Friday, 5 June 2015
Tokyo Modular Synth Festival 2015
I missed this one due to ill health, but my mate Nathan did it. What a champ.
Love this one a ARP 2500
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Thursday, 4 June 2015
TKB Build - 7 Assembly of the front panel
Ah, finally the fun part.
Installing jacks, switches, etc.
***Click here for the Index of the TKB Build ***
We need:- 7 x Blue banana jacks
- 24 x Red banana jacks
- 1x Shoulder washer
- 1 x SPDT toggle
A comparison between the cloned TKB and a vintage one:
Of course, if you want to, you can install jacks with whatever colour you like.
However, if you wish to remain true to the history and legacy of Serge, 24 red & 7 blue are the traditional.
colours
The Vintage TKB is on the top.
The Vintage SPDT switch
Next step: the ribbon cable that attaches to the touch keyboard.
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***Click here for the Index of the TKB Build ***
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***Click here for the Index of the TKB Build ***
TKB Build - 6 - The Touch Keys
The touch keyboard of the TKB is really really special. When I first saw one I was mesmerized. It reminded me of the stylophone that I owned as a child. The Serge TKB however, doesn't need a stylus.
If I understand this correctly the TKB uses the capacitance principle (not FSR - force sensing resistors).
where detection of the plate capacitance is important. Touch keyboards can be found in many instruments (both old & new). The stylophone, the EMS AKS, The PAiA drum & Buchla keyboards from the 60's to the present day are but a few examples.
Useful Links:
1. Muffwiggler Thread
2. That famous Synapse Article by Arpad Benares (care of Cyndustries)
3. PAiA - Touch switches (like those used on their Programable Drum Set)
*** Click here for the TKB Build Index ***
This part of the build involves installing the LEDs
These are tiny surface mounted components. Becareful when installing as they are easy to loose.
Mount as flat as you can & be careful of the orientation. The cathode is to the right.
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If I understand this correctly the TKB uses the capacitance principle (not FSR - force sensing resistors).
where detection of the plate capacitance is important. Touch keyboards can be found in many instruments (both old & new). The stylophone, the EMS AKS, The PAiA drum & Buchla keyboards from the 60's to the present day are but a few examples.
Useful Links:
1. Muffwiggler Thread
2. That famous Synapse Article by Arpad Benares (care of Cyndustries)
3. PAiA - Touch switches (like those used on their Programable Drum Set)
*** Click here for the TKB Build Index ***
This part of the build involves installing the LEDs
These are tiny surface mounted components. Becareful when installing as they are easy to loose.
Mount as flat as you can & be careful of the orientation. The cathode is to the right.
Part 7. Front panel assembly
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*** Click here for the TKB Build Index ***------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
TKB Build - 5 - Pot (Potentiometer) Boards
Finally, after a long delay (due to poor health) I'm finally getting my act together.
The TKB is a dream project. It's a magical instrument & learning how they are put together
is a wonderful opportunity.
*** Click here for the TKB Build Index ***
This next stage involves the pot boards. There are 4 of them labeled A,B,C,D.
Each has 16 steps.
First lets look at a vintage TKB.
Notice that the resistor connects to the middle lug of the pot.
A closer view of some of these sixty four 1M resistors.
I can imagine that soldering all these wires back in the 70's was a tedious task.
Thankfully, Zthee has simplified the process with his 4 pot-boards.
A closeup of the virgin Potentiometer Boards.
Before soldering the pots, instal the 8 right angled IDC connectors & the 64 1M resistors.
Next install the pots. There are 5 holes and each pot has 3 lugs.
I made a mistake in the beginning and installed some in the 3 holes on the right.
This is WRONG!!!
The middle pin should go in the middle hole, with 2 holes on each side.
Part 6. The Touch Keyboard (Installing the LEDs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The TKB is a dream project. It's a magical instrument & learning how they are put together
is a wonderful opportunity.
*** Click here for the TKB Build Index ***
This next stage involves the pot boards. There are 4 of them labeled A,B,C,D.
Each has 16 steps.
First lets look at a vintage TKB.
Notice that the resistor connects to the middle lug of the pot.
A closer view of some of these sixty four 1M resistors.
I can imagine that soldering all these wires back in the 70's was a tedious task.
Thankfully, Zthee has simplified the process with his 4 pot-boards.
A closeup of the virgin Potentiometer Boards.
Before soldering the pots, instal the 8 right angled IDC connectors & the 64 1M resistors.
Next install the pots. There are 5 holes and each pot has 3 lugs.
I made a mistake in the beginning and installed some in the 3 holes on the right.
This is WRONG!!!
The middle pin should go in the middle hole, with 2 holes on each side.
Part 6. The Touch Keyboard (Installing the LEDs)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*** Click here for the TKB Build Index ***------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, 1 June 2015
Boss (Roland) DR-670 Drum Machine.
This venerable line of Dr. Rhythm machines began back in 1979 with the Boss DR-55.
I believe that Roland (the parent of Boss) haven't finished with this line yet.
The history so far of the Boss Dr. Rhythm is thus:
1979 - Dr 55
1983 - Dr 110 Dr.Rhythm Graphic
1986 - DR-220A Dr Rhythm (Acoustic)
1986 - DR-220E Dr Rhythm (Electronic)
1990 - DR550 Dr Rhythm (Mk I)
1992 - DR550 MkII Dr Rhythm
1992 - DR-660 (DR Rhythm)
1993 - DR 5 - Dr Rhythm section
1998 - DR-202 (Dr Groove)
1999 - DR770 Dr Rhythm
2003 - DR-3 Dr, Rhythm
2004 - DR-880 Dr Rhythm.
I have never quite understood Roland's numbering system.
Sadly the display on the 670 is not backlit.making the screen a little hard to see in dark environments.
There's a good range of drum kits (255 drum & 64 user kits) and percussion & bass sounds
200 preset rhythm patterns and 200 user-programmable patterns.
Preset and User patterns can be easily chained together to create up to 100 Songs
There are 16 distinct sounds including Finger Bass, Slap Bass, Acoustic Bass, Pick Bass.
I think the sounds are pretty sweet though the bass sounds are a little limited and I feel that the hi hat and cymbals lack that certain mojo.But you can edit and change their parameters....pitch, decay, volume, etc.
You can also map different sounds to different buttons.
Midi In & Out.
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Roland CR-1000 Drum Machine (Digital Drummer)
This drum came out in 1986.
It was the second last in a long line of Roland drum machines which bear the CR (Computer Rhythm) title.
Roland started the CR range in 1978 with the CR-68 (Human Rhythm Player.)
Then followed the CR-78 CompuRhythm & CR-800.
In 1981 Roland came out with the CR-5000 Compurhythm & CR-8000 CompuRhythm.
In 1991, the line ended with the CR80 Human Rhythm Player.
The Digital drummer is a preset rhythm machine featuring 16 digital sound sources. These are PCM sounds and they cover both the standard drum kit and some latin percussion.
The tempo is adjustable from 40 to 240 beats per minute Accent level and shuffle time are also adjustable and can be stored into each pattern.
The sounds are BD,Snare/Rim/HC, Timbale/TT, Cymbal/HH, Conga, Claves/CowBell.
There are 48 preset patterns. The hand clap can be added to any preset pattern by simply pressing the "handclap switch".
Intro, fill-in and ending patterns are controlled by footswitches to create structures for complete songs.
It was the second last in a long line of Roland drum machines which bear the CR (Computer Rhythm) title.
Roland started the CR range in 1978 with the CR-68 (Human Rhythm Player.)
Then followed the CR-78 CompuRhythm & CR-800.
In 1981 Roland came out with the CR-5000 Compurhythm & CR-8000 CompuRhythm.
In 1991, the line ended with the CR80 Human Rhythm Player.
The Digital drummer is a preset rhythm machine featuring 16 digital sound sources. These are PCM sounds and they cover both the standard drum kit and some latin percussion.
The tempo is adjustable from 40 to 240 beats per minute Accent level and shuffle time are also adjustable and can be stored into each pattern.
The sounds are BD,Snare/Rim/HC, Timbale/TT, Cymbal/HH, Conga, Claves/CowBell.
There are 48 preset patterns. The hand clap can be added to any preset pattern by simply pressing the "handclap switch".
Intro, fill-in and ending patterns are controlled by footswitches to create structures for complete songs.
When used with a MIDI keyboard instrument, a special Key Start function activates the CR-1000 the moment a key is pressed.
MIDI In and Thru connectors for controlling the tempo by MIDI clock
messages or playing individual instrument sounds by MIDI note messages
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For more info on the history of Roland Drum Machines click here
For more info on the history of Roland Drum Machines click here
Saturday, 30 May 2015
ARP 2500 - Future Deep House
I've tried to keep this mix in the deep house style.
The original samples were recorded on this video:
https://youtu.be/uOvcMBZy_RQ
The new mix is faster than the original.
The drums were added later along with some commercial loops.
I'm working on a new 2500 recording. All future samples will be original.
Some pics of the old patch:
From left to right we have:
1016: Dual Noise/Random Voltage Source. Contains two independent uncorrelated noise sources and filters to derive pink noise and continuous slow random voltages.
1004-T: Voltage Controlled Oscillator. Basic ARP precision VCO offering five simultaneous waveform outputs: sine, triangle, square, sawtooth, and pulse. FM and PWM. Built-in waveform mixer.
1023: Dual Voltage Controlled Oscillator. Two precision voltage controlled oscillators each similar electrically to the 1004.
1047: Multimode Filter/Resonator. Combination highpass, lowpass. bandpass, and band-reject filter. Ultra-high Q. Voltage controlled center frequency and resonance.
1006: Filtamp. A compact module containing a mixer, a voltage controlled lowpass filter, and a voltage controlled amplifier.
1005: Modamp. A complex function module containing a precision balanced modulator, a voltage controlled amplifier, and switching circuitry.
1046: Quad Exponential Envelope Generator: Ultra-compact module containing a pair of envelope generators without trigger delay and a pair with delay.
1036: Dual Sample & Hold/Random Voltage Generator. Contains two ultra-low-drift sample and hold circuits, two noise sources, and two voltage controlled pulse generators.
On the extreme right we have:
1050: Mix/Sequencer. A combination sequencer, mixer, analog gate. Serves dozens of functions as a utility mixer, sequencer, preset function selector.
1027: Ten-Position Sequencer: Unusually flexible and reliable sequential voltage generator. Capable of creating highly complex switching patterns with 30 preset voltages.
(descriptions are care of VSE)
Below is a close up of he wonderful ARP2500 envelope generator.
For more info about the 1046 envelope gen click here
The original samples were recorded on this video:
https://youtu.be/uOvcMBZy_RQ
The new mix is faster than the original.
The drums were added later along with some commercial loops.
I'm working on a new 2500 recording. All future samples will be original.
Some pics of the old patch:
From left to right we have:
1016: Dual Noise/Random Voltage Source. Contains two independent uncorrelated noise sources and filters to derive pink noise and continuous slow random voltages.
1004-T: Voltage Controlled Oscillator. Basic ARP precision VCO offering five simultaneous waveform outputs: sine, triangle, square, sawtooth, and pulse. FM and PWM. Built-in waveform mixer.
1023: Dual Voltage Controlled Oscillator. Two precision voltage controlled oscillators each similar electrically to the 1004.
1047: Multimode Filter/Resonator. Combination highpass, lowpass. bandpass, and band-reject filter. Ultra-high Q. Voltage controlled center frequency and resonance.
1006: Filtamp. A compact module containing a mixer, a voltage controlled lowpass filter, and a voltage controlled amplifier.
1005: Modamp. A complex function module containing a precision balanced modulator, a voltage controlled amplifier, and switching circuitry.
1046: Quad Exponential Envelope Generator: Ultra-compact module containing a pair of envelope generators without trigger delay and a pair with delay.
1036: Dual Sample & Hold/Random Voltage Generator. Contains two ultra-low-drift sample and hold circuits, two noise sources, and two voltage controlled pulse generators.
On the extreme right we have:
1050: Mix/Sequencer. A combination sequencer, mixer, analog gate. Serves dozens of functions as a utility mixer, sequencer, preset function selector.
1027: Ten-Position Sequencer: Unusually flexible and reliable sequential voltage generator. Capable of creating highly complex switching patterns with 30 preset voltages.
(descriptions are care of VSE)
Below is a close up of he wonderful ARP2500 envelope generator.
For more info about the 1046 envelope gen click here
Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Palmyra - Syria
I woke up this morning to the terrible news that the city of Palmyra has fallen into
the hands of Islamic State. I'm hoping that this is just a temporary situation.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-21/syrians-ancient-treasures-relocated-as-is-overruns-part-palmyra/6485428
These pics were taken in 2009. I never thought this would probably be the last time I'd get to visit Syria.
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For more travel postcards click here
the hands of Islamic State. I'm hoping that this is just a temporary situation.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-21/syrians-ancient-treasures-relocated-as-is-overruns-part-palmyra/6485428
These pics were taken in 2009. I never thought this would probably be the last time I'd get to visit Syria.
This is a section of the Bel Temple
This place dates back to the Neolithic times. Palmyra was mentioned in the bible.In the second millennium BC it was a caravan stop for travelers crossing the Syrian Desert.
It was incorporated into the Greek (Hellenistic Seleucid Empire) and then by the Roman Empire which brought great prosperity. Palmyra gained its wealth from the caravan trade. The Palmyrenes were renowned merchants who established colonies along the Silk Road, and conducted their operations all around the Roman empire.
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For more travel postcards click here
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