DIY Low Pass Gate using a AE Modular

 I've owned a small AE modular system for a few years and recently got hold of the DIY breadboard

 (BRAED BOARD) module

The AE modular system sounds fabulous. 

I purchased the system years ago to tinker with electronic circuits.

It uses +5v so you won't electrocute yourself.

The BRAED BOARD is a perfect addition for the experimenter in all of us.

https://www.tangiblewaves.com/store/p92/BRAEDBOARD.html

Check out the AE modular wiki for more ideas

AE Modular Wiki

I am always running out of VCAs (they say you can never have enough).

So why not make a Buchla style LPG as my first project.

AE modular do also make a LPG module if DIY isn't your thing.

I think this module (called the LOPAG) is powered, and has the added option of switching to VCA mode.

This DIY version is passive & super super simple.

Parts

+ Vactrol 

+ LED

+ 10K resistor (x2)

Yes ! that's it.

Actually, you don't even need the LED. Its only a display.

You can of course get more complex, but those basic parts are all you need.

The basic schemo

The final choice of resistors will depend on the LED value, and the vactrol you use .

So experiment.

PS: if you can't find a vactrol, just roll your own.

You will need a LDR (light dependent resistor) , a LED & heat shrink.

More info about vactrols and how to roll your own here:

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

• NLC build notes 2 for a LPG

A short note: The LPG has low pass filtering characteristics as its name implies, 

so if you want a clean unadulterated sound, use a VCA. 

Some pics of my soldered version of this circuit using a NSL vactrol & a DIY vactrol.

VC ADSR - NLC build notes - part 2

Some build notes for the Nonlinear circuits VC ADSR.

The attack, decay & release stages are voltage controllable.

(not sustain).

This is part 2 on my build.

Part 1 is here:

• VC ADSR - NLC build notes - part 1

Links:

+ BOM

+ WIKI

I'm up to building a light proof box to house some LDRs and LEDs.

These make a diy vactrol circuit.

This is a super  simple module that uses a 555 timer, op-amps and some diodes to make 

a ADSR envelope generator.

It's based on the classic Jacky/Kirschman 555 ADSR circuit from 1980.

Andrew has replaced the Attack-Decay-Release pots with DIY vactrols.

The 555 controls the sequencing while the diodes switch the currents.

This is the box so far:

the edge connectors

+ LEDs 

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

time to solder the LDRs / LEDs

1 x 10K linear pot. (type B)

6 x 100K linear pot

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The suppository of All Wisdom - NLC - Build notes - part 2 - completion

This is part 2 of my build notes for the Suppository of all Wisdom module.

It's supposed to be a phase shifter.

Part one of the build is here:

• The suppository of All Wisdom - NLC - Build notes

Links

+Wiki

+BOM

It's a vactrol controller phaser by NLC ( Nonlinear circuits).

The module combines ideas from the Steiner Phaser with the Lovetone Doppelganger.

It uses lots of LEDs and LDRs (Light dependent resistors).

The PCB so far.

I like to solder the ICs first.

 

The two phaser sections are in series and Andrew decided to drop

the stepped capacitors and use a 10nF thru-out instead.

I understand, there are 8 stages to this phaser.

There are 2 outputs named:

1. Stage 8

2. Mix out (this is a combination of stage 4 & stage 8)

There are 2 (audio) inputs:

AC in

DC in

There are 2 CV inputs/pots

Phase 1 and CV1 control stages 1-2, 

Phase 2 and CV2 control stages 3-4.

I think the Colour Pots 1 & 2 are feedback pots.

One sends the signal from stage 4 back to stage 1 or into stage 5 (which totally 

overloads stage 5 as it is already getting the same signal from stage 4….oh dear). 

The other feedback pot sends the signal from stage 8 back to stage 1 or stage 4. 

You'll be building a single light-tight box.  with headers.... essentially make a big vactrol.

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

Made up of 4 LDRs surrounded by lots of LEDs.... everything effects everything else ...so results

might be a tad unpredictable.

 

Resistors & caps.

I'm using stepped caps

C1 = 4n7, C2 = 10n, C3 = 22n and C4 = 47n.

Schottky diodes

Headers to build the box

Andrew recommends :

"GL5506 or GL5516 or whatever"

I'm using GL5549 s only because I have a packet of them which I've hardly used .

LEDs:

Andrew recommends:

"red/yellow/green very bright ones"

+ LEDs 

I'm going multi coloured.

 Pretty !!!

Almost there

Pots

100k linear taper

ok ... you're done
 

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You can find more NLC builds here.

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Poultry in Motion - build part 3

Part 3 of the build for Poulty in Motion

 

This module can be viewed as a VC delay on the top

and a clock divider on the bottom with sync out. 

The Clock Jack is an input.

The sync out is fed to a divider to get 12 stages of sync signal. 

The sync signal source is a Pt2333 delay IC.

Another way to use this module is as a VCO with divided outputs.

Its not calibrated to 1V/oct , but you can still use the clock input to control the pitch.

In egg timer mode the crystal will generate a second

count (0.125Hz, 0.25Hz, 0.5Hz, 1Hz, etc). This is for getting your

system to work with BPM type drum machines or just to have a regular

count or whatever you think might be fun.

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Part 1 of the build is here:

Poultry in Motion - nlc build notes part 1

Part 2 is here

 poultry in motion - part 2 - build notes

Links:

+ wiki

+ BOM

 

 

 

RL Leds

The RL next to the vactrol determines the brightness of the LED in

the vactrol. If using a shop one, just shove in 1k. If using a DIY

with a bright LED, then 2k2-4k7 should suffice.

I'm using 2.7k resistors on all the RLs.

My vactrol will be diy

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

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32.768kHz crystal

Purchased on tayda

 

+ Crystal Oscillators

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

Andrew mentioned the oscillator vibrating.

" The crystal is a bit delicate, best to fold it down flat on the

PCB once installed so it doesn’t get bumped around. On the 3rd prototype the module put out a high pitched whine, not from the outputs,

it was the module itself. This turned out to be the crystal

vibrating; it is easily fixed by moving it a little, press it down

harder against the PCB. Worst case you may need to give it a dab of

hot glue as a cushion. This only happened with one build, so I guess

it is not that common."

I'm testing using some bluetac as a cushion.

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vactrol time

"DIY is fine with GL5506/GL5516, LED

and some heatshrink, otherwise

something like NSL-32 will do."

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

using a Gl5516 & orange LED

The GL5516 are cheap ... bought a pack of 100 on ebay

Shrink wrap the two.

headers

Jacks & Pots

The pots are B100k

LEDs and the toggle switch

Its done

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You can find more NLC builds here.

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Poultry in Motion - nlc build notes part 1 

           poultry in motion - part 2 - build notes

        

 

Poultry in Motion - nlc build notes - part1

These are some build notes for the Poultry in Motion module.

Its a nonlinear circuits eurorack module.

Its got lots of uses.

VC Delay with a sync out.

Clock-divider

Clock (the PT2399 is the clock source)

VCO (with 12 suboscillator outputs)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some pics of the virgin PCBs

 

The module uses a PT2399 chip.

It's a pretty common echo/delay chip used 

in lots of guitar pedals.

Its CMOS technology developed by Princeton Technology Corp. 

The PT2399 integrates a small DSP (with memory), 

AD and DA converters. 

a clock that manages the delay time and several op-amps. 

This is all in the one chip 

Links:

+ wiki

+ BOM

Parts:

 

Tayda - 32.768kHz crystal

The ICs from Mouser:

771-HEF4060BTD-T

771-HEF4040BTD-T

595-SN74HC4040NS

The module also uses a vactrol.

+ Vactrols - Optocoupliers

DIY is fine with GL5506/GL5516, LED and some heatshrink, 

otherwise something like NSL-32 will do

toggle switch 

tayda a-4567

spdt on-on

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LL4148 x 5

Radio diodes

MBR0540T1G

Schotty diode - mouser

LM7805 voltage reg

+ Voltage regulators (series)

Using a IC version

The bevel is on pin 1 side

+ Integrated circuits - packaging

BC847 & BC857 transistors

To be continued......

waiting on some parts.

 

           poultry in motion - part 2 - build notes

           Poultry in Motion - build part 3