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+--- Thread: CATSTICK (/showthread.php?tid=26219)
CATSTICK - SynthWizard - 08-14-2021
CATSTICK
<div><span>CATSTICK</span>
<div class="field field--name-field-specifications field--type-double-field-extended field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Specifications</div>
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<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Polyphony" data-content="The number of voices (notes) a device can produce simultaneously. Typically, a monophonic device can only play one note at a time. A Duophonic device can play two notes at a time. A polyphonic device can play two or more notes at a time." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Polyphony - </span>
<span class="specification-value">4 Voices</span>
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<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Multitimbral" data-content="A synthesizing instrument that can play two or more timbres (also called sounds or patches) at the same time. A typical multitimbral tone generator can play, for example, the brass, piano, and violin parts all at once." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Multitimbral - </span>
<span class="specification-value">4 Parts</span>
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<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="LFO" data-content="Low Frequency Oscillator. An oscillator especially devoted to applications below the audible frequency range, and typically used as a control source for modulating a sound to create vibrato, tremolo, trills, and so on." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">LFO - </span>
<span class="specification-value">2 LFO with Saw Down, Square, Triangle</span>
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<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="VCA" data-content="Voltage controlled amplifier. A device that responds to a change in voltage at its control input by altering the gain of a signal being passed through it." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">VCA - </span>
<span class="specification-value">4 Internal VCA's</span>
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<div class="field--item"><div class="double-field-extended form-group"><span class="specification-term" title="Control" data-content="Types of external control input and output that allow interfacing with other instruments, synchronizers and computers. Modern synthesizers use MIDI and USB. Analog synthesizers may use CV and Gate signals." data-placement="top" data-trigger="hover" data-toggle="popover">Control - </span>
<span class="specification-value">CV, CV Out</span>
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<span><a title="View user profile." href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/user/406" lang="" about="http://www.vintagesynth.com/user/406" typeof="schema
erson" property="schema:name" datatype="" xml:lang="">Naomi Bolton</a></span><span>Fri, 07/30/2021 - 08:35</span>
<div class="field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field--item"><p>The CATSTICK is a unique bit of gear from Octave Plateau that was first released in 1981. Although it was designed to be used in conjunction with their own synthesizer, called the Cat, CATSTICK also functions with any other analog synthesizer or device that makes use of control voltages.</p>
<p>According to Octave Plateau, the CATSTICK was designed to address the issue of having more modulation needs than what your hands or feet could handle. Modulation is a vital aspect of synthesizer performances, but relying on sliders, knobs, ribbons, wheels, and pedals to vary the modulation expression can become cumbersome. The idea behind CATSTICK was that you could control four different modulation depths with one hand.</p>
<p>CATSTICK features a "return-to-zero" spring-loaded joystick as well as two internal LFO's and four internal VCA's along with internal voltage processors. This combination allows users to get a different modulation type for moving the joystick forward, backward, left, and right. In addition, since each has separate VCA and Control Voltage sections, it also allows each direction to have its own particular modulation setting.</p>
<p>CATSTICK also has a versatile patching system with independent control voltages, mixed control voltages, and independent VCA operations. It features a total of 16 jacks for total versatility. These allow it to be used with any patchable synthesizer, such as a Minimoog or Oberheim. In their advertising for CATSTICK, Octave Plateau gives the example of getting vibrato by pulling the joystick towards you, pitch bend when moving it to the right, filter growl in the left position, and then a fast snap back to zero modulation upon release. Owners of modular-based synthesizers can also use the CATSTICK in series with patchcords to turn on a modulation only if the stick is shifted off-axis. The CATSTICK control voltages are also still available then to control other synthesizer parameters. In addition, the versatility of the CATSTICK meant that it could be used with audio systems too. For example, users could set up a stereo or quad panning system to pan the output from the synth to different channels in the sound system by utilizing the independent VCA's.</p>
<p>The CATSTICK was obviously quite a niche item for its time and has since become a very rare oddity. These units were built to last, though, as they are made from metal, but getting your hands on one of these collector's items is not easy or cheap.</p>
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<div class="field field--name-field-make-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Make</div>
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/915" hreflang="en">Octave Plateau</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-year field--type-integer field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Year</div>
<div class="field--item">1981</div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-musical-genre-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Musical genre</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/775" hreflang="en">Electronic music</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-synth-type-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Synth type</div>
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<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/778" hreflang="en">Analog</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-interface-features-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Interface features</div>
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<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/783" hreflang="en">Vintage</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-format-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Format</div>
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<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/788" hreflang="en">Desktop / Tabletop</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-sound-types-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Sound types</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/794" hreflang="en">Synth effects</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-price-range-er field--type-entity-reference field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Price range</div>
<div class="field__items">
<div class="field--item"><a href="http://www.vintagesynth.com/taxonomy/term/797" hreflang="en">Above $1,000</a></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-image-er field--type-image field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Image</div>
<div class="field--item"> <img src="http://www.vintagesynth.com/sites/default/files/2021-07/OctpCatstick.png" width="507" height="322" alt="CATSTICK" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive"></div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-files field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">Files</div>
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<div class="field--item"> <div class="file-item">
<a href="https://usermanual.wiki/Pdf/Catstick.1087130345" class="file-title">CATSTICK Preliminary Specifications</a><span class="file-description">CATSTICK Preliminary Specifications</span>
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<div class="field field--name-field-youtube field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-above">
<div class="field--label">YouTube</div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-link field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field--item"><img src="http://www.vintagesynth.com/sites/default/files/youtube/WpuZ3yv_hRo.jpg" alt="Embedded thumbnail for CATSTICK > YouTube (previous revision)" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive"></div>
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<div class="field-title">
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">Octave-Plateau CATStick modulating Roland Jupiter 4's Filter</div>
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<div class="field-author">by
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">zibbybone</div>
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<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-link field--type-youtube field--label-hidden field--item"><img src="http://www.vintagesynth.com/sites/default/files/youtube/YCHtoxbwijU.jpg" alt="Embedded thumbnail for CATSTICK > YouTube" typeof="foaf:Image" class="img-responsive"></div>
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<div class="field-title">
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-title field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">Cat and Catstick</div>
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<div class="field-author">by
<div class="field field--name-field-youtube-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field--item">GForce Software</div>
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<div class="field--label">User Rating</div>
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<div class="field--label">Texture</div>
<div class="field--item">Polyphonic instruments</div>
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<div class="field--label">Disqus comment</div>
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