Manaca Iznaga Estate is today part of a UNESCO world heritage region called Valley de los Ingenios or Valley of the Sugar Mills.
It's part ofa series of three interconnected valleys (San Luis, Santa Rosa, and Meyer ) about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) outside of Trinidad, Cuba. Sugar was the most important industry in Cuba from the late 18th century until the late 19th century.
At it's peak there were over 30,000 slaves working on these plantations.
"To prevent the sugar from spoiling, rapid transport was necessary, and
to this end a special railway line was laid down through the valley in
the late 1880s, connecting the Valle de los Ingenios with Trinidad and the port at Casilda, 6 km (4 mi) from Trinidad, on the coast." (Wikipedia).
The "Iznaga Tower"
The "Iznaga Tower" was built in 1816 by the estate owner, Alejo Maria Iznaga y Borrell.
It's in a rather poor state, but we still managed to make the climb up to the top.
These wooden stairs are 199 years old.
A view of the homestead from the tower's summit.
This bell used to be hung at the top of the tower. It was rung at the start & the end of the work day as
well as the times for prayers or when the slaves escaped. It must have been a desperate existence for the slaves. I can't possibly imagine the suffering they must have endured.
I received a email recently requesting more info & pics about the EML 300.
This is a very unusual controller. It was manufactured in the early 70s by Electronic Music Labs of Vernon, Connecticut. Made in limited quantities, it was designed to compliment the EML 200 & 400.
The Voltage Generator section is quite interesting esp considering when it was produced. It's a matrix of 16 dials that are used to program voltages. It's not a sequencer although it looks like one. I wonder if this design was the seed for the vast number of matrix sequencers we today have at our disposal.
The telephone type keyboard is really just a collection of 16 keys that trigger the corresponding voltage on the dials. The actual numbers don't correspond to anything (as far as I can tell). Maybe this was a surplus telephone touchpad ???
The VCO has 2 ranges: Audio (HI) & SubAudio (LO) with a continuously variable wave shape which shifts from triangle to square & saw.
To the left is a frequency modulation input (labelled vibrato).
The VCA section to the right of the VCO is a simple DC (Direct Coupled) coupled affair.
It's prewired to the AD envelope generator (below) but can be modulated with more complex EG's like those found on the EML 400/4001 & EML 200.
Of course external audio (other than the built in VCO) can be patched in too.
The Sample & Hold can be triggered from the LFO or the Matrix Keyboard.
The LFO is a triangle wave.
The final section of the EML 301 is the joystick. - a simple +/- volatge on both X & Y axis.
The EML 300 controller is extremely rare. I'm not sure how many were manufactured & I haven't seen another example of one. However, there is a Brazilian company (EMW) making very similar controllers inspired by this design. http://www.electronicmusicworks.com/synthesizers/emw-300.html
The EMW (Electronic Music Works) 300 is quite authentic. Up until the time when I finally found a EML 300 I used the EMW version successfully with my EML 200.
The matrix is now a 16 step sequencer. And as with the vintage EML 300 each rotary knob adjusts a voltage that appears on the Voltage outputs when you press the corresponding key.
The joystick of the EML has been however replaced with a what EMW call a manual switch module. It's basically a router with a 5V pulse out - useful for transposing pitches.
The Beatstep Pro claims to be able to sequence almost everything. ... & I think Arturia might be onto something.
The Metasonix D-1000 drum isn't the easiest machine to sequence but the Beatstep Pro
handled it quite well. The D1000 is very very dirty sounding. and there are only 4 sounds:
Drum 1, 2, Snare & Cym. ..... they sound nothing like what the names suggest.
Sequencer 2 is controlling the Roland SH-101 .... one classic synth from the '80s.
The SH101 is receiving CV & Gate from the Beatstep.
I came across an old ARP sales brochure from 1971.
The prices back then seemed so reasonable. :-)
$5927 for a complete system comprising 7 modules, a 3001 three voice keyboard & 2002 cabinet.
Awesome !!!!
However, after factoring in a annual inflation rate of: 4.15% (that's a total inflation: of 522.84% over 14 years) the price comes to $34,968.10 in 2015. - That put's things into perspective
These are the build notes for the NLC (NonLinearCircuits) version of one of the classic filters of all time: the Buchla 292.
The 292 configuration consisted of 4 filters with CV control & a 3 pole toggle switch for each filter.
The toggle switch allowed you to alternate between 3 modes: LowPass, Combination & Gate.
Gate is Buchla's name for a VCA.
Buchla still produce this filter in two forms: The 292h & the 292e (which goes by the grand title of "Quad Dynamics Manager").
The 292e is the centre module. Notice that the toggle switches have been replaced with buttons.
It has also gained velocity control & preset storage but is mostly the same as the earlier 292.
Here are some pics of the virgin NonLinearCircuit PCB & panel:
The LPF filter design is a variation of the Sallen Key. Ever since professors R.P. Sallen and E.L. Key described it in 1955, the
Sallen-Key low-pass filter has become one of the most widely used
filters in electronic systems.
It's another form of what is known as a voltage-controlled voltage-source (VCVS) filter used to
implement a 2-pole (12 dB/octave) response.
Most VCVS use unity-gain operational amplifiers where the output voltage is the same as the input voltage.... At first glance this seems useless but the advantage is that they don't take current from the input source.
The input & output sides are in effect isolated.
The controlling element for frequency (in LP mode) and amplitude (in VCA mode) is the vactrol.
Basically a LED & photoresistor packaged in a light tight box. I reckon this is a really neat way to get voltage control over a variable resistor.
Andrew suggests experimenting with different types of vactrols. He has been using Silonex with good results. The NLC PCB is designed for a dual vactrol. Some of my earlier Buchla builds (eg the 208) use dual vactrols like the VTL5C3/2, and I have a few spare. So I'll probably use these first. Dual vactrols are actually two photo-resistors and a LED in the one package ....which is perfect as they sit in where R1 & R2 go. I might later experiment by using two single vactrols or even make my own vactrols if I feel like the challenge. There are lots of ways to tinker with this beautiful circuit.
Install IC headers & the Euro power connector first.
Then resistors & caps.
These 2 resistors (marked with and asterix) can be altered to suit your taste.
The caps marked 472 & 221 are 4.7nF & 220pF respectively..
I think MCCs (monolithic ceramic caps) are fine, others might insist on polys.
The 33k can be varied up to 51K .... It sets the Cv level.
I left it at 33k.
The 10K sets the gain of the output signal.
The switch must be mounted as close as possible to the PCB & watch the orientation (it's up/down, not left/right).
Sounds quite good ..esp the LP filter.
I reckon varying the CV level resistor is a good idea. The frequency pot is very responsive at the upper levels (8-10) , but volume drops away quite quickly below this.
I experimented with audio(log) vs linear pots and think a log frequency pot sounds better. (just my humble opinion).
I'll probably change that resistor to 51k.
I am lucky today to have finally received two remnants of the venerable Scanimate machine.
It's part of a early analog computer that was used in animation.
From what I've read, there were only 8 made.
The Scanimate was invented by Lee Harrison III, founder of Computer Image, in Denver, Colorado in 1969. This system was used to help create the Scanimate Films, in combination with Jim Henson's puppeteering.
I understand that these cane from two that were housed at Image West in Hollywood
This is a big part of animation history.
Scanimates were used extensively on TV & film in the 70's & 80's. If you ever saw Sesame St, Willie Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, or The Electric Company, then you saw Scanimates in action.
I don't have the whole machine. Apparently this was destroyed and only some parts were saved from "a container" on it's way to China.
But what is left are two gems.
Each case has a 8 panel patch matrix with 19 potentiometers.
The patch matrix is the same type used by ARP for the 2500 synthesizer.
Which is the original reason I bought this.
The Cherry Sliders switches are extremely hard to find.
The "Commutator" & "Axis" refer to this section of the Scanimate.
Final position, Initial position & size - refer to fig 6, above
"The Animation Aid Panel from the Scanimate. It appears to connect to the cherry switches. Notice the Patch Panel 122, a potentiometer section 123 and an oscillator control section 124.
The oscillator control section 124 includes two high frequency
oscillators, numbers one and two, and three low frequency oscillators,
numbers three through five. The two high frequency oscillators,
approximately 90 KHz, are provided for raster bending. High frequency
oscillator number one has a frequency adjustment potentiometer 125 and
an amplitude adjustment potentiometer 126 for defining those parameters
of the wave form. This oscillator can be phase locked." (US Patient doc)
One of the most tedious tasks when module building is sourcing components.
Months later you've forgotten where you bought that SMD resistor, or the 9mm PCB mounted pot.
So to keep frustration levels as low as possible, here is a list of where to begin the search.
I'll try to keep this page updated with manufacturer links.
Please contact me if you have some better sources.
Cheers, happy hunting,
Jono