Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts
Showing posts with label DIY. Show all posts

Wednesday, 3 August 2016

NLC 1006 filter

This is based on the ARP 1006 filter.... from the ARP 2500.
The ARP1006 is called the Filtramp.... the NLC version doesn't have the Amp bit.
It's just a prototype - the panel is an extra Andrew had left over for the NLC Serious Filter.

The world doesn't have enough ladder filters. I really love this version and can't wait to compare it to a vintage 1006. The NLC 1006 contains a two input audio mixer & a voltage controlled 24db/oct low pass filter. The cutoff frequency may be varied with control voltages or by the front panel Fc control.

Guitar Fool have schematics and a BOM of the 1006.
http://www.guitarfool.com/ARP2500/1006.html


This is a scan of an old ARP-2500 manual of mine.

.



For more info:


More NLC words of wisdom

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You can find more NLC builds here.
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Sunday, 24 July 2016

Segue - NLC - VC panner/crossfader

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits Segue.

Its a very versatile unit. a VC panner, VC cross-fader, VCA and VC attenuator, process CV and audio.
Plus should be a easy build.  Though there are plenty of SMDs, they are all passive.

Andrew describes this as a "kind of hybrid between a Buchla 207 panner and a Korg PS3200 VCA".

There are just two through hole 10R resistors to instal.
Then, caps, trannies, headers.
The trim pots are all 100k.They set the gain for each channel.

I'm using Silonex NSL 32 vactrols. The white dot marks the cathode. (K on the PCB).

NLC words of wisdom: (He'll never be) an old man river.
Mmmmmmmm ????

The reference to "Ol' Man River" isn't the song from the 1927 musical of showboat.
Rather it's refering to TISM ... the Australia band.


 
 OK, its time for the pots & jacks.

 The LED works.... so does the VC fader. Very cool.

"The LED provides offset to one side of the current mirror so they turn on/off at different voltages." Andrew F advised me to "drill the panel, or just drill/scrape off the soldermask on the back and the LED will make the panel glow".





Useful links:
1. Andrew's Blog
2. Youtube 1 - Wear Headphones
3. NLC build notes

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You can find more NLC builds here.
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Saturday, 23 July 2016

For Loops 2 - arduino

For Loops 2
 
Excerise: print numbers 1 to 10 & repeat.
 

 
 // variables

int j; // counter
int delayTime=100;

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{
  for (j=1;j<=10;j=j+1){
    Serial.println(j);
    delay(delayTime);
  }
  Serial.println(); // inserts a blank space ..first command after the loop.
}
------------------------------------------------------------- 

example 2
count backwards from 10 , stopping at 1
then looping back to 10

// variables

int j; // counter
int delayTime=100;

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{
  for (j=10;j>=1;j=j-1){
    Serial.println(j);
    delay(delayTime);
  }
  Serial.println(); // inserts a blank space
}

---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 ---------------------------------
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 Links
Tutorial 16

Thursday, 21 July 2016

For Loops - Arduino

 The "for loop".
 
This repeats a block of statements.

Syntax

for (initialization; condition; increment) {
  
}
 eg
for (int x = 0 ; x<100; x++) {
  
} 
The initialization only happens once.
The condition is tested each time we loop. 
If it's true,the increment is executed.
Then the condition is tested again. 
When the condition becomes false, the loop ends.
 
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You will need a red and yellow LED.
Don't use the blue or green.
330 ohm resistors x2
 
we are going to blink the yellow 3 times & the red 3 times.
 

The anode of the LEDs connects to the resistors.

Here is a very long winded way to write this code.
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------

// variables
  int yellowPin=6;
  int redPin=9;
  int yellowTime=100;
  int redTime=100;



void setup()
{
  pinMode(yellowPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(redPin, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{
  //we are going to blink the yellow 3 times
  digitalWrite(yellowPin, HIGH);
  delay(yellowTime);
   digitalWrite(yellowPin, LOW);
  delay(yellowTime);
 
  digitalWrite(yellowPin, HIGH);
  delay(yellowTime);
   digitalWrite(yellowPin, LOW);
  delay(yellowTime);
 
  digitalWrite(yellowPin, HIGH);
  delay(yellowTime);
   digitalWrite(yellowPin, LOW);
  delay(yellowTime);
 
  //we are going to blink the red LED 3 times
  digitalWrite(redPin, HIGH);
  delay(redTime);
  digitalWrite(redPin, LOW);
  delay(redTime);
 
  digitalWrite(redPin, HIGH);
  delay(redTime);
  digitalWrite(redPin, LOW);
  delay(redTime);
 
  digitalWrite(redPin, HIGH);
  delay(redTime);
  digitalWrite(redPin, LOW);
  delay(redTime);
}
 ---------------------------------------------
 
code 2 - the better way using loops
 

we are going to blink the yellow 3 times & the red 5 times.
 
 
--------------------------------
 // variables
  int yellowPin=6;
  int redPin=9;
  int yellowTime=100;
  int redTime=100;

  int yellowBlink=3; // these are for the for loop.
  int redBlink=5;
  int j;


void setup()
{
  pinMode(yellowPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(redPin, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop()
{
  for(j=1;j<=yellowBlink;j=j+1)
    //we are going to blink the yellow 3 times
  {
  digitalWrite(yellowPin, HIGH);
  delay(yellowTime);
   digitalWrite(yellowPin, LOW);
  delay(yellowTime);
  }
 for(j=1;j<=redBlink;j=j+1)
    //we are going to blink the red LED 5 times
  {
  digitalWrite(redPin, HIGH);
  delay(redTime);
  digitalWrite(redPin, LOW);
  delay(redTime);
  }
 
}
 
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Thanks to Paul McWhorter for his excellent tutorials.
Much of the info is from tut 15.
 

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Tuesday, 19 July 2016

NonLinearCircuits - Dual Drums Build notes.

These are my build notes for the NLC Double drum module.
Andrew did include the Dual Drum in one of his 4U drum panels


I plan to put this in with my Buchla. I don't have a face plate so will make that too.
From Andrew's notes:
"The core design was originally (used) in a Japanese DIY
magazine from the late 70s and was intended as a standalone, self
—contained device to be used with a drum kit. 

The cool thing about this module is that it uses an envelope detector
so most input signals should trigger this.

 firstly the virgin PCB.




I usually solder the SMDs first ... to both sides of the PCB.




The 22n SMD should be a 22k resistor?



BC547 --- NPN transistor - four needed --- the unlabeled trannies on PCB
BC557 --- PNP transistor - just two needed.... marked as pnp on the pcb.
Diodes - I'm using 1N414s



The unmarked caps are for the decoupling caps - using 47nf ceramics.

Time to make the panel. It's something a bit out of the square, ..... a half size Buchla panel.


The rear of the panel.



The 1k LED resistors seen to work fine.


First tests:


Some useful links:
1. Andrew's build notes.
2. Drum Panel (8)
3. Youtube 1 - Drum 
4.  Youtube 2 - Dual Drum Module
5. NLC Blog 1 - Dual Drums & Dr Go Go 
6. Youtube 3 - Dual Drums & Dr Go Go 
7. NLC Blog 2 - Dual Drum Module

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++++ My NLC index +++++++

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You can find more NLC builds here.
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Monday, 18 July 2016

303 style sequencers

 Trying to build a modular 303  is tricky.
The TB 303 is really the sum of many parts.
Everyone goes on about the filter, however without a sequencer which can do accents, ties & slides 
you won't be able to get the real feel.
 
This search really is like a dog chasing its tail.
If you want a real 303 sound, best to get a TB 303. 
Building a modular 303 will make something different -- but that might be a good thing.
 
Accent - extra emphasis(sometimes velocity) on that step

Tie - tying two steps together to create a longer note. 1/8th note tied to 1/8th note = 1/4 note etc.

Slide,glide,legato,portamento - similar to a tie, but slides the pitch from the first note to the second one.

 
 
Slew. You will need to do some work with slewing certain notes to nail the acid sound, while leaving others unaffected. You can do this with a 2-way sequential switch and a slew (e.g. Maths, Function) or you can do it on your sequencer if it supports glide/portamento.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Chronovore, 24HP CV/Gate Sequencer
    Michigan synth works. 
    This really does everything -- Ties, slides, accents

 
2. Acidlab Autobot -
    Works mighty fine with the M303 but also with other modules. Includes accents and slides
    just like the original 303. 

 
 
3. Stepper Acid
     16 step, slide, , swing, 
      Adjustable clock sync input and output
       Includes: 24PPQN (Sync24), 48PPQN, 96PPQN and 4PPQN (one note per pulse)
 

 
 
4.  Seek - copper traces
     64 steps.
     CV/gate sequencer with legato and an accent output. 
     Separate gate and accent outputs with per step legato, accent and rest
 

 
 
5. GMSN  - Pure Sequencer
    8-step sequencer with direction, range, clock in/out, pause, reset, slew and
    has gate outputs per step.

 
 
6.  Klee.
     Over kill ???
     Has glide in abundance.
      



7. Metropolis - Intellijel
    The slide functionality is a constant time portamento very similar to the Roland TB303 
    (unlike most synths/sequencers that use constant rate portamento) which produces a very musical 
    and interesting result. 
 

8. Moog Mother 32
    You can create both Ties (duration) & slides 

9. Erica synths pico SEQ
    Pitch Slide function on selected steps. 16 steps. 
   There is also a step merge function which is similar to a tie I think. ?
   compact- just 3 HP
   Despite the small size it’s easy to program and most importantly – 
   up to 16 patterns can be saved in memory and instantly recalled.
   

10. Bastil - popcorn.
     10Hp 
      Has slides. Just 8 steps
 
11. Super 16             
      per-step glide/portamento
      up to 64 step sequence length
      Tie ??
 

12. Korg SQ-1
      the korg SQ1, has slides and 2 gate outputs, so you trigger also accented notes.
       Only 8 steps if you want to trigger accents.
 

 
13. Black Sequencer- Erica
       ratcheting, step repeat, glide per step, merging steps (ties)
 
14. Beatstep Pro
      can tie/ slide nicely
 
 

    
 
 
     
   

Saturday, 25 June 2016

Buchla format 212r - Dodecamodule

Some pics of a recent build. The 212r is a awesome sounding module.
(video to go up here soon). I would love to hear a vintage one.

These aren't building instructions, just some records for future reference should I decide to
build another..

It was quite a big build .... lost count of time after the first 20 hrs., but I reckon you could knock
one off in a weekend if you put your mind to it. (I'm not a professional technician).

This is PCB 1

PCB 2 ... reverb tank sits in the middle.
Its very much like the setup in a 208r version 1.




One cap exploded while I was testing various +15v to +24V voltage regulators.
I decided to just use my system's external +24v bus.

reverb tank fitted :-)

I've mixed the knobs up on purpose to remind me of the pot values. Davies are all 10k linear.
Serge style are 50k log.


I'm very impressed with the module. I esp like the output amplifier on the right.

I finally understand why there are a mix of 50k & 10k pots. Its a beautiful sound. We have voltage control over amplitude on the top, voltage control of location (left/right channels) in the middle, and CV of the reverb on the bottom.

More videos to be posted soon here.
...

Up till now I have been using a pulse from the buchla 281 to trigger the 212r. However a question in muffs from Robbot emcouraged me to test the dodecamodule again. It actually does not need an external clock (like the vintage 212). "The envelopes will self cycle using this trick - patch a cable from the red pulse output of the Triple Env Generator section of the 212 back to the red pulse input and then set the attack / decay time to the desired speed.

If that doesn't automatically start the env generator clocking, flipping the 'sustain' switch up/down and back will do". Thanks Robbot. :-)