dedicated LFO 
in my system. Also neither the mod oscillator nor the function 
generator goes slow enough for my tastes.

The Periodicity module is a feature-rich triple LFO that, among a host 
of other features, can go really slow. There are still a few issues 
that I'm working on: the LFO stew section is not 100% firm, and there 
are still open questions regarding exactly what aspects of LFO 2 & 3 
are slaved, when slave is enabled. (Symmetry? Freeze?)

---

Both the ModuleModule and Periodicity are pretty far along, but I 
haven't moved into the layout/parts procurement/ assembly phases, so 
all of these are still a few months away. I'm not taking deposits as I 
haven't firmed up pricing yet. That said, I would like to get some 
idea about the interest for these two ideas, and particularly what 
ModuleModule modules you might be interested in.


 


      

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