New Design/Custom Synth Module in progress: Vintage Voice hybrid digital/analog osc/wave gen w/analog filters
like Ensoniq Esq-1,Oberheim OBX,Rhodes Chroma Polaris/Fender Chroma Polaris, Mirage, etc.
I'm using Curtis Electronics chips Voltage Controlled Amplifier, VCO, and Filter chips like CEM3360. All of the ones I've employed for the 5 of these I am making are actually FROM the synths of the Era-I got the CEM3360 from a MemoryMoog main circuit board, for example.
So they are 100% vintage, 100% from the era (late 70's-late 80's), and 100% LEGIT.
Anyways, without giving away any sorta trade info (as always, its a possibility we could go into production with a version of these later or perhaps employ similar design or circuit in another instrument), here's a rough idea of the plan:
1)Basic sound blocks:
a)Using the Curtis chips, I'll implement a waveform generator with a LIMITED set of waveforms (probably 2).For example, half a CEM3360 can be used for this
b) Using an Arduino Nano or Teensy 3.0 and Mozzi programming (see sensorium.github.io) I'll generate a limited set of digital waveforms or perhaps only a single PWM or Sine wave that will have a few elements controllable/alterable like resolution or depth
c) Then i'll use a blending circuit controlled by a slider potentiometer (likely 100kA) to allow use of either, both, or a combination of the two anywhere in between those two options.
2)Filters etc:
a) Obviously these will be Analog, generated by the CEM chips and another analog circuit I often use-they will be modular within the module, meaning the synthesis block's sound can be patched into them or not.
b) There will also be 2-one that simply has a few quick on/off options: low-pass, band-pass, etc & a second one which will have the standard variable options concerning cutoff freq and so forth.
3)Control Voltage
a) there will be 3 ins:
a1) one to control the note on and freq of the synth section
a2) and another to control the more complex filter
a3) a third to allow sound into the filter (as mentioned above) thus further increasing the complexity and possible uses of the module by allowing either sound from the other section of the same module or from another outside source to be filtered by the analog filters.
That's the basic design so far and its coming along ok. Let me know what you think of the idea and of the design ive done preliminarily (see below)
Ok, im going to sorta skirt really close to some legalities and morally questionable areas here, so if youre an upright citizen who
is not curious about things then ignore this.
Today Im going to give you enough info to get started on the most basic of encryption hacks-password acquisition.
Again, if youre upright..well..WTF are you doing here anyway?
Otherwise, I'll need to explain a few things before going on:
-all systems-hardware and software, which use passwords, need to store them somewhere
in order to recognize them later. They will use this file to check against your entries when you enter a password in any given instance.
You'd be surprised how often its actually labeled "password.whatever.."
-this file WILL be stored locally. (local to the system, whatever type it is)
-This file, or at least the password..but generally the whole file..will be encrypted. Often you can locate it by the very FACT it IS encrypted when other files at that point are startup ones and otherwise obvious standards.
-This encryption will generally be someting you cannot read looking at it. You wont be able to substitute letters for numbers or anything that simple.
However, here's a general technique that you can play with in getting started:
look for something (again stored locally as BLAH.PSW as a 10 character string, or PASS.blah etc.
Make a backup copy first then remove the archive and read-only attributes to gain write access to the file:
copy whatever.psw password.bak
attrib whatever.psw -a -r (NOTE: again, if you know you'll know, and I know im making this hard but Google is your friend AND ITS NOT THAT HARD to see what im referring to--youll need to know it anyway if youre going into this sphere)
Now you can edit the password file using debug (if its a dos-level) or editor, etc with others, this example will go with Dos-level type:
debug blah.psw
-d
OC4B:0100 85 8C 89 9A 8F 83 E9 E9-E9 E9 xx xx xx xx xx xx
The first six bytes in this example are the encrypted password followed by padding (encrypted spaces) and the terminator. Use debug to change all but the first byte to match the padding. For example:
-e101 E9 E9 E9 E9 E9
-d100
OC4B:0100 85 E9 E9 E9 E9 E9 E9 E9-E9 E9 xx xx xx xx xx xx
Now write the edited file back to disk and quit debug:
-w
Writing 00012 bytes
-quit
Start the dos-level or whatever program and try each letter of the alphabet in turn. It will throw you out after 3 invalid entries so simply reload it and continue. In the worst case you will need to reload 8 times. As soon as you discover the new improved single character password you're in.
Whee.
learning.
Note_ if trying on server files or site, often its as easy to locate the file or files as using the site name and adding a "/" (without the quotes) to the end or index. etc (again, simply google 'server file list' etc..youll have to do SOME of the work)
Multimodular MuchoDrum is 4 analog drum synths in one box with a vacuum tube preamp AND 4 drum pads.
All elements (drums and preamp) have individual outs and can be connected or used separately. External triggers and sequencers can also be employed for each synthesizer.
This is the FIRST AUDIO demo test of ONE of the analog drum synths meant mainly to be toms etc
I wanted to give something really nice to a friend's fiancee since I've known him for more than a decade and she's really great with him-so Im doing a portrait. Originally my plan was to do one of her, but they would rather it be of them both apparently-so that is what im doing.
Ill probably use the same combined technique style which I used on this one:
Anyway, I've just finished the background, and here it is!
Ok kids-I have FINISHED the first of the two (1 of 2) hand made fretless les paul electric guitars:
AIR WHAMMY
Both will have original artwork as well as fretless necks. Ive also decided to further customize them with the addition of "Air Whammy"s-done via, in 1 case Dr Blankenstein's Illumuringer, and my own version of the same-which uses a TOTALLY different means of manipulating the sound.
The end result is similar and the appearance on the guitar is very close, but his circuit employs an (apparently) proprietary program and a microcontroller (looks like an Atmel attiny but could be a PIC etc to manipulate the sound coming from the guitar according to info given it by the sensor (an LDR)
Sensor I used instead
-Also, in both guitars, I used the same LDR sensor-a vintage/rare one with a heavy steel bezel and glass lense cover.
I made other changes to Blankenstein's module, but they are not major and ointing them out would just detract from the contribution it makes to the project.
illumiringer setup (note type LDR sensor used above-replaced in ours)
His circuit is more of a 'sound mangling' thing and not really meant to emulate the whammy-whereas mine is mainly altering the tuning/pitch ONLY-(as a whammy bar does).
Mine is also all analog, instead of digital. This is so we can keep the signal path "all analog sound".
Also added were:
-a dial (potentiometer-100kb to be exact) to control the relative volume/amount of the effect
-a switch to turn the effect on and off.
-a red LED to light up and let the player determine when the effect is engaged
Its important to note that the sensor in both cases was further protected (and in keeping with the aesthetics) by a pocketwatch case. This allows the player to close the cover and protect the sensor which playing-handy especially if playing metal or punk and picking heavily.
cover closed
When the cover is open, the sensor can EASILY be reached by the same picking hand as it is only inches from the strings. Just as close and easily reached as a whammy-more so since you do not need to actually 'grab' or 'hold' anything.
sensor cover open
As you will see in the demo video, it can be used with the palm or a finger or the whole hand. Further, you can leave your hand close for smaller changes in the pitch or sound and
keep your hand farther away for more/bigger
changes in the pitch/tune/sound of the string or note or chord that you happen to have struck or be playing at the time.
ORIGINAL ARTIST DECORATED FRETLESS NECK______
Important to note (in addition to the info regarding this in the post previous to this one) that a strong layer of polyeurethane protects the artwork AND is waxed (and should continue to be waxed and buffed to be maintained, FYI) -front AND back-to maintain a VERY fast neck.
otherwise the particulars of this are covered below regarding both prototypes.
VINTAGE TONE BANK
This is an additional custom element we added to both guitars, although the formulation of the exact tone range differs slightly as we wanted to try two separate combinations of capacitor values(capacitance-usually meansured in Farad, MicroFarads, or PicoFarads)
note: vintage audio-grade polystyrene-silver on L,bumblee on R
It uses a 5-switch DIP switch so that you can change the capacitor (or combo thereof) being employed by the Tone Knob (potentiometer).
There is also a switch to allow the player to turn the entire tone bank off completely.
Some of the capacitors used in the tone bank (can be chosen via one of the buttons on blue switch bank) are : A vintage "bumblebee" capacitor, A vintage Mica capacitor, Vintage 'tropical fish' cap, Vintage oil/paper capacitor, polystyrene, plastic dip, and ceramic.
Pictured is the ACTUAL tone bank capacitor combo used in the black prototype.
(Both tone banks on the two prototypes have a bumblebee and tropical fish type caps)
thats it for today -check out the YOUTUBE VIDEO of the black prototype describing the various attributes and containing a SHORT audio demo of it in use:
Monday, July 20, 2015
DIY -ing Fretless Les Paul w Custom Artwork on Fretboard:
I had a request by a client for a fretless guitar w specific thematics artistically, and possibly additional mods/options added on after the conversion to fretless (depending on how much it was going to cost him at that point).
It wasnt easy or simple to get done well and right-so I thought Id post the method I developed to hopefully save other people some effort.
This is the finished project (just fretless, the possible later additions hadnt been done at this point):
Step 1: Removing the Frets Note:-be very careful when doing this, especially if you hve a nicer guitar that has a softwood fretboard like rosewood (what I had here). Its very easy to scar the fretboard and the more stuff you have to fix and fill, the harder it is to end up with a proper slick fretboard.
The method I evolved used a small jewler's flathead screwdriver and small hammer. Carefully whack the screwdriver under the fret's top ridge on one of the sides of the neck (top or bottom),
then lever up the fret so that its sufficiently out of the neck to allow you to grab with pliers. Then simply pull it out (straight up-trying to lever at this point will bend the fret and may cause other issues).
Step 2: Fill the frets
Used MINWAX WOOD PUTTY to fill the fret holes left over after removing the fret wires. This is a multi-step process. First, you put some in the hole and tamp it down using your finger or some other tool. Then you leave it to dry or expand..whatever..for a couple hours. Then you use a scraper or plastic credit card to scrape off any excess outside the holes. Make sure to also fillany scars or dents made before or during the removal process.
You can stop here if you're not painting..but I was..so Step 3 : Paint your design First, sand the previous finish off. Then, I laid down a coat or two of primer. Then I painted the dsigns on the 2 guitars I was doing this to.
Design 1
And 2
Step 4: Polyurethane
I used abut 8 coats of it. Made a nice, thick finish that would protect the wood and allows for smooth sliding up and down the scale (the purpose of fretless guitars I think). After they all dried, I waxed, polished and finely sanded. Then ended up with finished fretless customs:
