Jaicen

Hey man, that all looks good to me, should save me a little effort doing it myself! Put me down for one of them if you ever go into production. Have you had any chance to test for noise or whatever in the circuit? Also how many bankstick chips are supported by the layout itself?

Hey TK, I didn't want to resurrect the old thread so I've started this new one. I was just wondering if you have any more details about the 303 control extension. Is it going to be included in the V2 release??

However, perhaps instead of having to click twice to select "accent" for a step, and have to edit in a menu what velocity that would be, a more hands-on approach would be nicer - where you'd have a knob that would select what velocity you would be setting the current steps to. You could easily make rolls that way, brushing your fingers over the buttons while turning the knob up - but that's just one idea I'm fairly sure I suggested the same thing in another thread, but I thought everyone else deemed it a bad idea ;) I think the easiest way to implement this is to just have the knob select velocity for each note event, rather than having a specific 'accent' control. Most modern drum machines (even the 505!) can respond to velocity, even if they don't send it. I really like your idea of shuffle 'tables' as well. The way I see it working would be to have a number of presets which you can the assign to each 16-bar pattern, I think that would be the easiest implementation. Another way to do it would be to have the shuffle work as a positive going LFO with variable waveshape depth and speed, that way you could have a continuosly variable shuffle which might be nice. Finally, i'd be looking to keep the user interface fairly stripped down. 16 step buttons is plenty, perhaps with variations (ABCD). I'd have just the 16 buttons for note on (trig) then a pot for each step to set the velocity value (which would default at around 70). It would be nice if the LED got brighter to indicate velocity level, but that could be complex. The only other controls i'd like would be transport controls and pattern selectors (ABCD 1-8 for 32 different patterns per song). Everything else I'd control via an LCD, such as writing songs (chaining patterns)

Gotta say man, this is some good work. It's exactly the sort of thing that interests me as well. I just want to makes sure i'm understanding what you're proposing here, if this is correct: By raising the value of the filter capacitors, the filter will sweep down below 20Hz. This means that at the lowest settings, the filter will effectively mute the output? At the highest frequencies, the filter is effectively acting as an allpass filter, so some of that higher range is not really needed either. Therefore you propose to sweep over a lower range (say 10-90% for clarity), so that you get better resolution in the lower frequency ranges?

Is it possible to use a multi-tap transformer? For example a 6 - 0 - 6. That way you can have +12v for the sid and 6v to feed to the regulator. I'd then use a seperate transformer for the filter module. It probably makes a lot of sense to isolate the analogue from the digital power lines anyway.

The thing about encoders is that when changing patches, their position might change, so you won't be able to tell by looking at them what their value is. If you're going for simple, then definitely use encoders. If you're used to other programmable synths, it'll be pretty much the same. The point of this thread was to design something different to the usual patch based MBSID, something more akin to a real analogue synth where the pots are used for all the programming, thus dispensing with patch memories and lcd controls. Essentially this means that anything you want to control on the synth needs a dedicated CV control, whereas with the standard implementation, you can program everything using one encoder and the LCD.

Looks like you've made some excellent progress! If you need anyone to make up some PCB layouts or whatever then give me a shout.

Good stuff Doc! I've got a PC2 clone myself actually (an AMDEK PCK-100) which I usually trigger from the accent out on my DR-110. Can't say I use it all that much myself, but it's a nice circuit to have if you're building a set of analogue drums for sure. Is that noise generator mod intended to be added to the PC-2?? Looks like it is from the schematics, I wonder what that sounds like. I imagine you could get some nice snare sounds if you filtered the noise as well.

Thanks for that TK, i'd seen that before so perhaps that was subconsciously influencing me! I think this may be a project for a bit further down the line, i'm not sure I have the technical ability to pull it off just yet.

This thread is basically just to see if anyone is interested in something that i've been thinking about for a while. I've unexpectedly got myself a 6581 SID, and I was thinking of things to do with it, and I was inspired by two things the 'clones' thread somewhere hereabouts, and a lovely little SIEL MONO I just fixed for a friend. I really appreciate the simplicity of its approach, and I was thinking of making something similar, based on the SID. I've been thinking of integrating a single 6581 MBSID and Core module into a 3 octave keyboard, with external controls for things such as envelope etc. I'm not sure how many analogue inputs the MBSID core will support, but i'd like to have controls for everything, ie: Envelopes ASR for VCA ASR for VCF/Pulsewidth Filter HP/BP/LP Switches (can use 1 or more simultaneously) Cutoff Resonance LFO 2 x LFO's with variable waveforms Rate Depth Patchable to VCA, VCF, pulsewidth, and Pitch/VCO Waveforms 3 x Pushbuttons to select waveforms for each oscillator (ie, sine, pulse, triangle and Noise). Level controls for each voice. I also thought it would be a good idea to have patch cables, to route the control voltages. For example, to patch LFO 1 to the filter, or to the LFO for Psuedo sample hold etc. In this way, it's possible to build up a semi-modular synth, a little like the MS-20. Obviously, the amount of controls available will depend on the amount of CV that the core supports (I count 17 seperate analogue parameters). I know that all this is possible with the existing design and control surface, but it's not the same as having a nice little Mono synth like the SH-101 in front of you just begging to be tweaked! Obviously i'm going to have a full MBSID + Control surface too, I just want something that doesn't need me to read an LCD or whatever. Ideally, this design wouldn't even need an LCD. Wherever the knobs/sliders are set, that's what they'll sound like. Ermm, ok that's turned into a bit of a waffle but you get the general idea of what i'm poking at. Is this a realistic project for me to get myself involved in? I have a lot of time on my hands, so designing PCB's and stuff is not a problem, some of the code might be though!

Seriously nobody has any breadbox cases they don't want?! I'm quite surprised by this, though I guess you all buy C64C's for the 8580's!

Hey guys, I need some advice today. I got myself an old (very old, 1983, same age as me!) C64 a while back to steal it's SID, but I decided to use it with the Prophet64 cart instead. However, having had it running today now I've been home to get my datasette etc, It appears there's a few things wrong with it, (ie, datasette won't work with it, some RAM is not recognised). So, I did get it to play the loading screen on my rick dangerous cart (best game EVER) with the accompanying tune so I could compare it to my newer 1990 8580 C64. As it turns out, the bass is much fatter and more grimy on the old 6581. It's probably more distorted, but it just sounds more exciting. THis put me in a bit of a quandry since I can't use this unit with the Prophet64 cart. I'd originally planned to make a 6581+8580 dual MBSid, but then changed to a dual 8580. My reasoning is that with two 8580's I can get 6-note polyphony. Other than that, I don't think the 2x8580 has any advantage. (If Slorrin's reading this, i'll still get both 8580's either way, one can go in my SID2SID/prophet64 unit.) Can anyone help me out with some ideas and samples as to which direction I should go? Maybe I should build a 2x8580 AND a 6581, but I suspect that's overkill?! Oh, I should mention i'm a big fan of old monosynths like the SH09, SH-101 etc, does that have any bearing on my choice of SID??

Thanks TK, that was pretty much the plan. I use JSynth to program my DX27, but it doesn't really sound all that good. My idea is that all the programming will be done via PC, then saved to patches. Then when I want to play live, I can just use the LCD to change patches whilst still having realtime control over the filter Attack, decay, Env and cutoff. I think that's pretty much all I would need.

I was just listening to TK's samples of his FM synth + CEM filters which I really like. I was wondering if anybod'y actually built a standalone synth with integrated filter. I'd like to build one with just an LCD display and patch select knobs, and some controls for the filter. Does the firmware allow these dedicated controls without the LED Matrix etc..?

Ok, this is all sounding great! Do you have a time-frame on the development of the MBSID V2 yet TK?? Should we all go ahead and build the V1's now or wait???

On the subject of knobs, does anybody have a source for small dome knobs like on the TR-505/626?? Basically what I want is some low profile knobs to match the look. I don't want to just stick some ugly knobs on there, they need to be quite low profile. Alternatively, does anyone have a source for small 6-band slider modules?? Back on topic, RSwww.com and Maplin.co.uk are a decent source for most knobs in the UK. Most of them have the markers though I'm afraid.

I'd like to help out, but I'm not sure how much use i'd be! I really need a TR style sequencer for my upcoming analogue drum clones. Something simple and low cost is the order of the day if you ask me. I'd like to see something in a similar style to the TR-606. A row of 16 step buttons (With LED's to denote accent level. More brightness = more accent). There should be a permanent 'accent' (velocity I guess) as well, with a rotary to select the accent/velocity level. Each step should have a default level which can be varied up or down using the pot. This does away with having to assign an accent to each step, making it more intuitive in my opinion. Perhaps a row of bank and pattern buttons for changing on the fly. I think it would also be nice to have a rotary encoder for changing tracks on the fly, ie go from editing the kick patterns to the snare. I guess a shuffle knob wouldn't go amiss either, but I think that's all that i'd be looking for from a drum sequencer. Oh, and a Mute button for killing instruments on the fly would be cool. I'd need to be able to sequence around 8 tracks at once, but I guess that's not really important. If there's anything I can do (that doesn't involve programming!) let me know!

I have to say I prefer synth weighting, simply because i'm not really a pianist. I find that the weighting slows me down, so I like really short travel keys with a light touch. Hammond's are the schitz for me personally, though my DX27 has a really really light touch which is nice. Just a bit too much travel.

Personally, i'm a KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid!) kind of guy. I really like the old roland sequencers like the MC-202 and TR-606. I think the sequencer on the 505 is pretty damn good as well, especially with the nice LCD Display. I haven't used a 707 but I imagine that's even better! My ideal controller would have a 16-step, 8-track (min) drum sequencer and a 16-step TB/MC style mono bassline sequencer. this would also need to include a few pots/sliders for controlling the mono-synth. I don't think it even needs LCD's, just an encoder to select the drum tracks (with LED Display) and LEDs for each step/button. Ermm, getting back on track, I use a yamaha DX27 as my primary controller because it's the cheapest full size MIDI keyboard I could get!! I don't use the onboard sounds much, but they're nice to have. Only thing it misses is velocity sensing, though it responds to velocity over MIDI. I use a bent 505 for programming drums too, again, because it's the cheapest thing in the world!

Slorrin, I PM'd you, but i've not heard back nor have I received an email. Can you get in touch with me at jaicen_solo AT hotmail.com, I'm still wanting two 8580's, I don't want to miss out!

Actually, I think that's a good idea. If you have 8580's for example, you could alternate rapid key presses between the two chips, thus allowing twice as long to clear the registers. Sounds good to me, but i'm sure there's a reason it hasn't already been done!

I was just wondering if anybody had a couple of old breadboard cases that they don't want. I bought a C64 & Vic20 to use as donors for my project, but they're not in a good enough condition to use. I don't care about discolouration as they're going to be painted, but the ones I have are broken and have scratches and marks from a soldering iron. Not good! So does anybody have what i'm looking for?

So is it possible to get an arpeggiated sequence that sounds like a Juno?? That's the yardstick against which I compare all others. From the sound samples, it seems that the MBSID runs way too fast for that. Nice bit of reneissance there Razmo ;)

I hope that wasn't a hint Stryd ;) Be patient. I spoke to Hallucinogen a while ago, he took a few weeks to get back to me I think. I think the PSU link was working, i'm sure I've seen it. It's really not a big deal. If you can build the modules, the PSU should be no sweat!

MBSEQ V3 is exciting? What about the SpeakJet synth?? How exciting is that! GIVE ME MORE DETAILS!!!!!! ;D