Wogglebug

The WoggleBug is a random voltage generator, originally designed by Grant Richter of Wiard Synthesizers.

It retails for $270.

If you’ve used the Make Noise Wogglebug, leave a comment with your thoughts.

Description:

The Wogglebug’s sole purpose is to overtake the control voltages produceded by your keyboard during performance, and to give voice to your synthesizer’s ID. It is your synthesizer’s ID MONSTER.

A continuation of the “smooth” and “stepped” fluctuating random voltage sources pioneered by Don Buchla, the core of the circuit is based on the Buchla Model 265 “Source of Uncertainty” module, which many consider to be the most musical of all random voltage generators.

Like the 256, the Wogglebug utilizes a vactrol based low frequency smoothing filter, VCO and Sample & Hold to produce Stepped and Smooth (or lagged, slewed) control voltages in the range of 0 to 10 volts. Grant’s Wogglebug design expands on this system to include the other-worldly Woggle CVs (stepped voltages with decaying sinusoids at the edges), which must be heard in action to be truly appreciated.

In a moment of considerable noise, Richter decided to tap into the sound sources at the uncertainly beating heart of the Wogglebug, and bring them forth to the instrument’s panel. He then figured a clever way to “ring modulate” these sounds, and that output now graces the panel of all Wogglebugs.

Thus, the Wogglebug is a complete system, no external modules are necessary… however, all voltage controlled systems long to be tickled, bitten, plagued and eventually destroyed by the Wogglebug.

Until now, the Wogglebug has only been available as the Wiard Wogglebug #5 for the 300 series or as the Wogglebug #3 DIY project, popularized by the folks at electro-music. The Make Noise Wogglebug is neither #3 nor #5. In the truest spirit of Wiard Synthesizers, the Make Noise Wogglebug is not a clone, but instead it is a tribute to all that Woggles, a continuation of the Wogglebug.

Like the #3, the Make Noise Wogglebug is a single Wogglebug system. However, the Make Noise Wogglebug improves upon the #3 by offering further functionality:

• External IN for the ringmod circuit
• the Ability to directly inject a signal to the heart of the Wogglebug via the Control IN
• the Random Gate Burst function

All of which have never appeared within any Wogglebug. Finally, Make Noise has redesigned the Cluster circuit, and thus it has been renamed as CHAOS BALANCE to reflect it’s further purposes. This control now allows for new functionality that has again, never appeared within any Wogglebug to our knowledge.

The module is 14hp and consumes 50mA current.

A quicky video demonstrating the sonic mangling capacity of the Wiard Wogglebug.

The Wogglebug is an analog electronic instrument designed by Grant Richter, and inspired by Don Buchla. Grant has made the circuit available to the synth DIY community, and versions are showing up in all types of modular formats.