SynthModules

That's cool, Andrew!

You really hit the nail on the head with this:

"Why just re-create things that already exist when it's a
lot more fun to create things that don't exist."

Cheers,
Scott



--- In SynthModules@yahoogroups.com, "Andrew Scheidler" 
<xpandrew@p...> wrote:
> Oops, must be no attachments (?)  Anyway, here's the AH posting
> -------------------------------------------
> Geek paradise :)
> 
> Having finally found the time to spend some very late nights with 
my new
> PSIM-1 module, I wanted to post a little review of what I think so 
far. 
> AH has had limited chatter on this subject, which is suprising once 
you
> consider what this little box can do.
> 
> There are complete specs and info at the website
> http://www.synthmodules.com, but the basic idea is 4 voltage input
> jacks, a programmable CPU, and 4 voltage output jacks.  There's also
> START and STOP buttons, both of which have an input jack so they 
can be
> triggered/pressed from external sources.  Then there's a RESET 
button,
> and AUX out jack and the RS-232 port for programming.  Construction 
is
> solid, and the workmanship is equal to Blacet, which I consider to 
be
> outstanding.  The faceplate is engraved, which looks very sharp.  
The
> module went right into my FracRac and Blacet power supply without a
> hitch.
> 
> And you don't have to have a modular to use it.  Anything that has
> CV/Gate jacks will be useful.  SH-101, CS-15, etc.
> 
> So what does it do?  Right now mine is a 128 note sequencer that I 
wrote
> myself.  Each step holds a note CV, a second CV for another 
parameter,
> and a note length.  I load it by playing my Prodigy's keyboard, 
while I
> feed two other CVs in for the second CV and note length.  If I want 
to
> control those two CVs, I'll use my Fat Controller's sliders.  For 
less
> control I'll feed in a noise source so the voltages will be 
random.  Or
> I can use another sequencer like the Mobius instead of a keyboard. 
> Whatever.
> 
> Oh, and I have a mapping setup so that the 32 notes on my Prodigy
> keyboard can produce 32 voltages of MY CHOICE.  If I want my 
sequence to
> be in a certain mode, I'll just put those notes in.  Or I can mix 
them
> up so pressing E will give me a D one octave higher.  Again, 
whatever.
> 
> When I'm done loading notes in, I press STOP and start feeding 
gates to
> the PSIM.  Every gate plays a step, unless the notes are longer 
than one
> step of course.  I've tested it with my Fat Controller, Mobius, and 
the
> 2600's square wave as a master clock, and no matter how fast I go 
or how
> wildly I vary the tempo, the PSIM tracks perfectly.  While playing, 
the
> STOP will reset the sequence back to step one.  And of course that 
STOP
> button can be "pressed" by a voltage trigger coming from an LFO, a 
drum
> machine, whatever.
> 
> I'm currently making several variations on this program.  One will 
be
> two sequencers instead of just one, each with its own CV and Gate
> outputs.  They will be able to run sequences of different length, 
like
> you can with two step sequencers, and you'll be able to vary the
> endpoints while they play.  Another variation will break the 128 
notes
> into several different chains of notes that can be selected while
> playing.  Many more ideas are lurking*
> 
> My point here is that for one very reasonably priced module, this 
thing
> does a hell of a lot and I'm only working it as a sequencer!  I've 
also
> written a quantizer for my Fat Controller.  Normally the FC has a 
range
> of 5 octaves, so it can be hard to hit just the right note.  I 
wrote a
> very short program that scales that down to 2 octaves, and will even
> quantize it to a set of notes of my choice if I want.  Pick the 
specific
> notes and you can't go wrong while you improvise!
> 
> What else could it do?  Just about anything short of producing audio
> (well, actually it can).  Make a VC'd LFO with 4 outputs, each 90
> degrees out of phase with each other for barber-pole applications.  
Make
> a 20 stage tracking generator.  Make 4 different things that all 
run at
> once, with an IN and an OUT dedicated to each.
> 
> I started looking at all the control-type modules from various 
modular
> companies, but now I'm starting to go past that and just go off into
> left field.  Why just re-create things that already exist when it's 
a
> lot more fun to create things that don't exist.
> 
> Even if you're not into programming, the current batch of PSIM 
owners
> are more than happy to post their creations on the web where 
everyone is
> welcome to take them.  If you took BASIC back in high school or 
college,
> take a look at some of the PSIM programs.  You can do a lot with 
very
> basic (no pun intended) skills.
> 
> There's a couple on my site here:
> http://www.ph.k12.in.us/~drew/noise/psim
> 
> I could gush for pages on this thing.  If you weren't one of the 
lucky
> few who got in on the first batch, consider getting on the wait 
list for
> the future.
> 
> Andrew