The Modulator
There are Buchlas, Moogs and Serges, but there is nothing like rolling your own...
Here are my pictures and notes from building an analogue modular synthesizer.
***Update - May 10th 2010 - Sound samples on it's way, check back later to listen to analog havoc.***
Why?
A while ago I planned to buy a Yamaha CS-30 since I wanted to have some kind of simple analogue sequencer device but I couldn't fine one in good condition. Then I moved on looking at the Roland System 100m but figured the price tag for a decent system with sequencer and all would be a bit too high.
Searching the net for analogue sequencers I found the Music From Outer Space 16-step analog sequencer. Quite simple construction and versatile. But an analogue sequencer needs to drive some analog VCOs, and VCOs need VCFs, and VCFs need CV sources, ...
I decided to go for a small basic setup:
- 2 x VCOs
- 2 x VCFs
- 2 x ADSR
- 1 x Dual AR
- 1 x LFO
- 2 x Dual VCAs
- 1 x Ring modulator
- 1 x 16 step analogue sequencer
- 1 x 10 step analogue sequencer
- 1 x Voltage quantizer
- 1 x Phaser
- 1 x Noise generator
- 1 x S/H
- 1 x Stereo VC panner
- 1 x 4-ch Audio mixer
- Some splitters / multiples
MFOS supplies quite nice and high quality PCBs for these designs.
Some of the MFOS boards being tested
Next: Formats and Front Panels