Here is a brief run down of how a CV Quantizer can change your sound with analog synthesis.

Presented is a simple patch with no quantizing, and then quantizing is added with a run through of the scales presented in Bank 16 of the Wiard Miniwave, used as a quantizer.

via djthomaswhite:

This video from Zonkout demonstrates a self-generating modular synthesizer (Blacet+Modcan) patch with camera-less video feedback, performed live.

via Matrix

WC2700 Window Comparator

A voltage controlled window comparator with complete control of output setpoint and width.

Use with envelope or LFO type signals to generate delayed gates and triggers. Or use with audio waveforms for many interesting permutations.

Normal, inverted and trigger outputs with green and blue LEDs.

Input normalled to built-in ramp generator for stand alone delayed gate/trigger timing.

Precision, ultra stable Ramp generator has bonus Rate CV, Gate and separate output for use by itself!

A very unusual and useful module!

Available about November 1.

Price: TBA

SB2780 Splitter

A precision, low offset, one to three splitter for CVs or audio. One source to three destinations. Fully buffered.

“A” Channel has an attenuator, “B” Channel has a phase changing attenuator, “C” Channel is “straight through” but buffered.

A very handy utility module!

Available about November 1.

Price: TBA

SB2790 Mixer

A precision, low offset, three to one mixer for CVs or audio. Three sources to one destination. Fully buffered.

“A” Channel has an attenuator, “B” Channel has a phase changing attenuator, “C” Channel is “straight through” but buffered and has a trimpot for setting 50% to 100% level.

A very handy utility module!

Available about November 1.

Price: TBA

MD2600 Scanner

Under manual or voltage control, this module selects from one of three inputs and sends it to the output.

Use for audio or CV selection. Full +/-15V range.

On board trimmers allow selectable amount of overlap between inputs and size of voltage steps for scanning.

MD2650 Sequential Switch

Bidirectional signal routing with full +/-15V range.
3 in — 1 Out
1 In — 3 Out

Use for audio or CV sequencing.

Built in or external clock.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The Miniwave is being driven from the sawtooth output of a Serge PCO scaled and offset through an audio mixer and scaling buffer. The wave select on the Miniwave is modulated by a Universal Slope Generator with gain and offset from a CV mixer. The output of the Miniwave is patched directly into the dual channel stereo mixer module for final level adjustment and then it’s off to a small Roland MA-8 monitor.

Blacet recently announced the contest, to help deal with his “extreme excess of Multi panels”. Budding synth module designers were challenged to make a useful synth module that used 5 jack holes, and one pot hole.

The Winners:

There were about 50 entries. According to Blacet, “There were 17 ideas that were of the “scanner/switch” type module, so that really begs for a new product. Two other modules, phase shifted waveforms and sample/holds also were popular. In the end, I had to pick some intriguing modules that made me wonder what they would do or even if they were possible.”

• The Grand Prize ($100 Blacet Gift Certificate) goes to KH’s “Phase Spread Module”.
• The Runner Up ($50 Blacet Gift Certificate) goes to D’s “SHHH, Sample and Hold and Hold and Hold Module”
• Honorable Mentions ($25 Blacet Gift Certificate) goes to:
• PL’s “Haaspertame Module”, MMG’s “Xpander Module”, PW’s “Clocked Random Pulse Generator Module”,
• M’s “Three Input Scanner Module”, and CC’s “Headphone Amp Module”.

Details are available at the Blacet site.

John Blacet sends an update on his extreme excess synth module design contest.

Blacet recently announced a contest to solve an interesting design problem: create a synth module with a predetermined panel layout:

“We have an extreme excess of Multi panels (do to a series of unfortunate events!).

Rather than toss them, perhaps someone out there can figure out a module that would use *only* the existing holes (we can strip and rescreen the printing).

There are 5 jack holes and one pot hole.

You don’t have to draw up any schematics; just figure out the general purpose and label the panel.

I don’t know what the prize will be yet but it will be something good, depending on the “brilliance” of the concept.

Give synth fans a difficult problem, offer them something vague in return, and what do you get?

In this case, dozens of module designs.

In fact, it looks like Blacet may need to have a few more unfortunate events in order to have enough excess panels to produce just a few of the designs.

The suggested designs include:

• A clock module
• A gate delay type of thingy (that’s modular synth talk)
• The dragon whisp
• Materioptikon (Phase anti-cancel)
• Haaspertame (Haas effect stereo sweetener)
• Source of only a little certainty, or “Wogglito”
• MultiTap Splitter
• Simple VCO
• VC Quadrature Generator
• A clocked random pulse generator
• Micro Frequency Divider
• Chord generator
• and just about anything else under the sun.

The proposed designs are available for review at the Blacet site.

John Blacet explains:

“We have an extreme excess of Multi panels (do to a series of unfortunate events!). Rather than toss them, perhaps someone out there can figure out a module that would use *only* the existing holes (we can strip and rescreen the printing).

There are 5 jack holes and one pot hole (shown at right). You don’t have to draw up any schematics; just figure out the general purpose and label the panel.

I don’t know what the prize will be yet but it will be something good, depending on the “brilliance” of the concept. I reserve the right to forget the whole thing if no one comes forth with anything useable!”

Send entries to blacet at blacet.com with “Blacet Contest” in the subject line. You can send a .jpg and/or a written description.

Blacet

The BG is a 20 element LED bar graph display module. It’s designed to take some of the mystery out of what is going on with control voltages and audio levels in your modular setup.

The BG 2520 covers -10V to +10V from DC to audio. A “multiple” of three jacks allows signals to be monitored at the same time that they are being used elswhere in the system.

Blacet expects to release the BG by 1-30-06, but you can save $10 on either kit or assembled versions by preordering (before 12-31-05).

Blacet makes compact voltage-controlled synthesizer modules in both kit and assembled form.

More information is available at the Blacet site.

Blacet

Features:

• Analog White Noise
• Digital Noise with VC Level and Width (Window Comparator)
• VC BP or LP Filter
• Noise Mixer with Output
• VC Sample Hold Clock
• External S/H Clock Input
• Built in Quantizer
• Separate White, Digital, S/H, and Quantized Outputs

The module is available assembled for $189, or as a kit for $142. Shipping is expected to start by September 1st, 2005.

Blacet Research thinks so, and has introduced one with features that modular synth fans can get excited about. The Blacet LFO2430K Voltage-Controlled Micro LFO is a compact module that cupplies a powerful variety of waveforms.

The normalization of an internal waveform to the “Rate CV” jack allows the “CV Attn/Wave Mod” pot to be used to modify the output waveforms from triangle to ramps and square to pulse. Plugging one of the outputs into the “Rate CV” jack provides a bunch of waves with non linear slopes! The Micro LFO also features regular and inverted triangle waves, which can be used together (with Blacet VCA modules) to create effects like voltage-controlled panning.

Blacet recommends combining the Micro LFO with a MX2040 Mixer Processor for an even more versatile modulation setup.

Specifications:

• Range: 80 S to 350 Hz (with DIP switch on PCA to select alternate Range of 15 M to 35 Hz)
• LED: Output Indicator
• Waveforms: Triangle, Square, Sine: +/-5V swing. 0-10V Triangle and 10-0V Inverted Triangle
• Gate: Normalled to free run until a plug is inserted. Gate also resets all waveforms (+/-5V waveforms to 0, 0-10V waves to +5V)
• Rate CV and CV Attenuator: The CV jack is normalled to an internal waveform so that the Attn pot will allow variable slewing of the normal output waves to ramps, variable pulse, etc).

Additional information available through the Blacet site.

Blacet is the home of the Klangwerk balanced modulator, Time Machine BBD analog delay, and the Mini Wave wavetable module. Blacet’s modules are designed to use the small FracRak system, but they are electrically compatible with many other systems. Many MOTM users convert some of Blacet’s unique modules to MOTM format.