Thursday, 9 April 2020

KORG MS 10 - Basic Patches

Part of my Covid 19 isolation tasks is to make friends with some of my old synths that I usually don't get much time to play.

Starting at the beginning is the MS10. Though overlooked my many as the lesser of the MS family, I think its unjustly ignored. Released in 1978, it's been used by artists such as the Chemical Brothers, Astral Projection, Autechre,  and Underworld. It's a beautiful piece of history, dripping with personality.

The MS 10 has most of the patching already done internally. So you don't need to use the patch bay to get sounds out of it. However, once you master the patch bay, you will get some amazing stuff.
The MS 10 is a good introduction to the Korg MS family.
The inputs are on the top, the outputs on the bottom, and the CV/Gate stuff is in between.
Inputs: 
1. Oscillator Frequency
2. Osc PWM
3. External input into the LP filter
4. CV control of Filter Cutoff
5. VC control of VCA
6. VCO CV in
7. Trigger in

Outputs
1.MG output  (LFO) - triangle & saw
2.MG output (LFO) - square wave
3. EG output - reverse envelope
4. Pink noise
5. White noise
6. Mod wheel CV
7. Keyboard CV out
8. Trigger out


If you study the signal flow chart, its a simple VCO ---> VCF ----> VCA ----> output signal path.
There are 5 possible modulation sources: EG, MG, the mod wheel, the keyboard and noise.



The EG is hardwired to the VCO, Filter & VCA.  (There are attenuators for the VCO & filter) .
The sawtooth waveform of the MG is hardwired to the VCO pitch & Filter (There are attenuators for both) .
If we wish to use the square waveform of the MG, we need to use the patch bay.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Basic (neutral) starting patch. 
(Good for bass lines)
Turn down all knobs except the pitch (in middle) , Filter cutoff (open) , sustain (Max).
Waveform : Saw or Square

Scale : 32"

2. PWM fattening the bass.

To fatten out the sounds you can also do PWM (Pulse width Modulation).
The modulation source which you pick will change the shape of your square wave .

The most obvious source is to use the MG (modulation generator). This is basically an LFO.

Plug the MG out into the PWM input. Change the shape of the MG to a symmetrical triangle.
Raise MG frequency to 1.
Select a square wave on the Oscillator.

You can also use other modulation sources such as the
1.MG output  (LFO) - triangle & saw
2.MG output (LFO) - square wave
3. EG output - reverse envelope
4. Pink noise
5. White noise
6. Mod wheel CV 

This is one thing you can't do on the MS 20 as it doesn't have a PWM input.

A variation on this is to patch the reverse EG into the PWM input.

3. Singing Voice
This uses the modulation wheel.
It's modulating the filter cut off frequency.

Play around with the scale knob and the LFO (MG)

 4. STEAM Train.
The VCO source is noise

Open up the filter fully.
The MG controls the rate of the steam puffs
Tweak the EG .

just one patch cable is needed.
This single patch cable (from the square out of the MG or LFO to trigger in) is a very useful.
Use it on the other VCO waveforms.

A variation on this patch
Plug in either pink or white noise into the external filter input.
Then change the osc from noise to a saw/ square etc.
Or plug in external audio instead of noise.

5. Lead Patch
Filter:      Open up the cut off frequency ( 6-7).
Envelope: open up the  sustain (8 - 9) . Release is at 2.
                  Everything else is at zero.
VCO :       Pulse wave. 16 "

Assign the inverted envelope to modulate the pulse wave.
We can do this via the patch panel.
The pulse width knob (PW/PWM) will now control the modulation amount.

Add some noise by patching white noise into the external signal input.
 The external signal level will control the amt of noise you hear.

Have the mod wheel control the filter's cutoff frequency.
You can now close the filter to about 5 - 7
The modulation amount is controlled by the EG/EXT knob under the filter section.
Crank the resonance (peak knob) up to self oscillation levels (8)

Add some portamento


6. Continuous sound 
(Noise in this example)
This is a Mod Wheel VCA patch

Here the mod wheel controls the VCA.
At the wheel's highest level, it will fully open the VCA, so the noise will pass through to the output
without you having to touch a key.

7. Filter Tracking
 Patch KBD CV out ------> Filter cutoff frequency

Filter will be closed on lower octaves & open on higher octaves

8. Mod wheel - Filter & VCA
Use a double adapter.

 Here the mod wheel can open both the filter & the VCA


Links & references
+ First Patch - Korg MS-10 | Red Bull Music Academy

Wednesday, 8 April 2020

Famous 303 Bassline Patterns - page 1

This is part 1 of a  list of some favourite  TB 303 patterns.
I'll add to this over time.
If you have any patterns that you think should be included or there are any mistakes do let me know.

1. Phuture - Acid Tracks  
2. New Order - Confusion
3. Edge Of Motion - Set Up 707
4. Access : Dj Tim & Misjah
5. Josh Wink - Higher State of Conciousness
6. Fast Eddie - Acid Thunder
7. Everyone needs a 303 by Fat Boy Slim
8. Funalogue by Hardfloor
--------------
1. Phuture - Acid Tracks 




The track is very simple. Just 8 notes repeated over and over again.B,B,C,C',C,D#,D#,C'.
"One critical aspect that this track brought with it was the fact that, although the notes themselves remained the same throughout, the sound itself underwent continuous tweaking. " (Attack Magazine)


--------------------------
2. New Order - Confusion


The pattern is very simple. It uses just 2 notes: G & A#

Step   Note     Transpose     Accent     Slide    Time

01      G           No               No           No      Note On
02      G           No               No           No      Note Held
03      G           Down           No           No      Note Held
04      G           No               No           No      Note On
05      A#         No               No           No      Note off (rest)
06      A#         Down           No           No      Note On
07      A#         Down           No           No      Note On
08      A#         No               No           No      Note Off
09      A#         Down           No           No      Note On
10      A#         No               No           No      Note off
11      A#         No               No           No      Note on
12      A#         No               No           No      Note held
13      A#         No               No           No      Note on
14      A#         No               No           No      Note on
15      A#         No               No           No      Note off
16      A#         No               No           No      Note on


New Order - Confusion (Pump Panel Reconstruction)


BPM 134
Square wave
Cutoff: 75%
Res: 66%
Env: 66%
Dec: 66%
Acc: 0%

1 g2 S
2 g2 S
3 g2
4 g2
5 g2 R
6 g1
7 g2
8 g2 R
9 a#2
10 g2 R
11 a#1 S
12 a#1
13 a#1
14 a#2
15 g2 R
16 a#1

---------------------------------
3. Edge Of Motion - Set Up 707

There are two parts to the 303 bass line.
It's just 2 notes .... C & C-high

Part 1


Part II



------------------------------------------------------


4. Access : Dj Tim & Misjah
https://youtu.be/4o4joooH5tg

BPM 134
Square wave
Cutoff: 66%
Res: 100%
Env: 66%
Dec: 33%
Acc: 20%

1 a2
2 a2 R
3 a2
4 a3
5 a2 A
6 a2
7 a2
8 a2 R
9 a2
10 a2
11 a3
12 a2
13 a2 RA
14 a2
15 a2
16 a2 R


-----------------------------

5. Josh Wink - Higher State of Conciousness
Just 2 notes : G & B. (the second G note is transposed up from the rest). Sometimes the simple things in life are the best.


Notice the layering of tonal elements ..... the artist is playing the same thing at different octaves


BPM 134
Square wave
Cutoff: 100%
Res: 75%
Env: 50%
Dec: 0%
Acc: 66%

1 g2 A S
2 g3 A
3 g2 AS
4 g2 AS
5 g2 A
6 g2 A
7 b2 A
8 g2 A
9 b2 A
10 g2 AS
11 g2 A
12 b2 A
13 g2 AS
14 g2 AS
15 g2 A
16 b2 A


------------------------------
6a - Fast Eddie - Acid Thunder
https://youtu.be/muRee6zYXCg
Real TB 303

1 D# - Note On
2 Note Tie
3 F# - Accnet - Note On
4 E - Note On
5 Note Tie
6 Note Tie
7 G - Accent - Note On
8 Note Tie
9 Note Tie
10 (high)C - Note On
11 Note Tie
12 B - Note On
13 D - Note On
14 Note Tie
15 D# - Note On
16 Note Tie

6b.  Fast Eddie - Acid Thunder
For a xoxbox

1 D# - Slide - Note On
2 D# - Note On
3 F# - Accent - Note On
4 E - Slide - Note On
5 E - Slide - Note On
6 E - Note On
7 G - Slide - Accent - Note On
8 G - Slide - Note On
9 G - Note On
10 (high)C - Slide - Note On
11 (high)C - Note On
12 B - Note On
13 D - Slide - Note On
14 D - Note On
15 D# - Slide - Note On
16 D# - Note On

--------------------------

7. Everyone needs a 303 by Fat Boy Slim
There are a few variations out there:

1 -d#2 D A
2 -d#2 D A
3 -c#3 A
4 -d#2 D A
5 -g#2 D A
6 -d#2 D A
7 -d#3 A
8 -d#2 D A
9 -c#4 U A
10-d#2 D A
11-f#3 A
12-d#2 D A
13-a#2 D A
14-c#4 U A
15-d#3 A
16-g-4 U A


 Variation 2 ( Roland TB-3)
 (accent on all notes)
1 -C  glide
2 -C  rest
3 -A
4 -C
5 -F
6 -C
7 -C - one octave up
8 -C
9 -A# - one oct up
10-C
11-D# - one oct up
12-C
13-G
14-A# - one oct up
15-C - one oct upE

16-E one oct up

------------------------------------------
8. Funalogue by Hardfloor
https://youtu.be/24eoF-1VcSc
 It's actually 4 patterns ... just chain them together


First Pattern (chain these two together in song mode):

1. A1 S A
2. A1 S
3. A1
4. A1 S
5. D3 S
6. D3
7. E3 S
8. E3
9. E3
10. G3 S A
11. G3
12. D3

1. R
2. R
3. A3 A
4. A1 S A
5. A1
6. D3
7. D#3 S
8. D#3
9. E3
10. G3 S A
11. G3
12. A2

Second Pattern (chain these two together in song mode):

1. A1
2. R
3. R
4. A1
5. R
6. R
7. G2
8. R
9. A2
10. A1
11. R
12. E2

1. R
2. R
3. E2
4. R
5. R
6. E2
7. G2
8. R
9. A2
10. C1
11. R
12. C3


--------------------------------------------------------

The import/export text format can be used to share patterns online via forums or email.  
The structure is as following: 
Four fields per line. Pitch, Gate, Slide and Accent which are delimited by white space.  
The pitch is represented in a tracker-fashion, example c-3 or g#4 and must be three characters wide.  
The gate is 1(one) for note on or 0(zero) for note off. 
The slide is 1 for slide on or 0 for no slide.  
The accent is 1 for accent or 0 for no accent. 
The number of steps in the pattern is determined by the number of lines, so make sure to remove any preceding or trailing empty line

Monday, 6 April 2020

NLC Dual LFO/VCO - part 2

 pART 2 of my NLC dual LFO/VCO build
Part one is here:
https://djjondent.blogspot.com/2020/02/nlc-dual-lfo.html

 This module is a DIY eurorack format module.


tHE  LM13700 op amp


DG 202


The DG202 is a CMOS switch. Its a quad SPST switch.
The DG 212 should also be ok to use.

The "DG " stands for double gate.
Double Gate CMOS  (DG)
 Traditional CMOS technology is approaching physicial limitations was we approach the nanoscale regime.
One such solution is the double gate transistor, proposed in the 1980s.
"Multigate transistors are one of the several strategies being developed by CMOS semiconductor manufacturers to create ever-smaller microprocessors and memory cells, colloquially referred to as extending Moore's law."







Time to build the top PCB







Re the LEDs
Andrews notes say
" Use 3mm LEDs, bipolar ones look good. If red/green use 1k for RL. If red/blue use 4k7 for RL"
I couldn't find suitable Bi-polars, so I used standard Red LEDs.




Links

+ NLC Wiki
+ NLC Build guide and BOM
+ NLC Blog (old)
+ NLC blog (new)
+ CMOS  info 
+ NLC DIY info 

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to return to the NLC Build Index:
http://djjondent.blogspot.com.au/2015/03/non-linear-circuits-ncl-index.html 

Hoi An - Vietnam - day pics

Há»™i An is a beautiful city on the Central coast of Vietnam.....about 100km south of Hue.


Its architecture is facinating ... its a mix of French, Chinese, Japanese, Portugese.
It's very well preserved. and the food is great too. tHESE pics are of the modern outskirts of the city where you will find cars & traffic.






Cars and bikes are banned from the city centre which sits upon the Thu Bon river.








The Japanese bridge.

For more travel postcards click here:
 

Arp 2500 sequenced by a Roland TB 303

The 2500 is being sequenced by a Roland TB 303. 
This is the first of a series of experiments done during these COVID 19 lock down days.

The 303's Gate is triggering the 1046 quad envelope generator. 





The 1004-P VCO is sequenced by CV from the 303. 
A second VCO 1004-T is running in LFO mode and also modulation the 1046.



tHE audio is being filtered through a 1006 Filtamp module. 
The drums are from a Synthstrom Deluge. 

Friday, 3 April 2020

NIN Ghosts V & VI

Nine Inch Nails have just released 2 new albums:
GHOSTS V: TOGETHER and GHOSTS VI: LOCUSTS.  

 They are making  these available for free! These releases are part of the GHOSTS series


I'm sure these will help everyone during these difficult times.
They can be downloaded from the NIN website.
https://www.nin.com/

Wednesday, 1 April 2020

The Ship of Thesus

During this Covid 19 Epidemic I've started to repair some old synths.
With time on ones hands, I can consider the old question of the Ship of Thesus or the Theseus Paradox.
The story goes that after the Greek hero Thesus returned from slaughtering the Minotaur
his ship was left in the harbour as a memorial.
As it's timbers rotted, they were gradually replaced.

Plutarch, wrote about this boat:

"The ship wherein Theseus and the youth of Athens returned had thirty oars, and was preserved by the Athenians down even to the time of Demetrius Phalereus, for they took away the old planks as they decayed, putting in new and stronger timber in their place, insomuch that this ship became a standing example among the philosophers, for the logical question of things that grow; one side holding that the ship remained the same, and the other contending that it was not the same".


So after a few hundred years, when all the old timbers had rotted and been replaced, is the ship the same ship that Thesus once sailed. And if the old rotting timbers were kept safely and then in the future used to make a second boat, then which is the true ship of Thesus ??

So this makes me ask what is the limit one should repair a vintage synth.

 Old Serge Paperface

Do I let nature take its course and let it slowly decay ?
Do I replace some of the components? Do I replace all the old components?
Is the aim to make it sound like it did when new?
Does a synth with vintage components sound the same as the same modern synth?



In answer to the last question I think no.
I have an old ARP 2600 & a TTSH and though they are close , they don't sound identical.

The same is for my Korg MS20s (I have 2 vintage ones), and one modern.
In fact all 3 sound different (though you can hear that they are sonically all MS20s).
And I won't touch the insides of the MS20s as they sound great in their individual ways.


I'm divided about what the correct answer is when repairing historically important synths.
It really depends on how valuable to history, the synth is. 
I think if the synth is unique,  it may be better to simply maintain it until technology is available to restore the original components.

We can always build a modern equivalent that people can use in the meantime.