Timbre & Timbre - Dual Timbre - NLC build notes

These are my build notes for the Nonlinearcircuits Dual Timbre module.
Its in Eurorack format. The original timbre module was based on the Buchla easel timbre waveshaper circuit.

  The tri2sin circuit has been dropped, there is an input attenuator for each section.

This is simply a dual version of the Timbre!, It is all smd (the single version is thru-hole).

Andrew's blog notes are here:
http://nonlinearcircuits.blogspot.com/2018/01/timbre-timbre.html

The NLC build notes and bom are here:
https://www.nonlinearcircuits.com/modules/p/timbre-and-timbre

GET those ICs on first.

The BOM calls for a J112. Im using a J309
 863-MMBFJ309LT1G as the waiting time on the 112 is nearly a year

 Headers:

 Pots & Jacks

To be continued.................

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For more Euro DIY builds click here:
http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/diy-index.html
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Modular On The Lounge

The first MOTL (Modular On The Lounge) .... held at a secret location in Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

All my synth friends were dying for a chance to get together, chat about synths, and get some performance practice.

 So we found a living room and couched it for the night.

 A great turnout.

 

 We set up a projector and a Video Synth.

Justin from Metro Modular showed us some of his new modules.

This modular just arrived back from Japan.

The MM339A Gainriding VCF
I'm especially looking forward to this filter as it's original designer was Dennis Colins who had a hand in designing the ARP 1047 filter (for the ARP system 2500).

MM6031B Marshall LPF Explorer Edition

Hopefully there will be more of these nights in the future.

#modularonthelounge #videosynth #videosynthesizer #eurorackmodular #wollongongsynthmeet

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Dec 2, 2017 at 3:53pm PST....

 #cobramatic

#modularsynth #wollongongsynthmeet #modularonthelounge #eurorackmodular #eurorack

A post shared by jono (@dj_jondent) on Dec 2, 2017 at 4:14pm PST

Buchla Preset card - DIY mixer for 208 easel

One of the best things about the Buchla Music Easel is its program card.
It's really not just for presets ... esp the original card invented by Don Buchla back in the 1970s.

I'm guessing he may have wanted us users to experiment with electronic circuits.
Why else would Don have placed a mini "breadboard" with +/- 15V rails on the program card?

The Buchla SILI-CON CELLO from 1978 is a good example of his use of breadboard circuits in a fully
functioning system. It's a shame the current BEMI program cards have removed this homage to the age of DIY electronics.

This is my latest use of the card: a DIY mixer.
(The 10U system doesn't have a dedicated mixer).

The circuit is very simple.
Just one dual op-amp (TL072)

 

It's a basic unity gain inverting configuration. In the first half the 4 inputs are mixed into the inverting input of a op-amp. Since the output signal from this op-amp is inverted, the 2nd op-amp  re-inverts it. 

Power goes to pins 4 & 8. The unmarked resistor on the right is 1K

Thanks to Ken Stone for the original circuit. and Justin from MetroModular for his advice.
Ken's schematics show the possibility for using this as a CV mixer & attenuverter.

Breadboarding the circuit. Just two inputs on the left without pots.
It works on +/-12V above and +/-15V below.

Might try building a mixer using the OPA2134.
It's pinout is the same as the TL072.

RIP Don

RIP Don Buchla.
He passed away on Wednesday at his home in Berkeley, Calif. He was 79.

So sad. Don will live on through his friends, family & instruments.
His life and achievements have changed so many people including myself.
He is Immortal.

Buchla 100

Buchla Music easel

These are all vintage 200 modules. 246 (Sequential Voltage Source ) on the top. From the left, 205 matrix mixer, 258 VCO, 281Quad Function Generator, a 296 Spectral Processor and a 221 keyboard controller on the bottom.

 Buchla 237 Keyboard.

The 237 was one of the very few conventional keyboards that Don invented. Though he studied piano
Don wanted to free musicians from traditional Western music.

“A keyboard is dictatorial,” he said. “When you’ve got a black-and-white keyboard, it’s hard to play anything but keyboard music.”

The 237 keyboard is amazing however if you consider when it was made .. 1970.
This is arguably the world's first modular polyphonic keyboard. It has four CV outs and gates.

 The keyboard controller in the foreground is a 222e

 Part of my 200e collection.

Don Buchla is survived by his wife, Anne-Marie Bonnel; two daughters, Jeannine Serbanich and Erin Buchla; his son Ezra, and two grandchildren.

Roman 208 build pics - Version 2

Some pics taken during the build of this wonderful module.

It's not a Buchla Module, but should be compatible with most Buchla modules.

It follows the same size, format & the circuits used are I understand based on Don's schematics.

I'd say it took about 40 hours to put this together. It's more difficult than the TTSH (ARP 2600 clone).
I just finished it last night and couldn't believe that it worked first time.
So excited !!! I just had to post some pics.

 These are pics of the motherboard.

There are 12 daughter boards which plug into the main motherboard.

The cards are very tight to plug in.

One of the main difficulties was sourcing rare components from all over the world.

The partly populated front panel.

The original Buchla used plastic slider pots (above module). For this new version, I've substituted modern metal pots.

Almost finished.

The LEDs are a bit tricky to install.

You can buy the PCBs for this project from "The Electric Music Store".
ModularSynthesis.com is another very useful site - awesome build notes.

Buchla Easel - Program card map for BEMI, Vintage & Rev II 208s

Some maps to help navigate the Buchla Easel program/patch card.
These first 2 pics are for vintage & rev2 versions (not the Rev 1).

1. +15V                                          15. sequencer (out) B ?? (different to tab13F ??)
2. Gnd  (Quiet)                                16. Random out
3. ?  ("rng" on the BEMI card)           17. Envelope trig in
4. ?                                                18. Pulser out A
5. ?                                                19. Env Duration (sustain on the BEMI card) in
6. ?                                                20. Pulser out B
7. Voltage Level - Step 1 (in)             21. Env (in) decay
8. Voltage Level - Step 3 (in)             22. Level (Gate) 1 in
9. Volatge Level - Step 4 (in)             23. MOD osc waveshaper
10. Voltage Level - Step 5 (in)           24. Keyboard in for mod & complex osc
11. n  - sequencer no of steps (in)     25. Level (Gate) 2 in
12. Pulse sequence in.                    26. Envelope Det (CV B)
13. Sequencer CV levels (out)           27. Gate Mode 2?
14. Random (trigger) in.                    28. Inv (Buffer)

On the vintage easel card, the complex osc has marked a "key" and two "WS" waveshaper inputs.
The modern BEMI easel cards names them "Key", "t.lev" (timbre level), and "tws" (timbre wave shapes - tri/sq/saw).
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1. -15V                                 15. key Volt B
2. ?                                       16. pulser trig in
3. ?                                       17. timbre
4. ?                                       18. attack (envelope)
5. ?                                       19. Pressure (Env ??? B)
6. ?                                       20. Envelope Gen (CV B)
7. Voltage Level - Step 2 (in)    21. Seq out (Pulse B)
8. random                              22. Mod osc (Mode) in
9. Period in                            23. Inv  (CV) in
10.index (in)                           24. Complex Osc (WS in) 1
11.frequency (in)                     25. Complex Osc (WS in) 2
12.Sequencer - *Trig in*           26. Gate Mode 1 ?
13.pitch in                              27. SR (Gate out) Offset (EN B)
14.keyboard (pulse B) out        28. SR Gate in (Gate 2 ??)

Modern BEMI cards are 99% the same. They don't have the upper prototyping section
and there is an additional RNG patch point for the mod osc.

The inputs to the "rng" on the BEMI card are 3rd tab, front.
The outputs from the "rng" are tab 27 on the rear of the card (the second last tab).

On the vintage easel card, the complex osc has marked a "key" and two "WS" waveshaper inputs.
The modern BEMI easel cards names them "Key", "t.lev" (timbre level), and "tws" (timbre wave shapes - tri/sq/saw).

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Amendment. 07 Jan 2018.
Front row, pin 6 is Modulation Oscillator out on the newer BEMI Easels.
Many thanks to Sascha H. of Northern Light Modular for this info.
I haven't checked this on any my easels yet. I have a vintage, a early Roman 208 Rev 2 and a early BEMI.
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Notes:
++ The trigger point for the sequencer can be either of the bottom two connections
 (below the K or P).
  It corresponds to Tab 12 on the rear card edge connector.
  Looks like the 208 works well with 5V triggers --as tested with my littlebits sequencer.
 http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/12/buchla-easel-vs-korg-littlebits-and.html

++ Muffs- Easel Mega BOB - Cobramatic

++  Muffs 2 - Easel extension card thing

++ Todd Barton - Easel exploration II
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If there are any errors, omissions or BS, please let me know.
I'll update this page as I sus out all the connections.

Buchla easel vs Korg Littlebits (and some patch card magic)

I'm surprised at how good the Korg LittleBits sound through a Buchla 208.

This setup involves a BEMI easel with the Cobramatic breakout box (BOB) and two of my easel patch cards (the main & satellite).

The satellite one lying on the table with the little bits on top is powered from the vintage easel.
The trigger point for the sequencer can be either of the bottom two connections (below the K or P).
It corresponds to Tab 12 on the rear card edge connector.

Everything is clocked from the Littlebits sequencer even the two easels. We were really surprised how easy this was to do.

Thanks to Adam S for the idea & inspiration to use the LittleBits