Vicmod continues its excellent series of interviews with synth gear designers with a talk with Harvestman’s Scott Yaeger. 

In the interview, Yaeger discusses the ideas behind his line of synth modules:

Those sounds are what I first heard when being introduced to electronically generated sounds at a young age. Atari 5200 and a Casio SK-1 with one of the batteries put in backwards… combined with my brother’s Synsonics drums this formed a great timbral influence. It was certainly more influential than the sounds that the polysynth mob were making those days.

I think a lot about power electronics and death industrial when considering system-level modular configurations, and to some degree individual module designs. It pleases me to hear them used in that context more than a lot of other things. I’m coming up on a decade as an enthusiastic listener and occasional composer and performer in related styles, and this appeal does find its way into my collection of instrument design ideas.

I don’t put much effort into anything unless there’s a good amount of defiance involved, so I guess there’s a parallel between noise actions and the design of my modules. That’s not saying much, though. In these days of ideological cowardice, self-confidence is itself a socially transgressive act.

Check out the full interview here.

Krisp1 Modular Construction (Paul Darlow) is the official builder of the Oakley Modular Synthesizer synth modules, designed by Tony Allgood:

Each module is built to a very high specifications and with high quality parts, Modules are tested to a very high standard before shipping and comes with a 1 year guarantee.

All the sockets are Switchcraft 112 1/4″ sockets. The pots used are for the most part Spectrol 248 potentiometers some of the small boards will use Alpha 16mm pots, 

Modules are built to the RoHS standard

Assembled Oakley Synth Module Pricing:

• ADSR/VCA module ……………………125 GBP
• Control-3 module ………………………..135 GBP
• Comparator module ……………………..130 GBP
• Dizzy completed PCB ……………………32 GBP
• EFG standard 1U module ………………120 GBP
• Equinoxe module ………………………….127 GBP
• Journeyman Filter 1u………………………145 GBP
• Lag 2u Triple module …………………….135 GBP
• LFO Triple 2U module ………………….135 GBP
• MultiMix ‘Stooge’ module………………..87 GBP
• Noise/Dual Filter module ………………..145 GBP
• OMS-410 companion module 1U ……120 GBP
• Overdrive module……………………………85 GBP
• S/H module ………………………………….130 GBP
• Superladder 1U module …………………146 GBP
• SVF 1U module …………………………..130 GBP
• VCA module ……………………………….145 GBP
• VC-ADSR/VCA 2U module ………….190 GBP
• VCO module ……………………………….180 GBP
• VC-LFO module ………………………….125 GBP
• FRAC LAG …………………………………50 GBP
• FRAC OVERDRIVE …………………….75 GBP

The prices below are for stock modules from the online store; all prices are in “GBP” Great British Pounds.

Modular synthesist Bakis Sirros sends word via the forum of new demo clips for the Analogue Systems RS370 Polyphonic Harmonic Generator, a 6-voice polyphonic harmonic generator and wavetable synthesizer.

You can preview some of the sound clips below. More demo clips are available at the Big City Music site.

RS370 Features:

• 6-voice polyphonic harmonic generator and wavetable synthesizer (currently with 16 wave banks)
• 4 generator per note additive synthesis engine.
• Fully functional multi-channel MIDI to CV converter with 4 programmable controller outputs and assignable gate function for programming S-trigger and standard triggers, mixed triggers and MIDI clock.
• A useful arpeggiator and the ability to travel through the custom user-stored harmonics and factory-stored waveforms via voltage control.
• 2 independent LFOs that can be free-running or synced to MIDI with multiple step divisions.
• Six 10-stage envelope generators (with full voltage control of each parameter) which are available as outputs to control external filters.
• User can view harmonic changes during additive programming and during morphing of wavebanks.
• Array of outputs and inputs for complex patching within the module itself as well as other voltage sources within a modular system.

The Harvestman has introduced some of the most interesting and innovative new synth modules in recent memory, including the TymeSefari loop sampler/delay and the Malgorithm voltage-controlled bit-crusher.

Here are a few highlights:

BE: What got you interested in making modules?

Harvestman: I wanted a nice bitcrusher module for my modular system but there wasn’t one in active development when I first started playing with patchcords. Around this time I fortunately forgot most of what I knew about software development, starting over with a focus on embedded DSP. I’ve been writing exclusively in assembly for the last two years and my brain is ruined in the best way possible.

BE: What do you think separates you from the other boutique module manufacturers?

Harvestman: A focus on digital techniques and a healthy dose of iconoclasm? I think all of the designers have something resembling a common goal in that we work to bring new capabilities to a decades-old performance interface. And what awesome work it is. My modular setup that I use for composition and performance contains devices from a half-dozen designers and all those different design laws combine to form a really flexible instrument. There’s no better time to be a modular synthesist, I think.

BE: What void are you filling in with your products?

Harvestman: If there was ever a need for modular devices purpose-built for garbage audio manipulation, I guess I’ve got my slurry nozzle wedged in the void. I’m a discrete-time sleaze vendor

BE: What gave you the idea to turn digital strangeness into CV controllable Frankenstein monsters?

Harvestman: Two things: when I started incorporating gate inputs on some of my bent SK-1s, and also watching an engineer friend work on a project that turned a 2A03 chip into a MIDI sound module. While observing him I learned a bit about microprocessor programming, and how inexpensive ADCs can be used to give digital processors smooth, analog-like control behavior with the correct user interface. Once I acquired some engineering skills I was able to start designing modules that filled large functional holes in my personal system (bitcrusher, loop sampler, etc). Since going into business in fall 2007, my engineering chops have improved but my taste has not.

Read the full interview at VAC’s site.