Archive for July, 2009
Dual Osc M-odule
Posted by b3nsf in Info: M-Class on July 30th, 2009
Dual Osc M-odule
The Dual Osc m-odule is very powerful, you can use it straight up as a bank of oscillators and sub-osc, or as a ticking and counting timing device! The function blocks are: NTO, PCO, ÷N COMP, and MIX PRO. Please listen to a demo I put together using only the Dual Osc M-odule and nothing else. Enjoy, and please go buy a Dual Osc M-odule from Rex Probe!
Hi Quality —-> http://www.b3nsf.com/Serge/Serge_dual_osc.aif
Lo Quality mp3 —-> http://virb.com/b3nsf
New Timbral Oscillator
The NTO (New Timbral Oscillator) was born in and got its name from the TONTO (The Original New Timbral Orchestra) mega-synth, owned by Malcolm Cecil used by many great synthesists including Stevie Wonder. The NTO’s were originally a replacement for the Moog oscillators in the TONTO synth because they were more stable, so the first Serge NTO’s had Moog faceplates!
The NTO’s most notable features are the variable wave shape, the voltage controllable FM amount, and the voltage controllable portamento amount. Variable wave shape is one of those features that just shines. You can get the most beautiful and complex patches by modulating the VC wave and routing the variable wave output as you would a normal oscillator. This way the character changes at the root level of your patch and everything after it becomes more interesting. The VC FM is another extremely interesting way to add complexity and timbral changes, input an oscillator signal into the IN FM and an LFO into the VC FM to get a nice tone that gets more vibrant and evolving as the LFO rolls through the frequency modulation! The VC PORT controls how much portamento is used from the IN PORTAMENTO jack, the portamento feature is not subtle, but it glides nicely back down to normal so a trigger will do nice fluttery effects!
Precision VCO
The PCO, while lacking the some voltage control features found on the NTO, is great at supporting it and because they both track perfectly together, these two are the perfect pair! Together they form an amazing team and the NTO would be weak without its little brother to supply sync, linear, exponential and variable frequency modulation. The PCO’s SINE output sounds incredibly fat by itself, but with two sine waves mixed together you have some real grade A beefiness! One “old-school” trick is to plug the two sine outputs into each other’s FM inputs, and sweep the frequency of the oscillators at the same time for a classic Doctor Who sound effect. The SYNC input requires a SAW wave and will grab and reset the oscillator based on that saw, resulting in a “soft sync” that staircases as it tracks, and sounds pretty neat! Rex says a cool thing to do with your sync signal (saw) is to run it through a vca with some volume modulation for a neat sounding on/off syncing feeling. The RANGE switch can make the PCO very slow indeed, essentially making it an LFO/bass module. The PCO also has two inputs for 1 volt/octave exponential tracking and one variable tracking input.
Divide by N Comparator
Ah, the ÷N COMP, easily one of my favorite function blocks. This thing should be called the “Sub-Oscillation, Pulse Width Modulation and Snare Trigger Generator”. It can be used in lots of ways! The IN + and IN – compare the voltages and output a squared version of the difference. For example if you patch a sine wave oscillator signal into the IN + and an LFO into the IN – you get a PWM square wave with the LFO sweeping its width, a real barn burner of a sound sure to blow away what you had thought PWM sounds like, this ain’t no Roland, kids! If you plug a second oscillator into the IN – instead of an LFO you get a real chewy version of them together, not unlike a Harley Davidson with a jack-hammer in the side car, and a helicopter flying overhead all at the same time!! Needless to say you can damage every part of your ear with this patch, even at low volumes… For really fun sub-osc sound use the divided output at the top and dial your octaves down with the ÷by knob, its adds girth and bass, and it has its own stair-casing effect when you sweep it.
The real fun is when you use the ÷by section for trigger pulses, this is perfect for drum machine patches because if you divide by 8 or 4 you have a logical snare trigger, with this it is entirely possible to make a “beat” with no sequencer, just function blocks doing their thing, holding down that rhythm!
The ÷N COMP is also a crude and bizarre feedback oscillator with one cable from the lower OUT jack back into its IN -. You have to turn the bottom knob towards the plus side till you hear the shreiking sound and then it’s anybody’s guess what you want to do with its shrill, stair-stepping sound madness! Try it once and never do it again! Your cats will hate you, forever.
Just a quick mention, the STEP OUT sends an upward staircase of voltage corresponding with what current step the divider is on. And the VC IN controls how much to divide by, scaled by the knob. So if you scaled your LFO voltage before going into the VC IN, you could theoretically get a funky trigger that hits on beat and off beat– something to try once you get the funk machine revv’ed up!
Mixer Pro
The MIX PRO does a bunch more than just “mix”. Channels 1 and 2 do standard additive mixing, but the third has the ability to subtract from the other two with its invertible, positive through negative volume knob. This is a great feature and can be used to sculpt a new waveform from two otherwise tame waves. In fact if two oscillators with the same waveform and the same exact frequency are both added and subtracted (example: chan 1 and 3 set to fully negative) in this way, you hear nothing at all! They cancel each other out. This is really great if they are slightly out of tune, then you get a lovely tremolo effect.
Mix pro also has a positive through negative offset at the top, this is really essential for getting just the right amount of modulation once you’ve subtracted out with channel 3’s voltage. You can create the most interesting modulation sources by mixing 3 LFO’s and sending the result to … well the variable wave-shape of the NTO or just about anything, for that matter! Before I got my Dual Osc M-odule, I thought my Serge would always bubble and cycle, but the Mix Pro has opened my eyes to the “landscape” of rolling hills and modulation valleys that are possible!
That’s not all, folks! The invertible channel 3 can open the door to feedback within your Serge, and this is an endless source of unexpected sounds as you mix the original signal with the feedback signal and they add instead of canceling, incorporating your favorite Serge function block in between (wilson delay, Q filter, wave multiply ) and you have instant certified madness! It’s no wonder that people with 3 channel mixers in their Serge have the most fun, they are all using ridiculous amounts of feedback!!
need a case?
Posted by pickleinn in The DIY Corner on July 18th, 2009
I have always loved the look of the Buchla 200e folding case….but my true affinity is for Serge panels. So I decided to DIY a Buchla-style case for my DIY Serge panels.
First off, here are the boats I am using as they are cheap and readily available (you can get them here: mcmelectronics )
As you can see, it’s a bit deeper than the shallow boat (it’s 3″ deep as opposed to 2.5″), but basically perfect in all other aspects.
The m-odules fit perfectly (but I plan on using this case for more DIY modules, not STS panels):
Here is the 1:1 scale drawing for the end panels: End Cheeks Drawing Download PDF
It’s a pdf on A3 (~11×17) paper. If you can’t print A3 on your printer (I cannot) you can fit each end cheek on a legal sheet (8.5″ x 14″).
Print them out, tape the sheets onto your wood and start hacking at it. You will get something like this:
Put it all together with some wood screws and bolts and you get this:
SQP Sequencer
Posted by hexenduction in Info: M-Class on July 17th, 2009
Review: SQP Sequencer
Invisible Hands
The SQP Sequencer is a great M-odule. Once you’ve covered your sound generation needs with a Creature and additional M-Class panel, you might want to consider picking up an SQP Sequencer. I would argue that after a filter, a sequencer is the most important part of any synthesis set-up. It can create rhythmic patterns and melodies, act as a modulation source, change amplitude, produce unique waveforms and control parameters like panning, triggering and clocking. Sequencers are like the invisible hands that perform all the utility operations we don’t want to.
Bacon Bits
Invisible hands are great, but what if those hands also had a brain with ulterior motives and possible hemorrhaging? This is where the “P” comes into the equation: programmer. The SQP can be patch programmed to create very radical and sometimes erratic sequences. So instead of getting Kevin Bacon in a bad remake of The Invisible Man controlling your synthesizer, you get Francis Bacon manhandling your controls and taking your sound into twisted new realms.
Footloose
The true power of the SQP Sequencer comes from the litany of inputs you’re provided that allow your sequencer to become self aware. The STAGE SELECT inputs are the bread and butter of the panel. Simply patch a pulse into the stage you want triggered and as the sequence progresses this stage will become the priority. With a variety of pulses selecting the different stages you can come up with some very abstract and odd sequencing. The UP/DOWN input makes the sequence ping pong back and forth, creating even more variation. The HOLD input will pause the cat and mouse game when the input voltage goes high. RESET will bring you back to start and PRESET will jump to the stage you select via push button. If you’re interested in creating shorter sequences, just take the GATE OUT from the stage after your final step and patch it to RESET.
Serge SQP from HexEnduction on Vimeo.
Triptych
The outputs on the SQP are also worth mentioning. Each stage has a dedicated GATE OUT and there is even an ALL GATE out for sending a pulse for every step. This is handy when coupled with an additional sequencer or pulse divider(PDIV). There are also the A, B, C and D outputs that are 0 – 3.5v outputs controlled by the rotary pots. This is obviously where you would patch from to control the pitch of your oscillators/filter frequency or the range of your VCA and XFAD panning. The AB output is the voltage difference between the A and B rows. The SQP gives you 1 to 6 stages or steps to work with per each row.*
SQP Sequencer in the flesh
*There is the possibility of combining 2 rows to make a 12 stage sequence but it involves the use of an Active Processor and a Pulse Divider. I haven’t had the chance to try this out yet because my system is lacking an Active Processor, but in theory here is the patch:
Row A to Active Proc IN 1 and Row B to IN 2.
SQP ALL GATE to PDIV IN
PDIV /8 OUT to Active Proc VC IN
Active Proc OUT to final destination.
(Thanks to Cebec for this patch explanation!)
UPDATE: From Cebec in the Comments-
“A note on that patch for creating a longer sequence out of two rows: the PDIV /8 output will only work when using a 4-Stage SQP. If you want to combine two rows of a 6-Stage SQP you’ll probably have to use two PDIVs to get the right divisor.”
Analog Audio Destruction!
Posted by Bartlebooth in Patch Tutorials, The Daily Serge on July 15th, 2009
You think just because you’re using old-school analog gear you’ve got to leave your digital audio-mangling tricks behind? Wrong!! Because as Rex himself has said, “digital is just a sub-set of analog”. So why not use your Smooth & Stepped Generator as a sample-rate reducer/audio decimator. Here’s how:
(Note: this patch requires the Stepped section of the SSG and either a DTG, DSG or TGO)
- On the SSG, the Stepped RATE should be fully clockwise
- Plug the audio you want to decimate into SSG stepped IN.
- Run a DTG or DSG at audio rate and plug the GATE OUT into the SAMPLE in
- Take the SSG STEPPED OUT to your output module (XFAD, UAP,etc.)
Initially, you should hear your audio in its un-modified state. Now by playing with the rise and fall knobs on the DTG you can get different levels of pure analog audio destruction! Or for extra fun you can voltage control your sample-rate reduction by putting a varying CV into the blue IN jack on your DTG or TGO. Works great on drum loops and adds variety to sequenced lines from a TKB or Sequencer.
Have Fun!
Live ambient @ my house
Posted by b3nsf in The Daily Serge on July 15th, 2009
The Serge TKB is really amazing.
I set up a self-modulating patch mostly with DSG’s and the TGO, then modulated it ever so slightly with the TKB…
http://soundcloud.com/b3nsf/serge-nice-drill-b3nsf-live-ambient
Serge First Aid
Posted by cebec in Info: Peripherals, The DIY Corner on July 15th, 2009
This post will cover some of the multitude of electric and mechanical components that an owner ought to have on hand if they ever plan to DIY a repair.
I haven’t been able to confirm that every one of these are the correct but the list comes from people who are intimate with the STS Serge and older Serge circuits. As a result, this is more of a shopping list or reference than a deeply technical examination.
Finally, I should add that it would be wise to contact Rex first before attempting any troubleshooting or repairs. In the past he has been exceedingly generous with advice, information, and even parts.
So, let’s get to the specifics.
ICs/Opamps
LM3900N – Used in NTO, DTG, TWS, WMX and many older modules
CA3080AE – Used in PCO, NTO, WMX, SSG and old filters and VCAs.
CA3280AE – Used in ACPR, UAP, 2VCA, RING, QUO, WAD.
CA3046 – Used in NTO, PCO, WAD, PRNV, PHA and old UPAP & NEG.
CA3096 – Used in 2VCA, PRNV
CD45208E
LM711(?) – Used in NTO/PCO
There were some secondary sources of some of the ICs. For example, an LM3080 is a National Semiconductor version of the Intersil CA3080. Same for the LM3046, which was made by several other companies. Only Intersil made the 3280, and they’re gone.
Here’s a resource for ordering some of these:
http://www.allicmall.com/
The common opamps in Serges are still available at the moment:
LM324N – CV opamp
LF353 – FET opamp
NJM4559D – audio opamp
NE5532 – audio opamp
741 – opamp (NTO, SSG)
All of these are inexpensive. Make absolutely certain sure you get the DIL versions.
Transistors
NP4250s and 2N5089s are the common PNP and NPN.
Other
From what I’ve read, most faults on Serges are down to wires and pots.
Pots are 16mm Alpha. 50K lin for CV and 50K log for audio.
STS use Mogami for all internal cabling, Rex tells me.
Banana jacks are E.F. Johnson, as far as I know, and all 3.5mm and 1/4″ jacks are Switchcraft.
Last but not least, keep an eye out for the Reticon SAD 1024 BBD which is a critical component in the WAD and very difficult to obtain, and the Phasers (PHA and 2PHA) contain VACTEC Vactrols but I’m not sure what the part number is.
This list is by no means exhaustive and there may be and probably are some inaccuracies. Some of these components may have been updated or replaced with the M-odules but I have seen a large number of these components in my own Oakland and Hartland panels.
Some Simple Slope Patches
Posted by pickleinn in Patches Galore on July 13th, 2009
The slope generators are one of the function blocks that i never really understood well being into moog originally. the carbon111 alphabet soup was a great intro into its capabilities.
this video isnt even close to being comprehensive. its just a quick video showing some of the capabilities of the slope with minimal input from other modules. again, i didnt even come close to covering all the uses (using them as envelop generators, trigger delays, or even rhythmic trigger sources). but you will see that even something as simple as an LFO can become much more dynamic with the slope (and with slopes patched into slopes fed back into slopes)!
First Time I’ve Patched In Stereo…Ever
Posted by Pockets McCoy in Patches Galore on July 11th, 2009
Yep, Really. It never seemed worth it to me for the longest time, so I never bothered much with trying, but I’ve got a few stereo output sources and a quadrature oscillator…why not give it a shot?
Well, it’s pretty nifty. Pretty nifty indeed. I’ve never had the added dimension of feeling everything moving around me, and I think I like it. And the VC gain on the quadrature oscillator is fantastic, all panning here and there sometimes faster or slower or more or less intensely. Have I mentioned my love for voltage control?
Again, not much of a concept, the only thing I keep noticing myself doing is using the stepped half of the SSG as a staircase generator, because that’s another one of those things I’ve never really had or had access to, so I’ve never really thought of it as anything more than rising and falling stepped voltages, but just varying the rate can lead to some pretty snappy stuff…oh Serge, you do me so right with your ability to voltage control anything and everything.
The ringing VCFQ kind of bugs me throughout this, but it was something I’d added to the mix going to the WAD feedback Aux. input just to see how it’d go. It works in places, though. A lot of the tune is thanks to the TKB being flipped forward and backward pretty often. This is another one of those mostly self-generating patches, but every so often I step in and just twiddle a bunch of knobs, just to change it up, which is why everything seems so…indecisive. I’m very happy with how it turned out, but I tend to be most of the time. Putting it together is most of the fun, listening to the result is just the bonus points afterwards. I’m a big fan of most of this one…especially towards the end, it starts to groove in a pretty delightful way.
So hopefully it’s widely enjoyed, and more will inevitably come.
Audio: indecisiveweddingband.mp3
Classic Serge Recordings
Posted by Bartlebooth in The Daily Serge on July 10th, 2009
Electronic musicians have been exploiting the Serge’s unique and powerful capabilities for both recordings and live performance since the early 1970’s. Some have used the Serge by itself to compose entire albums, others employ it for specific sounds or timbres as part of a larger musical tapestry. If you are looking to hear how the Serge has been used in these contexts, here are some key recordings you should check out:
- Michael Stearns used only Kevin Braheny’s custom-built Serge on his landmark space music LP “Planetary Unfolding”. You can check out a track from that epic recording here. Stearns would later build his own Serge and use it on several of his later releases such as ‘Chronos’.
- Electronic music pioneer Warren Burt often featured the Serge in his early works, most notably on “Studies for Synthesizer (1982)”, “Four Pieces for Synthesizer” and the long-form composition “Le Grand Ni Symphony”. You could read an excellent interview with Warren Burt and learn more about his use of the Serge here.
- As part of a marketing promotion for the Serge system in the 1980’s, the works of several prominent electronic musicians demonstrating a wide range of playing styles and genres were collected onto the “Serge Musician’s Tape” . Artists such Kevin Braheny, Alvin Curran, Ivan Tcherepnin (yes, that would be Serge’s brother) and Roger Powell all contributed pieces to this collection. You can find a complete track listing here. Essential Serge listening!
More recently, Keith Fullerton Whitman (aka Hrvatski, and proprietor of the indispensable Mimaroglu Music Sales recorded the suite “Stereo Music for Serge Modular Synthesizer” which appears on his excellent 2005 release “Multiples”. Other contemporary artists to check out include m/n/m/l (John Papiewski,) who has been cranking out Serge-based CDs since the early 1990’s, and Parallel Worlds (Bakis Sirros), who features his giant Serge system on many of his recordings including the recent “Shade” (2008, DiN 32).
Of course, there are way too many great Serge records to list here but hopefully this can be a good starting point. Do you have a favorite Serge recording? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
That Smooth Jazz Music
Posted by Pockets McCoy in Patches Galore on July 9th, 2009
This is the first installment of what I hope will be a pretty consistent stream of awesome generated by the mighty, mighty, oh so very mighty Serge. Being a blog and all, I suppose I should probably talk about it instead of just spewing noise and leaving. On that note…
There’s no central idea here, and I’m really not much of one to have a central idea and base a patch around it. I’ve done similar things too many times to count, but when it’s all said and done, the idea I start with inevitably finds itself to no longer be so…central.
But let’s see what I can remember about what was going on here. I’m really into the Dual Phaser right now. It’s the only phaser I’ve ever liked, really, and I don’t just like it, I crave it. It’s absolutely magical what a jerkily modulated phaser can do for a feedback path. I’m using one half of the Dual Phaser to phase-squiggle the signal going into the WAD’s feedback Aux. input. I don’t remember exactly what the other half is doing, but I think it has something to do with phasing the bottom of the Wave Multiplier against the middle section.
I’m completely in love with the NTO’s variable waveform output…it never fails to make really weird FM even weirder. I think I’ve got the NTO being FM’ed by a PCO which is being FM’ed by the Lowpass output of the Variable Q filter being hit with triggers (and there was judicious use of triggering it with an audio-rate signal, thanks to everyone who was talking about that).
CV-wise I have very little recollection of the specifics, but I suppose it was pretty standard Serge fare (which is about as far from standard as it gets, but I don’t know how else to put it)…a gargantuan orgy of every conceivable CV generator being fed into every other CV generator. Looking at my picture, your guess is as good as mine as to what was routed where.
Anyhow, it sounds like this.
