Tuesday 28 September 2021

Elk Elktronics ELKLIK

 A brief video of the ELKLIK module used in a standard eurorack case.


The pressure points channel a into input 1, channel b into input 2 of Elklik.
Mainly used in the above video as a voltage controlled switch..
The filter has a LP and HP out. The Elklik is randomly switching between LP and HP.
 
You can also use the module as a kind of clock. Plug + 5v into one input. Just trigger the relay on/off.
The common out provides the clock out. The out is basically a pulse wave that jumps between 0v and +5v
So the noise is causing the Elklik to jump randomly between the top and bottom sequencer rows

This module is part of a kickstarter campaign.
 

Wednesday 22 September 2021

NLC - Big Jobs - Build notes

 These are my build notes for the NLC Big Jobs module.



This module is an audio rate chaotic signal generator; it contains 3 phase locked loop ICs (PLL) connected in a circle via their phase difference inputs.


There is an early NLC module called a Vactrol PiLL ... this is possibly related
Vactrol PiLL - Build notes


The Big jobs was inspired by the paper - A New Type of Intermittency from a Ring of Four Coupled Phase-Locked Loops by Hasegawa et al – although uses just 3 stages and has external control. 


It looks like a pretty easy build.


















The 4046 ICs  are the Phase lock Loop CMOS chips
 

Links
Vactrol PiLL - Build notes


I'm going to build my own vactrol
Some notes:

In andrew's notes he talks about using the GL5516
The 5516 gives about 50 Ohms at full brightness

I'll use a 5516 & a 4.7k resistor and a orange LED


"
The circuit for driving the vactrols is quite minimal: one
resistor! So it is better to make your own vactrol and use the
brightest LED you can find. Then select RL to be at least 4k7 which
seems to be enough to protect the LED from any harm.For LDRs, you can
buy them from Tayda but cheapest option is a bag of 100 GL5516 on
ebay will cost $4 or so, with postage. 
                                                              "











There are 3 seperate circuits, so you will need to make 3 vactrols.


 
Im using the s1Jl for protection against accidently plugging the module in backwards
 
Install headers to PCB 1
 

PCB 1 attaches to the faceplate



You're done :-)


Links
Vactrol PiLL - Build notes
 
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You can find more NLC builds here.
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Saturday 18 September 2021

Endorphin.es - West coast patch notes

Some Basic West Coast Patch notes using mainly endorphin.es modules
Out of Furthr ---> in of LPG (Terminal or Takaab LPG)
The main sound source is the final output (triangle icon on a modern Furthrr) of the Carrier.
The Furthr is a complex oscillator made up of a mod osc and a carrier osc.
It's layout is close to a Buchla 259.
 
 
 
The terminal is made up of two LPGs and two modulation sources.
Reminds me a bit of the Buchla 208 LPGs and envelopes.
These envelopes/modulation sources are called Airplane A & Airplane B.
We are using these on the Furthrrrr generator.
 
The unedited video:
 


Airplane B modulates the waveshaper of  the Carrier Osc
Airplane B modulates the frequency (via the ‘mood index’) ... those 4 switches
which separate the mod osc & Carrier osc.
Just using the unipolar outputs of both airplanes.
 


 

Using CV output #9 of the shuttle control.
It's connected to a Faderbank 
see post:
..
This is sending out a LFO/SH .. the timing is controlled by the 16n
CV output #10 is also good for this patch
Its sending out a fluctuating LFO

 Envelope A (Airplane A) modulates the decay of Airplane B
 
Finally using shuttle control outputs  1 and 2
They are plugged into the main CV in of both MOD and CARRIER oscillators
of the Futhurr 
 

 See post
Allows a bit of octave shifting


Thursday 16 September 2021

Endorphin.es Shuttle control & faderbank 16n

 The Faderbank -16n 
is a excellent controller for the Endorphin.es Shuttle control
 
It sends midi CC messages via the USB
The editor is at:
 
You should see a page like this
 
 

The 16 channels correspond to CC values from 32 to 47 (default)
You can of course customize this.
I decided to leave the CC values as they are for the moment
Set all the channels to Omni
 
The 16th jack is being used as my master clock.
It's a square LFO responding to CC 47


 

Tuesday 14 September 2021

Zlob SVF (State Variable Filter) - build notes

 These are some build notes for the ZLOB filter.
It's just 4HP and sounds great

It love the small form factor.

Just 4HP. WE need more 4HP filters ... useful for compact performance rigs.

The official build notes are very good.
Comprehensive.

https://zlobmodular.com/product/svf/

 
These are just my personal build notes to help troubleshooting should I run into any problems.
The official build notes: 
 
It provides Low Pass, Band Pass, and High Pass outs inspired by WASP and Thomas Henry filter topologies. 
 
Resistors. caps, IC headers

Everything is through-hole

Quite easy to build.



That 2K resistor needs to be in contact with the two transistors

 2N3906 PNP transistor TO92D Q1, Q2 (tayda or mouser)
 

The power section ... 

2 1N4001 1N4004 DO41-10 D1, D2
3 1n4148 DIODED0-35 DO-35 D3, D4, D5 

This trimmer is used to set the lowest cutoff frequency. 
With resonance at 0(fully CCW) and with the frequency up the filter will self oscillate in some modes/situations. 

This is the control board. It sits at right angles to the main PCB


.They are connected with a header

ICs are finally in.

1 LM13700N LM13700N DIP16 IC3
1 TL072IP 8-DIP(has to be a low offset voltage dual opamp)
1 TL074 TL074_ DIP14 U1


The 2019 revision also adds improved cutoff and resonance response and attenuversion through the ACV IN using the above pot. CV IN provides another unattenuated voltage input to modulate the frequency.

 At the CV in, +10v will open the filter completely if the cutoff pot is CCW(counter clockwise). With the cutoff knob at noon the filter can be opened with +5v or closed with -5v. CV input at the ACV in is dependent on the CV attenuverter knob.

The filter has 2 audio inputs, but channel 2 is jumper selectable between standard audio in or Ping-able operation. 


There are 3 jumpers located at the bottom of the main PCB near the power section.
 
These allow you to select the modes for max resonance, self oscillation or no oscillation. 
This is all based on the setting of the resonance pot.
 
When set to self oscillation mode, the filter can produce a sine like wave with no input and a trapezoid like wave in the max resonance jumper setting.  
 
In max resonance mode, the filter output can exceed 10Vpp
 

At the CV in, +10v will open the filter completely if the cutoff pot is CCW(counter clockwise). With the cutoff knob at noon the filter can be opened with +5v or closed with -5v. CV input at the ACV in is dependent on the CV attenuverter knob.
 
 

Saturday 11 September 2021

Remembering 9/11

Remembering this day 20 years ago.
The world changed forever.
War is a catastrophe. One can only hope that events like this don't happen again.

These are Afghan "war" rugs.
Most likely woven by women and children (the most vulnerable victims of war) in villages and refugee camps.
Last year, Afghans were the world’s second biggest group of refugees after Syrians.
I reckon, they are now the biggest.

The date 19=3=03 is the day of the invasion of Iraq

Afghanistan has a long tradition of carpet weaving.
A rug takes eight months to a year to make; some villages make 20 rugs a year.
It's sad that modern Afghan rugs depict war.
Lets home that one day, peaceful designs will return.

Friday 10 September 2021

Elk Elektroniks ELKLIK

Introducing ELKLIK via Kickstarter next week! 
It's an electronic switch for Euro.
The module is a CV controlled relay with integrated comparator.
 
Though this module ca be used  as a clock divider or sequential switch,
I think the original idea behind this is to be able to control non modular gear with your eurorack. 
Things like LED lighting or solenoids which consume lots of power.
 
The KickStarter notification page is here
 
  ..

Wednesday 8 September 2021

Happy 909 day

 The Queen of Pentacles just arrived in time for September 9.
Thank you endorphin.es & Happy 909 day
 
I don't know which drum I like the most.
I really like both and will probably keep both
They each have 7 voices.
The queen has 3 analog drum voices and 4 sample based voices. You can put your own samples in the SD card which is at the back on the module.
I dont mind this. Its a drum machine, not a sample player. The real estate is better utilised with more controls and effects than a SD card slot.
 
It's not a clone / copy of the Roland TR 909 which I'm happy about. We need new drums. 
Apparently, the 3 analog voices are based on 909 circuits ... but there is no intention to just copy.
This is so refreshing to see. Thank you Endorphin.es for creating something new, which still honours the past.
 
If you want a 909, get one.
 
The Blck Noir.
Here the circuits are loosely modeled on the Roland CR-78. 
Though it sounds nothing like my 78.
It's a little more noisy (in a good way) and the extra effects and controls open up the beast.
It reminds me of the DFAM. both very different, but industrial and metallic sounding.

It shares the same effects and filter as the Queen.

The voices are
  • Kick
  • Snare-drum
  • Tambourine
  • Closed hi-hat
  • Open hi-hat
  • Cymbals
  • Metal beat

Missing the Guiro. It does have the "metallic beat" ..an accent that can be overlaid on the hi-hat voice
which I think sounds really neat.

The Master isolator-style LP/HP filter is great.



AmpMix - RYO - Build notes

 A pretty easy build.
It's from a company called Ljunggren Audio.
I sadly cant find them on line anymore. 
 

Hopefully they will return one day.
These are the virgin boards.

I's a 4-channel mixer/attenuator with 2.0x gain and 5V offset on each channel in an 8hp module.

" Ampmix was designed as a handy CV mixer and processor with buffered inputs but its low-noise circuit means it will also work great with audio, even with full gain.

A 2.5V voltage offset is generated then normaled to the inputs of the 4 channels, giving them a maximum of 5V out each with knobs turned full clockwise (2.0x gain). Please note that these offsets will affect the mixing if the channel hasn't been patched on its input or output, so turning all unused channels fully counter-clockwise/left (off) is advisable for a clean mix"

https://modwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=99573

So if you are using this as an audio mixer, make sure that any unused channels have their knobs turned fully counter clockwise.



Most of the components are pretty easy to obtain except for the Zener
 

The LM 4040 2.5V voltage reference zener
Mouser
926-LM4040AIZ25NOPB  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The ICs are TL074s and 072s
 


 .....