So through my limited experience of mastering House and Techno music from years gone by, the techniques for "noise" are obviously quite different.

Maximising impact levels, distortion and clipping are now OK

But you still want it to sound "good"?

Loudness is obviously a big factor.

Subtle use of stereo separation / panning and volume control can make big differences.

Analysis of a tracks waveform is a big indicator of where you are at and what can be increased.  Audacity has both waveform and spectrum analysis as free tools.

Will add more thoughts here and hoping for more hints & tips from others

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJmyhrnLYBU&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=290

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8A4w0shSr84&index=273&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

That interface is beyond merely cryptic with no manual
https://3e7777c294b9bcaa5486-bc95634e606...iginal.pdf
LXP15 interface is so much extremely easier editing... but... be forewarned
you completely want the LXP15II Eprom chip if grab LXP15
the load between patches is absurdly long otherwise
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexicon-LXP-15-II-Multi-Effects-Processor-EPROM-Upgrade-Prom-Chip/152928259446?epid=1810161501&hash=item239b3c0d76:g:96gAAOSw32lYwcDZ
plus here is somewhat cheap LXP5 auction
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lexicon-LXP-5-E...SwqeZamNA1
the LXP15 version one is not instant real time patch change
so absurdly annoying
scroll press load preset button
and it causes silence between patches
so sucks in realtime changing patches
Chip upgrade cures that version design stupidity
also resolves some other issues
plus the eprom upgrade solves noisefloor problem in LXP15
super easy upgrade
just swap chips
the stock LXP5 is better having than stock LXP15 because of those reasons

Lexicon LXP-15 Version 2.00 Firmware Upgrade Chip with Eprom Chip Puller and Detailed Step-By-Step PDF Installation Manual
The V2.00 Update was the last software version Lexicon made for the LXP-15

New Features for users upgrading from 1.0 Versions:

- New set of separate Live (Wet/Dry Mix) and Studio (100% Wet Mix for Studio Aux Sends) presets

- Expanded Midi Control - including Midi Mapping Features

- Smoother and more convincing Reverb Algorithms.

- Faster Program/Preset loading

- Enhance Interface Controls

- New Envelope Follower

Which software version is my Lexicon LXP-15 running?

To check your current software version, simply turn on your LXP-15 and the software version will appear briefly during the startup process. If you have any of the 1.0 Versions you may want to consider upgrading.

Auction Includes:

- Lexicon LXP-15 Firmware Upgrade Eprom - Version 2.00

- Eprom Chip Puller

http://www.n01ze.com/circuitsorcery/LXP-...MANUAL.pdf
http://www.n01ze.com/circuitsorcery/lexi...p-5_sm.pdf
http://www.n01ze.com/circuitsorcery/LXP-...manual.pdf
LXP15 V2 Eprom
https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/download.php?id=28690

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuZewIYkISs&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=184

[youtube]n0CBWw0M4vo[/youtube]
BOSS SE50 the ye Olde Swiss Army Knife of Stereo Effects
$20 DOA for parts not working
half an hour repair
changed cr2032battery
did factory reset
repaired glitchy display
now fully functional
so it goes into the stack of FX in arms reach
wired into my AUX3 send/return chain before SPX
the Verbs on SE50 are kinda Blah
yet that's not why using it
hmmm...
time for making some custom VOX FX presets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Md8SmYeCeL8&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=243

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yHwCX01B18s&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=181

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5Hf9gcxpfo&index=141&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKo7_OeYcQY&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=89

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-233YAyw8R0&index=87&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0_dd-gLegA&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=65

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcfN4jaoPqA&index=58&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aB0-oydpuV0&index=48&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rMGrk5OY5c&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=43

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8QtzgKH2X8&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=37

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyU2etkz6Bo&index=36&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7pXN2-wB34&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=20

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExKfQkBnRA8&index=18&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wd08FU2o5A&index=7&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbAHDK3Ljic&index=3&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KD9Uz30OHxQ&t=0s&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SwXIIxCHnQ&t=0s&list=PLSeZ6qt37vqxTrOOedrgCRwWQVe2MMAqR&index=12

[youtube]MxHB93sFzk8[/youtube]
It doesn't get much worse than Gore-met VHS
paid video rental and long late fee on that tape in the 80s...
DOH!
what a shitty VHS video camcorder made movie
hmmm
that may actually have some good obscure audio samples

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-rcOh_-Iqw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXV4nTfGHuI

it's somewhat easy figuring out... stay away from CV/Gate  in to power legs on chips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INnpnJvDXDg

Here's some of my Archived Files on the Paia 2700/4700 system

PAIA 2700/4700 Modular System
This PAIA Modular System was purchased in parts from the trunk of a Cadillac Hearse in DOA condition for $100. The synthesizer had one case partially completed and came with various unopened modules sealed in the original marked manilla envelopes from PAIA in the 1970's. Bon Harris of Nitzer Ebb passed this on for Boone from 13mg who just had it hiding in a storage space for over 10 years until I was able salvaging the system from him. 21 one days later, the system was functionally recording. It was missing some modules plus had a custom made PAIA ping pong stereo panning module. This was my first modular system constructed and as originally intended inspires electronic experiments for creating new synthesis circuits. Now after about 14+ months of searching for parts, One more VCO has been installed bring the total number at 6 4720s thus completing the second road case! FYI: PAIA 2700/4700 is ideal for expansion with Korg MS & Yamaha CS hertz/volts synthesizers. This web page is for documentation, modification, & experimentation providing other PAIA modular owners with technical information regarding all of the modules from the 2700/4700 series.










Documentation & Schematics

• 4720A Voltage Controlled Oscillator
  
• 4730 Multi-Modal Filter
  
• 4710 Balanced Modulator
  
• 2720-5 Control Oscillator / Noise Source
  
• 4712 Reverb Module
  
• 4712 Spring Reverb Schematic
  
• 4712 Spring Reverb Layout
  
• 4761 Road Case
  
• Using the 4700S
  
• Building the 2720 series modular
  
• Polyphony 0302 November 1977
  
• 4780 Sequencer Assembly Instructions
  
• 4780 Sequencer Using the Sequencer
  
• 4711 Mixer
  
• 4771 Power Supply
  
• 4740 Envelope Generator
  
• 2720-1 VCA schematic
  
• Paia 2720-3B Voltage Control Band Pass Filter Schematic
  
• Paia Paia 2720-3L Voltage Control Low Pass Filter Schematic
  
• Paia 2720-4 Function Generator Schematic
  
• Paia 2720-14 Sine converter Pulse width Moodulator Schematic
  
• PAiA 2720-12 Inverter/Buffer Assembly and Users Manual with Schematics
  
• 2720 Inverter Buffer schematic
  
• 2720-11 Envelope Follower
  
• 2720-8 Keyboard
  
• 2720-9 Glide
  
• 4762 / 4782 Road Keyboard
  
• 4783 Joystick Testing, calibration, and operations
  
• 4783 Joystick Applications article reprinted from Polyphony V3-3
  
• Demo 1 booklet
  
• Demo 2 booklet
  
• Demo 3 booklet
  
• Demo 4 booklet
  
• Demo Cassette booklet (combines all the above demo line pamphlets, plus more)
  Polyphony PublishingPolyphony Vol. 1 - Vol. 2 Index - (1.1 MB) Polyphony - Vol. 1, Iss. 1 - 1975, 20 pgs. (12 MB)Polyphony - Vol. 2, Iss. 1 - 1976, 24 pgs. (21.6 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 2, Iss. 2 - 1976, 32 pgs. (20.9 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 2, Iss. 3 - 1976, 44 pgs. (32.3 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 2, Iss. 4 - Part 1 - 1976, 15 pgs. (25.9 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 2, Iss. 4 - Part 2 - 1976, 17 pgs., 32 pgs. issue total (19.6 MB) Polyphony Vol. 3 Index - (1 MB) Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 1 - Part 1 - July 1977, 14 pgs. (29.6 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 1 - Part 2 - July 1977, 18 pgs., 32 pgs. issue total (35.5 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 2 - Part 1 - November 1977, 15 pgs. (19.5 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 2 - Part 2 - November 1977, 17 pgs., 32 pgs. issue total (17.2 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 3 - Part 1 - February 1978, 17 pgs. (35.2 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 3 - Part 2 - February 1978, 19 pgs., 36 pgs. issue total (26.7 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 4 - Part 1 - April/May 1978, 18 pgs. (23.9 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 3, Iss. 4 - Part 2 - April/May 1978, 22 pgs., 40 pgs. issue total (30.1 MB) Polyphony Vol. 4 Index - (1.3 MB) Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 1 - Part 1 - July/August 1978, 19 pgs. (29 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 1 - Part 2 - July/August 1978, 17 pgs., 36 pgs. issue total (25.5 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 2 - Part 1 - September/October 1978, 25 pgs. (29.6 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 2 - Part 2 - September/October 1978, 19 pgs., 44 pgs. issue total (24.3 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 3 - Part 1 - November/December 1978, 25 pgs. (28.9 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 3 - Part 2 - November/December 1978, 19 pgs., 44 pgs. issue total (29.4 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 4 - Part 1 - January-March 1979, 17 pgs. (26.2 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 4, Iss. 4 - Part 2 - January-March 1979, 23 pgs., 40 pgs. issue total (26.7 MB) Polyphony Vol. 5 Index - (2.4 MB) -  added 2/15/12 Polyphony - Vol. 5, Iss. 1 - Part 1 - May/June 1979, 25 pgs. (30.3 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 5, Iss. 1 - Part 2 - May/June 1979, 19 pgs., 44 pgs. issue total (27.1 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 5, Iss. 2 - Part 1 - July/August 1979, 23 pgs. (42.9 MB)  Polyphony - Vol. 5, Iss. 2 - Part 2 - July/August 1979, 17 pgs., 40 pgs. issue total (37.3 MB)  Polyphony Vol. 6 Index - (2.5 MB) -  added 2/15/12 Polyphony Vol. 7 Index - (2.3 MB) -  added 2/15/12 Polyphony - Vol. 7, Iss. 4 - Part 1- January/February 1982, 17 pgs. (40.7 MB) -  added 2/15/13  Polyphony - Vol. 7, Iss. 4 - Part 2 - January/February 1982, 19 pgs., 36 pgs. issue total (47.3 MB) -  added 2/15/13  Polyphony Vol. 8 Index - (1.6 MB) -  added 2/15/12 Synthesis
  
  
  (SYNTH) (from the ancient Greek "with" and "placing") refers to a combination of two or more entities that together form something new; alternately, it refers to the creating of something by artificial means. The corresponding verb, to synthesize (or synthesise), means to make or form a synthesis.
  
  Wizard (WYZRD) n 1. a person who practises or professes to practise magic or sorcery 2. a person who is outstandingly clever in some specified field; expert 3. a wise man 4. computing a computer program that guides a user through a complex task adj 5. informal chiefly superb; outstanding 6. of or relating to a wizard or wizardry [ variant of wissard, from wise 1 + -ard ] 'wizardly adj wizard c.1440, "philosopher, sage," from M.E. wys "wise" (see wise (adj.)) ard. zynyste "magic," zynys "sorcerer," zyne "witch," all from zinoti "to know." The ground sense is perhaps "to know the future." "wise magical power!"
  

SynthWizards Theory and Practice of Making Electronic Compositions using Synthesizer Modules



"How many times have you wished you could make music? Well now you can! All you need is a tape recorder, some relatively simple skills, some curiousity, and a little imagination. This book has been used in classrooms throughout the country by students, many of them without previous experience in music, who are now composing electronic music projects. In this book you'll be taken into the exciting world of electronic music and you'll find the basic tape recorder as well as synthesizer techniques, explained in many step by step instructions, and a variety of experiments to help you make electronic music. You'll also find a whole set of composing projects where your own creativity can run free and you' will wonder why you didn't start sooner."


The Synthesizer

is a combination of oscillators, filters, ring modulators, etcetera, which are all devices invented that were developed individually over time.
When enough components had been invented for controlling all the elements involved in the creation of sound, they were compiled into a single unit and called a synthesizer.
Even though now the machine has a standardized name, the individual components are still called oscillators, generators, filters, and so forth. They make up the three basic foundational modules of synthesis building blocks:
Sources: produce the raw materials of sound in the form of basic waveforms
Modifiers: modify or alter these waveforms in a variety of ways
Controllers: control or regulate the actions of both sources and modifiers
Voltage Control

In the same way pressure drives a flow of water or steam through pipes an electromotive fore called voltage drives electric current through the circuitry of any device that uses electricity as its power source.
Working with a synthesizer, the composer can regulate a components by hand or they can take advantage of automating voltage control for accomplishing the same task with a higher degree of precision and speed impossible with manual control. For example, you can open or close switches by hand, or turn a volume knob, yet voltages can perform operations at the rate of several hundred or even several thousand times pers second. Because this driving force can be applied in a vast number of ways to affect all of the elements of sound frequency, timbre, amplitude, and duration; the advantes to the composer are enormous.
Some of this choice (manual control versus voltage control) is determined by the peticular components being used, since not all components produce voltage and not all components can be voltage controlled. You must use a control voltage source for regulating a voltage controlled unit.
We will discuss this important interaction in greater detail. To start, however, not the labeling on the synth control panels for three of the most essential voltage controlled modules: VCO, for voltage controlled oscillator; VCF for voltage controlled filter, and VCA, for voltage controlled amplifier.
Sound Sources and Processes

Oscillators
The three main bodies of components used to synthesize sound are typically installed on the control panel for left to right(the same path taken by the audio signal as it moves across the sound production circuits. In order, these are the sound sources, the sound modifiers, and the controllers.
The synthesizers principal sound sources(some of which may also function as voltage controlled sources) are the oscillators. These produce for typical basic waveforms(sine, triangle, sawtooth, and square) with individual timbres, controlling frequencies, and fixed ampolitudes.
The frequency of the selected waveform(which can be regulated by manual or voltage control) can be anywhere in or out of the audible range: from sub audio frequencies below 20 hz to ultrasonic frequencies above 16,000 hz.
Noise Generators

The noise generator produces a mixture, called white noise, resembles the hissingwhen found tuning between radio station frequency bands. (Sound waves producing noise emitting from the very Sun nin our solar system) Since the ear is more sensetive to high frequencies, white noise seems high pitched. Some of the high frequencies can be finltered out to obtain a more audibly balanced mixture called pink noise. Noise is used mainly for creating percussive type effects and to colour other sounds.
Frequency Modulation
Modulation in general is a form of control. In the case of sound sources, modulation is controlling the frequency, either manually or with control voltage from other sources.
For example, the frequency of one oscillator signal can be voltage controlled by the signal of a seconf oscillator. The one being controlled is called the audio signal, or carrier; the signal which does the controlling is called the modulator, or program signal.
In this interaction of two signals, it is the modulator's waveform that determines the frequency change of the carrier. In fact, you can actually hear the controlling waveform if its frequency is sub audio: Sub audio sine waves produce a frequency change in the carrier that smoothly rises and falls in effect a siren sound.
Sub audio triangular waves produce a frequency change that gradually rises, the immedeately begins a gradual fall. Sub audio rectangular or square waves produce a frequency change that abruptly alternates between two frequencies, with no perceptable sloping. Sub audio sawtooth waves produce a frequency change that gradually rises the abruptly falls.
If, however, you increase the frequency of the modulator into the audio range, you no longer hear its waveform yet now hear an entirely different result: the generation of frequencies in addition to the carrier and modulator frequencies. These additional frequencies, called sidebands, are non harmonic overtones which produce complex new timbres. Besides frequency modulation, there are two other modulation techniques.
Modifiers and Processes

Filters and Subtractive Synthesis
Sound sources can be used alone or in combination , as is or modified in a number of ways. one modification process, called subtractive synthesis, involes use of synthesizer audio filters. Filters are modifiers that change the timbre. they do this by subtacting any part of the frequency range of any sound above or below a variable cutoff point. Depending on the filter, the cutoff point can be manually controlled, or both manually and voltage controlled.
The high pass filter subtracts the frequencies below the cutoff point and passes those abvove. The low pass filter subtracts the frequencies above the cutoff point and passes those below. The band pass filter, with two cutoff points, subtracts both the high and low frequencies and passes the center frequencies. The band reject filter, also with two cutoff points, subtracts or rejects the center frequencies and passes both high and lows. The fixed filter bandk divides the entire audio frequency range into a number of bands which can be subtracted from the whole, either individually or in any combuination . It has manual controls to pass or supress each individual band width.
Since filtration deals with a variable cutoff point, the composer is working with an adjustment element that can be regulated either by hand or by voltage control. Voltage control has superior advantages of speed and precision in controlling a specific synthesizer module function. This is obvious with the voltage controlled low pass filter. The lowpass filter is the most frequently used in electronic composition because of its usefulness in passing the fundamental and altering the overtones.
If you were to vary the cutoff point by hand, moving it quickly up and down, you would be alternately passing and rejecting a certain band of overtones. This action alternately enriches and dulls the sound without changing the pitch, creating that ever familiar wah-wah sound.
However, you can get the same effect by using a sub audio waveform from an oscillator as control voltage. (Using different forms of control voltage from sources other than an oscillitaor will produce various types of effects.) Besides being a more precise way to control the opening and closing of the filter, voltage control has the other obvious advantage of freeing the composers hands for manipulating other controls manually.
Another feature of the low pass filter is the resonance or regeneration control. This control emphasizes the overtones closest the cutoff point, thus brightening the sound.
Voltage Controlled Amplifier

Using a voltage controlled amplifier VCA, the degree of loudness can be controlled either manually or by control voltage from various sources such as an oscillator, for example. In the same way you can hear the frequency change corresponding to a sub audio waveform, you can now hear the amplitude corresond to a sub audio waveform:
Sub audio sine waves gradually increases then gradually decreases the loudness.
Subtractive audio rectangular or square wave alternates between two degrees of loudness. used in conjunction with manual control, the lower amplitude level can be set, if desired, to preduce zer amplitude(silence). This would have the effect of turning the amplifier on and off.
The rate of speed at which alternation occurs is determined by the frequency of the controlling waveform.
Amplitude Modulation
When you increase the frequency of the modulator into the audio range, you will hear additional frequencies. This modulation technique, called amplitude modulation (AM), produces fewer additional frequencies and consequently, a less complex timbre than the similar technique of frequency modulation (FM).
Controllers
Envelope Generator
Voltage Controlled Amplifier

The most frequent used control voltage source for a VCA and probably the most important to the composer is the envelope generator. The VCA and the envelope generator, working together, shape the sound's envelope by using the generator's seperate controls for attack/decay/sustain/release ADSR.
These controls, which determine duration for each enevelope phase, can be set by the composer to produce a phenomenal range of envelope shapes: the envelope of any known sound, custom shapes, even backwards sounds.
As a control voltage source, the envelope generator can be used to control not only the amplitude yet also frequency (via controlling an oscillator) and timbre (controlling the filters).
Keyboard

A synthesizer keyboard is different from a piano or organ keyboard. As a control source, each key when depressed releases a different preset voltage. As in the case of the envelope generator, this voltage can be used to control frequency, timbre, or amplitude, alone or in any combination.
Depending on patching, moving from left to right on the keyboard produces higher pitches, greater brilliance of single pitch, or a progressively louder sound:
The increase in pitch level is a result of frequency control of an oscillator. Increased brilliance is a result of raising a filter's cutoff point. The louder sound results from control of an amplifier.
One of the most frequently used combinations is simultaneous control, by the same keyboard voltage, of both an oscillator and a filter. This maintains a constant relation between frequency and cutoff point, producing a range of different pitches that have the same timbre.
Using the Keyboard as a Trigger

Another function of the keyboard is the production of voltage to trigger the action of certain components. When the keyboard is used with the envelope generator, for example, this is what happens:
1 Depression of a key triggers the beginning of the evelope cycle. 2 Following attack and decay, the sustain state is maintained as long as the key is held down. 3 Lifting the key triggers the release phase of the envelope.
Keyboard Controls

The synthesizer keyboard commonly has three controls. used in conjunction with frequency, they function as follows:
Tuning Control regulates pitch over an extremely wide range: tuning to concert pitch, to accompany instruments, or for transposition. Scale Control regulates the intervals between keys: from microtones through conventional half steps to larger intervals. Portimento or glide control regulates varying degrees of glide between pitches.
These controls produce a similar effect on timbre an amplitude. Microtone tuning, for instance, used with an amplifier, can produce cresendos and diminuendos.
Ribbon Controller

The ribbon controller is a metal ribon that produces a varying voltage when you move your finger along its length. The result is similar to the gliding effect produced by the portamento setting of a keyboard, but the more direct means of control enables you to produce minute variations as well as sweeping effects.
Foot Pedal
A foot pedal produces a control voltage which is varied by foot pressure. Although the degree of control is less precise than that provided by a ribbon controller, the foot pedal has the advantage of freeing the composer's hands for other functions. This is of peticular advantage in live performances where subtlety of control is frequently sacrificed to speed and flexibility.
Sampler or Sample Hold

A sampler produces a sequence of control voltages. When it recieves a trigger impulse it samples a voltage level of a waveform and holds the level until it is triggered to make the next sample. The result is a voltage sequence of different levels.
The form of the sequence is determined by the form of the sampled wave. A triangular wave will produce a sequence of increasing and decreasing levels which, if used to control an oscillator, will produce ascending and descending pitch sequences resembling musical scales. A random waveform, like noise, will produce a sequence of random voltage levels.
Sequencer
The sequencer is a complex controller which gives the composer precise control over a number of aspects of a sequence of pitches. This is possible because each stage of the sequence produces up to three seperate voltages which can be pre set to control simultaneously the various elements of each sound in the sequence.
For example, one voltage can control frequency; another, amplitude; a third, either timbre or the rhythmic structure of the sequence itself.
Ring Modulator

Ring modulation produces an effect closely related to amplitude modulation. Whereas AM produces frequencies in addition to the frequency of the signal being modulated, ring modulation produces the same frequencies but eliminates the original signal. The result is unusual, rather bizarre forbidden planet timbre.
Reverb
The synthesizer's reverb unti artificially creates degrees of reverberation. Like any other modification techniques, reverb can be applied to signals either produced by the synthesizer or from external sources.
Electronic Switch

The switch interrupts the flow of a signal by opening and closing the circuit.

The pre amp brings low level signals from microphones or other low level external inputs up to the levels used by the components of the synthesizer.
High level signals from tape recorders, for instance may be routed directly to any components without being pre amplified.
An unlimited array of external sources are available to the composer for synthesizer modification. Any sound that can be taped or picked up by microphone can be modified. Sounds from radio, TV, a record player, as well as any electronic instrument can be fed directly into the synthesizer through external line input, then subsequently modified.
These modifications include filtration, amplitude modulation, ring modulation, switching, reverb, as well as the control of envelope shapes on the external signals.

excerpt from How to Make Electronic Music circa 1977

I was given this book years ago plus mysterious 7" Record titled Synthesis by Herbert A. Deutsch by my old mentor Russ that has thus exceptionally influenced my path since that magic time.

 The Library of Congress started building their own cassette machines in the late 60s. The type of machine you see showing up these days starting being built in 1976.

These are old fashioned rubber drive play only machines with 4 track heads in reverse track configuration. They have oscillator controlled vari speed via a slider on the front of the unit. There is also a spst insert for a remote switch 1/8" or a breath switch (rare) and an 1/8" input allowing you to use the unit as a mini amplifier. They are manufactured by Telex in the US and made to be rebuilt. Repair centers keep 20,000 of these things on the street via a vast network of workshops. There are approximately 600,000 of them nationwide.

In the right (wrong?) hands these things can have 101 uses:
- You can use them as grungy lofi amplifiers.
- You can use them to play regular two track stereo or mono cassettes backwards
- They can play at two different base speeds (15/16 or 1 7/8)
- You can manually adjust and pitch shift from the base speed to make a tape sound like Munchkins or Satan (or both on a good day...)
- etc. etc.
PLUS they run on bizarre nicad battery packs. Once charged you are completely mobile and can do all these horrible things and more in public, on stage, or anywhere you feel compelled to carry the thing.



NLS: That All May Read
Operating Our Cassette Player
Background

Our cassette player, known as a C-1, plays recordings at commercial speed and half commercial speed. NLS/BPH distributes its talking books on standard audio cassettes designed to play at half commercial speed and using four tracks. The NLS configuration can pack up to six hours of reading time onto one cassette. The C-1 side- and speed-selector switches enable readers to play cassettes created with the standard, commercial configuration as well as the NLS talking-book configuration. The C-1 player is shipped with a fully charged, rechargeable nickel-cadmium battery that will operate the player for about six hours after being fully charged. Simply plug the player into a standard household outlet to recharge it. Remember, you can always call your library about using the NLS/BPH player.
Using the Standard Cassette Player

You can operate the C-1 on its battery, or you can take the power cord from the recessed area in the back of the player and plug it into an electrical outlet. Here is a typical sequence for reading an NLS cassette talking book.

    Open the tape compartment door by pressing the eject key, far right and marked with a raised square.
    Insert the cassette, label side up, with the tape edge facing out. Seat the cassette by pushing it back until it clicks. Press the compartment door down until it clicks.
    Press and lock down the play key (green with a raised circle) to start the player. Adjust the volume slide switch (nearest the front edge of the player).
    Stop the player at any point by pressing the red key with a raised "x", first on the left.
    To review the cassette soundtrack, press rewind, the key between play and stop with the raised less-than sign, or arrow head pointing left.
    To advance the cassette soundtrack, press fast forward, the key between play and eject with the raised greater-than sign, or arrow head pointing right.
    To remove a cassette from the player, make sure it is stopped. Press the eject key, far right with a raised square. The tape compartment door will snap up, and the tape will pop free of its seated position. To play the next side, turn the tape over (print/braille label down), reinsert, seat in the door, and press the door shut. Then press the start key. After reading sides 1 and 2, rock the side selector switch to the right to listen to sides 3 and 4.

[youtube]Qk0X7wgnlB0[/youtube]
Tips
Switches and Buttons

Speed, volume, tone and side-selector switches are on the right of the player. Begin at the top of these controls, in the middle of the player as you face it, and you will find the following:
Variable Speed Control

Used to slow down or speed up the reading of the book. The voice of the narrator becomes distorted as the playback speed is changed.
Speed

A different sort of speed switch is just under the variable speed control. This is the speed switch that is used to match the speed of the player with the recording speed on the cassette. It is a rocker switch. Press, or rock it down, to the left (15/16) for our talking books. Press, or rock it down, to the right for commercial cassettes.
Side-Selector Switch

Another rocker switch, the side-selector switch enables readers to listen to both commercial and talking-book cassettes. Here are the things you should know about talking-book cassettes before you use the side-selector switch:

    Talking-book cassettes will appear to be oddly numbered because of the four-side (or, four-track) system. The first side of the first cassette will be 1. The first side of the next cassette will be 5. Then, 9 and so on.
    Turn the cassette over after each side.
    When starting with side 1, push the side selector switch down to the left, marked 1-2. Do not change the switch to listen to side 2. Push the side-selector switch down to the right for sides 3 and 4. It is important to be methodical about the use of the side switch, or you may find yourself skipping whole segments of the book.
    As guidance, the narrator will provide instructions at the end of each side.

Tone Control

This slider switch raises (to the right) or lowers (to the left) the pitch of the narrator's voice.
Volume control

The volume control is also a slider. Louder to the right, softer to the left.
Battery Maintenance

To maintain battery life, the player should be played frequently unplugged, on battery. After several hours, up to six or until the battery fails, plug the player back into an electrical outlet to charge the battery. The player will operate, plugged in, while the battery recharges.

Do not remove the battery. As a nickel-cadmium product, it is toxic if not disposed of properly. If you suspect the player will not work because of battery problems, call the library serving you. They will arrange for a replacement player.


Obselete machines:

C 76 is Orange
C77 is White
C78 is Red
C79 is Green
C 80 is brown (they have a compression circuit but the unit sucks big time)

The 78 & 79 are by far the best units out there.

In addition there are similar plastic cased Record players:
A78 Red
A79 Green

Current machines require an appropriate license. If you find one of these you can exchange it at a local Library of Congress location for a discontinued (but equally good) model. Please do so.

C1 is Yellow
C 2 is Gray Direct drive transport
C 0 is Black ( for international users
E 1 (automated 1 control)

Record Players
A 80 Brown
A 1 Yellow

Combination machines:
CT 1 Yellow




In '69, the first cassette machines were introduced and these played standard 2-track, 1 7/8 ips tapes. In '73, the first 4-track machines were issued that would play at either 1 7/8 ips or 15/16 ips. Starting in the late '70's, most Library of Congress talking book tapes were recorded at 15/16 ips on four tracks. This enabled a standard C90 cassette to hold up to 6 hours of reading material. Tapes eventually phased out records, with the last magazines being recorded on 9" flexible disc at 8 rpm in December, 2000. Now, digital cartridges and digital talking book players have phased out cassette tapes. Books were phased out first, followed by magazines. Somewhere, I have the last talking book magazine that I received on cassette and it's from sometime in 2013. The library recently printed a note in it's newsletter, telling us that they still had a small cassette book collection available to patrons who still had a cassette player in working order; however, cassette service will end when the machine fails to work because they are no longer being repaired or replaced.

It's strange that on ebay, I'm all the time seeing talking book record players from the '60's until the '90's; but, as far as cassette players, about the only one I see is the C1 machine that was first introduced in 1981 and continued to be issued until cassette tapes were phased out. I rarely ever see any of the older tape players on ebay. I figure that part of the reason for that is because the tape players didn't last as long as the record players and most of the older ones have probably already been turned in and replaced with newer machines. Personally, I'm on my 3rd C1 cassette player in a 14 year time period; however, many of the record players would last 20-30 years, if they were taken care of.

[youtube]XU5rUXV_lP4[/youtube]
Eye grabbed mine off the shelf today for some tape experiments...
and was hit with total dread upon pushing transport buttons
nothing except a loud hum emitting from machine
these things are a sadistic joke on blind people trying to repair them
hidden 1/4" hex head deep well screws hidden beneath the feet pads
was imagining some fucker laughing design this tape machine for the blind
luckily eye had my nut drivers handy
got back cover off and inside
revealing worn out stretched belt caught in main drive wheel
so..................................................................................
found the big bag o rubber bands for such occasions
took a couple attempts figuring out the belt path
first attempt did RW/FF yet was fuct on PLAY
on some further inspection the next attempt proved correct
abrahadabra!
playing better than ever
time for selecting some tapes
how about "Telepathic Communication With Animals"
or the demonstration tape for Portable Electro Shock Unit
and some tape recordings of Modular synths for further manual mutations
let's take this baby for a spin through the Mixer with some FX!

Eye of course expect the value of mine instantly increasing by at least $100 upon completion of this post

[youtube]emkdNWaNQww[/youtube]

I.               Musique Concrete and the emergence of electronic music

Musique Concrete is nothing new. It was pioneered by Pierre Schaeffer and his team in the early 1940’s at the Studio d’Essai de la Radiodiffusion Nationale, an experimental studio created initially to serve as a resistance hub for radio broadcasters in occupied France, in Paris. While Musique Concrete might not be anything new today, at the time however, it represented a major departure from the traditional musical paradigms. By relying entirely on recorded sounds (hence the name “concrete”, as in ‘real’) as a means of musical creation, Schaeffer opened the door to an entirely new way of not only making, but also thinking music. It represented a major push towards a number of new directions.

Timbre was all of a sudden an equally important musical dimension as pitch had been up until then, something that composers like Edgard Varese had long been thinking and writing about. It also paved the way for the emergence of new compositional forms and strucutures. As Pierre Boulez pointed out in “Penser la musique aujourd’hui”, musical structures were traditionally perceived by the listener as a product of the melody. By removing the melody altogether, and working instead with sound objects, Schaeffer became a bit of an iconoclast. As he himself pointed out in his “Traité des objects musicaux”, the composer is never really free. The choice of his or her notes is based upon the musical code that he himself and his audience have in common. When Musique Concrete was invented, the composer had moved one step ahead of his audience, and was, to some extent, liberated.

One of the earliest pieces of the genre, and perhaps the most famous to this day is Schaeffer’s own “étude aux chemins de fer”, where the composer mixed a number of sounds recorded from railroads such as engines, whistles and others, in order to create a unique, and truly original composition.

You can listen to the piece here: http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/1...ns-de-fer/

By today’s standards, the techniques used by the pioneer of the genre were rudimentary at best, yet they were, and remain, crucial tools of electronic music creation to this day. By taking a look at these techniques, and applying them to a computer music language such as Csound, we can not only gain a better understanding of this pivotal moment in music history, but also deepen our knowledge of sound and composition.

II.            Concrete Techniques

The early composers of Musique Concrete mostly worked with records, tape decks, tone generators, mixers, reverbs and delays. Compared to the tools available to the computer musician today, it’s a rather limited palette indeed. This however forced the composer to be much more careful in the selection of the source materials, mostly recordings of course, and far more judicious with the use of the processes to be applied. Using recordings as the main source of sounds confronts the composers with decisions early on in the compositional process, which will have profound consequences on the final piece.

1.     Material Selection

While perhaps a bit reductive, the compositional process could be thought of as the selection and combination of various materials. When working with sound objects, the selection process is maybe even more crucial.

It could easily be argued that this process begins at the recording stage. If you happen to be recording your own material, the auditory perspective you chose will have a profound impact on the outcome of the sound. As Jean-Claude Risset pointed out in the analysis of his 1985 piece “Sud”, the placement and choice of the microphone will hugely change the sound itself. For instance, placing the microphone very close to the source will have a magnifying effect on the sound, while moving it back a bit will give a broader view of the context within the sound is recorded, allowing more ambient sounds and atmospheres to seep in. This is something audio engineers have been very aware of for a long time, but that often gets overlooked by computer musicians. I’m quite fond of small microphones, such as Lavalier mics for instance, which allow the engineer to place them in places where a traditional microphone will not fit, very close to the sound source. This makes for some very interesting results. For instance, a lav mic placed right below a rotating fan will make it sound like a giant machine, shaking and rattling as if it were 60 feet tall inside a giant wind tunnel. As always, experimentation and careful listening is key.

If you are working with already recorded material, an interesting approach is to work with different sounds, but that evoke similar emotions. This approach was favored by the American composer Tod Dockstader, who in his 1963 piece “Apocalypse” used a recording of Gregorian chant as a vocalization to the slowed down sound of a creaky door opening and closing.  Dockstader came from a post-production background, and perhaps it is no accident that Schaeffer had a background in broadcasting and engineering as well.

You can listen to an excerpt of Apocalypse here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYabnQctxpo

This technique, of using very different sounds that evoke similar or complementary emotions, is also often used by film sound designers.

Star Wars’ sound designer Ben Burtt often speaks of this in his process. By working with familiar sounds, combining them in unexpected ways and putting them to picture, he has been able to create some of the most successful and iconic sounds in the history of film.

2.    Sound techniques and manipulations

While the technology available to the pioneers of musique concrete was fairly primitive, composers managed to come up with a number of creative methods for sound manipulation and creation. A non exhaustive but comprehensive list of these would include:

–       Vari-speed: changing the speed of the tape to change the pitch of the sound.

–       Reversal: playing the tape backwards

–       Comb Filtering: by playing a sound against a slightly delayed version of itself various resonant frequencies are brought in or out.

–       Tape loops: in order to create loops, and grooves out of otherwise non rhythmic material, composers would repeat certain portions of a recording.

–       Splicing: to change the order of the material, or insert new sounds within a recording

–       Filtering: to bring in or out different frequencies of a sound and change its quality and texture

–       Layering: Either done by recording multiple sources down to a new reel or by mixing them in real time via a mixing board.

–       Reverberation, delay: used to create a sense of unity, or fusion between sound sources coming from different origins, and a great way of superimposing a new sense of space on an existing recording.

–       Expanded-compressed time: by slowing down, or speeding up then reversing the direction of a sound.

–       Panning: allowing the composer to place the sound within a stereo or multichannel environment

–       Analog Synthesis: Although the genre was based on recorded sounds mostly, composers sometimes inserted tones and sweeps from oscillators in their compositions.

–       Amplitude modulation: Often done by periodically varying the amplitude of a sound or applying a different amplitude envelope over it.

–       Frequency Modulation: Although frequency modulation as a synthesis technique was discovered long after the beginnings of tape music, vibrato was a well-known technique long before then.


Sampler Concrete

Many tape techniques are simplistic in nature and are easily mimic-able in the digital domain. After all, a sampler can be thought of as a high-tech featured-endowed tape machine. A more apt comparison would be that of a waveform editor such as Peak, WaveLab or Audacity.

Csound instrument called “splice” that is about as basic as it gets when it comes to samplers.

Let’s take a look at the score interface to “splice”:

i "splice" start_time duration amplitude begin_splice end_splice

The start time and duration are both default parameters of a score instrument event. Three additional parameters are included for setting the amplitude, specifying the beginning time (in seconds) of the sample and specifying the end time (in seconds) of the sample to be played.

With this short list of instrument parameters, the following techniques are showcased in the Csound example: Splicing, Vari-speed, Reversal, “Tape” Loop, Layering, Delay and Comb Filtering.

Continuing Schaeffer’s tradition of using recordings of train, I’m using a found sound that I found on SoundCloud of the Manhattan subway. The recording is approximately 30 seconds in length. Most of the splicing in the examples take place between 17 and 26 seconds into the recording. Here are the results.

With this one simple instrument, it is entirely conceivable to compose a complete piece in the style of classic tape music.

http://codehop.com/sampler-concrete/

[youtube]c4ea0sBrw6M[/youtube]

eye have created several tools specifically for composing concrete musique as main function then realized they could perform way more functions so evolved them over time....
plus have habit of creating sample source libraries for using in compositions

Share any of your music concrete in theory and practice here

I.               Musique Concrete and the emergence of electronic music

Musique Concrete is nothing new. It was pioneered by Pierre Schaeffer and his team in the early 1940’s at the Studio d’Essai de la Radiodiffusion Nationale, an experimental studio created initially to serve as a resistance hub for radio broadcasters in occupied France, in Paris. While Musique Concrete might not be anything new today, at the time however, it represented a major departure from the traditional musical paradigms. By relying entirely on recorded sounds (hence the name “concrete”, as in ‘real’) as a means of musical creation, Schaeffer opened the door to an entirely new way of not only making, but also thinking music. It represented a major push towards a number of new directions.

Timbre was all of a sudden an equally important musical dimension as pitch had been up until then, something that composers like Edgard Varese had long been thinking and writing about. It also paved the way for the emergence of new compositional forms and strucutures. As Pierre Boulez pointed out in “Penser la musique aujourd’hui”, musical structures were traditionally perceived by the listener as a product of the melody. By removing the melody altogether, and working instead with sound objects, Schaeffer became a bit of an iconoclast. As he himself pointed out in his “Traité des objects musicaux”, the composer is never really free. The choice of his or her notes is based upon the musical code that he himself and his audience have in common. When Musique Concrete was invented, the composer had moved one step ahead of his audience, and was, to some extent, liberated.

One of the earliest pieces of the genre, and perhaps the most famous to this day is Schaeffer’s own “étude aux chemins de fer”, where the composer mixed a number of sounds recorded from railroads such as engines, whistles and others, in order to create a unique, and truly original composition.

You can listen to the piece here: http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2009/1...ns-de-fer/

By today’s standards, the techniques used by the pioneer of the genre were rudimentary at best, yet they were, and remain, crucial tools of electronic music creation to this day. By taking a look at these techniques, and applying them to a computer music language such as Csound, we can not only gain a better understanding of this pivotal moment in music history, but also deepen our knowledge of sound and composition.

II.            Concrete Techniques

The early composers of Musique Concrete mostly worked with records, tape decks, tone generators, mixers, reverbs and delays. Compared to the tools available to the computer musician today, it’s a rather limited palette indeed. This however forced the composer to be much more careful in the selection of the source materials, mostly recordings of course, and far more judicious with the use of the processes to be applied. Using recordings as the main source of sounds confronts the composers with decisions early on in the compositional process, which will have profound consequences on the final piece.

1.     Material Selection

While perhaps a bit reductive, the compositional process could be thought of as the selection and combination of various materials. When working with sound objects, the selection process is maybe even more crucial.

It could easily be argued that this process begins at the recording stage. If you happen to be recording your own material, the auditory perspective you chose will have a profound impact on the outcome of the sound. As Jean-Claude Risset pointed out in the analysis of his 1985 piece “Sud”, the placement and choice of the microphone will hugely change the sound itself. For instance, placing the microphone very close to the source will have a magnifying effect on the sound, while moving it back a bit will give a broader view of the context within the sound is recorded, allowing more ambient sounds and atmospheres to seep in. This is something audio engineers have been very aware of for a long time, but that often gets overlooked by computer musicians. I’m quite fond of small microphones, such as Lavalier mics for instance, which allow the engineer to place them in places where a traditional microphone will not fit, very close to the sound source. This makes for some very interesting results. For instance, a lav mic placed right below a rotating fan will make it sound like a giant machine, shaking and rattling as if it were 60 feet tall inside a giant wind tunnel. As always, experimentation and careful listening is key.

If you are working with already recorded material, an interesting approach is to work with different sounds, but that evoke similar emotions. This approach was favored by the American composer Tod Dockstader, who in his 1963 piece “Apocalypse” used a recording of Gregorian chant as a vocalization to the slowed down sound of a creaky door opening and closing.  Dockstader came from a post-production background, and perhaps it is no accident that Schaeffer had a background in broadcasting and engineering as well.

You can listen to an excerpt of Apocalypse here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYabnQctxpo

This technique, of using very different sounds that evoke similar or complementary emotions, is also often used by film sound designers.

Star Wars’ sound designer Ben Burtt often speaks of this in his process. By working with familiar sounds, combining them in unexpected ways and putting them to picture, he has been able to create some of the most successful and iconic sounds in the history of film.

2.    Sound techniques and manipulations

While the technology available to the pioneers of musique concrete was fairly primitive, composers managed to come up with a number of creative methods for sound manipulation and creation. A non exhaustive but comprehensive list of these would include:

–       Vari-speed: changing the speed of the tape to change the pitch of the sound.

–       Reversal: playing the tape backwards

–       Comb Filtering: by playing a sound against a slightly delayed version of itself various resonant frequencies are brought in or out.

–       Tape loops: in order to create loops, and grooves out of otherwise non rhythmic material, composers would repeat certain portions of a recording.

–       Splicing: to change the order of the material, or insert new sounds within a recording

–       Filtering: to bring in or out different frequencies of a sound and change its quality and texture

–       Layering: Either done by recording multiple sources down to a new reel or by mixing them in real time via a mixing board.

–       Reverberation, delay: used to create a sense of unity, or fusion between sound sources coming from different origins, and a great way of superimposing a new sense of space on an existing recording.

–       Expanded-compressed time: by slowing down, or speeding up then reversing the direction of a sound.

–       Panning: allowing the composer to place the sound within a stereo or multichannel environment

–       Analog Synthesis: Although the genre was based on recorded sounds mostly, composers sometimes inserted tones and sweeps from oscillators in their compositions.

–       Amplitude modulation: Often done by periodically varying the amplitude of a sound or applying a different amplitude envelope over it.

–       Frequency Modulation: Although frequency modulation as a synthesis technique was discovered long after the beginnings of tape music, vibrato was a well-known technique long before then.


Sampler Concrete

Many tape techniques are simplistic in nature and are easily mimic-able in the digital domain. After all, a sampler can be thought of as a high-tech featured-endowed tape machine. A more apt comparison would be that of a waveform editor such as Peak, WaveLab or Audacity.

Csound instrument called “splice” that is about as basic as it gets when it comes to samplers.

https://gist.github.com/jacobjoaquin/1270309

Let’s take a look at the score interface to “splice”:

i "splice" start_time duration amplitude begin_splice end_splice

The start time and duration are both default parameters of a score instrument event. Three additional parameters are included for setting the amplitude, specifying the beginning time (in seconds) of the sample and specifying the end time (in seconds) of the sample to be played.

With this short list of instrument parameters, the following techniques are showcased in the Csound example: Splicing, Vari-speed, Reversal, “Tape” Loop, Layering, Delay and Comb Filtering.

Continuing Schaeffer’s tradition of using recordings of train, I’m using a found sound that I found on SoundCloud of the Manhattan subway. The recording is approximately 30 seconds in length. Most of the splicing in the examples take place between 17 and 26 seconds into the recording. Here are the results.

With this one simple instrument, it is entirely conceivable to compose a complete piece in the style of classic tape music.

http://codehop.com/sampler-concrete/

[youtube]c4ea0sBrw6M[/youtube]

eye have created several tools specifically for composing concrete musique as main function then realized they could perform way more functions so evolved them over time....
plus have habit of creating sample source libraries for using in compositions

Share any of your music concrete in theory and practice here

4 noise source generators
separate Volume/Panning
Static Injector for creating noise from waveforms
SVF Multimode Filter
CV noise injected into Filter Frequency
also external input F/C to SVF Freq
midi automated parameters
VST for generating extreme noise walls
or use it for complex noise source generator
instant HNW albums
went with original concept name
"VOMITRON"

http://www.n01ze.com/synthwizards/ARKIVE...ZEWALL.rar


VOMITRON body checking dolphin vomits vomir on unsuspecting humanity
demo test drive^
no FX/post processing
you get the idea

BTW
"The Vomitron" concept was originally an animatronic band member
that projectile vomited on the unsuspecting audience

SynthWizards Krell Modulator VST
Forbidden Planet Barrons Tribute
Extreme Ring Modulation VST
23 various mathematical algorithmic methods of Ring Modulation
2xVCO signal generators(operators) 2xLFO ADSR w/Inversion mode
multiple standard waveform selection
LFO ranges BPM SYNC from 512 bars to 1/64
Sample and Hold modes with LFO
LFO modulation matrix function for automating parameters
External input or can be used as VST Instrument with midi
Recording experiments forthcoming
Alpha Test Version Download
http://www.n01ze.com//synthwizards/ARKIV...ulator.rar

have my old hardcopy textbook around here & use it for reference sometimes
essential reading resource
https://bgaudioclub.org/uploads/docs/Yam..._Jones.pdf

"Strange as Normal"
made Carnyx(Keltoi War Horn) atmospheric soundscapes series layers
http://www.n01ze.com/Muzak/Trax/ATRAKTORCarnyx2dFX.mp3

BOSS DR55 (Schematics/Manuals/Mods)

DR55 does have an authentic sense of early 80s legendary nostalgia...
being BOSS' first DR-machine and also quite a successful early programmable drum machine.
It has been used by New Order, The Cure, Chris Carter, Sisters of Mercy, Chris & Cosey, Soft Cell and Thomas Dolby.
 
Boss DR-55: external trigger input mod

By default, the Boss DR-55 does not receive any kind of incoming clock. The ‘FS’ footswitch input takes a latching footswitch that starts and stops the existing clock, but that’s it. Although you can clock other equipment from the DR-55, it would be nice to be able to use an external clock to sync the Boss to, which would allow the Boss to trigger yet more devices with its CSQ and DBS outputs (active on Accented steps only and every step, respectively).

My mod as detailed here does exactly that. By replacing the existing FS jack socket, adding a small circuit, and replacing a jumper, we can safely trigger the DR-55 from an external trigger.

A quick internet search will turn up an existing clock input mod which is simpler to do and requires no extra parts; however, it puts the RAM at risk of damage from high triggers, and it does not sync the Boss’ own DBS output. It also requires ‘arming’ by hitting start before external triggering.

My own mod, though more complex, overcomes all these issues: the trigger input is protected, both the Boss’ trigger outputs maintain their correct functions, and triggering occurs without ‘arming’. The only two functional disadvantages of my mod are that you must set the Boss’ tempo to Fast, and to reset the pattern when stopped mid-way you need to remove the trigger plug. I’m going to blog another small mod which will overcome the latter inconvenience [EDIT: No I’m not! I sold both my 55s, thereby halting this particular project].
The Clock Modification in detail

Below is a diagram which shows everything you need to know about building this mod. Below that is a parts list. Key to this is the replacement FS jack socket; it needs to be TRS (ie. a stereo jack), with single pole changeover switches on the tip and ring contacts. I used a Lumberg KLBPSS3 (datasheet here, Farnell UK stock page here).

The additional circuit can be made very small indeed (3 rows * 8 holes on stripboard), and there is plenty of room for it inside the DR-55, particularly towards the right-hand end. The photos below illustrate my own placement.

There is one jumper to be removed, the one immediately to the right of the Variation switch. The replacement connections for the upper and lower point of this removed jumper are shown in the diagram, and you can see in the photos how I wired this up.

In brief: remove that jumper, solder the two points to two jack pins; build the extra circuit, and solder that to the jack and to the main PCB; replicate two of the pre-existing connections from the jack to the PCB. That’s it. I also stuck a small folded piece of card to the PCB to stop the extra circuit from shorting against components.
Boss DR-55 clock input mod



Boss DR-55 clock input mod revised
Parts list:

1 * TRS 2-pole changeover jack socket – eg. Lumberg KLBPSS3
2 * 47k resistors – I used 1/8W for their smallness
1 * 10nF capacitor – I used a ceramic, again for smallness, but polyester film etc. would be usual
1 * 1N4148 signal diode or equivalent
1 * BC549C transistor or similar standard NPN


Here’s the modified DR-55 (also incorporating my DC supply mod):
clock modded DR-55 overview

clock modded DR-55 overview


And here’s a close-up of the clock mod:
clock modded DR-55 close up


clock modded DR-55 close up



How to use your new trigger input

The new trigger input will accept any positive pulse over a couple of volts. It’s edge triggered, so the pulse can be any length over a couple of milliseconds. The operating principle is to use the DR-55’s existing clock, but to gate it on for a very short duration; normally when the clock is gated off again, the pattern resets, but the new jack socket enables us to disable that by breaking the reset connection when a jack is inserted.

As I mentioned earlier, the Tempo must be set to Fast (ie. all the way clockwise) for correct function. This is because the DR-55’s clock, once triggered, finishes its pulse cycle. If this is longer than the incoming trigger cycle, it will ignore the new trigger; if we set the speed dial to its fastest, we can clock the DR-55 at any rate up to its natural maximum.

The pattern will cycle round as usual, but if you stop mid-pattern, new triggers will continue where they left off. To reset the pattern at this stage, you need to unplug the trigger jack and hit Stop. This is not ideal, I know, and I will be making an amendment to correct this later [EDIT: project halted, see above. I have no current plans to do any further work on the DR-55].

For now though, this mod works fine, as shown in the (slightly rubbish) video below:


 Boss DR-55: a 9V DC input modification

One of the drawbacks of the DR-55 as it comes unmodded is the power supply. In its original form, the DR-55 takes only batteries, and though this might be good for reducing cable clutter and having to find yet another wall-wart, it does mean you need to keep a regular stock of fresh AAs, and can guarantee that just when you want to use it, your DR-55’s batteries are too drained for the unit to function correctly.

Luckily, it is a relatively simple process to modify the DR-55 so that it takes a commonly-found 9V DC supply instead. I provide instructions for this below. It’s not the only way to do the job, but this is how I did it, and it works just fine. Modding the DR-55 in this way means it no longer accepts batteries, which means two things: 1) you will need access to a 9V adapter, and 2) pattern data will not be retained on power-off. Given that filling the memory of this humble machine can be done in less than five minutes, and I never use this outside my own home studio, I never found memory retention to be an issue. It would be possible to design a DC input that also catered for memory backup via battery, but I’m not going there.

There are two basic stages to this modification:

    Making a 9V DC input: the basic voltage supply circuit
    Installing the Mod: adapt some wire links on the output jack and PCB
[img]
Making a 9V DC input[/img]

Because the DR-55’s RAM can be killed by voltages higher than around 7V, we take a 9V input and regulate it down to between 5V and 6V. I chose to use a 5V regulator propped up with a diode to give around 5.6V, but you could also use a 6V regulator and omit D2. The input jack I used is a 3.5mm mono minijack of the kind often used for audio and CV interconnects, mainly because I had lots of them and the holes are easier to drill than the larger ones needed for a plastic-bodied insulated barrel connector. Use whatever type you prefer, but note the polarity of your incoming DC, and don’t connect the +ve to the case… with a tip-positive 3.5mm jack, the sleeve of the input jack is connected to the shell of the socket, so it makes sense for that to be the ground. Some barrel connectors do likewise.

Here’s the schematic:


Boss DR-55 DC input mod schematic


Here’s the final circuit built onto stripboard. It will be panel-mounted using the socket:
DR-55 DC input build

DR-55 DC input build
Installing the Mod

Now we have a simple DC input, we could just solder the +ve and Gnd outputs to the corresponding solder points on the main board – that is, where the battery clip attaches. Black is ground, red is positive. This works, but you still need to insert an audio cable to turn the DR-55 on. I chose to remove that ‘feature’, as there are no longer any batteries to protect from accidental drain. It’s a simple mod that just means a couple of wiring changes.

The diagram below shows the required re-wiring. The audio output socket is wired by default to both ground and audio signal, as well as having two pins wired to act as a switch when a jack is insterted. We want to retain the audio and ground connections, but not the switch. We remove those wires and instead bridge the corresponding points on the PCB.




Here’s a photograph of the full mod (note the wiring):

DR-55 DC input wired and complete



I damaged a track while desoldering the battery wires, which is why the red wire goes to the un-numbered hole next to point 9. They’re directly connected, happily.

Below are some photos of the hole I drilled for mounting the new DC input, and the final appearance when mounted and labelled with cheap Dymo (should have gone with black… oh well):
DR-55 DC input enclosure drilling


So there you have it. My humble DR-55 now works from a regular 9V DC wall-wart supply, and switches on whether or not its audio is connected. The hardest part is putting the DR-55 back together again…

or you can just use old hacked (w/ 9v battery connector)phone charger from cheap Samsung 5v pay as you go track phone...
operating power range from the service manual for BOSS DR55 is 4.5v to 6v
Works for me!

next step external trigger inputs  & outputs for each drum sound
http://manuals.fdiskc.com/flat/Boss%20DR...Manual.pdf
[youtube]wegt4ymchUw[/youtube]
https://synthnerd.wordpress.com/2016/05/...input-mod/
it's obviously not a TR808 or TR909 yet picked it up ages for $20 in the original box
replaced bad cd4011UB chip...
for getting the clock working on this old machine
was going to buy the CR55 DIY eurorack then remembered had this old gem buried around here

https://4mscompany.com/swash/modular/schematic800.pdf
https://4mscompany.com/swash/modular/eur...manual.pdf
https://4mscompany.com/swash/modular/bui...ematic.pdf
https://4mscompany.com/swash/modular/kitparts.pdf

[youtube]tBKVMP-Qrxk[/youtube]
[youtube]Lnl2uuzwhyY[/youtube]

Digisound Modular CEM 3340 Based VCLFO
http://electro-music.com/wiki/pmwiki.php...BasedVCLFO

http://electro-music.com/wiki/pmwiki.php...Schematics

EFM Synthesizers was located in Houston, Texas USA. EFM had been on the web since 1996 selling boards and kits to the DIY synthesizer community. The site includes schematics for ARP, Moog, Oberheim, Korg, and EMS-type voltage controlled filters, oscillators, amplifiers, and everything else you might need to build a modular synth. This an archive keeping Tom Gamble's EFM work evolving. EFM Users is for people that use electronics for making music. Synthesizers, computers, software, midi keyboards, midi modules, DIY electronics, guitar amps, stompboxes, transistor radios….ect are all legitimate topics. EFM projects are for experienced DIY builders, because project often require mods to the PCBs, and documentation assumes a high level of electronics experience.

http://www.n01ze.com/synthwizards/EFM1.htm

http://www.glensstuff.com/

http://www.adjutojunior.com.br/eletronic...derton.pdf

Make some SuperSloths
http://www.sdiy.org/pinky/data/SLOTH%20s...%20BOM.pdf
http://nonlinearcircuits.blogspot.com/20...chaos.html
[youtube]0KU6NPz1S4g[/youtube]
[youtube]gXqchc3VUvU[/youtube]
[youtube]NX0jnH0q7RQ[/youtube]

[youtube]tx9KhQ2k304[/youtube]

Hack/mutate Thomas Henry
you can slap easy multiwave together out of 8038(minimum 10v power)
http://www.birthofasynth.com/Thomas_Henr...chem_1.pdf
https://www.intersil.com/content/dam/int...cl8038.pdf
http://www.mit.edu/~6.331/icl8038data.pdf
[youtube]BFgPPe0fcTo[/youtube]
you can put caps on switch for VCO/LFO functions

this charlie slick 8038 LFO schematic has vanished from online... let me dig through my archives
8038 Multiwave VCO on chip
not sure of your current intent
yet it lowers your parts count
happily works +12/-12
saves design space
[youtube]jco8yWnI5qo[/youtube]
BTW you crank out multiple squarewave timer oscillators from hex inverter also
[youtube]vBsSASge7ls[/youtube]

ARP Solus CD4011 Ring Modulator

MS20 CD4011 Ring Modulator

Redrawn MS RM

http://www.experimentalistsanonymous.com...%20VCF.pdf

http://pdf.datasheetcatalog.com/datashee...563_DS.pdf