Saturday, 8 February 2020

Ninh Binh - Tam Coc - Vietnam

Tam Coc is on the Red River Delta in North Vietnam.
It's part of the province of Ninh Binh.


Very beautiful and unspoilt.

There is a flooded cave system; and lots of mountain pagodas.




I was only there for 1 day. Hardly enough time to explore.

Take a boat up the river.

The geology of the cave/ mountain system is very similar to what you will see in Ha Long Bay
except its inland.

One of the coolest things is to watch how people row the boats .... with their feet.
So definitely  take the two-hour sampan-ride.


The film Indochine made this place famous.

The Sampan ride takes you down a meandering river .. you will see lots of rice paddys and mountains, and pass through 3 flooded caves.


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Friday, 7 February 2020

Isomorphic Keyboards - Deluge etc

This post is mostly centered around the Synstrom Deluge's isometric keyboard, however the info can be applied to the many other iso - keyboards out there.. both of the software & the hardware variety.
So what's an Isomorphic Keyboard?
There are lots of different varieties. You can find them on devices like the Deluge, the Novation Launchpad, the Linninstrument, Native Instruments Maschine, AKAI's Force, Geoshred (ipad), the Abelton Push controller and Korg's SQ-64 sequencer. These instruments have square keys.


The keys can also have different shapes. Devices like the Hyve Synth and the Axis controllers by C-Thru Music, use hexagonal keys.  


Accordions using round and hexagonal keys in various isomorphic layouts have been built since the 19th century. So the idea isn't new.


The word isomorphic derives from the Greek iso, meaning "equal," and morphosis, meaning "to form" or "to shape."
Your standard keyboard looks like this:

The iosmorphic keyboard, in comparison, has the notes of a standard keyboard but they are arranged differently.


Moving left to right horizontally, the lit keys  are A, B, C, D , E , F, G.
The unlit keys are your sharps / flats : A#/B-flat, C#/D-flat, D#/E-flat, etc etc
That is, each key is 1 semitone apart from the next. ... pretty much like a standard keyboard.
However, differences appear when we move in a vertical direction
If we move up or down the isometric keyboard, each key is 5 semitones or a perfect 4th from the next.
For example moving from A to D on a normal keyboard looks like this:

But on an isometric keyboard, it's just one button away.

This setup on the Synthstrom Deluge is called a ‘chromatic fourths’ arrangement.
It's a bit like a fretted string instrument.

Notice also that each note appears more than once on the isometric keyboard.

The advantage of this layout comes when you try to learn chords.
When you play a chord on a standard keyboard you need to learn many finger positions.
Every chord has a unique finger configuration. Eg if you wish to learn the major chords you have to learn 12 different variations, for each root note.

On an isometric keyboard, you only have to learn one shape or pattern for each chord. Then you just apply that to other notes.

For example a Major chord is a triangle.
So a C major chord (CEG) will look like this:

A D major chord (D,F#,A)









An E Major Chord ( E, G#, B)

 Here are some basic Chromatic Isomorphic keyboard shapes to remember.



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Note:
This post covers the deluge with firmware V3.0
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Links
* Wicki-Hayden Note Layout
* Axis 49 keyboard
* Hyve Synth
* Linn Instrument 
* XotoPad for Windows multi-touch devices.
* Geoshred

NLC Motherload for 2020

This should keep me out of mischief during 2020
Andrew was pretty busy with new modules last year.


 Mobius PiLL
Dual LFO/VCO
1U Signum
VCAs
Beat Freq
1U 6HP Difference Rectifier
Cellular Automata
1U Sloth Chaos
Dispersion Delay
DelayNoMore 3
Bi-di Choppers
I can't believe it's not a VCO

Some NLC words of wisdom:






NLC Dispersion Delay - build notes -part 1

These are my build notes for the nonlinear circuits Dispersion Delay


Its a eurorack format module.


Some pics of the virgin PCBs and panel.


This module is based on ideas suggested by Lucas Abela. It is three vactrol based bandpass filters in parallel, each filter is fed into a voltage controlled delay stage. The outputs are available individually or there is an OUT ALL where all 3 signals are mixed.




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Before beginning, three 100k and three 47k resistors should be replaced with 220k.

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 + Integrated circuits - packaging 




The delay chip




tHE voltage regulator





This module uses 9 vactrols.
You can make your own if you like.
Try to choose ones with low on & off resistances.

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Andrew's notes; "If the datasheet for your chosen vactrol or LDR shows the minimum resistance as more than 1kΩ, then you can replace the 470R* on the PCB with a link or much lower valued resistor, say 10Ω.
.If none of this makes any sense, just install 470R.(R = Ω"

I'm installing 470R.

I'm also installing 470R for the LEDs (RL)

I decided to try rolling my own vactrols ... just for fun.
There are 9 of them to do.
testing shrinkwrap first.
Of course if you have a 3D printer then make your own light tight boxes.

Im inserting the LED side in first.
remember that the short lead is the cathode. = K
 The yellow shrink wrap is to prevent shorts.


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to be continued................. 
Part 2 is here

Joadja Distillery

THis dISTILLERY is in the Southern Highlands of NSW and is very close to Bowral.
Well worth a visit esp if you wish to try Australian Whisky.

 WEbsite:
https://www.joadjadistillery.com.au/






For more travel postcards click here:

Monday, 3 February 2020

Synthstrom Deluge & Buchla 252e

I kinda liked this patch.

Here are some pics (my patch notes).
This might turn out into a track


tHE Synthstrom Deluge is sending midi clock to the Buchla 252e via a 225e.
The tHREE oscillators are a Buchla 262e, a 158 & a Verbos 258v




mORE of the video here

...............

The 3 pulse outs & the sub-div pulse out of the Buchla 252e are plugged into the four control voltage inputs of a Roman 292c



The 3 CV outs of the Buchla 252e are plugged into a 158, a 261e & a 258v (Pitch inputs)
I've also added a 266r (source of uncertainity)