Palette for extra modulation/logic

Been tinkering with this for a little bit. No, it's not a full synth; this is intended as an "expander" for my Digisound/B.2600/AE setup (with the AE being accessed by this via a Soundmachines Nanobridge) plus an interface for pedals and a translator for the MS-20 minis.

I opted for a Palette 104 here, as this allows for the utility row and tile row, which makes this work much better than if I'd done it as a tile-less cab build. The tile row offers two pairs of attenuverters which also function as utility mixers, four extra VCAs, Intellijel's MultiFX, and two of their Pedal I/Os which connect to pedals via the 1/4" jacks on the Palette's utility strip.

The module row has a KonstantLabs PWRchekr, 4ms QPLFO, Maths, and a Quadrax/Qx for modulation sources, with the MISO added for modulation transforms. Then the logic section has a Dovemans dual window comparator to pick gates off of modulation signals, an EMW Logic/Divider, a Bastl Kompas for probabilistic gate generation, a Ladik Derivator to pick gates off of CV direction changes, and a Mystic ANA for CV arithmetics. Last module is a G-Storm KVP for translating normal CVs and gates to the Korg MS-20 format (Hz/V CVs and inverse trigger/gates).

Not bad, I think...this hits all of the necessary bases to be a proper modulation expander, plus it offers logic and some stochastic functions for "complicating up" clock and/or gate/trigger behavior, and the FX interfacing. Should be a great fit...

Hi Lugia,

Wow you got there a very nice "modulation, manipulation and logic" extension rack there, interesting idea!

I am kind of interested in that 4ms - QPLFO but I think I am missing a function but perhaps you can help me out? I am looking for an LFO that has a clock input but where the speed can still be regulated in somehow a synced way in correlation with the clock input. Any idea if this exists and if yes, could you please name a few modules that can do that?

I love LFOs but sometimes I wish they can be some how "linked into the rhythm" of the main voice or of the main rhythm.

There are EGs that might go a bit into that direction but I love the more complex LFOs and keep them in sync with the main clock (if it can be divided or multiplied of that clock would be excellent, but no I don't mean a clock multiplier or divider) however I do not mean the "usual" sync or reset input, I want it on a more "global" level to have it be in sync with the clock? Am I asking something impossible?

Stop, stop, stop! ;-) Did you mention there B.2600 as in Behringer - 2600 (that 'Arpy' thing)? Do you have that one already? How is it? Is it as good as most of us were hoping for, or at least not disappointing? I was thinking of waiting for the Blue Marvin version.

Thanks a lot for this brilliant rack! Kind regards, Garfield.

I am kind of interested in that 4ms - QPLFO but I think I am missing a function but perhaps you can help me out? I am looking for an LFO that has a clock input but where the speed can still be regulated in somehow a synced way in correlation with the clock input. Any idea if this exists and if yes, could you please name a few modules that can do that?

Actually, the QPLFO can do that. Since it can either be set "normally" or it can respond to "pings" (triggers, basically), you could mult up a clock output then send that to the QPLFO to "ping" the LFOs in sync. This gets even better if you've got a Pam's or Temps Utile, where you can have several synced clock outputs.

Stop, stop, stop! ;-) Did you mention there B.2600 as in Behringer - 2600 (that 'Arpy' thing)? Do you have that one already? How is it? Is it as good as most of us were hoping for, or at least not disappointing? I was thinking of waiting for the Blue Marvin version.

I'm following the lead of a number of people with experience on the originals, who've examined the B.2600 and have said that, yes, it DOES do what it should. That being said, there's apparently some incremental differences between the "orange" one and the Meanies. I'm waiting for a grey, myself...already got that prepaid over at Sweetwater, just waiting for Uli to get off his sorry ass and send some to the USA (Thomann apparently has them already). He's probably busy harassing people on some synth forum, though...damn shame about those narcissistic priorities of his...

But if there's something amiss with the B.2600s, I'll know it PDQ. After all, I've been poking at the ARP 2600 since I started learning synthesis back around 1980, and that includes revs 2, 3, and 4. No Blue Meanies, although I'm still a little surprised I never ran across one in Nashville years ago. After all, my old hometown had me encountering things like ARP Chromas (yeah...I got to play with a pre-CBS one back c. 1980!) and other near-prototypes of all sorts.

Hi Lugia,

Oh that's fantastic news about the QPLFO, that's what I need and what I want then! :-) I am going to put that on my must-have list! I don't have a Pam but I will use the Make Noise - Tempi together with the Shakmat - Time Wizard and then that should be fine too.

Thank you very much for the background information on the Behringer 2600. So we are still waiting for it then ;-) The orange version is here at Thomann Germany available, for the Grey Meanie and the Blue Marvin, Thomann indicates that the availability is unknown... so more waiting I am afraid.

Well once you got one, I hope you will share with us your first impressions about it :-) Thank you and kind regards, Garfield.

damn shame about those narcissistic priorities of his...

-- Lugia

Got a good chuckle out of this one

Hi Lugia,

It looks like the 4ms - QPLFO has been sold out :-( Are there any similar LFOs that you might know of? Not EGs by the way, I am especially interested in LFOs that can do that.

Thank you very much in advance and kind regards, Garfield.

Hi Garfield. Maybe check out the Erica Octasource? That is the LFO module that has interested me.

Hmmm...that's a shame, as it was sort of unique in that you had four independent LFOs, each under their own "tap tempo" via the "ping". However, the Mutable Tides shares some of this, and Ginko has their TTLFO which pretty much replicates a single section of the QPLFO. But losing a four-in-one like that...not good.

I think QPLFO is DIY only now - Exploding Shed just got them in - so still available - you just have to build it or find someone to build it for you!

Hi Farkas, Lugia and JimHowell1970,

Farkas: I got the Octasource, it's indeed a great module so I can strongly recommend it however it doesn't have this functionality what I need that seems to be called at 4 ms as Pingable LFO. What I expect from this kind of pingable LFO is that if you use the "pingable" clock input (for example from a clock divider or multiplier) that the LFO "follows" in the rhythm of let's say the main voice.

Lugia: Yes indeed a big pity because I was just so extremely happy to know it exists what I want, till I discovered it's sold out as a ready-made module. I will have a look into Mutable's Tides to see if that one can help me out, thank you.

JimHowell1970: Pity that 4 ms decided to release it now only as a DIY module :-( Due to the serious lack of time, DIY is not the best option for me at the moment, I will keep it in mind though. Thank you!

All: Thank you very much, should you know of any other LFO that's kind of pingable or as described as above then please do let me know. Kind regards, Garfield.

@GarfieldModular -- does Pamela's New Workout do what you want?

Hi The-Erc,

Good question... it has a syncable LFO, question is if that's a hard sync (which I don't want) or one that follows one of those clock signals. Difficult to answer that question without owning the module, I think.

Now I have already the Time Wizard from Shakmat Modular, so it might not make too much sense to get the Pamela. If it's possible, I rather prefer to look for an LFO on its own that has this functionality.

Interesting thought though, I will keep this in mind. Thank you very much and kind regards, Garfield.

I'm pretty sure that it is a clocked LFO, not hard synced. The internal topology is something like :

Master clock -> clock divider/multiplier -> ... [stuff?] ... -> Wave form generator -> Quantiser -> Out

so you will always get a complete cycle of your waveform. Unless it's being skipped or randomly phase shifted. (See "stuff" box, above.)