Which modules should I purchase, to build my first MIDIbox SEQ?

[Dolphinicus]

Hey all.  I've decided to join the MIDIbox SEQ community, and order modules to build, from the U.S. supplier.

My desires are mainly to have CV's / Gate Outs, to control my modular synthesizer with.  I DO have a Roland MPU-101 MIDI to CV interface, which could take care of 4 channels of CV / Gate, but that wont be enough, as my modular continues to grow.  So - I've thought of going mainly with CV/Gate Outs, to drive the monster with. :)

My main question is:  which modules should I order (in kit form, to be built by me) from the U.S. supplier?  I'm also preferring to go with the dual 2x40 display, to have as much info displayed as possible, as well as hopefully modifying the code within the core for further functionality. :)

Please let me know any thoughts, as I'd like to order the core-kit today, at the very least. :)

From every thing that I've read on this combination of units so far - I'm blown away by the power potential OF this combination of modules!  Excellent work TK!  I can't wait to get my first one up and running. :)

Dolphinicus

http://www.sdiy.org/damian - my modular's homepage

P.S.  I'll also be mounting everything in my own 19" wooden panel, for it.  ;)  (So I wont be needing to order the rack case for it.)

Thanks for any potential help! :)

[moogah]

Hey!  Glad to see you decided on using midibox for this project! 

This is what you will need from Smash (this is found in the "hardware costs" header of the SEQ design page):

1 Core

3 DIN's

1 DOUT

1-2 Banksticks

17 Encoders

Last I checked his site he did not have any of the DAC modules available, so you will have to etch them yourself of use protoboard.  There are two DAC's to choose from, the AOUT and AOUT_LC.  The AOUT requires samples from microchip and a bit of luck from mouser to get the S&H chips needed.  The AOUT_LC is an R2R version that is much simpler and most likely sufficient.

[Dolphinicus]

After all that I've read about the MIDIbox - the functionality potentials are mindbending!  Especially looking forward to V3 as well! :) :D

Thankyou for making mention on the DACs for the AOUT module!  I'll go with the AOUT_LC and not worry about the possible zippering noise from a replaced DAC for it. :)

Etching myself is not a trouble, as I've been etching since 1991, for my own and other's modular synths. :)

I'll start from your recommendations, and branch out (if required in the future) from there. :)

Thankee greatly for your help! :)

Dolphinicus

http://www.sdiy.org/damian - my modular's homepage

[docbrown]

Good choice of project.. ;) Welcome aboard. ;D.

[stryd_one]

Heya Dolphinicus :)

I'm really glad to see you here, I've had your page on my bookmarks for ages now, keeping an eye out for your SSM2044 schematic. I've got 10 of them sitting here waiting for a good schematic ;)

I was completely lost for words when I read your post about your move. I'm really sorry man. I know I would've shed a tear or 10 for that lot :( I drove my last removalist berserk, because I wouldn't let a single item of my gear out of sight... Still I somehow managed to lose a hardware sequencer and a PC, and a few expensive star wars toys, and some clothes... The next time I moved was a drama and I left behind pretty much everything but the clothes I could carry. I guess these things happen huh... But wow... I wish I could make those IC's come back!! I hope you're not too bummed. Look on the bright side - it's a really good excuse to get new toys ;D

I noticed that you'd spoken of making a digital synth, Have you seen the speakjet synth module that's being worked on? There's also another IC about to be released (actually due 31/8/06) called the soundgin (a PIC18F coded just the way we like it) and a forum member here who has worked on something similar.. Both have extremely capable oscillator and mix/modulation sections which only really lack a nice filter to be a pretty darned good synth. I assume that you're already aware of the Midibox SID too ;) As with the 2044's, there are 3396's available on eBay for a reasonable price, and there's been talk of turning those into a synth too... all these things can run either digitally or via CV.

Good luck with the seq, it's nice to have you on board!

[Dolphinicus]

Hey Stryd. :)

I don't have my 2044 schematic up yet?  Fudge.  I'll have to go and scan it then.  It's from Barry Klein's book and slightly modified by myself for Resonance CV as well as multiple CV inputs. :)  I'll see if I can get that done today, if not - this weekend. :)  (Long weekend. :D )  It's an extremely easy circuit to build.  In my current modular, I slapped a 1k SMT tempco onto 1 of the 2, for the first time, to get it tuned to 1V/Oct.  It works quite well over at least a couple of octaves.  Before I'd built my 2nd discrete VCO, I'd been using the 2044 for a 2nd voice, in sequencer testing. ;)  :D

With your having 10 of them, build them all! :D  When I get my dead Polysix scrapped, I'll be pumping the 6 of the 2044's from it, into D.A.M.I.A.N. :)  (They're also GREAT resonance sources for Bass Drum sounds!  One of my faves, in that regard. :) )

Initially I was extremely bummed, by the loss of all of my Linear chips.  :'(  I quickly realized though, that it were my own fault, for not moving that case of drawers, in the first place and I have only myself to blame.  (sigh)  And - it gives me a good enough reason to go out and purchase all new chips anyways. :D  LOL

You wouldn't let a single piece of gear out of site, but you STILL lost a hardware seq. AND a PC, AND Star Wars toys?  I would have gone BANANAs over THAT!  Especially with the latter 2!  >:( >:(

And the last time, everything except clothes???  :o :o OMG!  Them together'er all far worse losses than what I had!  Major sorrows for your past, man. :'(

Still though - I guess I just weren't meant to have them all. :)  I'm carrying on, as per norm.  As well - you've mentioned the CEM3396 at the end of the message - more on that later. :) :)

Speaking of making a digital synth - scratching my head.  Can't remember what I'd babbled where, but there definately are interests in it - having worked with digital synths over the years (Kawai K5000 and K5, still being 2 of my favourites).

Speakjet synth module??  Noooo ??  And the Soundgin??  Where the heck have _I_ been???  :o  Hahaha.  With my new / renewed interest in working with a PIC/Stamp - I'm wide open to idea possibilities for my monster, on other things based around them! :D

And the MIDISid!  Right!  I remember reading something about it last year.  There ARE temptations there, when I place my order!! :D

(Speaking of THAT - I spent almost 30 minutes before work yesterday, trying to add my new address to my Paypal account, so that I could get the MIDIbox Seq stuff sent to here - and Paypal wouldn't LET me. ????  This morning though - I've received email from them acknowledging my new address - so HOPEfully, that'll allow me to place my order for the modules that I want. :)  I was going to go with Moogah's suggested parts only - not being able to get the order through though - on more thought at work - I figured I'll get more stepped attentuators, as I'll be intending on having FAR more than the 17 suggested. :) :)  Especially with modifications that I'm hoping to do, to the sequencer software and hardware additioins. :)

Now - the CEM3396's!  I completely FORGOT about those!  That could really be something to get back into, as I LOVED using the CEM3340's over the years. :D  I only went discrete THIS time, as I'd LOST my 3 x 3340s, sometime within the last 2 years. :(  I've got 8 octaves of rock solid stability in my 2nd VCO, based around the hardware from Ian Fritz's simple VCO that I partially modified, but I'd love to have a Curtis VCO again, as well as the rest of the things on the chip - whether via analog or, digital control. :)

Thankee for the welcome aboard, all!  I'm still wanting to get the tuning in my own designed sequencer working properly, but from the videos I've watched of the MIDIbox - I'm just about blown away in anticipation of what IT'll be doing for me, once I get my first of hopefully many, BUILT! :D

Now - off to see about placing the order again. :)

Take care all,

Warmth and Peace,

Dolphinicus

[stryd_one]

Hey man sorry for the late reply... I went looking to see if you'd replied yet and saw that I'd missed your post  :-\

Looking forward to that schematic dude. I'll trade you a 2044 for it, it's the least I can do :)

Check these out: http://oopic.com/soundgin/ http://www.speakjet.com/ . Very cool, nothing on my favourite synth (my k5000s, my beautiful baby), but still cool :D

Hope the order all went well!

[Dolphinicus]

Not a trouble in reply lateness. :)

Let me know where I can send a scan of the 2044's LPF schematic from Barry Klein to via FTP or email and I can fire it off almost immediately. :)

In unpacking more of my boxes from my final move, I found ONE 2044 in a unit that a former customer / friend of mine had built for me, for my birthday - 10 years ago.  I never completed it, but it HAS given me - 1 x 2044! :D  Happy about that, as it'll give me 3 of them in my machine, at least.

Muchlee appreciate the offer of a 2044 in trade! :)  Don't worry about that though.  Scanning and emailing / etc., the schematic, will cost me nothing except a couple of minutes of time.  That's not a bother to me.  And shipping / packaging for the 2044 for you, would be a heck of a lot more bother as well, anyways. :)

AND - I DO have a dead Korg Polysix, a couple of thousand kilometers away.  I'd just sent a request to my bud who has it - to dismantle for me, so that he can send me the circuit boards. :)  That'll give me 6 x 2044s, and 6 x 2056s (VCADSRs).  :)

I'm VERY curious about the Soundgin / Speakjet chips!  Support systems for - curiosity.  It'd be WONDerful to have computer speech in my modular!  I'll have to read more at the latter of the sites, to see about any further info., for that. :D

Now as to the order - :(  Nothing in reply, yet. :(

I've had trouble with my Paypal account. :(  I'm living at a new address, but my credit card is registered to the OLD address.  Paypal, wont let me delete the old address, to transfer my purchasing and shipping abilities / etc., to my NEW address. :( :(  If the order went to the old address, the old girlfriend, would either refuse the package, or toss it into the garbage. :(

I emailed the dude at the U.S. distributor, asking about ensuring that the order would come to my new address, due to the Paypal problem, and I haven't received any reply.  :o 

It looks though - until I can get Paypal to change my billing address - that I wont be able to use Paypal FOR the purchase of the order.  I'm in limbo at the moment - and that is a major bummer. :(

I could just look at going back to the original place that the modules are at (Germany), but I don't know what shipping would cost from there, to Canada.  (sigh)

Any thoughts on your end?  Would you know of an alternate email address, for the U.S. distributor, that I could contact?  I just wish to make sure that the order would ship to where I am now.  I'd send a money order to take care of it, if I had to. :)

Thanks for any potential help. :)  I have many other questions about software for the PIC / displays / etc., but I'll leave them until I can get my first modules sent to me. :)

Take care,

Dolphinicus

http://www.sdiy.org/damian - my modular's homepage

[stryd_one]

PM'ing you my email now mate, thankyou :).

Did you manage to get in touch with SmashTV? He's a top bloke, I'm sure he can sort something out!

[Dolphinicus]

Thanks much Stryd! :D  Yes, I DID get a reply from him.  Everything's worked out, as long as I give my new address in a reply to him, as WELL as in a comment on the purchase.

Whilst I'm replying to you:  I'd also like to work on designing, my own Gate sequencer, around a Basic Stamp.  Could you recommend a kit, that I could purchase, that would give me enough power, for sequencing?  (This is for building a drum sequencers with.)

I'd like to go the route of learning a unit's version of basic, and doing it all myself.  I'm not speaking of MIDI needs here.  Pure 8, 10, 12 or 16 step Gate generation.  (That many ports, I mean.  I'll take care of the Trigger generator for each step, myself.)  Also capable of being synced to something else, via an external trigger.

Would you know of a simpler board that has the MCU; RAM; interface connectors / etc., available from somewhere, that I could put in an order for?  (Not worried about a display for this.  I'd rig it for LEDs, only.)

Down the road - I'd also like to work on designing building my own sequencer.  As I have posted in the design section at my webpage, I'd like to have multiple 4 step sequencers, set up in a matrix.  I.E.  4 sets, of 4 step sequencers.  Which could then be programmed to run through:

- Seq 1 repeating

- Seq's 1 through 2, 3 or 4, repeating

- Step 1 of Seq's 1 through 2, 3, or 4 then

- Step 2 etc.

- Step 3 etc.

- Step 4 etc.

- Repeat

As my current existing 4 step sequencer in my modular, operates - each step, can send the 1V/Oct. source through 12 positioni switch, A or B, giving either of 2 notes per step.  (Or Gate off, through a separate set of switches, as well.)

I'd like to build a Matrix of this, for highly complex sequence patterns. :)  Same idea, for drum sequencers, eventually. :D

For now though - I'd like to wet my experiences on designing a drum sequencer, around a Basic Stamp - and I'll move further from there, through experience.  My quandry thus farly - is which board to buy??  :)  It'd be great if you could have any suggestions through. :D

If I don't order from SmashTV on this paycheque, I'll be doing it on the next or following.  I'm also currently building a monster-PC, a piece at a time per paycheque, and a bass guitar just came up in today's paper, for a good price, which I may buy as well.  All looks good now though, for placing an order through Smash. :)

Anyhoo - must get ready for work.  Thankee for your help and any possible further help! :)

Take care,

Ryk

http://www.sdiy.org/damian - my modular synthesizer's homepage